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* INeverSaidItWasPoison: Point points out that Cust, the fall guy, can't be the murderer in the second murder. Someone suggests that he merely accepted an other person's crime as part of the sequence of murders, to which Poirot points out that the murderer knew details about the MO that were only known to ABC and the police.
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* DarkerAndEdgier: The BBC adaptation has a police force openly hostile to Poirot (at first), even getting a warrant to search his apartment, questioning his past, and with an openly racist organisation featuring as a background element.
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* RedFlagRecreationMaterial: Played with, as the material in question is outwardly innocuous. [[spoiler:Franklin Clarke]] proudly admits to rereading [[spoiler:his]] favorite children's book by Edith Nesbit. However, it's one of the clues that make Poirot suspect [[spoiler:him]], since it has long been figured out that the killer has a playful, boyish disposition. [[spoiler:Not to mention that the book turns out to be ''The Railway Children'', and the murder spree is railway-guide-themed]]?
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* RedFlagRecreationMaterial: Played with, as the material in question is outwardly innocuous. [[spoiler:Franklin Clarke]] proudly admits to rereading [[spoiler:his]] favorite children's book by Edith Nesbit. However, it's one of the clues that make Poirot suspect [[spoiler:him]], since it has long been figured out that the killer has a playful, boyish disposition. [[spoiler:Not to mention that the book turns out to be ''The Railway Children'', and the murder spree is railway-guide-themed]]?railway-guide-themed]].
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Crosswicking
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* AdvanceNoticeCrime: The murderer announces his crimes in letters to Hercule Poirot. [[spoiler:Subverted for the third, as the letter was intentionally misaddressed to arrive after the murder, but played straight with the others.]]
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-->-- Literature/HerculePoirot
''The ABC Murders'' is a 1936 mystery novel by Creator/AgathaChristie, often considered to be one of her best works. Literature/HerculePoirot has received a letter after retirement, daring him to solve a case before a victim for every letter of the alphabet is killed (and it's not a SpoilerTitle).
''The ABC Murders'' is a 1936 mystery novel by Creator/AgathaChristie, often considered to be one of her best works. Literature/HerculePoirot has received a letter after retirement, daring him to solve a case before a victim for every letter of the alphabet is killed (and it's not a SpoilerTitle).
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-->-- Literature/HerculePoirot
'''Franchise/HerculePoirot'''
''The ABC Murders'' is a 1936 mystery novel by Creator/AgathaChristie, often considered to be one of her best works.Literature/HerculePoirot Franchise/HerculePoirot has received a letter after retirement, daring him to solve a case before a victim for every letter of the alphabet is killed (and it's not a SpoilerTitle).
''The ABC Murders'' is a 1936 mystery novel by Creator/AgathaChristie, often considered to be one of her best works.
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* RedFlagRecreationMaterial: Played with, as the material in question is outwardly innocuous. [[spoiler:Franklin Clarke]] proudly admits to rereading [[spoiler:his]] favorite children's book by Edith Nesbit. However, it's one of the clues that make Poirot suspect [[spoiler:him]], since it has long been figured out that the killer has a playful, boyish disposition. [[spoiler:Not to mention that the book turns out to be ''The Railway Children'', and the murder spree is railway-guide-themed]]?
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** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows (as he did in Literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd).
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** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows (as he did in Literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd).''Literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd'').
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** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows (as he did in literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd).
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** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows (as he did in literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd).Literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd).
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** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows.
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** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows.marrows (as he did in literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd).
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* WhoNamesTheirKidDude: according to Alexander Bonaparte Cust, "...My mother was very fond of me. But she was ambitious- terribly ambitious. That's why she gave me those ridiculous names...."
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* BluffingTheMurderer: [[spoiler:Franklin Clarke]] confesses after Poirot mentions he left fingerprints on Cust's typewriter. Discussing the case later with Hastings, Poirot admits that there was no fingerprint: "I put that in to please you, mon ami."
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* BluffingTheMurderer: [[spoiler:Franklin Clarke]] The murderer confesses after Poirot mentions he left fingerprints on Cust's typewriter. Discussing the case later with Hastings, Poirot admits that there was no fingerprint: "I put that in to please you, mon ami."
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* DetectiveMole: After the third murder, Poirot puts together a group to solve the murders, consisting of himself, Hastings, and one or two people close to each of the victims. One of these is [[spoiler:Franklin Clarke]],the murderer.
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Creator/FrankTashlin directed a rather loose film adaptation titled ''Film/TheAlphabetMurders'' in 1965, with Tony Randall as Poirot and Robert Morley as Hastings. In 1992 the novel was adapted into an episode for the fourth season of ''Series/{{Poirot}}''; tropes unique to this adaptation are listed there. The novel received another adaptation in 2018 - a three-part BBC miniseries starring Creator/JohnMalkovich as Hercule Poirot. Two video game adaptations, a 2009 UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game and a 2016 multi-platform game, have been released.
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Creator/FrankTashlin directed a rather loose film adaptation titled ''Film/TheAlphabetMurders'' ''The Alphabet Murders'' in 1965, with Tony Randall as Poirot and Robert Morley as Hastings. In 1992 the novel was adapted into an episode for the fourth season of ''Series/{{Poirot}}''; tropes unique to this adaptation are listed there. The novel received another adaptation in 2018 - a three-part BBC miniseries starring Creator/JohnMalkovich as Hercule Poirot. Two video game adaptations, a 2009 UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game and a 2016 multi-platform game, have been released.
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** Poirot and Hastings have a conversation about murders, and Poirot mentions the main one in ''Loiterature/CardsOnTheTable''.
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** Poirot and Hastings have a conversation about murders, and Poirot mentions the main one in ''Loiterature/CardsOnTheTable''.''Literature/CardsOnTheTable''.
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** Poirot and Hastings have a conversation about murders, and Poirot mentions the main one in ''Loiterature/CardsOnTheTable''.
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* AnswerCut: One chapter ends with the Assistant Commissioner wondering where Cust is "at this exact moment." The first sentence of the next chapters has Cust standing outside a greengrocer's.
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* AnswerCut: One chapter ends with the Assistant Commissioner wondering where Cust is "at this exact moment." The first sentence of the next chapters chapter has Cust standing outside a greengrocer's.
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* DumbassHasAPoint: After the third ABC letter arrives late, having been wrongly addressed, Hastings wonders if it was misaddressed on purpose. Inspector Crome dismisses the idea and Hastings doesn't think about it any further, [[spoiler:but Poirot [[EurekaMoment eventually realises]] the killer ''did'' intend for this because they only cared about the "C" target.]]
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* DumbassHasAPoint: After the third ABC letter arrives late, having been wrongly addressed, Hastings wonders if it was misaddressed on purpose. Inspector Crome dismisses the idea idea, convinced that a serial killer wouldn't break their pattern for any reason, and Hastings doesn't think about it any further, [[spoiler:but Poirot [[EurekaMoment eventually realises]] the killer ''did'' intend for this this, because they only cared about wanted to ensure the "C" target.murder would go off without a hitch.]]
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* DumbassHasAPoint: After the third ABC letter arrives late, having been wrongly addressed, Hastings wonders if it was misaddressed on purpose. Inspector Crome dismisses the idea and Hastings doesn't think about it any further, [[spoiler:but Poirot [[EurekaMoment eventually realises]] the killer ''did'' intend for this because they only cared about the "C" target.]]
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* SpeakIllOfTheDead: When he talks to Megan Barnard, Poirot picks up on [[NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead how she described her sister]] to Hastings and encourages her against it, telling that it's of little practical importance to him. "Death, mademoiselle, unfortunately creates a ''prejudice''. A prejudice in favour of the deceased." [...] I should like to find someone who knew Elizabeth Barnard ''and who does not know she is dead''! Then, perhaps, I should hear what is useful to me - the truth." Megan eventually responds by describing her sister as "an unmitigated ass".
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* SpeakIllOfTheDead: When he talks to Megan Barnard, Poirot picks up on [[NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead how she described her sister]] to Hastings and encourages her against it, telling that it's of little practical importance to him. "Death, mademoiselle, unfortunately creates a ''prejudice''. A prejudice in favour of the deceased." [...] I should like to find someone who knew Elizabeth Barnard ''and who does not know she is dead''! Then, perhaps, I should hear what is useful to me - the truth." Megan eventually responds by describing her sister as "an unmitigated ass".little ass!"
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* SpeakIllOfTheDead: When he talks to Megan Barnard, Poirot picks up on [[NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead how she described her sister]] to Hastings and encourages her against it, telling that it's of little practical importance to him. "Death, mademoiselle, unfortunately creates a ''prejudice''. A prejudice in favour of the deceased." [...] I should like to find someone who knew Elizabeth Barnard ''and who does not know she is dead''! Then, perhaps, I should hear what is useful to me - the truth." Megan eventually responds by describing her sister as "an unmitigated ass".
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* SmokescreenCrime: The villain decided to murder [[spoiler:his rich, childless, soon-to-be-widowed brother, whose name and city of residence both begin with the letter C]]. To hide this fact, [[spoiler:the villain first murders people whose names and cities match A and B, respectively]].
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Changed line(s) 9,10 (click to see context) from:
Creator/FrankTashlin directed a film adaptation entitled ''The Alphabet Murders'' in 1965, with Tony Randall as Poirot and Robert Morley as Hastings. In 1992 the novel was adapted into an episode for the fourth season of ''Series/{{Poirot}}''; tropes unique to this adaptation are listed there. The novel received another adaptation in 2018 - a three-part BBC miniseries starring Creator/JohnMalkovich as Hercule Poirot. Two video game adaptations, a 2009 UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game and a 2016 multi-platform game, have been released.
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Creator/FrankTashlin directed a rather loose film adaptation entitled ''The Alphabet Murders'' titled ''Film/TheAlphabetMurders'' in 1965, with Tony Randall as Poirot and Robert Morley as Hastings. In 1992 the novel was adapted into an episode for the fourth season of ''Series/{{Poirot}}''; tropes unique to this adaptation are listed there. The novel received another adaptation in 2018 - a three-part BBC miniseries starring Creator/JohnMalkovich as Hercule Poirot. Two video game adaptations, a 2009 UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game and a 2016 multi-platform game, have been released.
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Changed line(s) 11,12 (click to see context) from:
No relation to the real life "ABC Murders" committed by South African serial killer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Sithole Moses Sithole]], ''Film/TheAlphabetKiller'', or the real life [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet_murders Alphabet murders]].
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No relation to the real life "ABC Murders" committed by South African serial killer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Sithole Moses Sithole]], ''Film/TheAlphabetKiller'', or the real life [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet_murders Alphabet murders]].
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* AnswerCut: One chapter ends with the Assistant Commissioner wondering where Cust is "at this exact moment." The first sentence of the next chapters has Cust standing outside a greengrocer's.
** Hastings also says that the NeverOneMurder trope keeps mystery novels lively.
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* NeverOneMurder: Lampshaded at the beginning when Poirot and Hastings talk about murder mysteries, and Hastings says that it's good if a story has more than one murder, because otherwise it could get boring.
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* NeverOneMurder: Lampshaded at the beginning when Poirot and Hastings talk about murder mysteries, and Hastings says that it's good if a story has more than one murder, because otherwise it could get boring. (And in fact in this book there are four murders.)
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* ReplacementGoldfish: Poirot bluntly states that the reason Donald is dreaming of Megan is that Megan is taking the place of her freshly murdered sister in Donald's heart. He then advises Donald to go for it!
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* ShoutOut: Cust remembers a famous quote, which is actually from narrative poem ''Literature/PippaPasses'': "God's in his heaven, all's right with the world."
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%%* GenreSavvy: Poirot.
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* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Hastings describes to Poirot what sort of murder would be good to investigate. What he actually describes is the formula for most Agatha Christie novels.
-->'''Hastings''': "One of the beautiful girls, of course, must be unjustly suspected--and there’s some misunderstanding between her and the young man. And then, of course, there must be some other suspects--an older woman--dark, dangerous type--and some friend or rival of the dead man’s--and a quiet secretary--dark horse--and a hearty man with a bluff manner--and a couple of discharged servants or gamekeepers or somethings--and a damn fool of a detective rather like Japp--and well--that’s about all."
-->'''Hastings''': "One of the beautiful girls, of course, must be unjustly suspected--and there’s some misunderstanding between her and the young man. And then, of course, there must be some other suspects--an older woman--dark, dangerous type--and some friend or rival of the dead man’s--and a quiet secretary--dark horse--and a hearty man with a bluff manner--and a couple of discharged servants or gamekeepers or somethings--and a damn fool of a detective rather like Japp--and well--that’s about all."
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* ContinuityNod:
** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows.
** Poirot also tells Hastings that he himself once almost got murdered. That happened in ''Literature/ThreeActTragedy''.
** Inspector Japp sarcastically notes that Poirot has been involved in "train murders" (''Literature/TheMysteryOfTheBlueTrain'') and "air murders" (''Literature/DeathInTheClouds'').
** While telling Hastings what he's been up to, Poirot says he briefly retired to grow vegetable marrows.
** Poirot also tells Hastings that he himself once almost got murdered. That happened in ''Literature/ThreeActTragedy''.
** Inspector Japp sarcastically notes that Poirot has been involved in "train murders" (''Literature/TheMysteryOfTheBlueTrain'') and "air murders" (''Literature/DeathInTheClouds'').
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In 1992 the novel was adapted into an episode for the fourth season of ''Series/{{Poirot}}''; tropes unique to this adaptation are listed there. The novel received another adaptation in 2018 - a three-part BBC miniseries starring Creator/JohnMalkovich as Hercule Poirot. Two video game adaptations, a 2009 UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game and a 2016 multi-platform game, have been released.
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Creator/FrankTashlin directed a film adaptation entitled ''The Alphabet Murders'' in 1965, with Tony Randall as Poirot and Robert Morley as Hastings. In 1992 the novel was adapted into an episode for the fourth season of ''Series/{{Poirot}}''; tropes unique to this adaptation are listed there. The novel received another adaptation in 2018 - a three-part BBC miniseries starring Creator/JohnMalkovich as Hercule Poirot. Two video game adaptations, a 2009 UsefulNotes/NintendoDS game and a 2016 multi-platform game, have been released.
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No relation to the real life "ABC Murders" committed by South African serial killer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Sithole Moses Sithole]].
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No relation to the real life "ABC Murders" committed by South African serial killer [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Sithole Moses Sithole]].
Sithole]], ''Film/TheAlphabetKiller'', or the real life [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet_murders Alphabet murders]].
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* TakeThat: After examining the first murder scene, Poirot notes that they are not in a Literature/SherlockHolmes story, and the killer was not so considerate as to smoke a cigarette that could be identified from the ashes at the crime scene, and then step in the ashes with shoes bearing a unique tread pattern.
