Endless Night
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Endless Night (published in 1967) is a mystery novel by Agatha Christie which was one of her favorites of her own works.
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[edit] Plot
Ambitious young Michael Rogers - the narrator of the story - falls in love with Fenella Guteman (Ellie) the first time he sets eyes on her on the mysterious yet scenic 'Gipsy's Acre', complete with its sea-view and dark fir trees. Before long, he has both the land and the woman, but rumors are spreading of a curse hanging over the land. Not heeding the locals' warnings, the couple take up residence at 'Gipsy's Acre', leading to a devastating tragedy.
[edit] Title
The title comes from William Blake's Auguries of Innocence: "Every night and every morn/some to misery are born/every morn and every night/some are born to sweet delight./Some are born to sweet delight/ some are born to endless night."
[edit] Similarities to other Christie novels
While the novel uses elements of the supernatural that feature rarely in Christie (By The Pricking of My Thumbs being a noticeable example), the novel's denouement is similar to that of her infamous novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd in that Michael is revealed to be a twisted, mentally unstable man who is also the murderer. The plot also uses elements of a Miss Marple story, The Case of the Caretaker from Miss Marple's Final Cases.
[edit] Film versions
A 1971 film was made, starring Hayley Mills, Britt Ekland, Per Oscarsson, Hywel Bennett and George Sanders. Christie reportedly had some reservations about the use of sex scenes to enliven the plot.
