History Literature / DeathInTheClouds

''Death in the Clouds'' is a detective fiction murder mystery by Creator/AgathaChristie first published in 1935, featuring Literature/HerculePoirot.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The presiding judge of the inquest, who shoots down a bigoted attempt to accuse Poirot of the murder by the coroners jury.

* RedHerring: Several other items that share a similar form as a blowpipe (pipe stems, a flute, a cigarette holder) are mentioned, shortly before [[spoiler:they figure out the thorn was inserted by hand.]]

[[quoteright:302:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/death_in_the_clouds.jpg]]

* FrenchJerk: Very much averted with the Duponds father and son. [[spoiler: Poirot ends up matching Jane Grey with Jean Dupond ''because'' he's a NiceGuy who will make her forget she fell for a murderer.]]

* RedHerring: Several other items that share a similar for as a blowpipe (pipe stems, a flute, a cigarette holder) are mentioned, shortly before [[spoiler:they figure out the thorn was inserted by hand.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The presiding judge of the inquest, who shots down a bigoted attempt to accuse Poirot of the murder by the coroners jury.

* TheButlerDidIt: [[spoiler:Giselle was murdered by an air steward - who was actually Norman Gale in disguise.]]
* ChattyHairdresser: The story features a hairdresser who has to tell her clients about the murder, over and over again. At least she negotiates a pay rise for it.

* SpannerInTheWorks: From the murderer's perspective, the fact that Poirot [[spoiler:changed seats with intended scapegoat Countess Horbury]] during the flight.

* AntagonisticOffspring: Anne Morisot hates [[spoiler:her mother, Madame Giselle,]] but looks forward to inheriting.

Poirot is flying from Paris back to England, and spends most of the flight sleeping. As the plane nears landing, fellow passenger Madame Giselle, a moneylender is discovered to be dead. Although a wasp was found in the compartment shortly earlier, Poirot discovers a poisoned dart, and police find a blowpipe next to his seat. He finds himself counted among the suspects, and decides to investigate the case himself, promptly requesting a list of the passengers' possessions, and working with inspectors in both England and France. This results in revelations surrounding Giselle and the other passengers, involving debts, blackmail, a secret marriage and a previously unidentified estranged daughter.

* StealthInsult: Poirot muses bitterly that his travel sickness causes his mental capacity to be reduced to below average while travelling, and then immediately segues into asking after his rival from ''Literature/TheMurderOnTheLinks''.

* NoJustNoReaction: The coroner presiding over the murder inquest has the legal equivalent of this reaction when the jury brings in a charge against Poirot.

* StealthInsult: Poirot muses bitterly that his travel sickness means that when travelling "he has no little grey cells, he is reduced to a normal human being of rather below average intelligence" and then immediately segues into asking after Giraud, his rival from ''Literature/TheMurderOnTheLinks''.

* WrongGuyFirst: [[spoiler:Jane Grey spends most of the story unaware that her boyfriend is ''the murderer''.]]

--> '''Poirot''': Ah, you wore gloves?

* StealthInsult: Poirot muses bitterly that his travel sickness means that when travelling "he has no little grey cells, he is reduced to a normal human being of rather below average intelligence" and then immediately segues into asking after Giraud, his rival from ''Literature/MurderOnTheLinks''.

--> '''Murderer''': You lie! I wore—

''Death in the Clouds'' was adapted for the television series ''Series/Poirot'' in 1992, starring David Suchet. Tropes concerning the adaptation can be found on the page for the series.

* TillMurderDoUsPart: The killer married and murdered [[spoiler:Anne Morisot for her inheritance money]].