Cat Among Pigeons

And it explains how the Notebooks read from both ends, how they leap from one title to another on the same page, how different Notebooks repeat and develop the same ideas and why her handwriting can be impossible to read. Notebook 15 and the plotting of Cat Among the Pigeons illustrate some of these points. She talks to herself on the page: How should all this be approached?—in sequence? Or followed up backwards by Hercule Poirot—from disappearance…at school—a possibly trivial incident but which is connected with murder?—but murder of whom—and why? She wonders and speculates and lists possibilities: Who is killed? Girl? Games mistress? Maid? Foreign Mid East ?? who would know girl by sign? Or a girl who? Mrs. U sees someone out of window—could be New Mistress? Domestic Staff? Pupil? Parent? The Murder— Could be A girl (resembles Julia/resembles Clare? A Parent—sports Day A Mistress Someone shot or stalked at school Sports? Princess Maynasita there—or—an actress as pupil or—an actress as games mistress She reminds herself of work still to be done: Tidy up—End of chapter Chapter III—A good deal to be done— Chapter IV—A good deal to be worked over—(possibly end chapter with вЂAdam the Gardener’—listing mistresses—(or next chapter) Chapter V—Letters fuller Notes on revision—a bit about Miss B Prologue—Type extra bits Chapter V—Some new letters And for some light relief she breaks off to solve a word puzzle ...»