I've said it before, and (hopefully!) I'll say it again. Just when I think I've read my last Agatha Christie mystery, another one comes out of the woodwork. This time it's a collection of short stories called While the Light Lasts. And although it includes two stories I read in other compilations (always a danger with collections), the rest are as fresh as a just-killed corpse. That said, they aren't so much whodunits as mysteries of the mind. Which are, in some ways, more frightening. Because it's all well and good to find out who killed Professor Plum in the conservatory with a candlestick (I know that's Clue and not Christie, but if mixing murder metaphors is wrong, I don't want to be right). Yet sometimes envy, greed, and/or vanity can poison the well between a husband and wife even more potently than cyanide. Because Christie's not just the crème de la crème of crime writers. She's a master of human nature, spinning stories around the seven deadly sins with the supernatural skill of a sorceress.
Which brings us to something else that's not human, namely the moths on the cover. Their dark beauty reflects the macabre allure of the tales within, proving that sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. Also, they remind me of my own moths. No, I'm not keeping the winged things as pets. We just have a real influx of them this year, with at least one clinging to the wall in each room, looking as lifeless as a pinned specimen. As everyone knows, they're famous for eating fabric (hence those malodorous moth balls beloved by octogenarians). So, I've been annihilating them with my Dyson. Now you know my secret. Not only am I not one of those people who insists on shuttling offending insects outside; I'm a willing murderess when it comes to preventing crimes of fashion.
And with that we come full circle to my favorite sin: vanity, with a side of sloth.
7 comments:
I like Agatha Christe books and this one is one of my favorite.
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Oh, thanks for the smile this morning. I do enjoy many of these classic authors' short stories. I am a big fan of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith when it comes to short stories. Some really give you an insight of living in certain eras too.
I would definitely be out to get those moths too.
About "Lynsey"... I always see her more of the stronger one in the couple. "Vanna" to Brick she's a woman. Although, she just graduated high school...but she wants to go out with Matty.
That is so cool about the banana pudding. Oh, you were brave. I hope it turned out great.
I always look forward to your post! I love how you can draw on these two things, like you do. Thanks for the Friday smile! I hope your July is being a productive one.
And yes..it took me forever to come up with a name for the character...Cyrus. Hopefully Cori won't go mental yet.
All the best to a creative July!
Oh, those sloths are really popular these days. Kids love them. And I have found so many sloth stickers. Moths are bad..very bad. You are spot on..doing away with them. I do have co-workers always trying to save bugs.
I love Christie's books. I read them all, muliple times. I just can't get enough :)
That is a beautiful book cover design, and a beautiful bookmark to go with it!! I'm glad you're enjoying the Agatha Christie novel, and I'm also glad that the moths in your house are not eating your lovely clothes. The sloth book is so dang cute; they're such adorable little things! ❤️
I'm all for killing anything that tries to kill my fashion.
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