History Literature / MurderInMesopotamia

A mystery novel by Creator/AgathaChristie, featuring Literature/HerculePoirot, and first published in 1936.

* HappilyMarried: Dr Leidner and Louise Leidner. Sheila Reilly finds it ironic that while Louise loved seeking attention, her husband was so devoted willing to give it to her so that they both were on wonderful terms. [[spoiler: Somewhat subverted as Leidner has been threatening his wife to keep her in line, and when Louise falls for Richard Carey he decides to kill her.]]

* IgnoredEnamoredUnderling: Miss Johnson clearly pines for Dr. Leidner. He only has eyes for his wife, [[spoiler: and doesn't stop him from killing her by replacing the water on her nightstand with ''hydrochloric acid''.]]

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: The epilogue reveals that Sheila Reilly married David Emmott, Bill Coleman was sent to farm in South Africa and that Nurse Leatheran never been back to the Middle East.

* FakingTheDead: Frederick Bosner assumed a new identity, and did it so well that his own wife didn't figure out that she had married him a second time

* HeKnowsTooMuch: [[spoiler:Miss Johnson]] figures out how the murder was committed... unfortunately, the murderer also figures out that she figured it out.

* AFatherToHisMen: Dr. Leidner, despite his modest attitude, has great authority and command over his group. [[spoiler: This was reflected during the time he was planning the murder; everyone around him was constantly on edge without knowing why.]]

* ArcWords: "Murder is a habit."t

* DeathByLookingUp: [[spoiler: Miss Johnson]] correctly deduces that this was how the murder occurred. Unfortunately the murderer was present when she learns this so she ends up being killed.

Many years ago, she had been married to Mr. Bosner, a covert spy, who died tragically in a train accident. After his death, she began receiving death threats (allegedly by her former husband) warning her not to remarry. However the letters had abruptly stopped when she married Dr. Leidner. But, sometime before her death, she had received another letter and had begun seeing visions of a face in her bedroom window at night. Poirot soon suspects that someone at the dig knows of Mrs. Leidner's past marriage and is possibly related to her late husband...

Other characters include fellow archaelogists Richard Carey, who hated Mrs. Leidner, Miss Anne Johnson, devoted friend of Dr. Leidner, David Hemmot, a young professional, and Joseph Mercado, a nervous and timid man. Besides these, there's Mrs. Mercado, who also disliked Louise Leidner, nurse Amy Leatheran, who came to treat the victim of her increasing nerves, Bill Coleman, an expert on ancient objects, Carl Reiter, the dig's photographer, Father Lavigny, an expert of old languages, and Dr. Reilly and his daughter Sheilla, two local residents.

* AFatherToHisMen: Dr Leidner, despite his modest attitude, has great authority and command over his group. [[spoiler: This reflects in his planning the murder, when everyone got tense and edgy.]]

* ArcWords: Murder is a habit.

* IllTakeThatAsACompliment: When Poirot describes how David Emmot has the methodical temperament that would be suitable for a murderer, Emmot wryly (yet sincerely) says "Thank you."

* ThisCannotBe: Dr Leidner cannot believe that anyone in his expedition could have a reason for killing his wife.
* {{Troll}}: Dr Reilly can't resist taking a dig at Nurse Leatheran when she is counted as a suspect. It's in good humor though and he doesn't take it too far.
* UnreliableNarrator: Nurse Leatheran narrates the story, and admits that despite her she is biased strongly towards people she likes (Mrs Leidner) and against people she dislikes (Sheila Reilly). Subverted though; despite her opinions, she is able to tell her story competently and objectively enough.

* AntagonistInMourning:[[spoiler: Dr Leidner truly loved his wife, even though he had to murder her for what he saw as straying (he was a German spy in the first World War. While he makes attempts to detract from the investigation, in the end once found out he quietly admits his crime.

* CallForward: According to the epilogue, Poirot travels home on the [[Literature/MurderOnTheOrientExpress Orient Express]]. Also a CallBack since Murder in Mesopotamia was published two years later.

* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler: Dr. Leidner is quite charming, is liked and respected by the members of his party, and is honestly sorry for killing Miss Johnson. However, he was also a convicted spy, and is possibly the biggest male {{Yandere}} in Christie fiction, stalking his wife for YEARS, keeping other men away from her until he has a chance to re-woo her instead.]]
* AntagonistinMourning:[[spoiler: Dr Leidner truly loved his wife, even though he had to murder her for straying. While he makes attempts to detract from the investigation, in the end once he is found out he quietly admits his crime.]]

* ExtremeDoormat: Carl Reiter. Poirot actually takes a break from his case speech to tell him to [[GetaHoldofYourselfMan handle himself better.]]

* HypocriticalHeartwarming: [[spoiler: Dr Leidner defends his people as being incapable of murder. Of course they didn't kill his wife, because he's the one who did it.]]

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:[[spoiler:Frederick Bosner's brother is a possible suspect but nothing comes of this due to Frderick himself being the culprit, and its never revealed if he informed his brother of his survival]].

* CassandraTruth: [[spoiler: Louise Leidner is in fear of her life from her first husband, but nobody really took it seriously until her murder happened. In fact Poirot at first assumes her murderer is one of the members of the expedition, though he is able to get on the right track at the end.]]

* DeathByLookingUp: [[spoiler: Miss Johnson correctly deduces that this was how the murder occurred. Unfortunately the murderer was present when she learns this so she ends up being killed.]]

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: If Dr Leidner hadn't killed Mrs Johnson, Poirot would never have tracked him down.]]

* ImpersonationExclusiveCharacter: We really never learn anything about [[spoiler:Eric Leidner, besides that he was a Swedish archeologist]]. That's because it's revealed he died decades ago in a train crash, and his identity was stolen by German spy Frederick Bosner. Likewise, we never find out what sort of person [[spoiler:Father Lavigny]] is. All the time in the book, he has been impersonated by a jewel thief, as the real [[spoiler:Father Lavigny]] fell sick and was unable to accompany the expedition at all.

* PersonalEffectsReveal: [[spoiler: How Miss Johnson discovers who the murderer is.]]
* HeKnowsTooMuch: [[spoiler:Miss Johnson]].

* TheWatson: Nurse Amy is the narrator of the story and Poirot's assistant in this case.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:[[spoiler:Frederick Bsoner's brother is a possible suspect but nothing comes of this due to Frderick himself being the culprit, and its never revealed if he informed his brother of his survival]].
* {{Yandere}}: [[spoiler:Dr. Leidner a.k.a. Frederick Bosner is an extreme example, resorting to threatening letters, a DeadPersonImpersonation, and even murder to stop his wife from straying.]]

* AssholeVictim: According to Sheila, Louise liked screwing with people for her own amusement so she really, really had it coming.