by Agatha Christie, 1937
Rich English girl, Linnet Ridgeway, steals her best friend’s fiance, Simon Doyle, and marries him. They go on their honeymoon to Egypt, where Hercule Poirot is also vacationing. Jacqueline deBellefort, ex-fiance of Simon and ex-best befriend, turns up in Egypt and stalks the couple – turns up everywhere they go. Wants to kill them, has a gun. Many other interesting characters are also along for the voyage down the Nile. One night, Linnet Doyle is murdered, shot in the head while she slept. Hercule Poirot figures it out. It appeared that Simon Doyle and Jacqueline deBellefort had perfect alibis – Jacqueline had shot Simon in the leg in the salon. He supposedly couldn’t move. Jacqueline was taken to her room where a nurse stayed with her all night. Hercule figures it out. Jacqueline and Simon planned it all – he would marry Linnet, they would pretend to be happily married – he hating Jacqueline. Simon would kill Linnet after Jacqueline pretended to shoot him in the leg. Then, he would actually shoot himself in the leg. They had to plan and commit 2 more murders, though. Jacqueline kills the maid who saw Simon Doyle running from Linnet’s room. Then Jacqueline kills Mrs. Otterbourne who saw her leaving the maid’s room.
Two other criminals are caught on the boat – the jewel thief (Poirot lets him go so he can marry Rosalie Otterbourne), and another killer, Richetti, posing as an Italian archaeologist.
Very fun and interesting book. I had it figured out though. I knew Simon and Jacqueline were in cahoots.
In the end, Jacqueline kills Simon and then herself rather than face life in prison.