And Then They Were Doomed (Library Mysteries Book 2)
Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli
Crooked Lane Books
August 13th, 2019
And Then They Were Doomed by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli reflects on the Agatha Christie murder mystery books. This is the second in the “Little Library Mystery series.”
Agatha Christie expert Zoe Zola receives an invitation in the form of a letter edged in black to attend an Agatha Christie symposium with nine other scholars. Though she had some reservations about participating, Zoe also knew this had something to do with her family. The same family that cut her mother off when she had Zoe out of wedlock all those years ago. Unfortunately, shortly after everyone arrives they are stranded by flooding and a storm. Guests start to disappear one by one, and Zoe realizes if she is to stay alive she will have to draw upon everything she knows about Agatha Christie’s plots.
Those who are fans of Christie will recognize some tidbits and shout outs to this famous mystery writer. As the story progresses it becomes clear that the author is a fan of Agatha Christie. She intertwines into the story many facts from Christie’s books, specifically And Then There Were None, and Murder on the Orient Express. This includes naming the organizer of the event Emily Brent, the name of a character poisoned by cyanide in Christie’s And Then There Were None.
“I wrote this Agatha Christie quote from The Last Séance, in the beginning of the book, “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” Remember Zoe’s mother was ostracized because she had a baby out of wedlock. Zoe was the only love of her mother who always wanted to protect her. Also, some of the organizers had something terrible happen to their daughters and hoped Zoe would help solve what happened.”
This book was a compilation of bits and pieces from many of Agatha Christie’s writings. Readers will recognize a coincidental resemblance to a work of fiction of Christie’s world.
