Customer Reviews

Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

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Agatha Christie gives us a pair of her most likeable amateur sleuths in Bobby Jones, the son of a vicar in a small Welsh village, and Lady Frances Derwent, his childhood friend and now companion in crime-solving. The story is frivolous and funny thanks in large part to the wit of Lady Frances, but you will find the usual murder, villains, and high adventure in this melodramatic tale.

While golfing one afternoon, Bobby and the local doctor find a man who has apparently fallen over a cliff. The victim dies, but his last words are "Why didn't they ask Evans?" A verdict of accidental death ensues, but when Bobby is suddenly offered a high-paying job in Argentina and later someone attempts to poison his beer, he begins to suspect that someone wants him out of the way for fear of what he knows. Bobby cannot figure out what he knows, but with the help of Lady Frances he is off on a trail of clues involving a suspicious doctor, a sanitarium for the highly nervous, two beautiful ladies-in-distress, drugs, and murder.

If you like light-hearted mystery with plenty of adventure, you'll enjoy being led on this merry chase with likeable sleuths. It's too bad Agatha Christie chose not to bring Bobby and Frances back in later books. Perhaps, she thought they were too much like Tommy and Tuppence.

Though I must say I like and enjoy reading about the stories of Hercule Poirot, probably Agatha Christie's most famous character, I really loved reading about Bobby and Frankie. I read this recently for the first time and now find it one of my favorite Christie stories!

When Bobby Jones discovers the body of a man at the bottom of a cliff, he never dreams how much adventure and danger he will find himself in. For before the man takes his last breathe, he says his last words, "Why didn't they ask Evans?" From then on, Bobby Jones is in terrible danger as more and more strange accidents occur. With the help of a childhood friend, the Lady France Derwent (called Frankie by her friends), they try to uncover the secret and mystery behind the death of the man. But throughout their investigation, they keep coming back to the mysterious question, "Why didn't they ask Evans?"...

Poirot's stories have this general type of flow to it, where you tend to have to use your head more to think out the mystery with the famous 'system of order and method'. The ending will take you completely by surprise and everything comes to place when Poirot 'presents the facts'. In the case of this book, Bobby and Frankie do an large amount of moving about, having adventures one after another, and going undercover. The reader also gets to feel more like he (or she) is participating more since Bobby and Frankie always meet and discuss everything together. Somehow, "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" I actually enjoyed myself a lot in the way Christie changed her style a bit to make it more fun. But I must warn you, there's plenty of surprises throughout the way!

The characters of Bobby and Frankie are also incredibly likable. Bobby seems to be the bit more sensible one of the pair though as the story progresses, we see him coming out more with plenty of ideas and imagination. Frankie seems to be the somewhat opposite of her partner. She is in the beginning your usual 'comes from a rich family' young lady, a bit bored with life and wanting some adventure. But as things get more mysterious and dangerous, she can be very serious while keeping her chin up.

There is also plenty of humor which will keep you smiling throughout the story. Plenty of wit and sarcasm, and of course, plenty of chemistry between the two characters. From the very beginning you know that the two are meant for each so it's fun to see them flirt a bit, yet try to keep their distance. Bobby is so shy and deems himself not in her class, while Frankie just seems to wait for him to say something. The ending is completely satisfactory but I sorely wished there were more books out on Bobby and Frankie. Would have liked to read more about them.

I most guarantee that you'll love this book, check it out if you get a chance! And as I've said, besides Hercule Poirot, there are other Christie characters who are loads of fun and likable! There's Miss Marple, Parker Pyne, Mr. Quin, and others. Also, there is the great duo Tommy and Tuppence. A bit like Bobby and Frankie so I love reading about them in "The Secret Adversary", "Partners in Crime", "N or M?", and "By the Pricking of My Thumbs".

Also published under the title THE BOOMERANG CLUE, Agatha Christie's WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? is similar to her Tommy and Tuppence novels, for it offers a "bright young couple" embroiled in an unlikely tale of unexpected murder and constant adventure so smartly paced that one critic subtitled it as "the Merry-Go-Round Mystery."

Bobby Jones and Lady Frances (Frankie to her friends) are not quite as memorable as Tommy and Tuppence, but they make for an engaging pair just the same, and when their suspicions are aroused re a deadly accident the result is a series of masquerades calculated to lead both Bobby and Frankie--as well as the reader--right up the garden path. Although there is less "mystery" more deux ex machina than one normally expects of Christie, the novel is written in high style. Christie was clearly having a great time with this particular novel, and although it cannot be classed with her great classics most readers will find themselves enjoying the ride. Clever, witty, and frolicksome fun. Recommended.

If you are looking for a challenging classic mystery problem try one of the next two, (MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS or THE ABC MURDERS) because this one is a light hearted romp.

The detectives in this story are Bobby Jones, 4th son of the local Vicar and Lady Frances Derwent, wealthy young socialite. The two had been childhood friends have renewed their relationsonship while dealing with the mystery. Bobby found a dying man while out golfing. The man's dying words were "Why didn't they ask Evans?". That simple question led the two detectives to ask many more, about the photo in the dead man's pocket, the family that came to claim the body and just who was the mysterious Evans to name a few. The answers takes the two from their hometown in Wales, where the mystery starts to London and then throughout the English countryside ending with a dash via car and airplane back home again for the final answers.

WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? is in the same spirit as THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT, THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY, THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS and the Tommy and Tuppence series. There are exciting adventures, false identities, kidnappings, fantastic coincidences and more which make this just FUN!

Very amateurish in many ways. In fact, it takes a crook writing a long letter to the "detectives" to help comprehend the previous goings-on. I still found the text convoluted and at times incomprehensible. Christie was slumming here.

While golfing during a foggy morning, Bobby's ball fell off the cliff. Instead of his ball, he found a dying handsome stranger whose last words, much to his wonderment and disappointment, were 'Why didn't they ask Evans?'. Armed with this query and his friend, the strong-willed Frances, they began to unravel the mysteries surrounding this man's death. What they only began to uncover proved to be dangerous and deadly.

With a lot of discussion and cloak-and-dagger-ish snooping around (there was a moment when Bobby had to climb on a tree and nearly fell) this novel is arguably Christie's fastest-moving novel. While she did give her characters some time to flesh out, the rest of the story sprinted past. In short, this novel can be finished in one sitting, but that one sitting, my friend, is the most fun sitting you'll ever have!

"Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" is a book that I recommend to anyone new to Agatha Christie. (Just the title alone should grab your attention!) There are a few 'bests' of her writings. This is one of them. This is why:

The two heroes (Bobby and Frankie) of this story are a lot like spys, not just detectives. Why Christie didn't continue with this new couple beats me. Frankie is an impetuous young lady with guts and Bobby is a smart young man who loves disguises. Bobby finds a dying man who dies with a cryptic question: "Why didn't they ask Evans?" This starts Bobby and Frankie into fantastic adventures: a chase for an unknown murderer, a near-death poisoning for Bobby, multiple disguises for Bobby and Frankie, a plot to do with mistaken identity, a subplot of a mental hospital and a lunatic patient, a scheme of faking a will, a murder in a locked room, a scheme with impersonations, and a thriving drug business. 9 reasons to read this book!!!

Wow! The plot is by far one of the BEST of Christie's. Absolutely a MUST read for anyone new to Agatha Christie!

Also published as "The Boomerang Clue", "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" is a Christie mystery that does not feature any of her trademark sleuths, rather following the amateur efforts of Bobby Jones and Lady Frances Derwent as they try to solve a strange murder. "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" is a quick-paced mystery with a slew of red herrings to throw readers off course. Its two main characters are likable and realistic even when they find themselves in the most impossible sets of circumstances.

Bobby Jones is playing golf when he comes across the body of a dying man at the foot of the cliff. He is initially convinced the man accidentally stepped over the edge in the mist, but Lady Frances Derwent (aka Frankie) is convinced that he was murdered. Her suspicions are proven correct when someone tries repeatedly to get Bobby out of the way, first through a job offer and then through poisoning. Rather than go to the police, the duo decide to take matters into their own hands. They have several leads to check on. Who replaced the photograph that Bobby Jones had found in the dead man's pocket? Could it really be the pleasing Roger Bassington-ffrench who relieved Bobby at the scene of the crime? Who were the people who falsely claimed the body as that of a long abroad brother returned home? And what did the dying man mean when he asked the title question? Bobby and Frankie manage to ingratiate themselves with some of the key players and encounter a possible drug smuggling ring with a seemingly sinister doctor at its helm whose wife is fearful that she will soon meet her end. Bobby and Frankie soon learn that appearances can be deceiving and that trying to be amateur sleuths is a lot harder than they suspected.

"Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" is a delightful read, even if it is one that is definitely dated to the time period it was written in. Still it is a clever mystery that wraps up a little too quickly. Readers may or may not be able to solve the circuitous puzzles surrounding the central crime. But whether they can or cannot, they will have a good time trying to do so.

I won't go into any plot details, as others have, but wanted to weigh in with my opinion of this book. I became acquainted with Agatha Christie as a Poirot fan, and decided to read each of the novels and short story collections featuring that great detective. I think most readers would agree that many of Christie's best novels have been Poirots. As I was somewhat fixated on Hercule, I didn't pay much attention to Miss Marple or any of Christie's other books.

One day, I decided to buy and read "Why Didn't They Ask Evans," and I was glad I did! I don't think you will find this to be one of Christie's intricately plotted mysteries that will have you bowing down to her genius at the end. But, I think you will find it to be a very fun "mystery-adventure" type story, with two likable protagonists, some clever dialogue, and a lot of twists and turns.

As much as I like or love several of the Poirot stories, this is one of the two Christie novels -- both early works -- that I had the most fun reading.

All of Agatha Christie's plots are complex and detailed, but this has some of the most intertwined story lines of all. Bobby Jones is playing golf rather badly with a friend when they discover a dying man who utters the words "Why didn't they ask Evans?" and then dies. On the way to the inquest, Bobby meets and old friend, Lady Frances, or Frankie, on the train. He has always admired her but she's part of a titled family and he's a commoner so he knows they can only be friends. Even though the inquest determines that the man's death was an accident, together they surmise the man who died was murdered and furthermore was not the man he was said to be by his "sister" who identified him. Frankie decides to make contact with the household of Roger, a man who showed up at the death scene, thinking he was the murderer, and spends time at their country estate. She falls for Roger and decides instead that the culprit must be the neighbor, a menacing psychiatrist with a beautiful young wife, a picture of whom Bobby had found in the dead man's pocket. Frankie and Bobby have brushes with death themselves, are tied up in an attic, but finally solve the crime, become engaged with the intention of moving to Kenya, raising coffee, and living happily ever after. Each line of the 224 pages is important to the plot; there is no filler, so it's important to pay attention to the details. It's fabulous how Agatha weaves them all in at the end, as she always does. Some of the storylines are farfetched, but this is fiction, a who-dun-it, that stimulates the mind with the puzzle, so it isn't necessary that everything in it could happen in anyone's mundane life. Agatha Christie was a brilliant storyteller, the best who ever lived.