Hello crime readers and food lovers. Let me start right off with an apology for the atrocious pun. I am so sorry. But…I was racking my brains to think of what to cook for Towards Zero and, as is my want, I started searching for a pun. “What rhymes with Audrey..tawdry…no cancel that one. Battle rhymes with cattle…maybe a beef Wellington?” And then I got to Nevile and “eh voila” as Poirot would say, the idea of Neviled Eggs was born. And once it was in my head…there was no going back.
I adored “Towards Zero,” so please don’t mistake my playful recipe title for any disrespect towards this brilliant novel. Usually, I read these books twice: once for the initial experience, and then again to glean details for these posts. My first read of Towards Zero left me utterly bewildered about the culprit, right until the big reveal. On my second read, however, I was astounded by the sheer number of cleverly hidden clues scattered throughout.
The plotting here is simply masterful! What seemed like passing chatter on the first go-round all converged beautifully towards the killer’s identity. To any aspiring mystery writer, I wholeheartedly recommend “Towards Zero” as a masterclass in artful clue placement. But even if you’re simply seeking a meticulously crafted detective story, this is a must-read.
Towards Zero – The Plot
“I like a good detective story,’ he said. ‘But, you know, they begin in the wrong place! They begin with the murder. But the murder is the end. The story begins long before that—years before sometimes—with all the causes and events that bring certain people to a certain place at a certain time on a certain day.”.”
Agatha Christie – Towards Zero
We start with four seemingly disparate vignettes.
- A group of London lawyers are speaking of the latest case and Mr Treves, a highly esteemed and elderly solicitor makes the above quote about murders being the end of a series of events that can bring a group of very different people together, all as they move towards zero hour.
- Angus MacWhirter is recovering in a hospital after a failed suicide. He is bitterly disappointed still to be alive but his nurse tells him that he was saved because God may need him in the future
- We next take a peek at a very disturbed person who is meticulously planning a murder
- Superintendent Battle’s daughter is intimidated into confessing that she stole things when she is innocent
Could these four seemingly unconnected events, be somehow related as they all move towards zero?
Our Cast:
- Nevile Strange is a tennis player, known for his good sportsmanship on the court. Neville was raised by Matthew and Camilla Tressilian at their home Gull’s Point. Sir Matthew has now passed and Lady Tressilian is bedridden but Neville visits her each year. (Incidentally, I did my first “reading” of this on audio via YouTube and the reader kept referring to Nevile as Ne-vile and not Neville. For me, Ne-vile Strange sounded like the name of a Harry Potter villain.
- Kay Strange is Nevile’s second (trophy) wife. She finds the visits to Gull’s Point boring and would prefer to be having fun with her friends, one of whom is Ted Latimer, a very handsome but somewhat louche young man. Whilst not staying at Gull’s Point, Ted has taken up residence at Easterhead Bay, a short distance across the bay from Gull’s Point.
- Audrey Strange, Nevile’s first wife. Normally Audrey and Neville stagger their visits to Lady Tressilian however this year their trips converge. And no one seems happy about it. Except Nevile who seems to be trying to rekindle his old flame.
- Mary Aldin, Lady Tressilian’s companion
- Thomas Royde. Audrey’s cousin who is visiting from Malaysia
- Mr Treves, who was an old friend of Sir Matthews is holidaying in the vicinity and is invited to dinner one fateful evening.
We have:
- Mr Treves killed by staircase (ingenious!)
- Lady Tressilian beaten to death with a golf club and,
- Superintendent Battle virtually pushing someone off a boat to confirm that really can’t swim!
- Rank odours, MacWhirter asking odd things of Mary
- Something significant in the attic
- And many, many people being lying liars who lie
Battle also channels his inner Poirot to bring the killer to justice.
Battle rubbed his chin and frowned. “I wish I knew what keeps putting Hercule Poirot into my head.”
“You mean that old chap – the Belgian – comic little guy?” asked Leach.
“Comic my foot,: sais Superintendent Battle. “About as dangerous as a black mamba and a she-leopard – that’s what he is. I wish he were here – this sort of thing would be right up his street.”
Towards Zero – Agatha Christie
If only Battle had used a Boomslang (as per Death in the Coulds) as his snake analogy!
Towards Zero – The Covers
So many great (and non-English) covers here. My three favourites are Audrey on the cliff (top row second from left), a theatre bill, second row first from left showing Gull’s Point and of course, top row, first on the left, Tennis racquet head! So clever and cluey!
And it’s not the first tennis racquet head we’ve had either! Murder at the Vicarage also has one of these!
The Recipe Neviled Eggs
Neviled Eggs – Towards Zero
A lovely elegant appetizer, inspired by one of the characters in Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 quail eggs
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Dash of Tabasco (optional)
- 2 tsp mayonnaise
- sprigs of dill to garnish
- Salmon roe to garnish
Instructions
Place the eggs in a pan filled with enough water to cover them. Bring the water to boil then cover with a lid, remove from the heat and let the eggs sit for 2 minutes.
Drain and cool the eggs in cold water with some ice cubes in it.
Peel the eggs, cut them in half and scoop out the yolks.
Mash the yolks with the lemon juice, mustard, Tabasco and mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth.
Fill a piping bag with the mashed yolks and pipe back into the egg whites.
Garnish with a little sprig of dill and a salmon egg.
Enjoy!
Notes
I found it easier to place the dill sprigs and salmon roe on the eggs with a pair of tweezers because I have massive man hands that are not great for delicate tasks like this!
Links To The Christieverse
Battle mentions Poirot a few times but does not refer to any specific cases. The other Superintendent Battle books are:
Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in Towards Zero
- Lemonade
- Kidneys, Mushrooms, Rolls of Bacon
- Port
- Coffee (twice)
- Whisky Soda (twice)
- Vegetables
- Tea
Our March read is The Hollow.
Have a great week!
