Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie: a review

Mrs. Boynton was like an obese, obscene spider sitting in the middle of a web in which the members of her family were trapped. She kept them prisoners by the force of her will. They were discouraged from meeting other people or from going out in the world on their own. She controlled their money so that they could not afford to leave her. There was her stepson Lennox who was married to Nadine. This marriage had been arranged by Mrs. Boynton. She had two other stepchildren, Raymond and Carol. Most disturbing of all was her own daughter Ginevra who seem to be escaping into a fantasy world or a complete mental breakdown.

Mrs. Boynton had brought them all on a trip to Jerusalem. Here they would encounter Sarah King, a young doctor who was attracted to Raymond when they first met. Also they would meet Dr. Gerard, a world famous psychiatrist. Dr. Gerard and Sarah were fascinated and appalled by the Boynton family, and could not resist analyzing their relationships.

Also staying at their hotel, was Lady Westholme who was force in English politics. "She was much respected and universally disliked."  Also, there was Miss Pierce, a vague middle-aged woman, and  a famous Belgium detective, Hercule Poirot.

The Boynton family, Sarah, Dr. Gerard, Lady Westholme and Miss Pierce  set off to view the sights of Petra. It was a challenging trip in the 1930's and the traveler could choose to stay in a tent or a cave. On one afternoon, the members of the Boynton family except for Mrs. Boynton and Ginevra set out on a walk to view the sites. Mrs. Boyton was much too large and old to undertake this exercise, and remained behind sitting at the entrance to her cave. She was still sitting here when the members of the group returned. When a servant was dispatched to call Mrs. Boynton to dinner, he found that she was dead.

It was very possible that Mrs. Boynton died of a heart attack, but Colonel Carbury of the police suspects that she was murdered. He calls upon Hercule Poirot to investigate, and Poirot has one day to find the murderer. Poirot interviews all the people who were there on that afternoon. He, of course, arrives at the correct and well reasoned solution of the problem.

This book was published in 1937, and is still available in print and as an ebook.