Hello crime readers and cocktail lovers! Today we are reading (and drinking ) our way through a short story from the Murder in The Mews collection, Triangle at Rhodes. And what better way to sit back and watch the shenanigans taking place on this gorgeous Greek island than with a cocktail in hand? A gin and ginger beer happens to be one of my favourite cocktails so I was delighted to find it mentioned in my favourite story in this collection! I will also point out that the gin and ginger beer is not the most commonly named cocktail in Triangle at Rhodes, pink gin is mentioned multiple times and may have been a better choice. However, as I am largely reading / rereading the Christie books as I blog about them, I have already used Pink Gin as the recipe for Three Act Tragedy! If you are reading along and would prefer to have that as your tipple, click the link above!
Triangle at Rhodes- The Plot
.Poirot is on holiday at the Greek Island of Rhodes. The story opens as follows
“Hercule Poirot sat on the white sand and looked out across the sparkling blue water. He was carefully dressed in a dandified fashion in white flannels, and a large panama hat protected his head.”
It makes me laugh a little bit to imagine the fastidious Poirot sitting on sand. I feel that he would absolutely loathe it. Almost as much as we can tell he hates rubbing sun tan oil on someone, which happens in the very next paragraph! So much for enjoying his break!
The Poirot episode of Triangle at Rhodes, has him seated on a chair which seems far more his style!
Staying at the same hotel ias Poirot s the very glamourous Valentine Chantry and her fifth husband, a naval Commander who is described as a brute and somewhat apelike.
Newly arrived at the hotel are the very handsome but not too bright Douglas Gold and his frumpy wife Marjorie. And with that, all aspects of the triangle are in place!
We have
- An illicit affair
- A marriage on the rocks
- Poirot warning Marjorie Gold to leave the island. Do not pass go, do not collect £200. Just go. Now!
- Valentine Chantry killed by poison in her pink gin
- A packet of poison found in a husband’s pocket
The case seems pretty clear cut. But of course it isn’t because this is an Agatha Christie story so, things of course are not entirely as they seem! It’s up to Poirot to see the innocent spared and the guilty punished.
Triangle at Rhodes- The Covers
I could only find one cover for Triangle At Rhodes.
Very beautiful – it makes me want to go to Rhodes!
But while digging about the internet, I was also able to find this from the Strand Magazine version of the story! Isn’t it glorious?
As we are not spending too much time on the covers, I thought we might look at some of the fashion. The women are beautifully dressed.
And whoever thought we would see Poirot in shades!
The Recipe
PrintGin And Ginger Beer – Triangle at Rhodes
Spice up your life with this mix of gin, ginger beer and lime. A lovely refreshing cocktail.
Ingredients
- 30ml London Dry Gin
- 10ml lime juice
- Ginger beer
- Ice cubes
- Mint leaves, lime slices and crystallised ginger to serve
Instructions
- Mix the gin and lime juice together and pour into your glass.
- Add the ice cubes and top with the ginger beer. Stir.
- Garish with lime slices, mint leaves and a piece of crystallised ginger.
“Tony, darling it was too divine, ” cried Valentine as she dropped into a chair by his side. “The most marvellous idea of Mrs Gold’s. You all ought to have come!”
Her husband said: “What about a drink?”
He looked inquiringly at the others.
“Pink gin for me darling,” said Valentine
“Gin and ginger beer, ” said Pamela
– Agatha Christie, Triangle at Rhodes
Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in Triangle at Rhodes
- Pink Gin
- Sidecar
- Whisky and Soda
- Sirop de Cassis
November’s read will be the titular story from the Murder in The Mews collection. The setting is Guy Fawkes niight so get ready for fireworks and murder!
Happy reading!
