ENGLISH BOOK REVIEW

A POCKET FULL OF RYE

 INDEX
S.N CONTENTS PG.N
O O
1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3

2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 4

3 THEME 5,6

4 MAIN CHARACTER 7

5 DOES THE STORY 8

REFLECT REALITY?
6 MESSAGE FOR THE 9
READER
7 DO YOU FIND IT A 10
GOOD STORY?
8 CRITICAL REVIEW 11
 9 CONCLUSION 12

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the
queen of crime. She was born on 15th September 1890. Her
books have sold over a billion copies in English with
another billion in over 100 foreign languages. She is the
most widely published and translated author of all time
and in any language: only the bible and Shakespeare have
sold more copies. She also wrote six romances under the
name Mary Westmacott, but she is best known for the 66
detective novels and 14 short story collections she wrote
under her own name. The Mousetrap, her most famous
play, was first staged in 1952 in London and is still
performed there- it is the longest-running play in history.
Agatha Christies first novel was published in 1920. It
featured Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective who has
become the most popular detective in crime fiction since
Sherlock Holmes. Collins has published Agatha Christie.
This series has been especially created for readers
worldwide whose first language is not English. Each story
has been shortened, and the vocabulary and grammar
simplified to make it accessible to readers with a good
intermediate knowledge of the language. She died at the
age of 86 on 12th January 1976

THEME
Murders disguised within a nursery rhyme, the
rhyme is 'Sing a Song of Sixpence'. A Pocket
Full of Rye opens with the death of Rex
Fortescue, a successful but not universally liked
financier. Curiously, rye is discovered in one of
his pockets. In addition, it was not his afternoon
tea that poisoned him but something that he
had eaten at breakfast that contained taxine, a
product of yew. After few days, Gladys Martin,
the parlor maid, has been strangled, and Rexs
attractive second wife, Adele, has received a
dose of cyanide in her tea.
The police are confused, both by the methods
the murderer has chosen to use and by the
number of motives. Adding to the confusion is
the sudden appearance of Lancelot Fortescue
and his wife Patricia. Years before, Lance had
moved to Africa after his father had thrown him
out of the house for forging a check. According
to him, he and his father had made their peace,
and he has come back to enter the family
business, much to the disapproval of the oldest
son, Percival, who resides at Yewtree Lodge
with his wife, Jennifer. All parties stand to gain
from the death of Rex Fortescue. Consequently,
there are nearly as many motives as there are
suspects. Adding to the confusion is the rye in
Rexs pocket and a clothespin clipped to the
nose of Gladys Martin.
Miss Marple enters the Fortescue home as a
former employer of Gladys Martin. She wants to
find the girls murderer. Inspector Neele quickly
finds that Miss Marple is a valuable asset and
asks that she lend a hand in finding out...
 MAIN CHARACTERS
Mr. Rex Fortescue: A wealthy
business man who owns the CIT. he was
a person that every one disliked due to
his rude behavior. He is the first victim.
Detective Inspector Neele: The
investigator and a man not to be trifled
with.
Mrs. Adele Fortescue: She is the
attractive second wife of Rex and the
second victim.
Gladys Martin: the last and third
victim.
Miss Marple: an elderly lady with a
habit of solving murders and former
employer of Gladys Martin.
Lance Fortescue: the culprit.

DOES THE STORY REFLECT

REALITY

It does not reflect reality because a case

cannot be solved within a couple of days.
 MESSAGE FOR THE READER

In all crime stories there is only one

message that truth can never be hidden
for long. One day or the other it will
come out.
DO YOU FIND IT A GOOD STORY

The book A Pocket Full of Rye is a

series of murders disguised within a
nursery rhyme, the rhyme is 'Sing a
Song of Sixpence'. Its a interesting story
which is totally different from the books
I have read so far. I find it a very good
book.
 CRITICAL REVIEW

Although it was interesting I felt it

lacked a bit of suspense.
 CONCLUSION
I would love to read more books of
Agatha Christie