Агата Кристи: "Сындық сынақ" романы

1958 novel by Agatha Christie

Ordeal by Innocence is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 3 November 1958 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retailed at twelve shillings and sixpence (12/6)

Sarah Russell of The Guardian gave a short review to the novel in the 9 December 1958 issue when she said, "In this solving of a two year old family murder sympathy is, unusually with Miss Christie, evoked for too many people to leave enough suspects; but the unravelling is sound and the story well told." Maurice Richardson said of this novel that "The veteran Norn has nodded over this one. There is ingenuity, of course, but it lacks a central focus. The characters are stodgy and there is little of that so readable, almost crunchable dialogue, like burnt sugar." He concluded, "The serious socio psychological approach doesn't suit A C somehow. Only at the end with the big surprise do you feel home and dry." Robert Barnard considered this novel as "One of the best of 'fifties Christies, and one of her own favourites (though she named different titles at different times). The Five Little Pigs pattern of murder in the past, the convicted murderer having died in prison, innocent. [sic]” His evaluation was that it was “Short on detection, but fairly dense in social observation. Understanding in treatment of adopted children, but not altogether tactful on the colour question: 'Tina's always the dark horse Perhaps it's the half of her that isn't white.'"

The novel was adapted for the third season of the ITV television series Agatha Christie's Marple featuring Geraldine McEwan as the eponymous Miss Marple in 2007, although the character was not in the original novel. The episode guest starred Denis Lawson as Leo, Stephanie Leonidas as Hester, Lisa Stansfield as Mary, and Jane Seymour as Rachel. This version made noticeable differences from the novel, such as having Jacko (Burn Gorman) executed by hanging instead of dying in prison of pneumonia. Gwenda Vaughan (Juliet Stevenson) takes Philip Durrant's (Richard Armitage) place as the household member who is murdered by Kirsten (Alison Steadman) for coming too close to the truth. Omitted completely is Kirsten's attempt to silence Tina (Gugu Mbatha Raw) and Micky (Bryan Dick) by stabbing Tina. There is also the addition of another adopted child, Bobby (Tom Riley), the twin brother of Jacko, who commits suicide after financial ruin. Kirsten is shown being arrested at the end, unlike in the original novel in which her arrest was not explicitly included in the actual text.

The novel was adapted as the second episode of the French television series Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie, airing in 2009.

BBC One broadcast a three episode series based on Ordeal by Innocence in 2018. It was filmed in Inverkip, Scotland, and stars Bill Nighy as Leo Argyll (changed from "Argyle" in the novel), Luke Treadaway as Arthur Calgary, Anna Chancellor as Rachel Argyll, Ella Purnell as Hester Argyll, Eleanor Tomlinson as Mary Durrant, Crystal Clarke as Tina Argyll, Morven Christie as Kirsten Lindstrom, Matthew Goode as Philip Durrant, Alice Eve as Gwenda Vaughan, and Anthony Boyle as Jack Argyll. The script was written by Sarah Phelps, who also adapted the Christie miniseries And Then There Were None and The Witness for the Prosecution for the BBC. First scheduled to air in 2017, the series was delayed due to sexual allegations against actor Ed Westwick, who was originally cast as Mickey Argyll, which led to Westwick's scenes being reshot with Christian Cooke as Mickey. The series features many differences from the original novel, including the ending, where the killer is revealed to be Leo instead of Kirsten. Additionally, Jack is depicted as having no involvement with Rachel's murder and is the biological son of Leo and Kirsten, resulting in Leo having him beaten to death in prison when he threatens to reveal his true parentage. The series also portrays Calgary as a former mental patient, which causes doubts toward his testimony as Jack's alibi.

The novel was also adapted into a stage play by Mary Jane Hansen performed for the first time by the New York State Theatre Institute in Troy, New York. The original run lasted from 4 to 17 February 2007, and included 14 performances.

Ordeal by Innocence was released by HarperCollins as a graphic novel adaptation on 1 July 2008, adapted and illustrated by "Chandre" This was translated from the edition first published in France by Emmanuel Proust éditions in 2006 under the title of Témoin indésirable.

The BBC produced a radio adaptation by Joy Wilkinson, starring Mark Umbers as Arthur Calgary, Jacqueline Defferary as Gwenda, and Phoebe Waller Bridge as Hester Argyle. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 over three weeks beginning 17 March 2014.