Ordeal By Innocence

Another Agatha Christie classic but my enjoyment was marred by knowing the plot in advance, that too from its picturised version viewed quite sometimes back. So I could not enjoy the flavour of the mystery very much though the thrilling ending in the signature Christie style could glue me tightly to the final chapters that once more revealed to me the mastery of Christie's writing! That I knew the criminal didn't matter much in the final chapters but the sheer way of presentation kept me enthralled to the very end. Still I must say that the ending was rather poor compared to other Christie novels that I'd read though I'll recommend this again and again to mystery lovers for its surprising twist.
The storyline is itself a new one where we find a young boy, previously accused of murdering his foster mother, being given a free pardon after two years based on a very late evidence. But it was too late in the sense that the boy had died while in jail. So though the family was in one hand pleased at having the truth unveiled but the cloud of suspicion also engulfed them as it was obvious that the murder was an inside job, given the time and condition of the event. Thus as the case reopened once again, the members of the family starts doubting each other and the pain and anguish become apparent in the conversations that covers the most part of the story. Fresh evidences are sought out and the whole aspect is considered from a different point of view. Some tries to unearth the actual criminal and thus becomes a threat to the murderer. Some tries to keep the past in the dark and thus becomes obstacles in the path of truth. Thus the web is formed and readers will find this complex situation well handled by the author. This is more of a psychological battle between the good and the evil and the phrase 'innocent must not suffer' ultimately prevails. A very complex plot and enjoyable to those who loves psychological plots.