by Angela Maria Hart

Agatha Christie is commonly referred to as the “Queen of Crime.[1]” She is an iconic writer who has had a lasting impact on the mystery genre. The annual mystery reader and writer conference, Malice Domestic, named their awards ceremony after Agatha Christie. Each year, attendees vote on various mystery genre titles and categories. When an author is announced the winner, they receive an Agatha Award.

Readers have been enjoying Christie’s creations since the 1920 publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles.[2] Agatha Christie’s works have never lost prominence; Mousetrap is the longest-running play in theatrical history.[3] Yet, over the last several years, there has been even more interest in Christie and her writings with multiple film and television adaptations; Kenneth Branagh directed and starred as Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and A Haunting in Venice alongside well-known actors and actresses. Similarly, in 2022, PBS launched a three-episode series, Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen.

Agatha Christie’s works have become a staple in literature and film. She created two of the most celebrated fictional sleuths, Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. While both characters are famous, they are very different in nature. Miss Marple is an elderly woman who lived in the fictional town of St. Mary Mead, England.[4] She was an amateur detective who enjoyed town gossip and knitting. Hercule Poirot hailed from Belgium and was displaced to England after World War I.[5] He was a decorated police detective in Belgium prior to retirement. Later, he became a private detective for hire. Unlike Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot was quite worldly; he traveled extensively. For example, readers could experience Egypt, France, Belgium, and England alongside Poirot.

Hercule Poirot solved many fictional cases, but Evil Under the Sun is not mentioned as regularly as some of his more famous titles. When discussing Agatha Christie’s Poirot, readers tend to think of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express, The A.B.C. Murders, or Death on the Nile. Evil Under the Sun is Hercule Poirot’s twenty-third tale, published in 1941.[6] This title falls in the middle of Christie’s extensive backlist.

Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie has been adapted for radio, television, film, and video games. The first film adaptation starred Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot in 1982. Then, in 2002, David Suchet took on the detective role. The Poirot television episode was filmed on Burgh Island, where Agatha Christie spent some time writing.[7] The unique layout of the island helped inspire a well-thought-out mystery narrative. Geoffrey Hartman wrote “to solve a crime in detective stories means to give it an exact location: to pinpoint not merely the murderer and his motives but also the very place, the room, the ingenious or brutal circumstances.[8]”

The murder mystery in Evil Under the Sun could only be possible within the setting of Burgh Island; Christie’s mystery is grounded in the location. Setting is defined as “the where and when of a story or play; the locale.[9]” The story of Evil Under the Sun only works within the context of Burgh Island. The island lends itself to the murder plot, red herrings, characterizations, and the eventual grand reveal. While reading the novel, the island could be thought of as another character, even an unwitting accomplice to the murder. The murderers could only enact their plan on Burgh Island.

In addition to the complex mysteries and characterizations, the manner in which Christie writes about settings contributes to her success as an author. Christie weaved mysteries that are well-known for their locations, even having them mentioned in story titles. The locations are not mentioned as backdrop context, but crucial to the overall plots. In Evil Under the Sun, the exact layout of Burgh Island was so important, Christie drew a map and included an illustration at the beginning of the text.

In Evil Under the Sun, the well-known sleuth, Poirot, finds himself visiting Burgh Island off the coast of Devon, England.[10] Agatha Christie opened the novel with a description of the island:

When Captain Roger Angmering built himself a house in the year 1782 on the island off Leathercombe Bay, it was thought the height of eccentricity on his part…decorous mansion set in wide meadows with, perhaps, a running stream and good pasture…He did not marry, the sea was his first and last spouse, and at his death the house and island went to a distant cousin…A concrete causeway was laid down from the mainland to the island. “Walks” and “Nooks” were cut and devised all round the island. There were two tennis courts, sun terraces leading down to a little bay embellished with rafts and diving boards. The Jolly Roger Hotel, Smugglers’ Island, Leathercombe Bay, came triumphantly into being…It was enlarged and improved in 1934 by the addition of a cocktail bar, a bigger dining room and some extra bathrooms…Very comfortable and no trippers or charabancs. Good cooking and all that. You ought to go.” And people did go.[11]

Readers are not introduced to Poirot or a gruesome murder, but an inviting island. Christie deliberately wrote about the setting first to set the tone and establish a sense of place. In order to follow the murder plot, readers need to think about the island layout. Many mystery readers enjoy playing the whodunnit game while consuming the story. For them to have a chance of solving the crime before Poirot, they would need to make note of the island. From page one, Christie denotes the island’s importance.

The title Evil Under the Sun refers to every location on earth. Wherever there is sunlight, murder can occur.

“But why not, Mademoiselle? Why should there not be what you call a ‘body’ here on Smugglers’ Island?”…“I don’t know. I suppose some places are more unlikely than others. This isn’t the kind of spot—” She broke off, finding it difficult to explain her meaning…Poirot said, “It is peaceful. The sun shines. The sea is blue. But you forget, Miss Brewster, there is evil everywhere under the sun.[12]

Agatha Christie takes the idea of a tranquil environment and demolishes it. Christie creates a haunting undertone that nowhere is safe. An ongoing theme in literature and film is that darkness is associated with crime, death, and danger; evil comes out at night. The rising morning sun that celebrates the end of night is typically a sign of hope. Christie combats that established norm and connotation with her title and dialogue. She wants to instill an underlying sense of fear and suspense.

Similarly, prior to the novel and film Jaws, beaches were thought to be locations of enjoyment, family fun, and relaxation. Christie selected a beautiful, serene setting and staged a murder on the premises. To some extent, Christie is writing that death is inevitable and cannot be escaped. While murder is atypical among the human population, death exists in light and darkness for everyone.

Miss Marple’s quiet English town offers its own sense of safety. The multiple murders go against the thought that cities are more dangerous than small towns. Christie’s other sleuth, Poirot, lives in the heart of London. Cities can house more people, who become suspects or victims, offer a variety of professions, and easily lend themselves to crime stories.

In Evil Under the Sun, Burgh Island offers unknown variables to visitors. The guests want to stay on the island for personal reasons, yet they are placing themselves in an unfamiliar setting; hotel guests are at an immediate disadvantage not being familiar with the layout, potential hideaways, and opportunities. This parallels Christie’s famous use of trains. Characters become literally stuck in a dangerous situation with limited resources alongside a murderer, thus raising the tension. When people are attacked in their homes, they have an advantage over their enemies. They know what is available for protection, where to hide, and potentially how to escape. People on vacation only have what they packed in their suitcase(s) or what can be purchased.

The characters in Evil Under the Sun are thought to be visiting the island for relaxation, health, and fun. Early on, Christie referenced sunbathers.

On the beach itself were floats, lilos, rubber and canvas boats, balls and rubber toys. There was a long springboard and three rafts at varying distances from the shore. Of the bathers, some were in the sea, some were lying stretched out in the sun, and some were anointing themselves carefully with oil. On the terrace immediately above, the nonbathers sat and commented on the weather, the scene in front of them, the news in the morning papers and any other subject that appealed to them.[13]

The juxtaposition of beach fun against a murder offers a sharp contrast. There is a subtle foreshadowing that those enjoying the beach are too happy. Christie drew special attention to the beach and those enjoying it. Later, the murder victim is found on the beach. She was laying out on the sand as if she were sunbathing. For some characters, the beach is rejuvenating. For Arlena, the beach was her demise.

Another important aspect of the narrative is that the characters are all thought to be strangers visiting the island for vacation. There are no local connections prior to checking in at the hotel. The characters are isolated from the rest of the world. They are at the mercy of the sea and boats. Christie could be alluding to the danger of the unknown or isolation. Another argument could be that seeking adventure is potentially treacherous. The millennial generation was ingrained with the phrase “stranger danger.” As children, they were taught to eye unknown adults with skepticism. An island full of potential suspects is daunting. Furthermore, the island setting limits the number of suspects for readers to keep track of since new characters cannot come and go at their leisure.

The characters visiting Burgh Island have the financial means to stay at a luxury hotel and take time away from work; they have disposable income. The hotel servants fall to the background and are rarely referenced. One maid informed Poirot that she overheard the bath running around the time of the murder. The hotel guests are the suspects. Poirot never shines a light on the island workers as potential murderers. There are a myriad of ways to demonstrate wealth. However, simply being a patron on the island streamlines the need to establish class.

When writing, Evil Under the Sun, Agatha Christie spent valuable time describing the setting:

When you came out of the hotel on the south side, the terraces and the bathing beach were immediately below you. There was also a path that led off round the cliff on the southwest side of the island. A little way along it, a few steps led down to a series of recesses cut into the cliff and labelled on the hotel map of the island as Sunny Ledge. Here cut out of the cliff were niches with seats in them.[14]

Christie’s writing is known to be concise. She does not utilize flowery language or long descriptions. When Agatha Christie writes something, the reader knows it is important to the mystery. Her in-depth look at the island is atypical. In her most famous mystery, Murder on the Orient Express, she leaves a lot to the reader’s imagination. Once the characters were confined to the train, Christie transitioned to writing about the characterizations. The train’s layout was not vital to the mystery narrative. The isolation was the most important component. The train could have broken down in a variety of countries.

The murder mystery of Evil Under the Sun was location specific. In The Guilty Vicarage W.H. Auden outlined that detective stories have the “false location of guilt” and the “location of real guilt.[15]” The murder of Arlena Marshall occurred at Pixy Cove and her lifeless body was found on the same beach. The only shift in location was the grand reveal by Poirot inside the hotel, yet he holds his unveiling on the island, where the murder occurred. According to Auden, the island is both guilty and not guilty at the same time.

Arlena’s murderer, Patrick, was only able to escape early suspicion because he asked her to hide within the cave at Pixy Cove. The pair planned to meet and had a plan in place. Patrick told Arlena to hide when she heard someone other than him approach their secret spot at Pixy Cove. When Arlena overheard Patrick’s wife, Christine, come to the beach, she tucked herself into the adjacent cave. This allowed Christine ample time to lay down, set the scene, and pretend to be Arlena’s dead body. Patrick and his convenient witness, Emily Brewster, stumble upon “the body.” Patrick takes charge of the situation and tells Emily to go back to the hotel for help, while he stayed with the corpse. However, as soon as Emily leaves the beach, Christine pops up and runs back to the hotel. When his wife leaves, Patrick goes to the cave to find Arlena. With his false alibi, Patrick is able to murder Arlena, after her supposed time of death.

Christie’s use of the cave offered Arlena temporary protection against a perceived threat, Patrick’s angry wife. Yet, the cave was ultimately her undoing. If Arlena had not entered the cave, either Christine would have been forced to murder her, thus dismantling the alibi she and her husband were attempting to craft, or Emily Brewster would have arrived with Patrick to find her on the beach. By entering the cave, Arlena was walking to her own death.

Agatha Christie expertly set Evil Under the Sun on Burgh Island, England. The island setting drew the characters in, lent itself to the murder, and created high stakes for the mystery. By exploring the island, speaking with suspects, and observing the minor details, Hercule Poirot solved Arlena’s murder. Readers were able to experience the dangers of visiting an isolated island as well as the importance of being vigilant; murders can happen anywhere the sun shines.

[1] “About Agatha Christie - the World’s Best-Selling Novelist.” The World’s Best-Selling Novelist - Agatha Christie, www.agathachristie.com/about-christie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

[2] “About Agatha Christie - the World’s Best-Selling Novelist.” The World’s Best-Selling Novelist - Agatha Christie, www.agathachristie.com/about-christie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

[3] Moss, Stephen. “The Mousetrap at 60: Why Is This the World’s Longest-Running Play?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 20 Nov. 2012, www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/nov/20/mousetrap-60-years-agatha-christie.

[4] Christie, Agatha. The Murder at the Vicarage. Harper, 2008.

[5] Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Affair at Styles: The First Hercule Poirot Mystery. William Morrow, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2020.

[6] Christie, Agatha. Evil Under the Sun. Random House, 1951.

[7] “Poirot - Evil Under the Sun - TV Appearances.” Burgh Island, 29 Nov. 2024, www.burghisland.com/about-us/poirot-evil-under-the-sun/.

[8] Hartman, G. H. (1999) “The Case of the Mystery Story.” In Hartman, G. H. (ed.) A Critic’s Journey: Literary Reflections, 1958–1998. New Haven: Yale University Press, 165–181.

[9] Ian Ousby, The Crime and Mystery Book: A Reader’s Companion (London: Thames and Hudson, 1997), 77, quoted in Lee Horsley, Twentieth-Century Crime Fiction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), 37.

[10] Christie, Agatha. Evil Under the Sun. Random House, 1951.

[11] Christie, Agatha. Evil Under the Sun. Random House, 1951.

[12] Christie, Agatha. Evil Under the Sun. Random House, 1951.

[13] Christie, Agatha. Evil Under the Sun. Random House, 1951.

[14] Christie, Agatha. Evil Under the Sun. Random House, 1951.

[15] Auden, W. H. (Wystan H., Kissick, D., Kushner, R., & Greenberg, G. (2012, December 27). The guilty vicarage, by W.H. (Wystan Hugh) Auden. Harper’s Magazine. https://harpers.org/archive/1948/05/the-guilty-vicarage/