I realised quickly that instead of being a full novel, this book is a collection of twelve short stories. The author mentions in the foreword that they were not written as a series; instead she wrote them as one-off stories, over quite a long period. What they have in common is that they all feature a comfortably well-off man in his sixties called Mr Satterthwaite, who sees himself as an observer of life, and a mysterious person known as Mr Quin.
The stories mostly feature either unsolved mysteries, or tragedies about to unfold, or people wrongly convicted of crime. In them all, Mr Satterthwaite is either staying with a connected family, or knows them - he’s quite well connected - or hears about them and becomes involved.
Mr Satterthwaite knows just about everyone in the upper classes - the book was first published in 1930, when the class system was still flourishing in the UK - but he also has a tremendous interest in the arts. He likes to support little-known painters, dancers and actors and help them out of obscurity. He has quite an eye for talent, and he is also very discerning. He believes he has a strong feminine side, which makes him far more observant and intuitive than he would naturally be. Decidedly sexist, but an unusual feature for a fictional hero nearly 100 years ago.
Whereas Mr Satterthwaite lives firmly in the real world, enjoying comfortable locations, and good quality food, Mr Quin is more mystical. He often appears, in a trick of the light, to have a chequerboard appearance, and his name first name is ‘Harley’ - many references associate him with the traditional Italian Harlequin, a kind of sprite-like servant who tended to thwart his master’s wishes, and follow his own. However Mr Quin, by contrast, has no master - as far as we know - and appears in order to help his friend to prevent tragedies and bring justice.
But who - or what - is Mr Quin, exactly? It’s not made clear. He appears and vanishes in strange ways, there when needed, gone when no longer necessary. I wondered at times if he was supposed to be an angel, although Christie was not known for overtly Christian belief. Perhaps it doesn’t matter. His role in most of the stories is to help Mr Satterthwaite to slow down and consider his impressions. He’s a catalyst for change. But then in the final story he appears a little differently, more a quirky, inexplicable being more like the sprite-like classic Harlequin.
I enjoyed the stories, which give insights into the world of the wealthy in the 1920s despite the paranormal aspect that is strongest in the final story. Of course there is plenty of off-stage violence, with killings and imprisonments, but as with most of the author’s books there’s nothing gory. And most of the stories end in positive, encouraging ways. I found the last one quite disconcerting, and liked it less than the others, but it was still very readable.
Agatha Christie always focussed on plots rather than characterisation, and that’s true for most of the people in these stories who are two-dimensional. However I did like Mr Satterthwaite, and found that by the end he had developed quite a distinct personality
Recommended if you like Agatha Christie or would like to try some slightly different short stories written nearly a century ago. While her books are widely available at charity shops and other second-hand booksellers, they are all also regularly in print.
Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews
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