The Unicorn and the Wasp -- well, the wasp anyway

[snorkackcatcher]

The blurb for The Unicorn and the Wasp on the BBC What's On page: "In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared for ten days. Was it amnesia? A nervous breakdown? Or a giant alien wasp...?" You know, call me crazy, but since this is a Doctor Who episode my money's on the wasp having something to do with it.

All of which irresistibly reminded me of the cover art on my old copy of Death in the Clouds, first published in 1935 (the novel, that is, not my paperback). I wonder if the scriptwriter saw something like this, or will make some backreference, er, forward reference, er, timey-wimey reference to the book? :)


If you haven't read that one, the rather striking image refers to the fact that the murder is committed on an aircraft in flight, and the murderer hopes to make it look like the victim was killed by a wasp sting. Actually, of course, they were killed with boomslang venom smeared on a blowpipe dart made up to look like a wasp. This does actually make better sense in the context of the whole plot. (Not complete sense, mind you, but more than might immediately be apparent.)

No word yet on the unicorn. I'll let you know if he turns up.

Comments

[meddow.livejournal.com]

That is far too amusing to be an actual coincidence.

Actually, I'm reading Partners in Crime at the moment (I couldn't resist) and within the first two chapters came across Tommy discussing the use of Smith by people wanting to conceal their actual names and the married leads were bickering about the amount of hats Tuppence owns and buys.

[snorkackcatcher]

Amazingly, it seems it wasn't a coincidence!

Come to think of it, Partners in Crime is pretty much the same sort of 'playing famous fictional detectives' thing.

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking forward to this episode, to be honest. Yay Agatha Christie! Although if I ran across that book in a bookshop, I would probably shudder and slip away. I really dislike wasps.

[snorkackcatcher]

I'm not mad keen on them myself. They scared me as a kid, now I'm just wary.

[pasi.livejournal.com]

*g*

I really get a kick out of Agatha Christie.

[snorkackcatcher]

I think I read practically all of them in my teenage years. And have re-read them since. :)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I can't wait for this episode, albeit largely because the costumes look marvellous, and Fenella Woolgar looks so perfecgtly 30s.

[snorkackcatcher]

She played the part well. Was it me, or does she look very like Patricia Hodge?