Dumb Witness

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Title Dumb Witness

Author	Agatha Christie
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	Hercule Poirot series
Genre(s)	Mystery novel
Publisher	Harper Collins
Released	1937
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
ISBN	NA
Preceded by	Death on the Nile
Followed by	Appointment with Death

Dumb Witness (published in 1937) is an Agatha Christie mystery novel featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. It is the last Poirot novel (other than Curtain: Poirot's Last Case) to be published that features Hastings as narrator.

The story, set in Berkshire, centres on Emily Arundell, a woman of a considerable fortune who is surrounded by grasping young relatives. When she is injured by falling down a staircase, everyone believes she tripped over a ball left by her pet fox terrier, Bob. When Emily later dies of natural causes (or so it is believed) her estate is unexpectedly left to her companion, Miss Lawson. A letter written before her death to Hercule Poirot is too late to save her life, but it puts Poirot on the trail of a murderer.

Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Characters 3 Trivia 4 Film adaptation 5 External links

[edit] Plot summary

Emily Arundell writes to Hercule Poirot because she believes she has been the victim of attempted murder. However, before Poirot can consult her for the details, she dies. Poirot decides to investigate and he discovers evidence of a tripwire, which convinces him of attempted murder. This leads to doubts about the real cause of Emily Arundell’s subsequent death.

Emily's maid-in-waiting Miss Lawson is the unexpected beneficiary of a substantial fortune, according to a very recent change of will. Under the previous will, Emily's nephew Charles Arundell and nieces Theresa Arundell and Bella Tanios would have inherited. This gives them all motive for murder, because it is unclear who knew of the changed will. Theresa Arundel is a strong suspect because Miss Lawson can recall seeing someone through her bedroom mirror at the top of the stairs on the night of Emily's accident. The person was wearing a brooch with the initials, "TA".

Poirot discovers that Emily Arundell died of phosphorus poisoning, which had been administered in her liver pills. The nature of the murder suggests a doctor. Dr. Donaldson, Theresa's fiancé, has a good motive for the crime, as does Bella Tanios's husband, also a doctor. Dr Tanios seems the most likely murderer after Bella reveals her husband's violent temper and then flees with her children.

However, Poirot confronts Bella with the truth that she is the murderer, not her husband. He explains that when Miss Lawson saw the initials "TA" in the mirror, she was seeing the initials "AT" backwards - and Bella's full name is Arabella Tanios. Bella realises she is caught and poisons herself.

Respecting the original will, Miss Lawson voluntarily shares the estate with Emily's other relations, including Bella's children. The dog Bob becomes Hastings' new pet.

[edit] Characters

• Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective
• Theresa Arundell, the victim's niece
• Dr. Rex Donaldson, Theresa's fiancé
• Charles Arundell, the victim's nephew
• Bella Tanios, the victim's niece
• Dr. Jacob Tanios, Bella's husband
• Wilhelmina Lawson, the victim's companion and heiress

[edit] Trivia

In chapter 18 of the novel, Poirot gives a list of murderers from previous cases of his, more precisely The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Death in the Clouds, The Mystery of the Blue Train and The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

[edit] Film adaptation

An adaptation of the novel appeared in 1997 as part of the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot starring David Suchet at Poirot. The film was set in England's Lake District and makes some changes to the original story. The cast includes:

• Hugh Fraser as Hastings
• Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
• Pauline Moran as Miss Felicity Lemon
• Ann Morrish as Emily Arundel
• Patrick Ryecart as Charles Arundel
• Kate Buffery as Theresa Arundel
• Paul Herzberg as Jacob Tanios
• Julia St. John as Bella Tanios
• Norma West as Wilhelmina Lawson
• Jonathan Newth as Dr. Greinger

[edit] External links

• Agatha Christie's Poirot, Dumb Witness (1996) at the Internet Movie Database

Agatha Christie
Detectives: Hercule Poirot • Miss Marple • Tommy and Tuppence • Ariadne Oliver • Arthur Hastings • Superintendent Battle • Chief Inspector Japp • Parker Pyne
Novels: The Mysterious Affair at Styles • The Secret Adversary • Murder on the Links • The Man in the Brown Suit • The Secret of Chimneys • The Murder of Roger Ackroyd • The Big Four • The Mystery of the Blue Train • The Seven Dials Mystery • The Murder at the Vicarage • The Sittaford Mystery • Peril at End House • Lord Edgware Dies • Murder on the Orient Express • Three Act Tragedy • Why Didn't They Ask Evans? • Death in the Clouds • The A.B.C. Murders • Murder in Mesopotamia • Cards on the Table • Death on the Nile • Dumb Witness • Appointment with Death • And Then There Were None • Murder is Easy • Hercule Poirot's Christmas • Sad Cypress • Evil Under the Sun • N or M? • One, Two, Buckle My Shoe • The Body in the Library • Five Little Pigs • The Moving Finger • Towards Zero • Sparkling Cyanide • Death Comes as the End • The Hollow • Taken at the Flood • Crooked House • A Murder is Announced • They Came to Baghdad • Mrs McGinty's Dead • They Do It with Mirrors • A Pocket Full of Rye • After the Funeral • Hickory Dickory Dock • Destination Unknown • Dead Man's Folly • 4.50 From Paddington • Ordeal by Innocence • Cat Among the Pigeons • The Pale Horse • The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side • The Clocks • A Caribbean Mystery • At Bertram's Hotel • Third Girl • Endless Night • By the Pricking of My Thumbs • Hallowe'en Party • Passenger to Frankfurt • Nemesis • Elephants Can Remember • Postern of Fate • Curtain • Sleeping Murder
As Mary Westmacott: Giant's Bread • Unfinished Portrait • Absent in the Spring • The Rose and the Yew Tree • A Daughter's a Daughter • The Burden
Short story collections: Poirot Investigates • Partners in Crime • The Mysterious Mr. Quin • The Hound of Death • The Thirteen Problems • Parker Pyne Investigates • The Listerdale Mystery • Murder in the Mews • The Regatta Mystery • The Labours of Hercules • Poirot's Early Cases • The Harlequin Tea Set
Plays: Akhnaton • The Mousetrap • Witness for the Prosecution • Verdict • Rule of Three • Fiddlers Three