Death On The Nile

Death on the Nile: chapter synopses:
Chapter 1: We meet Linnet, rich and beautiful and expected to marry Lord Charles Windesham, and
Jackie and Simon, passionately in love but hopelessly impoverished. Their destinies intertwine with
unfortunate consequences when Jackie persuades Linnet to employ Simon. Linnet, smitten, ruthlessly
steals him away from Jackie. They depart for a honeymoon cruiseon the river Nile, where they will meet
our brilliant detective. We are introduced to several other characters, who will later become important as
passengers and suspects on the river steamer: Mrs Allerton and her son Tim; Mrs Robson and Cornelia;
Miss Van Schuyler and Miss Bowers; Andrew Pennington and Jim Carmichael.
Chapters 2 and 3: Set in the Cataract Hotel in Egypt. Poirot meets severalof his fellow passengers and
learns more about their backgrounds, hopes and feelings. Linnet and Simon discover that Jackie has
followed them to Egypt. We also discover links between the characters that will prove crucial to the plot
later. Poirot watches Jackie stalking Linnet.
Chapters 4, 5 and 6: Linnet tries to persuade Poirot to stop Jackie following them but he refuses to work
as herhired help. He does talk to Jackie and learns her side of the story but also that she has a gun with
her and intends to do harm either to Linnet or Simon. Poirot talks to Simon and hears the third, different
version of the love triangle.
Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11: Mr Ferguson and Signor Richetti arrive on the boat. At dinner Mrs Allerton
tries to identify her fellow passengers giving asummary description of each. Andrew Pennington
persuades Linnet to sign important documents related to her estate. Poirot meets Mrs Allerton and learns
facts about her that will be important later. Linnet is almost killed on a daytrip when a piece of stonework
falls from an ancient monument. Suspicion falls automatically on Jackie.
Chapter 11: The group move on to Wadi Halfa where several of themleave the cruise on a day trip. Linnet
mistakenly opens a strangely worded telegram intended for Signor Richetti and he overreacts furiously.
Poirot is delighted to find out that Colonel Race is joining him on the cruise, and learns that he is actually
investigating one of the passengers. Poirot reveals his concerns about the tensions on the boat.
Chapters 12, 13 and 14: Poirot goes to bed,curiously sleepy. Jackie tries to start an argument with Simon
and in her anger, and in front of several witnesses, shoots him. She is carried off to her cabin in hysterics
and he is put to bed by the doctor. The following morning the passengers learn the shocking news that
Linnet has also been shot, dead. Poirot starts his investigation, with Colonel Race stepping in to help him.
They discoverthat the gun used to shoot Simon is missing, even though several saw Jackie kick it under a
chair. Poirot questions some of the passengers and learns their movements. Simon insists on talking to
Jackie to reassure her that she is forgiven. We learn that an engineer on board the river steamer had a
personal grudge against Linnet. Simon promises Linnet’s distraught maid that she will be taken careof
after she tells Poirot that Linnet’s valuable pearls have been stolen.
Chapters 15, 16, 17 and 18: Poirot learns that a suspicious splash was overheard that could have been the
gun being thrown over board and he discusses the list of suspects with Colonel Race. They use a plan of
the boat to help their investigation and discover that the reported events do not quite make sense. They
alsodiscover that Rosalie is withholding information and Pennington becomes a major suspect. Poirot and
Race draw up a final list of suspects and their motives.
Chapters 19, 20 21, 22 and 23: Simon insists on seeing Jackie who swears to him that she did not kill
Linnet. Poirot tries to persuade Rosalie to tell him the truth and eventually she breaks down, revealing her
mother’s guilty secret. Tim...