"The Monogram Murders"

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"The Monogram Murders" by Mind Map: "The Monogram Murders"

1. Victims

1.1. Ida Gransbury

1.1.1. One of three victims found in the Bloxham Hotel murdered. She was arranged neatly and in an "examination" position. In her mouth was a gold cufflink with the monogram: PIJ.

1.1.2. Had a relationship with Richard Negus back in Great Holling Village.

1.1.3. Was a heavy believer in religion and doing the right thing in the name of God.

1.2. Harriet Sippel

1.2.1. Probably the nastiest woman in the whole story. She accused Patrick of being a fraud and stealing money from people who believed that they could talk to their dead loved ones. She is one of the main reasons for the entire incident and murders.

1.2.2. Apparently used to be head-over=heels in love with a man when she was younger, and she used to be very nice and loving. After the man died, she became callous and loved to hurt others.

1.2.3. One of the victims found in the Bloxham Hotel. She was arranged in an "examination" position and had an identical gold cufflink in her mouth like Ida.

1.3. Richard Negus

1.3.1. One of the three victims found in the Bloxham Hotel. His situation was slightly different than the other two victims.

1.3.2. Was going to be married to Ida Gransbury, but decided against it after the whole incident in Great Holling.

1.3.3. His brother claimed that he became depressed and an alcoholic after leaving Great Holling, so it was unusual for him to be active and out of the house.

1.4. Margaret Ernst

1.4.1. Not one of the three victims and is not really related to the murders, but she died as a result of trying to protect the graves of Patrick and Frances Ive. The villagers were so ruthless, they severely hurt Margaret and she died.

1.4.2. Head-strong woman who knows the true story behind Patrick and Frances Ive. She tried to keep the other villagers from desecrating the grave, thus giving herself a bad reputation in the village despite being a newcomer.

1.5. Patrick and Frances Ive

1.5.1. The first victims of the whole tragedy that happened in Great Holling. Patrick was suspected of adultery and swindling, and as the priest of the village, he was greeted with much animosity. The ones behind the accusations were Ida, Harriet, and Richard. The hatred was so unbearable, Frances, Patrick's wife, committed suicide which was shortly followed by Patrick's suicide.

1.6. Nancy Ducane

1.6.1. Plays both parts as a suspect and victim. She lied to the police and helped Jennie and Samuel.

1.6.2. Is the very last death in the book. She is killed by Jennie because Nancy was the reason for the accusations of adultery with Patrick.

2. Suspects

2.1. Nancy Duncane

2.1.1. Loved Patrick Ive. She was the reason behind the accusations for adultery, and she was devastated when Patrick committed suicide. It makes sense for her to want revenge against the three people behind his suicide.

2.1.2. Also helped Jennie and Samuel in their plan to let Ida, Harriet, and Richard die without them.

2.2. Jennie Hobbs

2.2.1. Jennie Hobbs was also in love with Patrick Ive. She was terrified that Richard Negus would kill her if she didn't comply with his demands, so she killed Ida and Harriet. She managed to convince Richard to spare her until she killed Nancy, but it was just a ruse.

2.2.2. Jennie's true nature reveals itself when she finally breaks under all the pressure of being accused and stabs Nancy right in front of Poirot, Catchpool, and the hotel staff.

2.3. Samuel Kidd

2.3.1. Samuel disguised himself as Richard to confuse the hotel staff. He also tricked the police into believing in red herrings and misleading them.

2.3.2. He helped Jennie kill Ida and Harriet before helping her hide away in his house.

2.4. Richard Negus

2.4.1. The whole reason behind the deaths

2.4.2. He felt guilty and ashamed that he contributed to killing Patrick and Frances, so he went to Jennie in hopes that they could do something about it.

2.4.2.1. He believes that all of the people involved in the Great Holling incident should die, including himself, thus he forces Jennie to help him with his plan to get Ida and Harriet to come to the hotel where they would kill themselves.

3. Clues

3.1. Nancy's Painting

3.1.1. Poirot realizes in Nancy Ducane's painting that a small pot has been covered and crudely painted. This leads to Poirot realizing that Nancy's alibi was fake and that she had helped in the murders.

3.2. The way that Jennie spoke in the cafe.

3.2.1. Poirot realizes that Jennie could not have been a typical, servant girl from the first time he met her. He realizes this though the way she spoke and phrased her sentences. That means that she is educated and hiding something important if she was posing as a simple servant.

3.3. Samuel Kidd's appearance

3.3.1. Poirot realizes that Samuel Kidd's attempt to look like a disheveled and stupid man was to hide the fact that he had cut himself when he was trying to climb out of the window in Richard Negus's hotel room.

3.4. The conversation that the hotel staff heard when he went into the victim's room.

3.4.1. The hotel staff member had walked into what he assumed was Ida, Harriet, and Richard having a conversation while the staff member set up tea for everyone. He hears a conversation, thus proving that they were all alive when he saw them.

3.4.2. Poirot asks again if the staff member heard at least each person speak, and the staff member realizes that Ida did not speak. Poirot then says that he suspects that Nancy and Samuel posed as Harriet and Richard while Ida was already dead, just propped up in a chair.

4. Settings

4.1. London, 1929

4.1.1. The victims and suspects all live around London. There is a lot of traveling from place to place in London to discover various clues that tie the characters together and solve the mystery.

4.2. Bloxham Hotel

4.2.1. Very nice hotel which was the location where the bodies of Ida Gransbury, Harriet Sippel, and Richard Negus were found.

4.3. Great Holling Village

4.3.1. Where Catchpool visits to discover what had truly happened between Ida, Harriet, and Richard as well as the whole village.

4.4. Pleasant's Coffee House

4.4.1. The first location where the readers meet Hercule Poirot and begin the story. This is also where Poirot meets Jennie for the first time and the story finally begins.

5. Main Characters

5.1. Hercule Poirot

5.1.1. World-famous detective who just wanted a break from his work. Very witty and clever.

5.1.2. Friends with Edward Catchpool, and decides to help him with the case.

5.1.3. Considered a genius and has a knack for seeing things that people would typically miss.

5.2. Edward Catchpool

5.2.1. Friend of Hercule Poirot. They share a dorm together while Poirot is taking a "break" from work.

5.2.2. In charge of the "Monogram Murders" case. Doesn't actually know what he is doing but he follows Poirot anyway. He is kind of like the reader, just hanging on for the ride.

5.2.3. Had a traumatic childhood experience that resurfaces when he is looking at the bodies in this case. Despite this, Catchpool is quite helpful and helps Poirot find clues without meaning to.