7th Feb 2023
Over the course of her long and distinguished career, Agatha Christie wrote many memorable novels set in and around Cornwall. Amongst these were the likes of Three Act Tragedy and Peril at End House. But in 1923, just 3 years after the inaugural publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, a short story appeared in The Sketch which placed the iconic Belgian detective Hercule Poirot for the first time at the heart of a Cornish tale.1
Now 'The Cornish Mystery' is in its centennial year. This unforgettable early Poirot case contains all the markings of Christie's masterful style.
A CRY FOR HELP
Mrs Pengelley is, to Hastings' mind, the most unlikely person to ask for Poirot's help. She is so 'extraordinarily commonplace' that '[i]n a country town, you pass a hundred Mrs Pengelleys in the street every day.'
Despite her everyday appearance, Mrs Pengelley has travelled from Cornwall for Poirot's help. She has been suffering pain and sickness whenever she eats. A diagnosis of gastritis leaves her more questions than answers. The symptoms also disappear whenever her husband is away on business.
Prompted by Poirot, Mrs Pengelley admits to suspecting her husband of an affair. Fearing scandal, Mrs Pengelley asks for no 'talk or fuss, or things in the papers. Wicked it is, the way they write things, until the family could never hold up their heads again.' Poirot promises to visit her home in the (fictitious) town of Polgarwith under cover. But she must eat nothing that she has not prepared herself.
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
The rural beauty of Polgarwith impresses Hastings. To him, '[i]t seemed impossible to associate thoughts of violence with this Old World charm.' Yet on arrival at Mrs Pengelley's house, the maid informs Poirot and Hastings of their client's untimely death.
Poirot is known for being lovably pompous and meticulous in his methods. The famous detective also admits to his own limitations. His self-critical nature and the high standards to which he holds himself drive him to find the final truth of the case. It is important to note Poirot's sense of responsibility and personal grief. He understands that 'ordinary' lives matter. Ultimately it is his heart and not his brain that leads Poirot to solve this Cornish mystery.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Local gossip - and the fear it instils - plays a prominent role throughout this case. The village seems to have an insatiable appetite for scandal. Poirot cryptically comments that it will be the key to discovering the truth behind Mrs Pengelley's death.
One person of interest is Mrs Pengelley's niece-in-law Freda. Hasting describes her as:
'an extremely pretty girl of the Cornish type - dark hair and eyes and rosy cheeks. There was a flash in those same dark eyes which told of a temper that it would not be wise to provoke.'
As a spirited and passionate Cornishwoman, Freda seems to exist outside of the (now rightfully outdated) 'English Rose' ideal of femininity at the time. This places her in the mysterious realm of otherness. A dangerous position to be in when it comes to lining up suspects.
TRUTH PREVAILS
Some months of quiet pass until the case erupts. Mr Pengelley marries his dental assistant and new tests confirm 'large quantities of arsenic' in the victim's system.
Here we see Poirot at his best. He tidies his symmetrical moustache while offering enigmatic observations. His seemingly irrelevant questions cast doubt on Mr Pengelley's guilt. However, his methodical brain means nothing without evidence to put to a jury of 'twelve stolid Cornishmen'. The Belgian detective must secure a confession before it is too late.
NOTES
1 'The Cornish Mystery' was later included in Agatha Christie's short story collection Poirot's Early Cases.
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