level 4 Teacher’s notes Teacher Support Programme
The ABC Murders
Agatha Christie Chapters 1–2: Captain Arthur Hastings travels to
London and goes to see his old friend, the retired Belgian
detective, Hercule Poirot. Poirot shows Hastings a letter
he has received in which he is told to watch out for
Andover on the 21st of the month. The letter is signed
‘ABC’. Meanwhile, in another part of the country, a man
named Alexander Bonaparte Cust takes a railway guide
and a list of names from his jacket pocket. He marks the
first name on the list. Some days later, Poirot receives a
phone call from the police, telling him that an old woman
called Ascher has been murdered in her shop in Andover.
Poirot and Hastings travel to Andover and the police
tell them that they suspect her husband, a violent drunk.
Poirot’s letter, however, casts some doubt on the matter
About the author
and an ABC railway guide has also been found at the
Agatha Christie was born in 1890 in Devon, England.
scene of the crime. Poirot and Hastings visit the police
She was the youngest child of an American father and
doctor and then they go to see Mrs Ascher’s niece, Mary
an English mother. Her father died when she was eleven
Drower, who is naturally very upset.
and the young Agatha became very attached to her
mother. She never attended school because her mother Chapters 3–4: Poirot and Hastings search Mrs Ascher’s
disapproved of it, and she was educated at home in a flat, where they find a pair of new stockings. Then they
house full of books. As a young woman, Agatha was return to London and Poirot receives another letter
described as tall with reddish-gold hair, fun and bright telling him to watch out for what happens at Bexhill-
company, although shy at times. She married Lieutenant on-sea on the 25th. The next morning, at a meeting of
Archibald Christie in 1914 and in 1919, gave birth to important police officers, Poirot suggests that the next
her only child, Rosalind. They divorced in 1928. Two victim’s surname will begin with ‘B’. On the 25th a young
years earlier, following the death of her mother, Agatha girl called Elizabeth (Betty) Barnard is found dead on the
had completely disappeared for ten days, adding real beach at Bexhill. She has been strangled and there is an
life mystery to fiction. She married again in 1930. She ABC railway guide by the body. Poirot and Hastings go to
had a phenomenal literary career as a writer of crime Bexhill and talk to a waitress in the café where Betty had
stories. She published 66 novels, 154 short stories and worked. They learn that she had a male friend, who she
20 plays. Her book sales are surpassed only by the Bible was probably meeting on the night of the murder.
and the works of Shakespeare. In 1971, she was awarded Chapters 5–6: Poirot and Hastings go to Betty’s house
England’s highest honour, the Order of the British Empire. and find out that Betty was going to marry a man called
She died in January, 1976, and is buried in the churchyard Donald Fraser. Betty’s sister, Megan, tells them that
in Cholsey, Oxfordshire, near where she lived. Donald had been very jealous of Betty because she
went out with other men. Then Donald turns up and
Summary tells Poirot that on the night of the murder, he had been
The Belgian detective Poirot investigates what seems to suspicious and had tried to follow Betty without success.
be the work of a serial killer. He receives letters signed Some time later, the third letter arrives announcing the
‘ABC’, which warn him about the crime that is going to next crime in Churston, near Torquay, on the 30th, which
happen. After each one, a person whose surname begins is the very same day. The letter had been delayed because
with A, B and C is murdered. Finally, after the fourth it had been sent to the wrong address. Poirot, Hastings
murder, a strange man called Cust is arrested, but Poirot and a police inspector go to the train station to catch a
realises that this man has been manipulated into being at train to Churston and are told there that a man named
the scene of the crimes and that the real criminal is the Sir Carmichael Clarke has been found dead. They arrive
brother of one of the victims, who had wanted to inherit in Churston and meet Franklin Clarke, the dead man’s
his brother’s money and had set up the whole thing. brother, who tells them that Carmichael had not been a
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level 4 Teacher’s notes Teacher Support Programme
The ABC Murders
happy man because his wife was very ill. They also meet from an invented stocking company, offering him a job.
Thora Grey, Carmichael’s secretary. He then sent him lists of possible customers, with the
Chapters 7–8: Meanwhile, in Torquay, Cust nervously murder victims at the top of the list and he sent the ABC
reads a newspaper article about the murders. He tells a letters to Poirot. Franklin murdered all the victims but
man sitting next to him that he has had bad headaches arranged for Cust to be at the scene of each crime. In
ever since he was in the war. In London, a kind of special Doncaster, he put blood on Cust’s coat, hoping the police
legion, consisting of Megan Barnard, Thora Grey, Mary would arrest him for all the murders, thus freeing him of
Drower, Donald Fraser and Franklin Clarke is formed. any suspicion.
Poirot suggests that they can work together to find Background and themes
clues about the murders. Mary tells a story about some
stockings her mother had bought for her sister. Poirot Murder mystery: As in nearly all Agatha Christie’s novels,
and Hastings then travel back to Churston to see Lady the major theme is murder and its subsequent detection.
Clarke, who tells them that, contrary to what Thora Grey There are a large number of suspects, each with a motive
had previously said, a stranger had visited the house on or an opportunity. Poirot manages to solve the mystery
the day of the murder. Back in London, Donald Fraser because he is clever enough to see the things that others,
visits Poirot and tells him he is having dreams about killing including the police, fail to see.
Megan. Then the fourth letter arrives, saying the next Cruelty and justice: Poirot is deeply angered by the
murder will be in Doncaster on the 11th. manipulation of the poor Mr Cust by the cunning and
Chapters 9–10: Thora tells Poirot that she now cruel Franklin Clarke. He compares what Franklin does to
remembers talking to a strange man and that he was a song about trapping a fox in a box, which he believes is
selling stockings. Poirot suddenly realises this is the a worse fate than death itself. In the end, Cust is released
connection between the murders. Meanwhile, Cust from his misery by Poirot’s discoveries.
isn’t feeling well but tells his landlady that he must go to Serial killers: Throughout the book we believe that
Cheltenham on business anyway. He then talks to Lily, a serial killer is committing the murders, following an
the landlady’s daughter, who is excited by the fact that alphabetical pattern. This gives the police a chance to
Cust had been near the last murder scene. Later, Lily’s prevent future murders if they are quick and clever
boyfriend, Tom, tells her he saw Cust with a ticket for enough and in this way they are drawn into a kind of cat
Doncaster, not Cheltenham. Then, a man is found dead and mouse game with the murderer.
with an ABC guide next to him at a cinema in Doncaster.
Cust leaves the same cinema and goes to the Black Discussion activities
Horse where he is staying. When he arrives in his room,
Before reading
he notices blood on his coat. He tries to wash it off but 1 Discuss: Write the words murder and motive on the
a maid enters and notices it. Cust leaves and the maid board and explain the meaning of the second word.
informs the police. They search Cust’s room and find Now put students in small groups to think of a list
some stockings. Tom tells the police of his suspicions of all the possible motives that a murderer could
have. Get feedback from the whole class.
about Cust, but Lily feels sorry for him and phones to
2 Discuss, research and write: Put students in small
warn him that the police are going to look for him. Cust groups to think of a list of films they know that are
escapes again but is confused and finally ends up walking about serial killers. Ask them to talk about the plot of
into a police station. the ones they have seen. Get feedback and write the
titles on the board. Now students choose a film, find
Chapters 11–12: The police interview Cust and find out more information about it on the Internet and
out that he has an alibi for the Bexhill murder. Then, write a summary of the plot.
Poirot interviews Cust and he eventually confesses to
Chapters 1–2
the murders. Next Poirot calls a meeting of the Special
After reading
Legion and announces that Franklin Clarke is the real 3 Write and guess: Write the names of the following
murderer. Clarke, wanting to inherit his brother’s money, characters on the board: Arthur Hastings, Hercule
had thought of a murder plan. He had met Cust in a café Poirot, Alexander Cust, Mrs Ascher and Mary Drower.
and realised his mental weakness. He sent him letters Give each student a name and ask them to write two
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level 4 Teacher’s notes Teacher Support Programme
The ABC Murders
sentences, one true and one false, about that Chapters 7–8
character. Students now interact reading out their After reading
sentences to each other. Students listen and guess 10 Discuss: Remind the students that Donald Fraser is
which one is true and which is false. having strange dreams and then put them in small
4 Pair work: Put students in pairs to ask and answer groups to discuss the following questions: Do you
the following questions to practise the new often remember your dreams? Do you often have bad
vocabulary: At what age do people in your country dreams? Have you ever had the same dream many
usually retire? What do people normally do with their times? Do you think dreams have a meaning?
free time after they have retired? What kind of clues do 11 Pair work: Write the following names on the board:
the police normally look for after a crime? When was the Mrs Ascher, Betty Barnard, Carmichael Clarke. Put
last time you felt disappointed and why? Do you always students in pairs and ask them to recall everything
tell the truth? they can about the murder and how it happened.
Chapters 3–4 Then ask them to discuss who the suspects are in
each case and why. Can they think of any connection
While reading (p. 19, after ‘That was a rather expensive between the cases? Who do they think is the
interview, Poirot.’) murderer?
5 Role play: Put students in pairs to write the questions
they think Poirot asked Mrs Fowler. Students then Chapters 9–10
change partners and one takes the role of Poirot After reading
and the other the role of Mrs Fowler to act out the 12 Write and guess: Write Mr Cust told Mrs Marbury
role play. that he had to go away on business to Doncaster. on the
After reading board. Elicit which word is wrong from the students
6 Write, ask and answer: Write Where did Mrs Ascher (Cheltenham not Doncaster). Now students choose
live? on the board and elicit the answer (above the a sentence that somebody said from Chapters 9–10
shop). Now tell students to write similar questions and rewrite it changing one word. Students interact,
about Chapters 3–4. Students then interact with each reading out their sentences and the other students
other, asking and answering each other’s questions. have to identify and correct the mistake.
7 Write: Tell students to imagine that they have to Chapters 11–12
write a story for the Bexhill newspaper about
While reading (p. 74, after, ‘So Cust has an alibi for the
Elizabeth Barnard’s death. Encourage them to include
Bexhill murder.’)
information about the girl, her family and her job,
13 Game: ALIBI: Tell the students that a murder took
what happened and any clues the police may have.
place yesterday afternoon between 7pm and 9pm.
Chapters 5–6 Tell two of the students that they are suspects and
While reading (p. 36, after ‘There was a lot of ask them to leave the room to talk about their alibi.
discussion whether the general public should be told Tell them they must discuss all the details about what
about the anonymous letters.’) they were doing at that time. Now tell the rest of the
8 Discuss: Put students in small groups to discuss class that they are police officers and have them
the advantages and disadvantages of making this write questions in pairs that they would like to ask
information public. Tell them to decide what they the suspects. Get the suspects to come back into the
think the police should do. Get feedback and then class one at a time to be questioned. The ‘police
get the students to discuss the following questions: officers’ have to see if there is any difference in what
Do you think newspapers should be able to tell any story they say. If there is, they are guilty.
they like? What things do you think they shouldn’t write After reading
about? Do newspapers write too much about people’s 14 Role play and write: Put students in pairs to write
private lives? the questions they think a newspaper reporter would
After reading ask Mr Cust. Students then change partners and one
9 Discuss: Remind the students that Churston is a takes the role of the reporter and the other the role
beautiful place popular with tourists. Now put them of Mr Cust to act out the role play. As a follow-up,
in groups and get them to discuss the following students can then write the newspaper article.
questions: What places in your country are popular 15 Game: Divide the class into two teams and have each
with tourists? Why are they popular? What are the team write ten questions about the book. The teams
advantages and disadvantages of tourism? then ask and answer each other’s questions, scoring
one point for a correct answer.
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