Agatha Christie's 1926 detective novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is famous for an amazing plot twist; with that unmentionable out of the way, it also offer some cute British slang. In Chapter 2 there's "on the tapis" (= "under consideration" — a "tapis" is a tapestry) and in Chapter 6 "rather the Tartar" (= a bossy, rough, violent, or irritable person). There are also a few delightful Hercule Poirot-isms. In Chapter 7, for example

"It is completely unimportant," said Poirot. "That is why it is so interesting," he added softly.

and in Chapter 8, this exchange:

"If those walls could speak," I murmured.
Poirot shook his head.
"A tongue is not enough," he said. "They would have to have also eyes and ears. But do not be too sure that these dead things"–he touched the top of the bookcase as he spoke–"are always dumb. To me they speak sometimes–chairs, tables–they have their message!"
He turned away towards the door.
"What message?" I cried. "What have they said to you today?"
He looked over his shoulder and raised one eyebrow quizzically.
"An opened window," he said. "A locked door. A chair that apparently moved itself. To all three I say 'Why?' and I find no answer."

The ending? A bit less interesting than the journey ...

^z - 2020-05-18