Agatha Christie - Murder in Mesopotamia

Although this is a Poirot story, the narrator of Murder in Mesopotamia is the charming Nurse who adds a touch of innocent bemusement to the story. Nurse Leatheran has been engaged to care for Mrs Leidner while in Iraq on expedition with her husband. Mrs Leidner appears to be suffering from an extreme nervous condition which the nurse eventually finds out is caused by the belief that someone is going to kill her. The entire expedition humors her, and when she is killed, the group is stunned at their own failure to believe the victim was truly in danger. The murder is of the locked room variety, and Christie's usual m.o. of everyone potentially having the motive and opportunity to perpetuate the crime is splendid. However, once the murderer is revealed, the "truth" requires an almost superhuman suspension of disbelief. Not one of Christie's stronger efforts, but her love of the middle East is enough to make the story worth reading.