Third Girl (Hercule Poirot, 40), Agatha Christie. HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780062073761) 2010 (first published in 1966).
Summary: A young girl disturbs Poirot’s breakfast claiming she may have murdered someone, then leaves, telling Poirot “You’re too old.”
Poirot is enjoying his breakfast when George, his servant, interrupts to announce a woman who thinks she might have committed a murder wishes to see him. When he asks her to tell her story, she decides she cannot, telling him as she leaves, “You’re too old.”
She has disturbed Poirot. Not just by her insult. But also by her manner. Something is off. Then he learns his mystery writer friend Mrs. Oliver sent her to him. They’d met at a literary party. Her name is Norma Restarick. Her father has only recently returned after many years abroad to take up the family business. Norma’s mother, who had raised her, has died. Her father has returned with a new wife, Mary. They are living with his maternal Uncle, Sir Roderick Horsfield, a former intelligence officer writing his memoirs. Norma is ill at ease there. Part of this has to do with their disapproval of Norma’s boyfriend David, an artist.
And that is how she has become the “third girl,” living in a flat with two other girls. One is Claudia, her father’s very efficient secretary. The other is Frances, who represents an art gallery.
As Poirot investigates, he learns some disturbing facts. There had been a recent death at Borodene Mansions, where the girls live. A woman, living one floor up, fell to her death from her balcony. It appeared to be an accident or suicide. But could she have been pushed? Also, Mary Restarick has suffered several bouts of intestinal illness coinciding with Norma’s visits. The illness is traced to arsenic in her food.
But where is Norma? That’s where Mrs. Oliver comes in. She spots Norma and David at a cafe and calls Poirot. Shortly after he arrives, David leaves, and she decides to follow him, having taken it upon herself to join Poirot once again as co-sleuth, despite his warnings. He intuits that something dangerous is going on. After she leaves, Norma recognizes him. This time she shares more, including gaps in her memory and disturbing events, like finding herself holding a revolver. She doesn’t want to see a doctor, and in the end, walks out on Poirot once more.
Next thing we know, a man is caring for her after she’d nearly been killed by a speeding car. He’s a doctor by the name of Stillingfleet and persuades her after a long conversation to go to a “convalescent” home.
Who is this mysterious doctor who saves Norma in the nick of time, and what is he going to do with her? And what is Poirot doing, other than gathering information from an investigator (Goby) and thinking? Mrs Oliver keeps pressing him to do something, especially since he “lost” Norma.
The signs seem to point to Norma as a murderer. But things don’t add up. The principal of Norma’s school saw no sign of mental illness in Norma. Several of the characters also capture his attention from David, found searching Norma’s room at the Restarick’s, to unaccounted absences by Mary, and a painting where it would not be expected.
The mystery was published in 1966. There is a drug theme that runs through the story. One wonders if Mrs. Christie also struggled with questions of whether she were too old, and is trying to be “with it”. It feels like there is a lot of Christie in Mrs. Oliver, who is eager to not just write mysteries but solve crimes. Is there a commentary here on the difference between being a crime writer and a real detective?
In the end, it will be apparent that Poirot has been doing more than meets the eye. And despite some implausibilities, so has Christie, spinning a tale with enough twists and turns to keep at least this reader engaged.