Publication
Amsterdam Luitingh-Sijthoff 1995
ISBN
9024514118 / 9789024514113
Collections
Description
According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment. But when Dr. Arthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko's innocence, it is too late-Jacko died behind bars following a bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor's revelations reopen old wounds in the family, increasing the likelihood that the real murderer will strike again.
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member katzenfrau
Ordeal by Innocence sucks. The solution is completely wrong. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Jacko had lost his key somewhere (meaning, someone picked it up) and that he had married a woman with another steady, devoted, and probably entitled sweetheart. It's it so obvious that
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the sweetheart framed Jacko? But no. That's not the solution. So don't waste your time and energy on it. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrtall
Ordeal by Innocence is one of Agatha Christie’s later ‘stand-alone’ novels, i.e. it features neither Poirot nor Miss Marple.
The setup is quite simple: the wealthy, do-gooder matriarch of a family of adopted children has been murdered, it seems, by one of her now-adult charges, who’s been
This is not an unflawed effort – it’s longer than it needs to be, with too much dialogue spent recapping the facts of the case.
But it’s an interesting read. I’m particularly fond of Christie’s recurring theme – worked out in detail here – of nature vs. nurture in the development of personality and temperament. Christie critically examines the blank-slate theory of development (although she would not have known it by that name) and finds it sorely lacking.
Recommended.
The setup is quite simple: the wealthy, do-gooder matriarch of a family of adopted children has been murdered, it seems, by one of her now-adult charges, who’s been
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duly convicted, and has died in prison. But then an unexpected witness shows up with an iron-clad alibi for the unfortunate convict, and the whole case is opened up again, sowing doubt and discord amongst the widower and his surviving children.This is not an unflawed effort – it’s longer than it needs to be, with too much dialogue spent recapping the facts of the case.
But it’s an interesting read. I’m particularly fond of Christie’s recurring theme – worked out in detail here – of nature vs. nurture in the development of personality and temperament. Christie critically examines the blank-slate theory of development (although she would not have known it by that name) and finds it sorely lacking.
Recommended.
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LibraryThing member smik
There is something quite theatrical about this novel, almost as it was written for the stage with a voice-over.
The two voices we mainly hear are those of Dr Calgary who arrives with the tidings that Jacko must have been innocent, and Mr Marshall, the lawyer who provides legal advice. We see the
ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE appears to be a version of a locked room mystery, that is, one of those people with entry to the house must be the murderer. This person need not have been obviously present in the house, but could have been admitted freely by the victim, without the others knowing he/she was there. Jacko, the black sheep of the family, was such a convenient culprit because he was such a conniving and unpleasant character and because therefore the real murderer could regard himself/herself as safe from suspicion.
Once Jacko is cleared posthumously then it becomes clear that another family member is guilty and so the innocence of all is tainted. No-one is free from suspicion as in a sense they all alibi each other.
As Jacko has died in prison two years earlier this is now a "cold case" and almost every member of the Argyle family wishes that the case had not been re-opened. Members of the family wish the whole thing would go away and the effective investigation is carried on independently by three outsiders: the police inspector Huish, Phillip who is Mary's husband, and Dr. Calgary.
What I really liked about ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE was the ending. After some dramatic events, Dr. Calgary finishes what he started. The final denouement is very similar to Poirot's method of pulling the threads together.
Originally published in 1958 as a book, it was also serialised in both UK and the US.
ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE was originally a stand alone, but in 2007, with the script changed heavily from the original novel, it became a "Miss Marple" in the British ITV series, with Geraldine McEwan playing the leading role.
The two voices we mainly hear are those of Dr Calgary who arrives with the tidings that Jacko must have been innocent, and Mr Marshall, the lawyer who provides legal advice. We see the
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Argyle family/household through their eyes as they assess each member for their possible guilt or innocence. Others assess each of the family members too.ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE appears to be a version of a locked room mystery, that is, one of those people with entry to the house must be the murderer. This person need not have been obviously present in the house, but could have been admitted freely by the victim, without the others knowing he/she was there. Jacko, the black sheep of the family, was such a convenient culprit because he was such a conniving and unpleasant character and because therefore the real murderer could regard himself/herself as safe from suspicion.
Once Jacko is cleared posthumously then it becomes clear that another family member is guilty and so the innocence of all is tainted. No-one is free from suspicion as in a sense they all alibi each other.
As Jacko has died in prison two years earlier this is now a "cold case" and almost every member of the Argyle family wishes that the case had not been re-opened. Members of the family wish the whole thing would go away and the effective investigation is carried on independently by three outsiders: the police inspector Huish, Phillip who is Mary's husband, and Dr. Calgary.
What I really liked about ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE was the ending. After some dramatic events, Dr. Calgary finishes what he started. The final denouement is very similar to Poirot's method of pulling the threads together.
Originally published in 1958 as a book, it was also serialised in both UK and the US.
ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE was originally a stand alone, but in 2007, with the script changed heavily from the original novel, it became a "Miss Marple" in the British ITV series, with Geraldine McEwan playing the leading role.
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LibraryThing member thisisstephenbetts
Good read, well constructed. Some good old anachronistic sexism & racism. Was mostly reading to compare with the BBC series. This was much more cleverly constructed — I didn't guess the murderer, but had to take my hat off to Ms Christie for having laid all the clues there (though there were a
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couple of incidents which really stretch credulity). All that said, I think as written it would have been a slightly dull tv show. Soooo... let's call that one a draw. Show Less
LibraryThing member Figgles
Amusing aggie, oddly enough it was filmed as a Miss Marple and she's not in it!
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Another of her books without Poirot or Miss Marple. Jacko Argyle died in prison having been convicted for killing his mother, except he is innocent and Dr Calgary, the man who proves Jacko innocent, is stunned by how disturbed Jacko's family are by his revelation as this means that one of them must
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be guilty. Lots of twists and turns to this plot and, of course, more death, but the revelation of the murderer and the motive is satisfactory. Show Less
LibraryThing member GavinBowtell
I started reading this on a plane and thought how much more appropriate it would have been to read "Death in the Clouds".... the book started off in a style which to me as an avid Christie fan was unfamiliar. Nevertheless the book did contain a good deal of the wit and humour that is expected in
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Christie's novels and presented an interesting "closed room" murder mystery. The problem was the room was too tightly closed and everyone had an alibi as tight as a drum. Backed into a corner many second rate writers resort to the device of deus ex machina to resolve the unresolvable.I was disapponited that Christie fell back on this unsatisfying method of storytelling. The evidence of a child came out of the blue and was so nebulous as to signify very little in the unfolding of the tale, whilst the reader does not get to share in the detections of Dr. Calgary, and the ending of the novel was rather dubious. As an entertainment this was a perfect piece of airport reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member arielfl
This is one of the last Christie's I'll be reviewing for the Cool Down With AC challenge this summer. I fell a little behind schedule when I needed a break from the Christie a week schedule I was on. This is one of the stand alone novels and was one Agatha Christie's top ten personal favorites
In this novel we have Dr. Arthur Calgary, who after having suffered a concussion, suddenly remembers an important piece of information in a murder case. Unfortunately by the time he delivers the news, the son of the family has died in prison after being accused of the murder of his adopted mother. Dr. Calgary swears that he can provide an alibi for the son Jacko for the time of the murder and is somewhat mystified when no one in the family seems very happy to hear the news. It turns out, the mother Rachel was a somewhat polarizing figure in the family. She adopted many children during the war but it seems that it was to fulfill a need in her rather than a need in them. You would think that the largely poor and abandoned children would feel only happiness at being adopted into a wealthy loving family but this is not the case for all of them. Things aren't what they seem in typical Christie fashion and the hunt is on for Rachel Argyle's true killer before the victim count stacks up.
I enjoyed this book very much. I don't usually figure out the killer but I have read so many of her books now that I am starting to hone in on the who done it. This was a very interesting commentary on adoption. i love how Christie is able to take something you assume and flip it. This is another recommended read from the queen of crime.
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making a must read. In this novel we have Dr. Arthur Calgary, who after having suffered a concussion, suddenly remembers an important piece of information in a murder case. Unfortunately by the time he delivers the news, the son of the family has died in prison after being accused of the murder of his adopted mother. Dr. Calgary swears that he can provide an alibi for the son Jacko for the time of the murder and is somewhat mystified when no one in the family seems very happy to hear the news. It turns out, the mother Rachel was a somewhat polarizing figure in the family. She adopted many children during the war but it seems that it was to fulfill a need in her rather than a need in them. You would think that the largely poor and abandoned children would feel only happiness at being adopted into a wealthy loving family but this is not the case for all of them. Things aren't what they seem in typical Christie fashion and the hunt is on for Rachel Argyle's true killer before the victim count stacks up.
I enjoyed this book very much. I don't usually figure out the killer but I have read so many of her books now that I am starting to hone in on the who done it. This was a very interesting commentary on adoption. i love how Christie is able to take something you assume and flip it. This is another recommended read from the queen of crime.
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LibraryThing member antiquary
Told from the point of view (though not in first person) of man who is hit by a lorry (truck) and forgets a chance encounter which happens to prove an alibi for a young man accused of murdering his mother. By the time the witness remembers, the young man has been convicted and has died in prison.
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But when the witness comes forward, it creates a new danger for (and from) the real murderer. It also gives the opportunity for a romance between the witness and a member of the victim's household. Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Two years after Jacko was convicted of murdering his mother & dying in prison of pneumonia a man comes forward and corroborates Jacko's alibi...
Dr. Calgary had indeed picked the hitchhiking Jacko up (so that he was nowhere near the house at the time of his mother's murder). But then Dr. Calgary
When Dr. Calgary returns he happens upon a two year old newspaper and immediately sets out to make amends to the Argyle family:
The "family" are all adopted children, housekeeper, & secretary of Rachel & Leo Argyle (who had altruistically taken in children during the war, then adopted several of them):
Mary: Calm, controlling of her husband Phil (a victim of polio and the one to stir the pot) who convinced Rachel to become her "Mother"
Michael (Micky): Angry at his "Mother" for not being allowed to return to his mother & family
Hester: Young frightened and repressed by "Mother" who knows best
Tina: Quiet, unassuming, loving, & grateful to "Mother" for the comforts of her new life
Jack (Jacko): A cunning malicious miscreant whom "Mother" always bailed out, until that fateful night.
Kirsten (Kirsty): Housekeeper always looking out for & protecting the children
Gwenda: Leo's secretary, now his fiancee
Now that Jacko has been proven innocent, there is a murderer among the family, all who were perfectly happy & willing to let the past die with him.... But now the murderer is running scared and will kill again
I did figure out "who done it"..... It was a good story of suspense, the characters were not overly odious, some were even likable.
Dr. Calgary had indeed picked the hitchhiking Jacko up (so that he was nowhere near the house at the time of his mother's murder). But then Dr. Calgary
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has a nasty bump & a bit of amnesia then takes off for the South Pole.When Dr. Calgary returns he happens upon a two year old newspaper and immediately sets out to make amends to the Argyle family:
The "family" are all adopted children, housekeeper, & secretary of Rachel & Leo Argyle (who had altruistically taken in children during the war, then adopted several of them):
Mary: Calm, controlling of her husband Phil (a victim of polio and the one to stir the pot) who convinced Rachel to become her "Mother"
Michael (Micky): Angry at his "Mother" for not being allowed to return to his mother & family
Hester: Young frightened and repressed by "Mother" who knows best
Tina: Quiet, unassuming, loving, & grateful to "Mother" for the comforts of her new life
Jack (Jacko): A cunning malicious miscreant whom "Mother" always bailed out, until that fateful night.
Kirsten (Kirsty): Housekeeper always looking out for & protecting the children
Gwenda: Leo's secretary, now his fiancee
Now that Jacko has been proven innocent, there is a murderer among the family, all who were perfectly happy & willing to let the past die with him.... But now the murderer is running scared and will kill again
I did figure out "who done it"..... It was a good story of suspense, the characters were not overly odious, some were even likable.
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LibraryThing member Devil_llama
Agatha Christie delighted in throwing old, unsolved mysteries into her mix, and seeing if her detectives/cops/busybodies could solve them. In this case, the two year lag between the murder and the story is not as far as some of her time lapses, but still far enough to make a trail grow cold. Fun,
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easy reading, not too challenging, at least not for someone who has read Christie for many years (my first perp turned out to be right, and I never found any of the others terribly satisfying or convincing, so I stuck with it, but it was almost too neat). Show Less
LibraryThing member bah195
For me this book is not one of Agatha Christie's better books but still a good read.
LibraryThing member souloftherose
Two years ago Jack Argyle was convicted of the murder of his adoptive mother, Rachel Argyle, despite protesting his innocence, and subsequently died in prison. Now a stranger arrives to tell the Argyles he can prove Jack was innocent and is surprised to find that they are distressed by this news
Unusually for Christie this is light on murders and more focused on the psychological (and social) issues of this portrait of a very unhappy family. Like Streatfeild's [Saplings], I thought this was a very astute look at the effects of disruption and displacement on Rachel Argyle's five adopted children.
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rather than overjoyed. But if Jack is innocent, someone else in the house must have been guilty of the murder....Unusually for Christie this is light on murders and more focused on the psychological (and social) issues of this portrait of a very unhappy family. Like Streatfeild's [Saplings], I thought this was a very astute look at the effects of disruption and displacement on Rachel Argyle's five adopted children.
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LibraryThing member lycomayflower
This is one of Christie's "stand alone" mysteries, of which there are *far* more than I had previously realized. I read this as a buddy read with an old friend, and the discussion of the book was by far the most interesting aspect of this reading experience as a whole. The book isn't bad, exactly,
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but the pacing was odd (it dragged *a lot* in the middle), and there were little to no clues or detecting that a reader could follow. Add in some period-appropriate and largely not malicious but still (at best) quite distasteful attitudes towards race, and this Christie falls pretty far down my list of favorites from her. Show Less
LibraryThing member ElizabethCromb
Having seen many AC adaptations to television and film the plot was somewhat predictable. Christie's use of language is still admirable.
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book on CD read by Robin Bailey
From the book jacket: According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment. But when Dr Arthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko’s innocence, it is too late – Jacko died behind bars
My reactions:
I really enjoy Agatha Christie’s mysteries; there’s a good reason she’s often called “the Queen of Crime.” But this one didn’t really capture my attention. Of course, I was listening to the audio and the many characters were sometimes hard to differentiate. It also seemed somewhat melodramatic and “overacted” … but perhaps that is the fault of the narrator and not Christie’s writing.
The mystery itself is satisfyingly complex, with many suspects, just as many (or more) motives, and a determined amateur sleuth in Dr Calgary. Other reviewers give it high marks, so it may just not have been the right book at the right time for me.
Robin Bailey sets a good pace on the audiobook and his diction is clear.
From the book jacket: According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment. But when Dr Arthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko’s innocence, it is too late – Jacko died behind bars
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following a bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor’s revelations reopen old wounds in the family, increasing the likelihood that the real murderer will strike again.My reactions:
I really enjoy Agatha Christie’s mysteries; there’s a good reason she’s often called “the Queen of Crime.” But this one didn’t really capture my attention. Of course, I was listening to the audio and the many characters were sometimes hard to differentiate. It also seemed somewhat melodramatic and “overacted” … but perhaps that is the fault of the narrator and not Christie’s writing.
The mystery itself is satisfyingly complex, with many suspects, just as many (or more) motives, and a determined amateur sleuth in Dr Calgary. Other reviewers give it high marks, so it may just not have been the right book at the right time for me.
Robin Bailey sets a good pace on the audiobook and his diction is clear.
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LibraryThing member ElspethW
Aww Calgary got his happy ending. Normally would have been a bit annoyed with how it ended but it was just so sweet. And the mystery made a lot of sense. Rounded up from 4.5 stars because of some weird ideas about adoption but that was the time period I guess.
LibraryThing member smik
Two years after Jacko was convicted of the murder of his adopted mother and has died in jail, his alibi steps forward. Dr Calgary had been out of the country during the trial and only heard news of it upon his return. Certain that Jacko was innocent, Dr Calgary takes it upon himself to investigate
A psychological endeavour on Agatha Christie’s part, this story signifies a shift in style from some of her earlier, light works, and focuses largely on conversation, memory and perception, as each sibling suspects each other of the murder of their somewhat eccentric foster mother. The book was dedicated “To Billy Collins with affection and gratitude”. It was he who had convinced Christie to leave her one-sided deal with the Bodley Head, the publishers of her first six books, and to switch to William Collins Sons & Co in 1926. Now known as HarperCollins, they are Agatha Christie's UK and US publishers to this day.
It was first published in 1958 and it was in 1984 that the story was first adapted for film. It starred Donald Sutherland, Faye Dunaway and Christopher Plummer, and featured an interesting soundtrack that is often thought to conflict with the atmosphere of the film. In 2007, the story featured Miss Marple as part of the ITV television series, played by Geraldine McEwan.
In 2018 new TV adaptation of Ordeal by Innocence was broadcast with an all-star cast, including Bill Nighy, Eleanor Tomlinson and Anna Chancellor.
It is 10 years since I last read this and I am re-reading it for my Agatha Christie reading group.
It was chosen for our discussion because it is a stand alone, so we will be following our discussion with the viewing of the 2018 TV adaptation.
We are told in reviews that the book was one of Agatha Christie's own favourite novels, and featured a interpretation of her holiday home, Greenway House. Also that the reason this was not a "Poirot" was that when she wrote this book Christie was free to do whatever she wanted as she was not in any financial need that period and wanted to write something that would be enjoyable for her.
We spend a lot of time (along with the characters) thinking about who the murderer is, and also about the fact that the innocent are suffering too. We are presented with each of the family in turn for assessment. Did you finally guess who it was?
I haven't actually created a list of questions this time, so it will be interesting to see how the discussion goes.
Some suggestion of themes
Guilt vs Innocence
Why is no-one pleased by Dr. Calgary's assertion of the alibi?
Nurture vs Nature - in particular why didn't Rachel Argyle's great "experiment" work?
Did Calgary do the right thing? Or should life have gone on with the case unsolved?
Remember that Calgary's revelations eventually led to Mary's husband Philip becoming fixated on solving the murder and so there was in fact another murder and an attempted murder.
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the past.A psychological endeavour on Agatha Christie’s part, this story signifies a shift in style from some of her earlier, light works, and focuses largely on conversation, memory and perception, as each sibling suspects each other of the murder of their somewhat eccentric foster mother. The book was dedicated “To Billy Collins with affection and gratitude”. It was he who had convinced Christie to leave her one-sided deal with the Bodley Head, the publishers of her first six books, and to switch to William Collins Sons & Co in 1926. Now known as HarperCollins, they are Agatha Christie's UK and US publishers to this day.
It was first published in 1958 and it was in 1984 that the story was first adapted for film. It starred Donald Sutherland, Faye Dunaway and Christopher Plummer, and featured an interesting soundtrack that is often thought to conflict with the atmosphere of the film. In 2007, the story featured Miss Marple as part of the ITV television series, played by Geraldine McEwan.
In 2018 new TV adaptation of Ordeal by Innocence was broadcast with an all-star cast, including Bill Nighy, Eleanor Tomlinson and Anna Chancellor.
It is 10 years since I last read this and I am re-reading it for my Agatha Christie reading group.
It was chosen for our discussion because it is a stand alone, so we will be following our discussion with the viewing of the 2018 TV adaptation.
We are told in reviews that the book was one of Agatha Christie's own favourite novels, and featured a interpretation of her holiday home, Greenway House. Also that the reason this was not a "Poirot" was that when she wrote this book Christie was free to do whatever she wanted as she was not in any financial need that period and wanted to write something that would be enjoyable for her.
We spend a lot of time (along with the characters) thinking about who the murderer is, and also about the fact that the innocent are suffering too. We are presented with each of the family in turn for assessment. Did you finally guess who it was?
I haven't actually created a list of questions this time, so it will be interesting to see how the discussion goes.
Some suggestion of themes
Guilt vs Innocence
Why is no-one pleased by Dr. Calgary's assertion of the alibi?
Nurture vs Nature - in particular why didn't Rachel Argyle's great "experiment" work?
Did Calgary do the right thing? Or should life have gone on with the case unsolved?
Remember that Calgary's revelations eventually led to Mary's husband Philip becoming fixated on solving the murder and so there was in fact another murder and an attempted murder.
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LibraryThing member electrascaife
Two years ago a man was found guilty of killing his mother, sent to prison, then died while incarcerated. Now a man has come forward with solid evidence to clear the son’s name, but he doesn’t at all get the reaction from the family that he expected. Because now, of course, the case is once
I think this is likely my least favorite of Christie’s novels I’ve read so far. It’s an interesting premise, and by the end I was interested to see who’d dunnit, but the beginning and middle seemed really to drag along at a snail’s pace, and then when the killer was revealed, I was disappointed that the answer wasn’t more clever. *shrug*
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again wide open, and any of them could be the murderer…I think this is likely my least favorite of Christie’s novels I’ve read so far. It’s an interesting premise, and by the end I was interested to see who’d dunnit, but the beginning and middle seemed really to drag along at a snail’s pace, and then when the killer was revealed, I was disappointed that the answer wasn’t more clever. *shrug*
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LibraryThing member delphimo
Ordeal by Innocence does not follow the standard Agatha Christie format. This novel presents the psychology of the suspects in a murder of a domineering woman. Rachel Argyle, a wealthy and generous woman falls victim to death by a poker. Her adopted son, Jacko, falls prey to a conviction for her
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murder and dies in prison from pneumonia. He had claimed his innocence by stating a man gave him a ride. The man, Dr. Calgary, meets with obstacles and does not confirm Jacko’s plea until two years later. Dr. Calgary goes to the Argyle family to explain the situation that only opens old wounds. Each of the adopted children, the husband, the husband’s secretary, and a nurse explore their relationship with Rachel. A wonderful approach to murder and how each individual involved might be the killer. The story reminds me of the novels of Elizabeth George and her Inspector Lynley series. Too often, the why tends to be omitted. Show Less
LibraryThing member Slevyr26
This was a case of watching the BBC series before reading the book and many of the details/the ending was entirely different. Threw me for a loop. This was very good, not a favorite though.
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
The nature versus nurture debate is at the heart of this standalone psychological mystery. Jacko Argyle died in prison after he was convicted of murdering his mother by hitting her over the head with a poker. A couple of years after the trial, a new witness appears with exculpatory evidence that
This novel is very similar to many of Poirot’s cases, and I think it would have worked better as a Poirot mystery. It suffers from lack of an easily identifiable protagonist/detective. Sometimes Arthur Calgary works on the puzzle. Sometimes the local police superintendent works on it. Sometimes Philip Durant, the murder victim’s disabled son-in-law, fancies he can solve the mystery. Christie excelled at revealing character through conversation, and her dialogue carries her best novels. This novel focuses more on what various characters are thinking to themselves, and there isn’t a lot of dialogue. I think that’s why the pace seems to drag.
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proves Jacko was not in the house when his mother was murdered. But if Jacko was innocent, then someone else must be guilty. The rest of the family and the household employees will live under a cloud of suspicion until the real murderer is discovered. The witness, Dr. Calgary, feels responsible for stirring up the cloud of suspicion, and he believes he has a moral obligation to solve the crime and free the innocent from suspicion.This novel is very similar to many of Poirot’s cases, and I think it would have worked better as a Poirot mystery. It suffers from lack of an easily identifiable protagonist/detective. Sometimes Arthur Calgary works on the puzzle. Sometimes the local police superintendent works on it. Sometimes Philip Durant, the murder victim’s disabled son-in-law, fancies he can solve the mystery. Christie excelled at revealing character through conversation, and her dialogue carries her best novels. This novel focuses more on what various characters are thinking to themselves, and there isn’t a lot of dialogue. I think that’s why the pace seems to drag.
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Original publication date
1958