Book Review | The Body Under the Piano

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one started off extremely slow for me and only the fact that I love Agatha Christie's work so much kept me going. Luckily things picked up after the first few chapters once the kids were really on the trail and gathering clues, and it moved along nicely from there.

So what we have here is a young girl named Aggie who has a big imagination and dreams of being a writer. In fact, throughout the novel we are privy to Aggie's inner thoughts whenever she is confronted with a particular situation and how she would handle it if it were a scene she was writing in her book. I loved these little asides and it is easy to believe that the Queen of Crime doing just such a thing herself. Aggie loves adventure, but is still reeling from the loss of her father, whom she loved so dearly. Two major incidents occur that both turn Aggie's world upside down, and help her to right it again. First, she meets a young refugee from Belgium named Hector Perot. Then Aggie herself discovers a dead body at the studio where she takes dance classes. Aggie is certain that her beloved dance teacher is innocent of the crime which she has been accused of, and she and Hector set off to find the real murderer.

Besides being a charming little whodunit, and a great introduction into the brilliant world of Agatha Christie, the book does so well in portraying England in the early 20th century. The author weaves together several aspects of the period and blends together a myriad of issues into a cohesive story. We see not just the police at work at the turn of the century, but all kinds of issues that would have impacted the lives of children like Aggie and Hector. Women's rights are a major issue addressed at various times and I liked seeing it through the eyes of twelve year old Aggie, in that she kind of gets it, but also finds those championing the cause to be a bit odd and out of place. Sexism itself is also addressed in various ways. We also see reactions of the villagers to the idea of 'foreigners' and the bigotry that comes with it, in regards to Hector. Only grudgingly and bit by bit is Aggie even allowed to see her new friend, until they are truly off and running headfirst into the murder mystery. We feel deeply for Hector, being so far from home and being looked at suspiciously. Luckily he finds such a good friend in Aggie. These topics and others are not pushed aside, and are accurate depictions of the period. The author's research shines in this regard.

I enjoyed following Aggie and Hector as they followed the clues, despite repeated warnings from practically every adult for them to stop meddling in the investigation. The duo were logical without it feeling forced, they made decisions that children would make, and they certainly made mistakes along the way. That in itself was refreshing to see.

Not only do I think upper elementary/middle schoolers would enjoy this, but adult Christie fans may get a kick out of it as well. Along the way there are little nods to her works and I enjoyed those immensely. I looked forward to the second book in the series.

Highly recommended.