An anonymous letter informs Elinor Carlisle that an interloper is, as the letter’s author warns, “sucking up to” Elinor’s wealthy Aunt Laura to usurp Elinor’s position as heir of Laura’s estate. Elinor suspects the alleged rival to be her childhood playmate Mary Gerrard. But when Mary is murdered with morphine poisoning, Elinor must rely on Hercule Poirot to prove her innocence and save her life.
The Story In Sad Cypress
Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Welman are cousins by marriage, but not blood, and have an understanding that they will marry someday. They are also the only known heirs to the estate of their wealthy aunt Laura. But when an anonymous letter warns them of a potential rival for Aunt Laura’s affectations–and her money–they rush to her side.
Elinor suspects that the unnamed rival is their childhood playmate Mary Gerard and when she arrives at Aunt Laura’s home, her suspicions are confirmed. Then Elinor realizes she has a bigger problem. Roddy, who hasn’t seen Mary in many years, is instantly smitten with the beautiful and graceful young woman. Heartbroken, Elinor breaks off her engagement.
Aunt Laura, who was partially paralyzed by a recent stroke, suffers a second stroke and, apparently, dies in her sleep–but not before communicating her desire to leave Mary an undisclosed amount of money. Since Laura died before creating a will, Elinore inherits everything.
While readying the house for sale, Elinor invites Mary and Nurse Hopkins to lunch at the home. Mary dies of morphine poisoning after consuming a sandwich prepared by Elinor. With Elinor now suspected of Mary’s murder, Laura’s body is exhumed and a lethal does of morphine is discovered in her remains, too.
Elinor is arrested and Hercule Poirot is hired to clear her of the murder charges.
My Thoughts On Sad Cypress
The more I read Agatha Christie’s detective fiction, the less I’m inclined to use the phrase “cozy mysteries” to describe Poirot’s cases. In Sad Cypress, for example Christie explores doctor-assisted suicide, death with dignity and mercy killings. She also gives us characters who prepare to marry as much for financial gain as for love and an illegitimate child or two. Should the spouse of a mentally ill patient be allowed to divorce and remarry? That topic, too, is pulled from the shadows and examined.
She is also unafraid to experiment with the mystery fiction formula. Much of the final few chapters are set in the courtroom that hosts Elinor’s murder trial. It’s a device that could have become tedious in the hands of a less talented author but Christie makes it work.
Most readers will, I think, probably, work out much of the solution before it’s fully revealed. Christie has a reputation for playing fairly with her audience and she does so here, too. (But remember that Christie is a master of red herrings. I fell for several and ended up actually overthinking the solution in a spectacular fashion.)
My audiobook of Sad Cypress was performed by David Suchet; my text copy was the original 1940 version.
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Lisa Barger 
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