Death Comes as the End

Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“She was not a servant…She had a wig on her head and she wore jewels—a servant does not wear jewels.”
“Jewels?” demanded Imhotep. “What jewels?”
The boy replied eagerly and confidently as though at last he had overcome his fear and was quite sure of what he was saying.
“Three strings of beads with gold lions hanging from them in front…”
Esa’s stick clattered to the floor. Imhotep uttered a stifled cry.

It’s Ancient Egypt, the end of the First Intermediate Period and beginning of the Middle Kingdom, when the Egyptian capital transfers to present-day Karnak—the city that, under the later Greeks, will eventually become known as Thebes. When ageing ka-priest Imhotep returns from the north with a beautiful young concubine, his extended family are none too pleased. After she dies in an apparent accident, is it her revengeful spirit that returns to bump the family off one by one?

Each of the characters is well defined as a particular “type” (e.g. knowledgeable old grandmother, elder son’s nagging wife, middle son who’s a bit of a gambler), and yet with few exceptions they are all quite sketchily painted, even by Ms Christie’s economical standards. Too sketchily perhaps for us to engage with them fully? I’m a great fan of Ms Christie, but even on re-reading this remains one my least favourite of her works. Still pleased I had a reason to read it again, though, for I don’t think my copy will last another outing!
But that’s just my own humble opinion…what do you think? Do let me know!

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