Mystery Review: Taken at the Flood presents a once-wealthy family struggling with tightened belts because of a post-war economy in which taxes are up, rationing still reigns, shortages are everywhere, there are rules and regulations for everything, and the world has most definitely changed, not for the better. To this Christie adds an awkward romance featuring a bad-boy love triangle ("there's something that I'm afraid of -- but there's something that draws me, too"), which would be tolerable if they weren't such uninteresting characters. This was the first Poirot novel (of 27) that I didn't enjoy and had little interest in continuing. But I persevered. The second half was somewhat better after Poirot appears and murderous events start to put a shape to the mystery. Poirot notes that there are three deaths: an accident, a suicide, and a murder, which creates interest and suspense. Purely as a whodunnit Taken at the Flood is potentially above average, but the poorly constructed and inconsistent characters detracted from the overall effect. I had an inkling of the final twist, but was off the mark. In addition to the unexpected resolution and the implausibly charitable conclusion (manslaughter is still a crime), there's also a hearty dose of virtually unpublishable (nowadays) masochistic victim porn ("When you caught hold of me by the throat -- I knew then that I was your woman!"). Taken at the Flood was a let down for me that I hope won't be a trend. Also titled There is a Tide ... for the U.S. market. [2½★]
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