Elinor Carlisle is a gentle unassuming woman, her generosity and sincerity and demonstrated by her action over and over again, so when she is sent a spiteful poisoned pen letter, her family doctor and good friend, calls in Poirot to help solve the mystery.

Poirot arrived at Elinor Carlisle?s aunt Laura Welman?s country estate to investigate the letter. He meets Elinor who is visiting her Aunt for the weekend with her fianc?. Poirot also meets Mary Gerrard. She was the daughter of the caretaker and his wife who lived on the Welman estate until their deaths several years ago. In Elinor?s poisoned pen letter it is implied that Mary is trying to steal Elinor?s inheritance, by having Laura Welman re-write her will. During the weekend Elinor overhears an exchange between Mary and her fianc? and when confronted her fianc? admits to being in love with Mary and calls off their engagement.

That night, Laura Welman?s doctor is called to the house and Laura Welman is pronounced dead on his arrival. The doctor writes the cause of death as natural causes although he has his suspicions, but when Mary Gillard body is found in the library the next week, Laura Welman?s death is pronounced a murder too and Elinor is arrested for double homicide.

All the evidence points to Elinor as she has motive, means and opportunity, so why is Poirot so certain she is innocent? In true Poirot style he will piece all the clues together and find out the truth before confronting the real murderer.

This is a twisting plot with heaps of hidden agenda?s; each character thrown into the limelight by Poirot?s questioning could be guilty. Poirot?s slow and thoughtful silence unease?s many of the characters and he entices the killer to reveal themselves with the clever use of passive aggressive tactics. The setting in an English country estate is just beautiful and the characters look so ?real? with cleverly chosen costumes and props. This series of Agatha Christie?s books has been brought to life really well and the quality of script and directing shines through when coupled with a brilliant cast of talented actors. Fans of Agatha Christie will not be disappointed with this version of her famous books.

This DVD and the others in the series are available at the ABC shops and are well worth a trip there. The ABC is renowned for their quality productions, both the production and the DVD itself the sound and picture quality on this DVD are of the usual high standard expected from an ABC release. Having recently sat up really late to watch this in the ABC, I was so happy to see it released on to DVD. Now I can watch it on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and really enjoy it. The Agatha Christie?s Series of Poirot are an intriguing DVD that compels you to watch to the very end and ?Sad Cypress? is no exception.

THE EXTRAS

There are no extras to speak of.

CONCLUSION

This series of Agatha Christie?s books has been brought to life really well and the quality of script and directing shines through when coupled with a brilliant cast of talented actors. Fans of Agatha Christie will not be disappointed with this version of her famous book. Sad Cypress is an intriguing DVD that compels you to watch to the very end.