Some of you may be aware that I recently took a trip down to Devon and while there visited the home of one of my literary heroes, Agatha Christie. It was such a thrill to see her house and it really felt that she was still there, maybe just popped out to get a pint of milk. Inspired by my trip I wanted to write a story based on one of the minor characters that she’d written. So here is my attempt:
Miss Felicity Lemon sat at the desk in her study, the morning light streaming through the window, and did what she always did at that point of the day, she made a list. Always methodical, she sat down every morning and made a list of the all the tasks she intended to do. She left out the mundane things, like washing, attending to her hair and breakfast, but listed all the other tasks in a systematic and thorough manner. An early riser, she always wrote her morning correspondence first thing, so that she could ensure her letters went off in the morning post. It was too early for most people to make her necessary telephone calls, people seemed to be quite upset if you rang before 9am.
As she wrote, her eye fell on a silver-framed picture that had pride of place on her desk. It was a picture of her one of her former employers, Monsieur Hercule Poirot. Of all her employers, he had been the most satisfactory. He had a sense of order and method that matched hers, and a sense of decorum that sadly was lacking generally nowadays. Looking back on those days as his secretary, she remembered him fondly. He had been a great man, a private detective and though very famous in his day, now seemed to be almost forgotten. She considered it strange that when the fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, still loomed large in peoples mind the greatest detective, M. Poirot, had sadly diminished. Lacking any British sense of modesty, he would have vehemently agreed with her view, but despite his ego, he was undoubtedly the best. Not without acrimony, she considered it a shame that he no longer had the fame he so deserved.
She had a frisson of emotion, remembering those times when she had helped her employer solve a gruesome murder. She would never have admitted it to anyone, but underneath her calm and ordered manner, she had enjoyed working on those cases. Each one, like a jigsaw puzzle or a crossword, so impossible at first, but as you slowly slotted things into place, the solution became clear. She’d never murmur the phrase, ‘little grey cells’ but she had used her own methods and often had guided her employer to the right conclusion. Not that he ever really knew she had. She was always discreet. Oh, how she sometimes longed for something like that to happen, just like the old days. Her life had become so humdrum, and while she looked very much like the person who preferred life to be dull, predictable and humdrum, and she would never be one to actively court adventure, she did enjoy it when life brought something to her door.
She finished her last letter, a complaint to the laundry who had taken to using far too much starch on her collars and having stamped and addressed the envelope she stood and walked towards the front door. As she did so, she heard a loud scream come from one of the other apartments, followed by a frantic ringing of her own doorbell.
No English person ever rang a doorbell in that persistent and demanding manner, foreigners often did but only in a state of pure desperation would an English person ever hold down the doorbell for longer than two seconds.
Opening the door, Miss Lemon was surprised to see a young woman standing there, her long brown hair dishevelled and looking quite pale and distraught.
“Oh, please help, there’s been a murder!” the woman said.
To be Continued…..
I have included the following word prompts:
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/your-daily-word-prompt-acrimony-october-6-2019/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/frisson/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/rdp-sunday-impossible/
You’ve set the stage very well. Only one tiny flaw: discrete should be discreet. Discrete means something, too, but not sure now what.
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Quite right! Well spotted. Discrete means separate and distinct, but I meant Discreet, meaning under the raydar. Thanks for spotting that for me. So did I leave the reading wanting more? 😉
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Wow! You do your Fiction writer idol proud.
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Thank you, I’d love to think so. I will think up the next part of the story now. I’m not one to plot in fine detail, but you have to really with Crime fiction, I find that the most difficult.
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Yes, with a detective story, all facts should fit in. The clues, the weapon and the suspects.
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Oh boy! A whodunit👏 This is going to be great. I always enjoy your writing and you’re good at leading the story one way and then twisting it.😯🤔
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https://talesfromthemindofkristian.wordpress.com/2018/04/27/death-of-a-notable-a-murder-mystery/
Thank you, I hope you enjoy this one. I wrote an Agatha Christie style story last year called Death of a Notable, i’ve sent you the link. 🙂
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I’m hooked!
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Excellent, My brain is already thinking about the next installment. 🙂
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Looking forward to it!
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I recognised Miss Lemon immediately! Loved what you did there…
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Thank you 🙂 I’ve always liked the character of Miss Lemon and wanted to develop it, but in a sympathetic way and in tribute to Agatha Christie, whom I admire greatly.
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Brilliant story Kristian. As soon as I read about the knocked over drink I knew it was involved.
I’m looking forward to this one even more now!
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Very good, Kristian… I’m really looking forwrad to the continuation now that you have me all perked up for it! 🤗
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Oh Good. I am also tying up a loose end, Last year I wrote a murder mystery but failed to write the final epilogue tying the story together. I’ve just posted it. My trip to see Agatha Christie’s house has clearly had an effect of me 😉
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That must have been amazing to visit the home of one of your favorite authors. I probably would have acted like a little kid to be surrounded by the history and “If the walls could talk” feeling. Very cool, indeed!! 😊
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Exactly. I even played her piano (briefly). 🙂
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That is so exciting! I’m so happy you had such a wonderful time away. You really deserved it!! 🤗
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Oh my goodness I can’t wait for the next installment! This is the best thing that’s happened in weeks 😊
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xx thanks, Britchy, I will start plotting out the next installment, hopefully post in the next couple of days. 🙂
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Hurray!!
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Fantastic! I am looking forward to the next installment. 🙂
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Thank you. The next one is coming soon 🙂
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Excellent! 🙂
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Hello, Mr. Kristian. I Tag thee to participate in the “321 Quote Me”
http://beckiesmentalmess.blog/2019/10/08/3-2-1-quote-me-lifestyle/
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Thank you, Beckie. Much appreciated 🙂
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You’re most certainly welcome. 😊
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