Agatha Christie
Taken at the Flood

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On Such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

First Published

UK

Collins, London, Nov. 1948

US

Dodd Mead, New York, Mar. 1948 as "There is a Tide ..."

Plot

(from HarperCollins "The Agatha Christie Collection" cover)

A few weeks after marrying an attractive young widow, Gordon Cloade is tragically killed by a bomb blast in the London blitz. Overnight, the former Mrs Underhay finds herself in sole possession of the Cloade family fortune.

Shortly afterwards, Hercule Poirot receives a visit from the dead man's sister-in-law, who claims she has been warned by 'spirits' that Mrs Underhay's first husband is still alive. Yet, what mystifies Poirot most is the woman's true motive for approaching him.

Characters

Hercule Poirot, Francis Cloade, Gordon Cloade, Jeremy Cloade, Katherine Cloade, Dr. Lionel Cloade, Rosaleen Cloade, Rowley Cloade, Eileen Corrigan, David Hunter, Mrs. Leadbetter, Beatrice Lippincott, Adela Marchmont, Lynn Marchmont, Major George Douglas Porter, Superintendent Spence, CHarles Trenton, Captain Robert Underhay

Film & TV Dramas

Taken at the Flood

Agahta Christie's POIROT X, 2006

director Andy Wilson

writer Guy Andrews

cast David Suchet(Hercule Poirot), Jenny Agutter(Adela Marchmont), Patrick Baladi(Rowley Cloade), Eva Birthwhistle(Rosaleen), Elliot Cowan(David Hunter), Amanda Douge(Lynn Marchmont), Penny Downie(Frances Cloade), Claire Hackett(Beatrice Lippincott), Celia Imrie(Kathy Cloade), Nicholas Le Prevost(Major Porter), Tim Piggott-Smith(Dr. Lionel Cloade), Elizabeth Spriggs(Mrs. Leadbetter), Pip Torrens(Jeremy Cloade), Tim Woodward(Enoch Arden)

Link

1. Official Site: Taken at the Flood
2. Wikipedia: Taken at the Flood
3. IMDb: Poirot: Taken at the Flood (2006)