84 pages 2 hours read

Agatha Christie

Crooked House

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1949

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapters 16-20

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 16 Summary

The next morning, Charles reflects on the conversations he’s had with the various inhabitants of Three Gables, noting that Philip still seems reluctant to speak to him. He speculates that Philip’s motive to kill Aristide might have been his favoritism of Roger, which turned Philip into a reserved and unhappy individual. He finds himself wishing that Laurence alone committed the murder before realizing that he’s starting to desire “not the true solution, but the solution that suited me best” (126).

In the schoolroom, Charles finds Laurence with Josephine and Eustace. When he enters Laurence hurries out, spooked, leaving him to speak to Eustace alone. Eustace expresses his frustration at living in such a “queer house” with his dramatic mother, repressive father, and abnormally young step-grandmother. He callously states that it was about time Aristide died, as “you can’t enjoy life at that age” (131).

Laurence returns to the room and Eustace leaves. Laurence is high-strung, lamenting to Charles that he always does everything wrong. He suspects that he is being framed for Aristide’s murder. When asked about Brenda, he vehemently defends her character, calling her an “angel”.

As Charles exits the room, he runs into Josephine, who has been up in the attic “detecting.

Related Titles

By Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

A Murder Is Announced

Agatha Christie

A Murder Is Announced

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

A Pocket Full of Rye

Agatha Christie

A Pocket Full of Rye

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

Hallowe'en Party

Agatha Christie

Hallowe'en Party

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

Murder at the Vicarage

Agatha Christie

Murder at the Vicarage

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

Murder on the Orient Express

Agatha Christie

Murder on the Orient Express

Agatha Christie

Plot Summary

logo

Poirot Investigates

Agatha Christie

Poirot Investigates

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Agatha Christie

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Agatha Christie

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Agatha Christie

Study Guide

logo

The Pale Horse

Agatha Christie

The Pale Horse

Agatha Christie