Sing a Song of Sixpence by Agatha Christie

The Queen was in the parlor, eating bread an honey.

This month’s Agatha Christie short story pick, Sing a Song of Sixpence, turned out to be a bit of a letdown. Not bad, just...a little forgettable. It lacks the twisty, spellbinding flair we know Dame Agatha is more than capable of delivering. Instead, we get a rather subdued tale that meanders to an underwhelming conclusion. Maybe not featuring Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, soured my overall enjoyment. 

The story follows Sir Edward Palliser, a retired criminologist whose quiet life is interrupted by a visit from an old flame. The most disturbing part of the whole story is that she was 17 years old when they were romantically involved while he much older. Yikes. Anyways, she wants him to investigate her wealthy aunt’s suspicious death, which the police have already chalked up as unsolvable. She's convinced one of her siblings is behind it, and Edward reluctantly agrees to step in, perhaps out of guilt or a long-forgotten sense of chivalry.

The mystery itself feels pretty thin and despite a somewhat promising setup, there’s very little tension or urgency. The resolution hinges on a conveniently remembered nursery rhyme, which feels a bit too neat and tidy for my liking. All in all, Sing a Song of Sixpence remains innocuous and it’s definitely not Christie at her best. Here's hoping next month's selections showcase Agatha Christie's talents in full force!