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I’m so glad you could possibly be a part of us right here within the parlor! Please have a seat, proper subsequent to the crackling fireplace. A lesser detective might have been shocked that you just accepted my invitation to this little gathering. In spite of everything, it was solely yesterday that I implied you had a motive to kill the poor sufferer, which might be a really awkward dialog for anybody. However I occur to be a stellar detective who has learn all Agatha Christie’s novels, so I knew you’d be too curious to remain away.
Now that you just’re right here, take a very good take a look at everybody gathered on this room. You all have one thing in widespread! Everybody on this room had good cause to need the sufferer lifeless. And most of you might be conserving a secret that ranges from embarrassing to tragic that makes you look very responsible certainly. Sure, I suppose it is nerve wracking to be within the presence of so many potential murderers. However don’t fear! As I’m about to elucidate at nice size, solely one among you truly killed somebody.
Collect the Suspects
Now, I’m a really literary detective, so I’d like to do that by the guide. No laughs at that pun? Powerful crowd. Anyway, step one is getting all of the suspects collectively in a single room. Agatha Christie is the godmother of the parlor room thriller, along with her most well-known sleuths virtually all the time saving the large reveal for after they have an viewers. Within the Twenties “Golden Age” of Detective fiction, thriller writers often offered the homicide as a psychological sport for the reader to resolve. To maintain the sport going so long as attainable, writers like Christie saved the detective’s good summation for the final attainable second.
Normally, in Ms. Christie’s books, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple want a parlor like this, however Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe typically used his workplace and generally a lodge. Parlor room-style scenes are nonetheless in style, even outdoors of the manor home Antony Horowitz not too long ago used as a theater stage in The Twist of a Knife, and naturally Rian Johnson inverted the trope in Knives Out. Regardless of the venue, what issues is that there’s sufficient house for about 4 to 6 folks. That’s about as many suspects as a devoted reader can sustain with.
The truth that we’re all gathered right here as we speak signifies that, to a much less good thoughts than mine, you all are nonetheless equal suspects. We’ve actually constructed up the suspense now! I’ve diligently interviewed every of you about your whereabouts, and requested you all about one another. Means, motive, and alternative are all nonetheless on the desk. A few of you hated the sufferer. A few of you really liked the sufferer, even if you shouldn’t have. They are saying Mrs. Christie didn’t know who did it till she acquired to the top both, so that you’re in good firm.
I, nevertheless, because the detective, know higher.
Spherical Robin Recap
This subsequent half will probably be a bit awkward for a few of you. Up till now, I’ve saved my ideas principally to myself, nodding and frowning at sure clues similar to Hercule Poirot, and possibly made an enthralling quip or two. However now I’m going to go step-by-step via my investigation, beginning with the invention of the physique. Readers love this as a result of it’s often the primary time they get to see the investigation via the good detective’s eyes. That inexperienced material caught within the door jam on the crime scene? That was an enormous clue. You possibly can write off the muddy shoe print on the carpet, although. That was simply shoddy housekeeping and a pink herring.
Let’s go across the room now. I’ll begin with essentially the most boring suspect first. Sorry, however nobody actually thinks you probably did it, Mr. Milquetoast. I saved you within the combine since you had been cagey about your whereabouts the night time of the homicide, however that’s solely since you had been handed out drunk.
Shifting on, we’ll get a bit spicier. Two of you had been having an affair and the sufferer discovered about it. That’s a juicy secret and explains why you lied about your alibis. However because you had been, ahem, indisposed on the time of the homicide, I’m crossing you off the record.
The Ultimate Reveal
Narrowing down the record, we’re on the final two suspects, and I see the stress is excessive. I’m going to disclose the assassin, who confirmed extraordinarily poor judgment by sitting via this entire speech as an alternative of creating a break for it. Additionally, it’s best to all brace yourselves, as a result of once I lastly out the assassin, they do are likely to get a bit violent. Even cash that they pull a gun or deal with me on their approach out the door.
Don’t fear, although. The police are all the time ready close by to slap on {the handcuffs}.
