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New Hercule Poirot Mysteries #2
丕賱鬲丕亘賵鬲 丕賱賲睾賱賯 : 賱睾夭 賴賷乇賰賷賵賱 亘賵丕乇賵 丕賱噩丿賷丿 賰賱賷丕
兀卮毓乇 亘丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱丕賲鬲賳丕賳 廿賱賶 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 丕賱乇丕卅毓賷賳 丕賱鬲丕賱賷丞 兀爻賲丕丐賴賲貙 賵丕賱匕賷賳 賰乇爻賵丕 兀賳賮爻賴賲 賲賳 兀噩賱 廿賱賴丕賲 丕賱丌禺乇賷賳:
噩賷賲爻 亘乇賷賰丕乇丿貙 賲丕孬賷賵 亘乇賷賰丕乇丿貙 賴賷賱丕乇賷 爻鬲乇賵賳噩貙 賰乇賷爻鬲賷丕賳 賲丕賰賮賷賱貙 噩賵賱賷丕 賵丕賷賱丿貙 賱賷丿賷丕 爻鬲賵賳貙 賳賷賰賷 賵丕賷鬲貙 賵噩賲賷毓 丕賱毓丕賲賱賷賳 賮賷 賲丐爻爻丞 兀噩丕孬丕 賰乇賷爻鬲賷 丕賱賲丨丿賵丿丞貙 丿丕賮賷丿 亘乇丕賵賳貙 賰丕賷鬲 廿賱鬲賵賳貙 賱丕賵乇丕 丿賷 噩賷爻賷亘賷貙 爻丕乇丞 賴賵丿噩爻賵賳貙 賮賱賷爻 丿賷賳賴丕賲貙 賵廿賱賶 噩賲賷毓 丕賱毓丕賲賱賷賳 賮賷 賲丐爻爻丞 賴丕乇亘乇 賰賵賱賷賳夭 賮賷 丕賱賲賲賱賰丞 丕賱賲鬲丨丿丞貙 丿丕賳 賲丕賱賵乇賷貙 賰丕賷鬲賱賷賳 賴丕乇賷貙 噩賷賳賷賮乇 賴丕乇鬲貙 賰丕孬乇賷賳 噩賵乇丿賵賳貙 丿丕賳賷賷賱 亘丕乇鬲賱鬲貙 賱賷丕鬲賷 爻鬲賷賴賱賷賰貙 賲丕乇噩賵 賵賷夭賲丕賳貙 賵賮乇賷賯 毓賲賱 賵賷賱賷丕賲 賲丕乇賵貙 亘賷鬲乇 卮鬲乇丕賵爻貙 賵賲丕鬲賷賵 鬲賷乇賳乇 賲賳 賲丐爻爻丞 乇賵噩乇 賵賰賵賱乇賷丿噩 賵賵丕賷鬲.
賰賲丕 兀卮賰乇 噩賲賷毓 丕賱賳丕卮乇賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賳卮乇賵丕 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 亘賵丕乇賵 賮賷 噩賲賷毓 兀賳丨丕亍 丕賱毓丕賱賲貙 賵賱賳 賷賲賰賳賳賷 匕賰乇賴賲 亘丕賱丕爻賲 賴賳丕 賱賰孬乇鬲賴賲貙 賵賱賰賳賷 兀卮賰乇 賲賳 爻賷賵氐賱賵賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 廿賱賶 丕賱賯乇丕亍 賮賷 噩賲賷毓 兀賳丨丕亍 丕賱毓丕賱賲. 賰賲丕 兀賳賳賷 兀卮毓乇 亘丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱丕賲鬲賳丕賳 賱賰賱 賲賳 賯乇兀 賵丕爻鬲賲鬲毓 亘乇賵丕賷丞 噩乇丕卅賲 丕賱兀丨乇賮 丕賱賲夭禺乇賮丞貙 兀賵 乇丕爻賱賳賷 毓亘乇 丕賱亘乇賷丿 兀賵 丕賱亘乇賷丿 丕賱廿賱賰鬲乇賵賳賷 兀賵 賲賵賯毓 鬲賵賷鬲乇 賱賷禺亘乇賳賷 亘匕賱賰. 賰匕賱賰 兀賵噩賴 丕賱卮賰乇 賱賰賱 賲賳: 兀丿賷賱 噩賷乇丕爻貙 賰乇賷爻 噩乇賷亘賱 賵噩賵賳 賰賵乇丕賳貙 丕賱匕賷賳 賯乇兀賵丕 丕賱賲爻賵丿丕鬲 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵賳丕賯卮賵賳賷 亘卮兀賳 丕賱兀賮賰丕乇 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賵賵噩賴賵丕 賱賷 丕賱鬲毓賱賷賯丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 兀賮丕丿鬲賳賷 賰孬賷乇賸丕. 賰賲丕 兀卮賰乇 乇賵亘乇鬲 亘賷賷賱 毓賱賶 禺亘乇鬲賴 賮賷 賲乇囟 丕賱賰賱賶 丕賱賲夭賲賳貙 賵廿賱賶 噩丕賷 賲丕乇鬲賱丕賳丿 毓賱賶 丕爻鬲毓丿丕丿賴 賱賱鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 丕賱丕丨鬲賲丕賱丕鬲 丕賱胤亘賷丞 賲毓賷. 賰賲丕 兀卮賰乇 兀丿乇賷丕賳 亘賵賱 毓賱賶 賲卮丕乇賰鬲賴 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 毓賳 賲爻乇丨賷丞 丕賱賲賱賰 噩賵賳 賱賭 卮賰爻亘賷乇貙 賵廿賱賶 賲賵乇噩丕賳 賵丕賷鬲 毓賱賶 噩賲毓 賰賱 賲丕 丕丨鬲噩鬲 廿賱賶 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 毓賳 兀賷乇賱賳丿丕 賮賷 毓丕賲 佟侃佗侃.
賰賲丕 兀鬲賵噩賴 亘噩夭賷賱 丕賱卮賰乇 廿賱賶 噩丕賷賲賷 亘賷乇賳孬丕賱 丕賱匕賷 爻丕毓丿 亘噩賲賷毓 丕賱胤乇賯 丕賱賲賲賰賳丞 賲賳匕 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞貙 賮賲賳 丿賵賳賴 賱兀氐亘丨鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 兀爻賵兀 亘賰孬賷乇 賲賲丕 賴賷 毓賱賷賴 賵兀賯賱 賲乇丨賸丕 賮賷 賰鬲丕亘鬲賴丕 鈥� 亘賱 賵兀賰孬乇 賯賱賯賸丕 鈥� 賵賱賲 賳賰賳 賱賳丨氐賱 毓賱賶 賲禺胤胤丕鬲 賲賳夭賱 賱賷賱賷 兀賵賰.
賰賲丕 兀賳賳賷 爻兀馗賱 丿賵賲賸丕 兀丿賷賳 亘丕賱賮囟賱 廿賱賶 丿毓賲 丿丕賳 賵賮賵賷亘 賵噩丕賷 噩賵賳夭貙 毓丕卅賱鬲賷 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞. 賵兀禺賷乇賸丕 賵賱賷爻 丌禺乇賸丕貙 兀賳丕 賲賲鬲賳 噩丿賾賸丕 賱賰賱亘賷貙 亘乇賵爻鬲乇貙 丕賱匕賷 丕爻鬲購禺丿賲 賰廿丨丿賶 卮禺氐賷丕鬲賷 賰胤乇賷賯丞 賱廿賯賳丕毓賷 亘兀賳 賲賳夭賱 賱賷賱賷 兀賵賰 賷噩亘 兀賳 賷賵噩丿 亘賴 賰賱亘. 廿賳賴 賰賱亘 賲夭賴賵 亘賳賮爻賴 噩丿賾賸丕貙 賵乇亘賲丕 賷毓鬲賯丿 丕賱丌賳 兀賳 乇賵丕賷丞 亘賵丕乇賵 鬲賱賰 鬲鬲丨丿孬 毓賳賴 (賱丕 卮賰 賮賷 兀賳 賰賱 爻胤乇 賯丿 賮賰乇鬲 賮賷賴 胤賵丕賱 兀卮賴乇 賮賷 爻亘賷賱 鬲丨賯賷賯 毓賳賵丕賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞貙 賵賱賰賳 亘氐賷睾丞 丕賱賲禺丕胤亘).
噩賷賲爻 亘乇賷賰丕乇丿貙 賲丕孬賷賵 亘乇賷賰丕乇丿貙 賴賷賱丕乇賷 爻鬲乇賵賳噩貙 賰乇賷爻鬲賷丕賳 賲丕賰賮賷賱貙 噩賵賱賷丕 賵丕賷賱丿貙 賱賷丿賷丕 爻鬲賵賳貙 賳賷賰賷 賵丕賷鬲貙 賵噩賲賷毓 丕賱毓丕賲賱賷賳 賮賷 賲丐爻爻丞 兀噩丕孬丕 賰乇賷爻鬲賷 丕賱賲丨丿賵丿丞貙 丿丕賮賷丿 亘乇丕賵賳貙 賰丕賷鬲 廿賱鬲賵賳貙 賱丕賵乇丕 丿賷 噩賷爻賷亘賷貙 爻丕乇丞 賴賵丿噩爻賵賳貙 賮賱賷爻 丿賷賳賴丕賲貙 賵廿賱賶 噩賲賷毓 丕賱毓丕賲賱賷賳 賮賷 賲丐爻爻丞 賴丕乇亘乇 賰賵賱賷賳夭 賮賷 丕賱賲賲賱賰丞 丕賱賲鬲丨丿丞貙 丿丕賳 賲丕賱賵乇賷貙 賰丕賷鬲賱賷賳 賴丕乇賷貙 噩賷賳賷賮乇 賴丕乇鬲貙 賰丕孬乇賷賳 噩賵乇丿賵賳貙 丿丕賳賷賷賱 亘丕乇鬲賱鬲貙 賱賷丕鬲賷 爻鬲賷賴賱賷賰貙 賲丕乇噩賵 賵賷夭賲丕賳貙 賵賮乇賷賯 毓賲賱 賵賷賱賷丕賲 賲丕乇賵貙 亘賷鬲乇 卮鬲乇丕賵爻貙 賵賲丕鬲賷賵 鬲賷乇賳乇 賲賳 賲丐爻爻丞 乇賵噩乇 賵賰賵賱乇賷丿噩 賵賵丕賷鬲.
賰賲丕 兀卮賰乇 噩賲賷毓 丕賱賳丕卮乇賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賳卮乇賵丕 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 亘賵丕乇賵 賮賷 噩賲賷毓 兀賳丨丕亍 丕賱毓丕賱賲貙 賵賱賳 賷賲賰賳賳賷 匕賰乇賴賲 亘丕賱丕爻賲 賴賳丕 賱賰孬乇鬲賴賲貙 賵賱賰賳賷 兀卮賰乇 賲賳 爻賷賵氐賱賵賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 廿賱賶 丕賱賯乇丕亍 賮賷 噩賲賷毓 兀賳丨丕亍 丕賱毓丕賱賲. 賰賲丕 兀賳賳賷 兀卮毓乇 亘丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱丕賲鬲賳丕賳 賱賰賱 賲賳 賯乇兀 賵丕爻鬲賲鬲毓 亘乇賵丕賷丞 噩乇丕卅賲 丕賱兀丨乇賮 丕賱賲夭禺乇賮丞貙 兀賵 乇丕爻賱賳賷 毓亘乇 丕賱亘乇賷丿 兀賵 丕賱亘乇賷丿 丕賱廿賱賰鬲乇賵賳賷 兀賵 賲賵賯毓 鬲賵賷鬲乇 賱賷禺亘乇賳賷 亘匕賱賰. 賰匕賱賰 兀賵噩賴 丕賱卮賰乇 賱賰賱 賲賳: 兀丿賷賱 噩賷乇丕爻貙 賰乇賷爻 噩乇賷亘賱 賵噩賵賳 賰賵乇丕賳貙 丕賱匕賷賳 賯乇兀賵丕 丕賱賲爻賵丿丕鬲 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵賳丕賯卮賵賳賷 亘卮兀賳 丕賱兀賮賰丕乇 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賵賵噩賴賵丕 賱賷 丕賱鬲毓賱賷賯丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 兀賮丕丿鬲賳賷 賰孬賷乇賸丕. 賰賲丕 兀卮賰乇 乇賵亘乇鬲 亘賷賷賱 毓賱賶 禺亘乇鬲賴 賮賷 賲乇囟 丕賱賰賱賶 丕賱賲夭賲賳貙 賵廿賱賶 噩丕賷 賲丕乇鬲賱丕賳丿 毓賱賶 丕爻鬲毓丿丕丿賴 賱賱鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 丕賱丕丨鬲賲丕賱丕鬲 丕賱胤亘賷丞 賲毓賷. 賰賲丕 兀卮賰乇 兀丿乇賷丕賳 亘賵賱 毓賱賶 賲卮丕乇賰鬲賴 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 毓賳 賲爻乇丨賷丞 丕賱賲賱賰 噩賵賳 賱賭 卮賰爻亘賷乇貙 賵廿賱賶 賲賵乇噩丕賳 賵丕賷鬲 毓賱賶 噩賲毓 賰賱 賲丕 丕丨鬲噩鬲 廿賱賶 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 毓賳 兀賷乇賱賳丿丕 賮賷 毓丕賲 佟侃佗侃.
賰賲丕 兀鬲賵噩賴 亘噩夭賷賱 丕賱卮賰乇 廿賱賶 噩丕賷賲賷 亘賷乇賳孬丕賱 丕賱匕賷 爻丕毓丿 亘噩賲賷毓 丕賱胤乇賯 丕賱賲賲賰賳丞 賲賳匕 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞貙 賮賲賳 丿賵賳賴 賱兀氐亘丨鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 兀爻賵兀 亘賰孬賷乇 賲賲丕 賴賷 毓賱賷賴 賵兀賯賱 賲乇丨賸丕 賮賷 賰鬲丕亘鬲賴丕 鈥� 亘賱 賵兀賰孬乇 賯賱賯賸丕 鈥� 賵賱賲 賳賰賳 賱賳丨氐賱 毓賱賶 賲禺胤胤丕鬲 賲賳夭賱 賱賷賱賷 兀賵賰.
賰賲丕 兀賳賳賷 爻兀馗賱 丿賵賲賸丕 兀丿賷賳 亘丕賱賮囟賱 廿賱賶 丿毓賲 丿丕賳 賵賮賵賷亘 賵噩丕賷 噩賵賳夭貙 毓丕卅賱鬲賷 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞. 賵兀禺賷乇賸丕 賵賱賷爻 丌禺乇賸丕貙 兀賳丕 賲賲鬲賳 噩丿賾賸丕 賱賰賱亘賷貙 亘乇賵爻鬲乇貙 丕賱匕賷 丕爻鬲購禺丿賲 賰廿丨丿賶 卮禺氐賷丕鬲賷 賰胤乇賷賯丞 賱廿賯賳丕毓賷 亘兀賳 賲賳夭賱 賱賷賱賷 兀賵賰 賷噩亘 兀賳 賷賵噩丿 亘賴 賰賱亘. 廿賳賴 賰賱亘 賲夭賴賵 亘賳賮爻賴 噩丿賾賸丕貙 賵乇亘賲丕 賷毓鬲賯丿 丕賱丌賳 兀賳 乇賵丕賷丞 亘賵丕乇賵 鬲賱賰 鬲鬲丨丿孬 毓賳賴 (賱丕 卮賰 賮賷 兀賳 賰賱 爻胤乇 賯丿 賮賰乇鬲 賮賷賴 胤賵丕賱 兀卮賴乇 賮賷 爻亘賷賱 鬲丨賯賷賯 毓賳賵丕賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞貙 賵賱賰賳 亘氐賷睾丞 丕賱賲禺丕胤亘).
388 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2016
2142 people are currently reading
8833 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Hannah
115听books4,353听followersSophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction, published in 27 countries. In 2013, her latest novel, The Carrier, won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Two of Sophie鈥檚 crime novels, The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives, have been adapted for television and appeared on ITV1 under the series title Case Sensitive in 2011 and 2012. In 2004, Sophie won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her suspense story The Octopus Nest, which is now published in her first collection of short stories, The Fantastic Book of Everybody鈥檚 Secrets.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie鈥檚 famous detective.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie鈥檚 famous detective.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,143 reviews
February 6, 2017
This is the second book that Sophie Hannah has written with Poirot since she took up the Agatha Christie mantle. Whilst I had enjoyed Monogram Murders, this was a harder sell for me. The story is narrated by Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. For no reason that he can fathom, he has been invited to Clonakilty, County Cork in Ireland. He is to be a house guest at Lillieoak, a mansion owned by Lady Playford, a writer of the Shrimp series. He harbours some resentment of Poirot after the media coverage of his role in the Monogram Murders, but gets over this once he discovers Poirot is a guest. Lady Playford has summoned Michael Gathercole to change her will leaving everything to her dying assistant, Joseph Scotcher. She is disinheriting her son, Harry, an obsessed taxidermist and her daughter, Claudia, is engaged to be married to the extremely wealthy Dr Randall Kimpton. The scene is set for a murder in a country house which could only have been committed by a resident or guest.
Lady Playford announces the change in her will to rancorous recriminations, bitterness and other drama. Scotcher makes clear his intention to marry his nurse, Sophie, despite his terminal illness. There are overheard conversations, a fear of being poisoned by the lawyer, Orville Rolfe, and an upset Lady Playford. Sophie discovers the dead body of Joseph Scotcher, and claims to witness Claudia killing him despite the fact that this seems unlikely. Poirot and Catchpool investigate all in the house and delve into the life of the victim. There are a number of red herrings along with an inept Irish policeman in charge of the case. Poirot has a trip to England which gives him much information and the killer is finally unveiled at the end.
The story is a pleasant way to while away some time but for me it fails to capture Poirot's character or the plot depth that I expected. There are the usual array of characters, all of whom harbour secrets and the possibilities of motive. There is the large country house, a staple of golden age crime writing, but there is a lacking of verve, and more spirited story telling that I wanted. I would recommend this to those looking for a light and undemanding read.
Lady Playford announces the change in her will to rancorous recriminations, bitterness and other drama. Scotcher makes clear his intention to marry his nurse, Sophie, despite his terminal illness. There are overheard conversations, a fear of being poisoned by the lawyer, Orville Rolfe, and an upset Lady Playford. Sophie discovers the dead body of Joseph Scotcher, and claims to witness Claudia killing him despite the fact that this seems unlikely. Poirot and Catchpool investigate all in the house and delve into the life of the victim. There are a number of red herrings along with an inept Irish policeman in charge of the case. Poirot has a trip to England which gives him much information and the killer is finally unveiled at the end.
The story is a pleasant way to while away some time but for me it fails to capture Poirot's character or the plot depth that I expected. There are the usual array of characters, all of whom harbour secrets and the possibilities of motive. There is the large country house, a staple of golden age crime writing, but there is a lacking of verve, and more spirited story telling that I wanted. I would recommend this to those looking for a light and undemanding read.
June 21, 2016
Dame Agatha is rolling in her grave.
November 28, 2016
Buying Closed Casket was the triumph of hope over experience. In 2014 author released , the first Hercule Poirot novel since was published in 1975. While not up to Dame 鈥檚 highest standards, Hannah鈥檚 novel wasn鈥檛 too shabby. So I bought Closed Casket hoping for better than a pleasant read and for something less convoluted and implausible than The Monogram Murders.
Was my hope justified? Not a chance.
Just as Jill Paton Walsh can鈥檛 quite capture the voice of Dorothy L. Sayers, Hannah can鈥檛 really sound like Christie in the way that, say, Laurie R. King can channel Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But I鈥檝e never really held that against Hannah. However, Hannah seems to think that the way to recreate a successful Christie novel is to pepper a house party with lots of loathsome characters and then set Poirot and Scotland Yard detective Edward Catchpool (a transparent Captain Hastings surrogate) to bumble about. Early in the novel, a viciously rude character asks Poirot if he鈥檚 left his brain in London; soon I began to suspect the same thing. Hannah鈥檚 Poirot is much less astute and more needlessly secretive than the real one and, unlike Hastings, Edward Catchpool is paranoid and unlikable.
Author Athelinda 鈥淎thie鈥� Playford has made a great success with her series of children鈥檚 mysteries featuring a gang of 10-year-old sleuths led by her moppet heroine 鈥淪hrimp鈥� Seddon. Lady Playford decides to disinherit her dimwitted son and her venomous, selfish daughter in favor of her Pollyannaish secretary, Joseph Scotcher, a man dying of kidney disease so advanced that he is confined to a wheelchair and attended full time by a nurse. All of the characters 鈥� saving Hercule Poirot and Dr. Randall Kimpton, the fianc茅 of Lady Playford鈥檚 daughter Claudia 鈥� are so cardboard that you could make cereal boxes out of them.
Naturally, part of the mystery would be why a robust woman like Lady Playford would bother with changing her will in the autumn to benefit a man who won鈥檛 live to inherit; however, when the clever, imaginative Lady Playford reveals her reason, it makes no sense at all. In addition, Lady Playford, an obviously intelligent woman, seems shocked when her children aren鈥檛 happy with the new will. Damn! Why would they be? Closed Casket isn鈥檛 as lousy as , Christie鈥檚 worst novel by far, but it鈥檚 a pretty pedestrian novel with a denouement that would seem contrived if I hadn鈥檛 been past caring by that point.
I鈥檝e been trying to think for whom this book would be a good read. Christie scholars? No, they鈥檇 be better off with the original novels and Christie鈥檚 correspondence and notes. Christie devotees, desperate for yet one more glimpse of the Belgian detective? I guess, for some, Closed Casket would be better than nothing, although, in my case, I wish I could get back the 10 hours I spent listening to it on Audible. Actually, the person I would most recommend to read this book would be Christie鈥檚 grandson, , in the vain hope that he would see that he sold out his grandmother for 30 pieces of silver. Mr. Prichard, you could have done much better than hand over your legacy to the lackluster Sophie Hannah. If you find a new author to write the next Hercule Poirot/Edward Catchpool novel, I might be back for more. Otherwise, this is goodbye.
Was my hope justified? Not a chance.
Just as Jill Paton Walsh can鈥檛 quite capture the voice of Dorothy L. Sayers, Hannah can鈥檛 really sound like Christie in the way that, say, Laurie R. King can channel Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But I鈥檝e never really held that against Hannah. However, Hannah seems to think that the way to recreate a successful Christie novel is to pepper a house party with lots of loathsome characters and then set Poirot and Scotland Yard detective Edward Catchpool (a transparent Captain Hastings surrogate) to bumble about. Early in the novel, a viciously rude character asks Poirot if he鈥檚 left his brain in London; soon I began to suspect the same thing. Hannah鈥檚 Poirot is much less astute and more needlessly secretive than the real one and, unlike Hastings, Edward Catchpool is paranoid and unlikable.
Author Athelinda 鈥淎thie鈥� Playford has made a great success with her series of children鈥檚 mysteries featuring a gang of 10-year-old sleuths led by her moppet heroine 鈥淪hrimp鈥� Seddon. Lady Playford decides to disinherit her dimwitted son and her venomous, selfish daughter in favor of her Pollyannaish secretary, Joseph Scotcher, a man dying of kidney disease so advanced that he is confined to a wheelchair and attended full time by a nurse. All of the characters 鈥� saving Hercule Poirot and Dr. Randall Kimpton, the fianc茅 of Lady Playford鈥檚 daughter Claudia 鈥� are so cardboard that you could make cereal boxes out of them.
Naturally, part of the mystery would be why a robust woman like Lady Playford would bother with changing her will in the autumn to benefit a man who won鈥檛 live to inherit; however, when the clever, imaginative Lady Playford reveals her reason, it makes no sense at all. In addition, Lady Playford, an obviously intelligent woman, seems shocked when her children aren鈥檛 happy with the new will. Damn! Why would they be? Closed Casket isn鈥檛 as lousy as , Christie鈥檚 worst novel by far, but it鈥檚 a pretty pedestrian novel with a denouement that would seem contrived if I hadn鈥檛 been past caring by that point.
I鈥檝e been trying to think for whom this book would be a good read. Christie scholars? No, they鈥檇 be better off with the original novels and Christie鈥檚 correspondence and notes. Christie devotees, desperate for yet one more glimpse of the Belgian detective? I guess, for some, Closed Casket would be better than nothing, although, in my case, I wish I could get back the 10 hours I spent listening to it on Audible. Actually, the person I would most recommend to read this book would be Christie鈥檚 grandson, , in the vain hope that he would see that he sold out his grandmother for 30 pieces of silver. Mr. Prichard, you could have done much better than hand over your legacy to the lackluster Sophie Hannah. If you find a new author to write the next Hercule Poirot/Edward Catchpool novel, I might be back for more. Otherwise, this is goodbye.
November 15, 2016
Closed Casket by Sophie Hannah/ Agatha Christie is a 2016 William Morrow publication.
Lady Athelinda Playford gathers an eclectic group of people together when she decides to announce a major change to her will, a very controversial decision that could bring about terrible repercussions.
Inspector Edward Catchpool and the incomparable Hercule Poirot, may have been invited due to Playford鈥檚 suspicions that murder is on someone鈥檚 mind. However, a murder is committed right under the famous Belgian detective鈥檚 nose, prompting him to give those little grey cells some mandatory overtime.
This is the first Poirot mystery with Sophie Hannah writing as Agatha Christie that I鈥檝e read. I must confess, the very idea of resurrecting one of my favorite detectives sounded like a marvelous idea鈥� if we could resurrect Agatha along with him.
I was very skeptical of how this would work out, although, I have seen other long running and well loved series taken over by ghost writers work out quite well. I have also seen them crash and burn. So, with an odd mix of excitement and trepidation, I decided to give this book a fair chance.
Honestly, I enjoyed this mystery, if for no other reason than for the pleasure of reading the old tried and true whodunit format used in the golden age of detective novels.
The characters are well drawn, the dialogue is impressive, and there are plenty of interesting details and psychology involved.
While clever on many levels, it wasn鈥檛 too hard to guess who the culprit was, and Poirot is a not quite the same guy we鈥檝e all come to know and love.
He鈥檚 not as vivid, and his arrogance and fussiness is only evident in one or two places, which are traits I always adored about him and made me chuckle.
Still, I thought the author did an admirable job considering the monumental shoes she had to fill. She makes Poirot her own and created a fun and easy mystery, while capturing the essence of a bygone era, and paying homage to it at the same time.
Overall, I had a pretty good time with this one. It makes a nice diversion from the stresses of life, and I think cozy mystery lovers would find this one to their liking as well.
3.5 stars
Lady Athelinda Playford gathers an eclectic group of people together when she decides to announce a major change to her will, a very controversial decision that could bring about terrible repercussions.
Inspector Edward Catchpool and the incomparable Hercule Poirot, may have been invited due to Playford鈥檚 suspicions that murder is on someone鈥檚 mind. However, a murder is committed right under the famous Belgian detective鈥檚 nose, prompting him to give those little grey cells some mandatory overtime.
This is the first Poirot mystery with Sophie Hannah writing as Agatha Christie that I鈥檝e read. I must confess, the very idea of resurrecting one of my favorite detectives sounded like a marvelous idea鈥� if we could resurrect Agatha along with him.
I was very skeptical of how this would work out, although, I have seen other long running and well loved series taken over by ghost writers work out quite well. I have also seen them crash and burn. So, with an odd mix of excitement and trepidation, I decided to give this book a fair chance.
Honestly, I enjoyed this mystery, if for no other reason than for the pleasure of reading the old tried and true whodunit format used in the golden age of detective novels.
The characters are well drawn, the dialogue is impressive, and there are plenty of interesting details and psychology involved.
While clever on many levels, it wasn鈥檛 too hard to guess who the culprit was, and Poirot is a not quite the same guy we鈥檝e all come to know and love.
He鈥檚 not as vivid, and his arrogance and fussiness is only evident in one or two places, which are traits I always adored about him and made me chuckle.
Still, I thought the author did an admirable job considering the monumental shoes she had to fill. She makes Poirot her own and created a fun and easy mystery, while capturing the essence of a bygone era, and paying homage to it at the same time.
Overall, I had a pretty good time with this one. It makes a nice diversion from the stresses of life, and I think cozy mystery lovers would find this one to their liking as well.
3.5 stars
September 11, 2016
鈥淓veryone is a potential murderer-in everyone there arises from time to time the wish to kill-though not the will to kill.鈥�
----Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot is back again with another new adventure and mystery in Sophie Hannah, an internationally bestselling writer's new book, Closed Casket where the Belgian detective Poirot along with the help of Scotland Yard inspector, Edward Catchpool, solve the mystery surrounding an old rich, aristocrat lady's lavish party at a forgotten Irish countryside where among the guests, there is a killer lurking around and they must try to stop him/her before he/she strikes his weapon to commit a crime.
Synopsis:
The world's most famous detective returns in this ingenious, stylish, and altogether delicious mystery from the author of the instant bestseller The Monogram Murders ("I was thrilled" -- Gillian Flynn).
"What I intend to say to you will come as a shock..."
With these words, Lady Athelinda Playford -- one of the world's most beloved children's authors -- springs a surprise on the lawyer entrusted with her will. As guests arrive for a party at her Irish mansion, Lady Playford has decided to cut off her two children without a penny . . . and leave her vast fortune to someone else: an invalid who has only weeks to live.
Among Lady Playford's visitors are two strangers: the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited -- until Poirot begins to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murder. But why does she seem so determined to provoke a killer? And why -- when the crime is committed despite Poirot's best efforts to stop it -- does the identity of the victim make no sense at all?
Poirot and Catchpool are among the list of guests attending Lady Athelinda Playford, the popular and bestselling children's detective series books' grand party at her mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork. The reason behind to throw this party is to tell her children as well as their spouses/partners about the sudden change of her old will which she has changed under her lawyer's presence and has left all her property and fortune to her dying and extremely sick secretary without any apparent reason and she is certain that someone might try to commit a crime, hence she has invited the two detective so that they can try to prevent it from happening. But still a murder happens despite the presence of the famous Hercule Poirot, so can Poirot identify the killer's face?
There is also this twist from the guests' POV that they are not aware about the reason why they are actually invited to the party, no one have a clue about it, yet the readers are quite aware about it, so in someway, the story at this point, sounds like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Well, Hannah's portrayal of this Poirot mystery is simply fantastic, although at times, the story dragged a bit with too much back story which sounds is bit irrelevant in the story.
The plot is a complete pot-boiler with millions of twists and turns which will leave your brain more puzzled if you try to figure it out on your own, so guys, leave it to Poirot, he will guide you with his brilliance to the end of this complicated maze. Poirot's charm is unmatchable and the author has captured it quite vividly into her story just like she did in the previous book. This Poirot is, although, a more of an evolved version than Christie's, anyhow, the best part is that Poirot is back and he will continue to surprise as well as entertain and challenge the readers with his mysteries. So I suggest that Christie's Poirot fans must at least give this version of Poirot a chance to let him fly his wings of unbeatable wit to solve some gruesome crimes in England.
The writing style of the author is quite crisp and emphatic although I'm not comparing her with Christie. Sophie has got some flair in her style of depicting this tale of mystery and also her narration is very articulate. The writing is laced with tension and suspense as the author pulls her readers into the depth of this baffling maze. The pacing is sometimes quite fast but at times, it dragged, but overall, its swift and the readers will easily sway with the story's flow.
The mystery is unfolded diligently by the author as there are so many twists ans turns that will not only blind side the readers but will also keep the readers guessing and anticipating about the killer's identity until the very last page. The author's building of the plot is smart and clever as she gradually develops the characters with all their flaws and secrets that play an important role in the story line.
The huge cast of characters that Sophie has created is tastefully spun and their depth is eventually unrolled with the progress of the plot. The character's backstory will help the readers to easily connect with them and also will help them to look through the characters.
In a nutshell, this riveting crime thriller will constantly keep the readers on their edges, with its new twists and evolving story line and the unexpected challenges. So over a large cup of hot coffee, enjoy Poirot's thrilling adventure as he solves the crime with his trademark charm and cleverness.
Verdict: Poirot is back with an exciting new and enthralling adventure, so don't miss to grab this book. Oui!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Sophie Hannah's publicist from Harper Collins UK, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
----Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot is back again with another new adventure and mystery in Sophie Hannah, an internationally bestselling writer's new book, Closed Casket where the Belgian detective Poirot along with the help of Scotland Yard inspector, Edward Catchpool, solve the mystery surrounding an old rich, aristocrat lady's lavish party at a forgotten Irish countryside where among the guests, there is a killer lurking around and they must try to stop him/her before he/she strikes his weapon to commit a crime.
Synopsis:
The world's most famous detective returns in this ingenious, stylish, and altogether delicious mystery from the author of the instant bestseller The Monogram Murders ("I was thrilled" -- Gillian Flynn).
"What I intend to say to you will come as a shock..."
With these words, Lady Athelinda Playford -- one of the world's most beloved children's authors -- springs a surprise on the lawyer entrusted with her will. As guests arrive for a party at her Irish mansion, Lady Playford has decided to cut off her two children without a penny . . . and leave her vast fortune to someone else: an invalid who has only weeks to live.
Among Lady Playford's visitors are two strangers: the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited -- until Poirot begins to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murder. But why does she seem so determined to provoke a killer? And why -- when the crime is committed despite Poirot's best efforts to stop it -- does the identity of the victim make no sense at all?
Poirot and Catchpool are among the list of guests attending Lady Athelinda Playford, the popular and bestselling children's detective series books' grand party at her mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork. The reason behind to throw this party is to tell her children as well as their spouses/partners about the sudden change of her old will which she has changed under her lawyer's presence and has left all her property and fortune to her dying and extremely sick secretary without any apparent reason and she is certain that someone might try to commit a crime, hence she has invited the two detective so that they can try to prevent it from happening. But still a murder happens despite the presence of the famous Hercule Poirot, so can Poirot identify the killer's face?
There is also this twist from the guests' POV that they are not aware about the reason why they are actually invited to the party, no one have a clue about it, yet the readers are quite aware about it, so in someway, the story at this point, sounds like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Well, Hannah's portrayal of this Poirot mystery is simply fantastic, although at times, the story dragged a bit with too much back story which sounds is bit irrelevant in the story.
The plot is a complete pot-boiler with millions of twists and turns which will leave your brain more puzzled if you try to figure it out on your own, so guys, leave it to Poirot, he will guide you with his brilliance to the end of this complicated maze. Poirot's charm is unmatchable and the author has captured it quite vividly into her story just like she did in the previous book. This Poirot is, although, a more of an evolved version than Christie's, anyhow, the best part is that Poirot is back and he will continue to surprise as well as entertain and challenge the readers with his mysteries. So I suggest that Christie's Poirot fans must at least give this version of Poirot a chance to let him fly his wings of unbeatable wit to solve some gruesome crimes in England.
The writing style of the author is quite crisp and emphatic although I'm not comparing her with Christie. Sophie has got some flair in her style of depicting this tale of mystery and also her narration is very articulate. The writing is laced with tension and suspense as the author pulls her readers into the depth of this baffling maze. The pacing is sometimes quite fast but at times, it dragged, but overall, its swift and the readers will easily sway with the story's flow.
The mystery is unfolded diligently by the author as there are so many twists ans turns that will not only blind side the readers but will also keep the readers guessing and anticipating about the killer's identity until the very last page. The author's building of the plot is smart and clever as she gradually develops the characters with all their flaws and secrets that play an important role in the story line.
The huge cast of characters that Sophie has created is tastefully spun and their depth is eventually unrolled with the progress of the plot. The character's backstory will help the readers to easily connect with them and also will help them to look through the characters.
In a nutshell, this riveting crime thriller will constantly keep the readers on their edges, with its new twists and evolving story line and the unexpected challenges. So over a large cup of hot coffee, enjoy Poirot's thrilling adventure as he solves the crime with his trademark charm and cleverness.
Verdict: Poirot is back with an exciting new and enthralling adventure, so don't miss to grab this book. Oui!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Sophie Hannah's publicist from Harper Collins UK, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
February 6, 2017
This was quite a good attempt to continue Agatha Christie's legacy. It is a decent book and interesting reading. It can bring you into the world and psyche of Hercule Poirot. I would say it is a typican whodunit plot, intriguing with suspence. It carries the characteristics that we find in Poirot. By that, I mean that someone not knowing the famous Belgian detective would easily get the grab of him in this book.
On the othe hand though, if this was my first Poirot mystery I wouldn't be so triggered to read more of him. I love Agatha Christie and Poirot in particular. Something else that I did not like , is the first person narration which is not something typical of Poirot stories, and I also believe that this technique leaves our Belgian friend a little behind
On the othe hand though, if this was my first Poirot mystery I wouldn't be so triggered to read more of him. I love Agatha Christie and Poirot in particular. Something else that I did not like , is the first person narration which is not something typical of Poirot stories, and I also believe that this technique leaves our Belgian friend a little behind
no-thanks-or-lost-interest
October 11, 2019So I read an article recently; about why the estates of famous writers, tend to suddenly allow a "new" book to come out so many years after the originals. It's all about copyright. See, the copyright on some of Christie's earlier books are soon to expire. However, if they commission a new book, they can retain the copyright to the characters.
I have very mixed feelings about this, especially when I think about all the awesome things that wouldn't exist if the copyright hadn't expired. Like Sherlock.
Knowing this, no matter how much I love Agatha Christie, this whole book seems tainted. It's not for a love of Christie's writing, or a beloved character. It's about money.
I have very mixed feelings about this, especially when I think about all the awesome things that wouldn't exist if the copyright hadn't expired. Like Sherlock.
Knowing this, no matter how much I love Agatha Christie, this whole book seems tainted. It's not for a love of Christie's writing, or a beloved character. It's about money.
September 11, 2016
This Dame is no Agatha Christie
Started this book snuggled up with a cup of tea by my side and smile on my face for a 'new' Poirot adventure to begin.
What a MAJOR disappointment it was.
Her narrator, Catchpool, seemed to be her 'Hastings' but was to also be a capable police detective with a promising career. Obviously this didn't work - love Hastings but lovable bumbling is more his mode than sharp detective skills - and this character did not work. Actually all of the characters seemed to be only l characteristics than any full blown personalities. And Poirot, one of the best known characters of mystery novels, there were only glimpses of him in the character she had portrayed.
Plot was obvious as to who would die but didn't grip you at all.
Had a hard time getting through this book and not worth while at all.
No Idea why anyone would give more than 2 stars.
Oh Poirot so sorry to have you cast in such a book.
Started this book snuggled up with a cup of tea by my side and smile on my face for a 'new' Poirot adventure to begin.
What a MAJOR disappointment it was.
Her narrator, Catchpool, seemed to be her 'Hastings' but was to also be a capable police detective with a promising career. Obviously this didn't work - love Hastings but lovable bumbling is more his mode than sharp detective skills - and this character did not work. Actually all of the characters seemed to be only l characteristics than any full blown personalities. And Poirot, one of the best known characters of mystery novels, there were only glimpses of him in the character she had portrayed.
Plot was obvious as to who would die but didn't grip you at all.
Had a hard time getting through this book and not worth while at all.
No Idea why anyone would give more than 2 stars.
Oh Poirot so sorry to have you cast in such a book.
March 30, 2024
Welcome to a new Hercule Poirot series brought back to life by author Sophie Hannah.
As the Washington Post says, 鈥渃harming, twisty, captures the essence of the originals.鈥�
Actually, when this was first dropped off as a donation in the Little Free Library Shed, I thought to myself, 鈥渟elf, is this a Hercule Poirot story I missed?鈥�
I didn鈥檛 even notice Ms. Hannah鈥檚 name at the bottom, until the second day I was reading it. I just happened to glance the cover, and there her name appeared.
*Although some reviewers weren鈥檛 as kind as The Washington Post, I found myself entertained by the many plot twists and turns.
Ms. Hannah does her best to emulate Poirot, and for that I say, thank you. At least we can enjoy Poirot鈥檚 adventure as he solves the crime with his trademark charm and cleverness.
Update: 7-22-23...since this book, I have grown weary of Ms. Hannah. You will most likely find in subsequent books she has written and I have reviewed, I am not as kind.
As the Washington Post says, 鈥渃harming, twisty, captures the essence of the originals.鈥�
Actually, when this was first dropped off as a donation in the Little Free Library Shed, I thought to myself, 鈥渟elf, is this a Hercule Poirot story I missed?鈥�
I didn鈥檛 even notice Ms. Hannah鈥檚 name at the bottom, until the second day I was reading it. I just happened to glance the cover, and there her name appeared.
*Although some reviewers weren鈥檛 as kind as The Washington Post, I found myself entertained by the many plot twists and turns.
Ms. Hannah does her best to emulate Poirot, and for that I say, thank you. At least we can enjoy Poirot鈥檚 adventure as he solves the crime with his trademark charm and cleverness.
Update: 7-22-23...since this book, I have grown weary of Ms. Hannah. You will most likely find in subsequent books she has written and I have reviewed, I am not as kind.
September 5, 2016
I received this book courtesy of a 欧宝娱乐 giveaway. Closed Casket has most of the mystery cliches:
1. Like "Clue", all of the suspects staying in the same house and sorting out who was where during the murder; I halfway expected to read about Colonel Mustard and a pipe wrench.
2. A semi-clueless sidekick in Catchpool
3. A moron serving as the lead homicide detective
4. Poirot's big reveal at the end with all of the suspects gathered in one room
5. Confession by the suspect once truth is revealed
All of that said, there were some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Overall, I would prefer that Agatha Christie's Poirot rest in peace and the author create characters on her own, avoiding the cliches mentioned above.
1. Like "Clue", all of the suspects staying in the same house and sorting out who was where during the murder; I halfway expected to read about Colonel Mustard and a pipe wrench.
2. A semi-clueless sidekick in Catchpool
3. A moron serving as the lead homicide detective
4. Poirot's big reveal at the end with all of the suspects gathered in one room
5. Confession by the suspect once truth is revealed
All of that said, there were some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Overall, I would prefer that Agatha Christie's Poirot rest in peace and the author create characters on her own, avoiding the cliches mentioned above.
May 2, 2019
It's not Agatha Christie- but it's close enough. Another of my audiobooks that I listened to while walking the dogs. It was your typical cozy mystery starring Poirot and seen through the eyes of Inspector Catchpool. All the clues were there and try as I might to figure out who-dun-it... I got it wrong. I'll only give one hint... the butler didn't do it.
December 11, 2016
Agatha Christie is my favorite yesteryear cozy mystery author. Sophie Hannah is one of my favorite current psychological mystery authors. So when Sophie Hannah started giving a new life to Hercule Poirot, I was excited.
Monogram murders, the first of this revamped Poirot series was well appreciated by me, though many found it lacking.
Closed Casket was in my radar, the day I saw it on GR, and when I received it as a gift, I was over the moon.
This seems like an amalgam of Christie and Hannah, but somehow when Hannah tried to imitate Christie style in conjuring up a new Poirot, something went wrong somewhere. The newer Poirot seems like a brother of the original Poirot. If I were blinded to the author, still I would have easily guessed that it is not Dame Christie who has written it. This Poirot acts and talks different, doesnot groom his moustache, doesnot mention his grey cells, and doesn't blunder about with the English language like the older one. This one is more suave, more Sherlockish. And I feel a certain amount of distance from him.
Hastings is never to be seen. Instead it is Michael Catchpool who acts as a lackey. Catchpool is cute in his own way. And I am thankful that Hannah replaced Hastings with Catchpool, because if Hastings too came in a different avtar, I would have been disconcerted.
The mystery too is more sophisticated with the characters being more obtuse and conniving than the almost straight forward Christie characters.
Athea Playford, the eccentric rich, mystery novelist of County Cork mansion in Ireland invites Poirot and Catchpool, along with her lawyers, and announces a nasty surprise - that she has changed her existing will, the beneficiaries of which were her daughter and son, to a new one which endows all her property to her ailing, about to die secretary, Joseph Scotcher. This sets forth a chain reaction, with a fatality that Poirot cannot prevent.
Finding out who the murderer is occupies great deal of time and effort, with many vicious secrets coming out. No one seems to be who they purport to be.
I enjoyed the book.
Would recommend to all murder mystery fans, but with a warning, not to expect the older Poirot, but to reconcile with his 21st century version.
Monogram murders, the first of this revamped Poirot series was well appreciated by me, though many found it lacking.
Closed Casket was in my radar, the day I saw it on GR, and when I received it as a gift, I was over the moon.
This seems like an amalgam of Christie and Hannah, but somehow when Hannah tried to imitate Christie style in conjuring up a new Poirot, something went wrong somewhere. The newer Poirot seems like a brother of the original Poirot. If I were blinded to the author, still I would have easily guessed that it is not Dame Christie who has written it. This Poirot acts and talks different, doesnot groom his moustache, doesnot mention his grey cells, and doesn't blunder about with the English language like the older one. This one is more suave, more Sherlockish. And I feel a certain amount of distance from him.
Hastings is never to be seen. Instead it is Michael Catchpool who acts as a lackey. Catchpool is cute in his own way. And I am thankful that Hannah replaced Hastings with Catchpool, because if Hastings too came in a different avtar, I would have been disconcerted.
The mystery too is more sophisticated with the characters being more obtuse and conniving than the almost straight forward Christie characters.
Athea Playford, the eccentric rich, mystery novelist of County Cork mansion in Ireland invites Poirot and Catchpool, along with her lawyers, and announces a nasty surprise - that she has changed her existing will, the beneficiaries of which were her daughter and son, to a new one which endows all her property to her ailing, about to die secretary, Joseph Scotcher. This sets forth a chain reaction, with a fatality that Poirot cannot prevent.
Finding out who the murderer is occupies great deal of time and effort, with many vicious secrets coming out. No one seems to be who they purport to be.
I enjoyed the book.
Would recommend to all murder mystery fans, but with a warning, not to expect the older Poirot, but to reconcile with his 21st century version.
July 31, 2019
2.5 Stars
So, I'm at the library and I see "Agatha Christie." And I think, "most excellent, my dudes." And that is it. Sure, there is another name on it, but right there at the top it says Agatha Christie. If I thought about it at all I assumed the other name was an editor or something.
But I am pretty sure I didn't think of it at all.
And then I started reading and I felt a surge of shock that I had never heard of this Christie novel before. After all, a famous authoress of detective fiction invites the great Hercule Poirot to her home? And an authoress who really sounds like the exact opposite of Agatha Christie herself? Remarkable!
But...weird. At that point I flipped back to the front cover and realized what you call can easily tell because 欧宝娱乐 very correctly clarifies: this is not an Agatha Christie novel. This is a book based on Agatha Christie's detective, Hercule Poirot. And for some reason, the publishers put her name front and center like they do with real Agatha Christie books. (Well, no some reason about it. It is to trick people like me!)
After that, it sort of made sense why I found this one so hard to get into. It feels like Christie but...not. Like a well-painted forgery. The basics are all there so you want to go along with it, but a part of your brain keeps going, 'But wait! Something isn't right!'
Whether it is the way the author randomly switched narration from the first to second chapter, the way the characters interact, the fact that it took way too long to murder, or even all the heavy-handed backstory for every character...it felt off.
Though motive eluded me since the plot doesn't really reveal much till the last 3/4ths, I found the murderer fairly predictable.
I think I'd read another Sophie Hannah novel, if only because she does have merit as an author in her own right. But unless she writes non-Christie mysteries (which I will go check after I finish this review), I fear they will always fall short because no other mystery author can match the Queen. And the Queen is Christie. Imitation just widens that gap.
So, I'm at the library and I see "Agatha Christie." And I think, "most excellent, my dudes." And that is it. Sure, there is another name on it, but right there at the top it says Agatha Christie. If I thought about it at all I assumed the other name was an editor or something.
But I am pretty sure I didn't think of it at all.
And then I started reading and I felt a surge of shock that I had never heard of this Christie novel before. After all, a famous authoress of detective fiction invites the great Hercule Poirot to her home? And an authoress who really sounds like the exact opposite of Agatha Christie herself? Remarkable!
But...weird. At that point I flipped back to the front cover and realized what you call can easily tell because 欧宝娱乐 very correctly clarifies: this is not an Agatha Christie novel. This is a book based on Agatha Christie's detective, Hercule Poirot. And for some reason, the publishers put her name front and center like they do with real Agatha Christie books. (Well, no some reason about it. It is to trick people like me!)
After that, it sort of made sense why I found this one so hard to get into. It feels like Christie but...not. Like a well-painted forgery. The basics are all there so you want to go along with it, but a part of your brain keeps going, 'But wait! Something isn't right!'
Whether it is the way the author randomly switched narration from the first to second chapter, the way the characters interact, the fact that it took way too long to murder, or even all the heavy-handed backstory for every character...it felt off.
Though motive eluded me since the plot doesn't really reveal much till the last 3/4ths, I found the murderer fairly predictable.
I think I'd read another Sophie Hannah novel, if only because she does have merit as an author in her own right. But unless she writes non-Christie mysteries (which I will go check after I finish this review), I fear they will always fall short because no other mystery author can match the Queen. And the Queen is Christie. Imitation just widens that gap.
January 30, 2020
Da dies das zweite Buch ist, dass ich von Sophie Hannah aus dieser Reihe las, wusste ich, worauf ich mich einlasse. Es ist kein Agatha Christie. Poirot kommt vor und das Setting stimmt aber das ist auch schon alles. Trotzdem kann man das Buch lesen. Man muss nur seine Anspr眉che entsprechend setzen. Die Latte liegt schon recht hoch, wenn es so gut wie von der Queen of Crime Agatha Christie sein sollte. Worauf man gefasst sein muss ist, dass es enorm viele Gespr盲che gibt. Das Buch lebt sozusagen von ihnen. Es wird ausf眉hrlichst kontempliert und zum Schluss auch analysiert. Wobei der Schluss bereits nach dem zweiten Drittel naht. Dem klassischen T盲ter-Res眉mee hat die Autorin dann ungef盲hr 70 Seiten gewidmet. Das ist 眉ppig mon cher.
Es ist nicht unbedingt ein Meisterwerk aber nette Nachmittagsunterhaltung, die nicht wirklich an die Nieren geht 慰(=鈥⑾夛紲=)蟻鈱掆槅
Es ist nicht unbedingt ein Meisterwerk aber nette Nachmittagsunterhaltung, die nicht wirklich an die Nieren geht 慰(=鈥⑾夛紲=)蟻鈱掆槅
May 15, 2020
3,5/5 伪蟽蟿蔚蟻维魏喂伪.
螠蔚蟿维 蟿慰 芦螆纬魏位畏渭伪 渭蔚 蠀蟺慰纬蟻伪蠁萎禄, 畏 Sophie Hannah 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿畏 未蔚蠉蟿蔚蟻畏 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螚蟻伪魏位萎 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈, 蟺慰蠀 蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟿慰谓 蟿委蟿位慰 芦螝位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 蠁苇蟻蔚蟿蟻慰禄.
螒蠀蟿萎 蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维, 慰 未喂维蟽畏渭慰蟼 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 魏伪喂 慰 蠁委位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀, 慰 螆谓蟿慰蠀伪蟻谓蟿 螝维蟿蟽蟺慰蠀位 蟿畏蟼 危魏蠈蟿位伪谓蟿 螕喂伪蟻谓蟿, 伪蟺慰未苇蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 伪渭蠁蠈蟿蔚蟻慰喂 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠈蟽魏位畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 位伪委未畏蟼 螒胃蔚位委谓蟿伪 螤位苇喂蠁慰蟻谓蟿, 未喂维蟽畏渭畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇蠅蟼 渭喂伪蟼 蟽蔚喂蟻维蟼 尾喂尾位委蠅谓 渭蠀蟽蟿畏蟻委慰蠀 纬喂伪 蟺伪喂未喂维, 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠁喂位慰尉蔚谓萎蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 苇蟺伪蠀位萎 蟿畏蟼. 桅蟿维谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 蔚魏蔚委, 胃伪 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿萎蟽慰蠀谓 伪蟻魏蔚蟿慰蠉蟼 伪魏蠈渭畏 魏伪位蔚蟽渭苇谓慰蠀蟼, 渭苇位畏 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟿蔚谓慰蠉 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪魏慰蠉 魏伪喂 蠁喂位喂魏慰蠉 魏蠉魏位慰蠀 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰未苇蟽蟺慰喂谓伪蟼. 螝伪谓蔚委蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蔚谓 蠀蟺慰蠄喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 蟿畏谓 苇魏蟺位畏尉畏 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰蠀蟼 蔚蟺喂蠁蠀位维蟽锟斤拷蔚喂 畏 位伪委未畏 螤位苇喂蠁慰蟻谓蟿, 畏 慰蟺慰委伪 伪谓伪魏慰喂谓蠋谓蔚喂 蔚谓蠋蟺喂慰谓 蠈位蠅谓 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蠅蟼 伪蟺慰蠁维蟽喂蟽蔚 谓伪 伪位位维尉蔚喂 蟿畏 未喂伪胃萎魏畏 蟿畏蟼, 慰蟻委味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蠅蟼 渭慰谓伪未喂魏蠈 蟿畏蟼 魏位畏蟻慰谓蠈渭慰 蟿慰谓 纬蟻伪渭渭伪蟿苇伪 蟿畏蟼, 韦味蠈味蔚蠁 危魏蠈蟿蟽蔚位, 魏伪喂 伪蟺慰魏位畏蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 苇蟿蟽喂 蟿伪 未蠉慰 蟺伪喂未喂维 蟿畏蟼. 螌蟺蠅蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蠁蠀蟽喂魏蠈, 尉蔚蟽蟺维蔚喂 蟺伪谓未伪喂渭蠈谓喂慰 蟽蟿畏谓 慰渭萎纬蠀蟻畏 魏喂 慰 魏伪胃苇谓伪蟼 伪谓蟿喂未蟻维 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏维 蟽蟿慰 伪谓伪蟺维谓蟿蔚蠂慰 谓苇慰, 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 未喂魏慰蠉蟼 蟿慰蠀 尾苇尾伪喂伪 位蠈纬慰蠀蟼.
韦慰 蟺蔚蟻委蔚蟻纬慰 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 慰 危魏蠈蟿蟽蔚位 蔚委谓伪喂 尾伪蟻喂维 维蟻蟻蠅蟽蟿慰蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀 伪蟺慰渭苇谓蔚喂 渭慰谓维蠂伪 位委纬慰蟼 蠂蟻蠈谓慰蟼 味蠅萎蟼. 螌位慰喂 位慰喂蟺蠈谓 伪谓伪蟻蠅蟿喂慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 纬喂伪 蟺慰喂慰谓 位蠈纬慰 伪蟺慰蠁维蟽喂蟽蔚 畏 位伪委未畏 谓伪 伪蠁萎蟽蔚喂 蠈位伪 蟿畏蟼 蟿伪 蠂蟻萎渭伪蟿伪 蟽蔚 魏维蟺慰喂慰谓 蟺慰蠀 鈥撓單蔽刮轿课嘉滴轿刮何€� 未蔚谓 胃伪 渭蟺慰蟻苇蟽蔚喂 谓伪 伪蟺慰未蔚蠂蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 魏位畏蟻慰谓慰渭喂维. 螝伪喂 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 胃伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位蔚蠂蟿慰蠉谓 伪魏蠈渭伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰, 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿慰 委未喂慰 魏喂蠈位伪蟼 尾蟻维未蠀 慰 危魏蠈蟿蟽蔚位 尾蟻蔚胃蔚委 维纬蟻喂伪 未慰位慰蠁慰谓畏渭苇谓慰蟼. 螌位慰喂 蟽蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 鈥撐枷屛轿刮硷拷锟轿� 苇谓慰喂魏慰喂 魏伪喂 蠁喂位慰尉蔚谓慰蠉渭蔚谓慰喂鈥� 蠁伪委谓慰谓蟿伪喂 谓伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 苇谓伪 魏委谓畏蟿蟻慰 纬喂伪 谓伪 未喂伪蟺蟻维尉慰蠀谓 蟿慰谓 蠁蠈谓慰. 螆蠂蔚喂 苇蟻胃蔚喂 畏 蠋蟻伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 未喂维蟽畏渭慰 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蟺蔚蟻委蠁畏渭慰 苇谓蟽蟿喂魏蟿蠈 蟿慰蠀 谓伪 伪谓伪位维尾慰蠀谓 未蟻维蟽畏. 螤维谓蟿伪 渭蔚 蟿畏 尾慰萎胃蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螝维蟿蟽蟺慰蠀位, 慰 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈 伪谓伪味畏蟿蔚委 蟽蟿慰喂蠂蔚委伪 魏伪喂 魏蟻蠀蠁维 魏委谓畏蟿蟻伪, 尉蔚纬蠀渭谓蠋谓蔚喂 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 蟽蠀渭蟺位畏蟻蠋谓蔚喂 苇谓伪 苇谓伪 蟿伪 魏慰渭渭维蟿喂伪 蟿慰蠀 纬蟻委蠁慰蠀 蠋蟽蟺慰蠀, 蟿蔚位喂魏维, 魏伪蟿慰蟻胃蠋谓蔚喂 谓伪 慰位慰魏位畏蟻蠋蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 蟺伪味位 渭喂伪蟼 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏蟼 蟺慰蠀 魏蟻蠉尾蔚喂 蟺慰位位维 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 伪蟺鈥� 蠈蟽伪 维蠁畏谓蔚 谓伪 未喂伪蠁伪谓慰蠉谓 伪蟻蠂喂魏维鈥�
螚 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 蔚委蠂蔚 蔚尉鈥� 伪蟻蠂萎蟼 苇谓伪 未蠉蟽魏慰位慰 苇蟻纬慰: 谓伪 伪谓伪尾喂蠋蟽蔚喂 苇谓伪谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺喂慰 魏位伪蟽喂魏慰蠉蟼, 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟻喂蟽渭苇谓慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 伪纬伪蟺畏蟿慰蠉蟼 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏慰蠉蟼 萎蟻蠅蔚蟼. 螤伪蟿蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蟿伪 尾萎渭伪蟿伪 蟿畏蟼 Agatha Christie 魏喂 伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟿慰 未喂魏蠈 蟿畏蟼 渭慰蟿委尾慰, 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃畏蟽蔚 谓伪 渭畏谓 蟺伪蟻蔚魏魏位委谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 尾伪蟽喂魏萎 未慰渭萎 蟿蠅谓 魏位伪蟽喂魏蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 苇蟻纬蠅谓. 螆蠂蔚喂 蟺蟻慰蟽胃苇蟽蔚喂 蠈渭蠅蟼, 伪谓伪渭蠁委尾慰位伪, 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏萎 蟿畏蟼 蟺喂谓蔚位喂维 蟽蟿畏谓 伪谓伪谓苇蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 魏蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏慰蠉 萎蟻蠅伪, 蠈蟺蠅蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏 未慰渭萎 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪蟼. 螝伪谓蔚委蟼 维位位蠅蟽蟿蔚 未蔚谓 蟺蔚蟻喂渭苇谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 Hannah 谓伪 纬委谓蔚喂 渭喂伪 未蔚蠉蟿蔚蟻畏 Christie路 慰蠉蟿蔚 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟿慰 魏维谓蔚喂, 慰蠉蟿蔚 魏伪喂 畏 委未喂伪 胃伪 蟿慰 萎胃蔚位蔚. 螌渭蠅蟼, 苇蠂蔚喂 魏伪蟿慰蟻胃蠋蟽蔚喂 谓伪 伪蟺慰未蠋蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 蠉蠁慰蟼 蟿畏蟼 鈥樜参毕兾晃瓜兿兾毕� 蟿慰蠀 谓慰蠀维蟻鈥� 蠈蟽慰 蟺喂慰 蟺喂蟽蟿维 魏伪喂 蟺蔚蟿蠀蠂畏渭苇谓伪 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈, 魏伪蟿维 蟿畏谓 维蟺慰蠄萎 渭慰蠀.
螚 蟺位慰魏萎 胃蠀渭委味蔚喂 蔚魏蔚委谓畏 蟺慰位位蠋谓 谓慰蠀维蟻 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿慰蟻畏渭维蟿蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟿蠀位委蟽蟽慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻蠋蟿蔚蟼 未蔚魏伪蔚蟿委蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺蔚蟻伪蟽渭苇谓慰蠀 伪喂蠋谓伪, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟺喂慰 蟽蠉纬蠂蟻慰谓伪. 螠喂伪 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂伪 苇蟺伪蠀位畏, 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂 蔚谓蟿蔚位蠋蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏慰委 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 伪谓伪纬魏伪蟽渭苇谓慰喂 谓伪 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺维蟻蠂慰蠀谓, 魏蟻蠀渭渭苇谓伪 蟺维胃畏 魏伪喂 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏维, 苇蟻蠅蟿蔚蟼 魏伪喂 渭委蟽畏, 苇蟻喂未蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蠀蟺蠈谓慰喂蔚蟼. 螝伪喂, 尉维蠁谓慰蠀, 渭喂伪 未慰位慰蠁慰谓委伪 蟺慰蠀 魏伪胃喂蟽蟿维 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蔚谓 未蠀谓维渭蔚喂 蠀蟺蠈蟺蟿慰蠀蟼. 螣 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 萎 慰 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭喂魏蠈蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蔚委 谓伪 蔚尉喂蠂谓喂维蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 渭蠀蟽蟿萎蟻喂慰, 魏伪喂 蠈蟽伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 苇蟻蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 蠁蠅蟼 魏伪喂 慰 魏位慰喂蠈蟼 蟽蟿蔚谓蔚蠉蔚喂 纬蠉蟻蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠀蟺蠈蟺蟿慰蠀蟼, 蟿蠈蟽慰 蔚魏蔚委谓慰喂 蔚委谓伪喂 未喂伪蟿蔚胃蔚喂渭苇谓慰喂 谓伪 魏维谓慰蠀谓 蟿伪 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟺蟻慰魏蔚喂渭苇谓慰蠀 谓伪 伪蟺慰未蔚委尉慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 伪胃蠅蠈蟿畏蟿维 蟿慰蠀蟼 鈥� 萎 谓伪 魏伪位蠉蠄慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 蔚谓慰蠂萎 蟿慰蠀蟼.
螚 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 蔚蟺苇位蔚尉蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰, 慰渭慰位慰纬慰蠀渭苇谓蠅蟼, 蔚蟺喂蟿蠀蠂畏渭苇谓慰 渭慰蟿委尾慰 魏伪喂 纬喂伪 蟿畏 未喂魏萎 蟿畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪. 螝伪喂 蟺苇蟿蠀蠂蔚 谓伪 蟿慰 未喂伪蠁慰蟻慰蟺慰喂萎蟽蔚喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 维位位蔚蟼 蟺伪蟻蠈渭慰喂蔚蟼 蠀蟺慰胃苇蟽蔚喂蟼 渭蠀蟽蟿畏蟻委慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂慰蠀渭蔚 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 魏伪蟿维 魏伪喂蟻慰蠉蟼. 螣蟺蠅蟽未萎蟺慰蟿蔚 畏 蟺位慰魏萎 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 蟺喂慰 蟺蟻蠅蟿蠈蟿蠀蟺畏, 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 魏伪位慰未慰蠀位蔚渭苇谓畏, 苇谓蟿蔚蠂谓伪 蟽蟿畏渭苇谓畏, 鈥樜枷€慰位喂伪蟽渭苇谓畏鈥� 渭蔚 委谓蟿蟻喂纬魏蔚蟼 魏伪喂 未慰位慰蟺位慰魏委蔚蟼, 蔚蟻蠅蟿萎渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蠄维蠂谓慰蠀谓 伪蟺伪谓蟿萎蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿蔚蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼. 螔苇尾伪喂伪, 苇谓伪蟼 鈥樝埼蔽澄嘉轿肯傗€� 蠁伪谓伪蟿喂魏蠈蟼 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏蟼 蟿慰蠀 蔚委未慰蠀蟼 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 苇蠂蔚喂 蠀蟺慰蠄喂伪蟽蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏萎 蟿伪蠀蟿蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟿慰蠀 未慰位慰蠁蠈谓慰蠀 蟺慰位蠉 蟺蟻喂谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀, 萎 谓伪 苇蠂蔚喂 蠀蟺慰蠄喂伪蟽蟿蔚委 蟺蠅蟼 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 蠈蟽慰谓 伪蠁慰蟻维 蟿慰 胃蠉渭伪 萎 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿蠅谓 渭蔚位蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼. 螆蟿蟽喂, 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿蔚位喂魏维 胃伪 苇蟻胃慰蠀谓 蟿伪 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟽蟿慰 蠁蠅蟼, 未蔚谓 胃伪 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位苇蟽蔚喂 纬喂鈥� 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 渭蔚纬维位畏 苇魏蟺位畏尉畏 畏 伪蟺慰魏维位蠀蠄畏 蟿畏蟼 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪蟼. 螌蟺蠅蟼 魏伪喂 谓伪 鈥樝囄滴�, 蠈渭蠅蟼, 蟿慰 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏蠈 蟿伪尉委未喂 渭苇蠂蟻喂 蔚魏蔚委 伪尉委味蔚喂 蟿慰谓 魏蠈蟺慰.
螠蔚 蟿慰 芦螝位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 蠁苇蟻蔚蟿蟻慰禄, 未委谓蔚蟿伪喂 畏 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟽蟿慰谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏 谓伪 纬谓蠅蟻委蟽蔚喂 鈥撐� 谓伪 尉伪谓伪蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿萎蟽蔚喂鈥� 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 蟺喂慰 未伪喂渭蠈谓喂伪 渭蠀伪位维 蟿畏蟼 蟺伪纬魏蠈蟽渭喂伪蟼 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭喂魏萎蟼 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓委伪蟼路 蟿慰谓 螚蟻伪魏位萎 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈. 螒谓 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺慰位慰纬委蟽蔚喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 蟺蠅蟼 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位蔚委 渭喂伪 伪尉喂慰蟺蟻蔚蟺苇蟽蟿伪蟿畏 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏萎 伪蟺蠈蟺蔚喂蟻伪 魏伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 未喂伪蟿畏蟻蔚委 伪渭蔚委蠅蟿慰 蟿慰 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟽蟿喂魏蠈 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓 魏伪胃鈥� 蠈位畏 蟿畏谓 蟺位慰魏萎 蟿慰蠀, 蔚委谓伪喂 伪谓伪渭蠁委尾慰位伪 渭喂伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位萎 蔚蟺喂位慰纬萎 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 位维蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀 蔚委未慰蠀蟼.
螠蔚蟿维 蟿慰 芦螆纬魏位畏渭伪 渭蔚 蠀蟺慰纬蟻伪蠁萎禄, 畏 Sophie Hannah 蔚蟺喂蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿畏 未蔚蠉蟿蔚蟻畏 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺苇蟿蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螚蟻伪魏位萎 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈, 蟺慰蠀 蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟿慰谓 蟿委蟿位慰 芦螝位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 蠁苇蟻蔚蟿蟻慰禄.
螒蠀蟿萎 蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维, 慰 未喂维蟽畏渭慰蟼 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 魏伪喂 慰 蠁委位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀, 慰 螆谓蟿慰蠀伪蟻谓蟿 螝维蟿蟽蟺慰蠀位 蟿畏蟼 危魏蠈蟿位伪谓蟿 螕喂伪蟻谓蟿, 伪蟺慰未苇蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 伪渭蠁蠈蟿蔚蟻慰喂 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠈蟽魏位畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 位伪委未畏蟼 螒胃蔚位委谓蟿伪 螤位苇喂蠁慰蟻谓蟿, 未喂维蟽畏渭畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇蠅蟼 渭喂伪蟼 蟽蔚喂蟻维蟼 尾喂尾位委蠅谓 渭蠀蟽蟿畏蟻委慰蠀 纬喂伪 蟺伪喂未喂维, 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠁喂位慰尉蔚谓萎蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿畏谓 苇蟺伪蠀位萎 蟿畏蟼. 桅蟿维谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 蔚魏蔚委, 胃伪 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿萎蟽慰蠀谓 伪蟻魏蔚蟿慰蠉蟼 伪魏蠈渭畏 魏伪位蔚蟽渭苇谓慰蠀蟼, 渭苇位畏 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟿蔚谓慰蠉 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪魏慰蠉 魏伪喂 蠁喂位喂魏慰蠉 魏蠉魏位慰蠀 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰未苇蟽蟺慰喂谓伪蟼. 螝伪谓蔚委蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蔚谓 蠀蟺慰蠄喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 蟿畏谓 苇魏蟺位畏尉畏 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰蠀蟼 蔚蟺喂蠁蠀位维蟽锟斤拷蔚喂 畏 位伪委未畏 螤位苇喂蠁慰蟻谓蟿, 畏 慰蟺慰委伪 伪谓伪魏慰喂谓蠋谓蔚喂 蔚谓蠋蟺喂慰谓 蠈位蠅谓 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蠅蟼 伪蟺慰蠁维蟽喂蟽蔚 谓伪 伪位位维尉蔚喂 蟿畏 未喂伪胃萎魏畏 蟿畏蟼, 慰蟻委味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蠅蟼 渭慰谓伪未喂魏蠈 蟿畏蟼 魏位畏蟻慰谓蠈渭慰 蟿慰谓 纬蟻伪渭渭伪蟿苇伪 蟿畏蟼, 韦味蠈味蔚蠁 危魏蠈蟿蟽蔚位, 魏伪喂 伪蟺慰魏位畏蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 苇蟿蟽喂 蟿伪 未蠉慰 蟺伪喂未喂维 蟿畏蟼. 螌蟺蠅蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蠁蠀蟽喂魏蠈, 尉蔚蟽蟺维蔚喂 蟺伪谓未伪喂渭蠈谓喂慰 蟽蟿畏谓 慰渭萎纬蠀蟻畏 魏喂 慰 魏伪胃苇谓伪蟼 伪谓蟿喂未蟻维 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏维 蟽蟿慰 伪谓伪蟺维谓蟿蔚蠂慰 谓苇慰, 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 未喂魏慰蠉蟼 蟿慰蠀 尾苇尾伪喂伪 位蠈纬慰蠀蟼.
韦慰 蟺蔚蟻委蔚蟻纬慰 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 慰 危魏蠈蟿蟽蔚位 蔚委谓伪喂 尾伪蟻喂维 维蟻蟻蠅蟽蟿慰蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀 伪蟺慰渭苇谓蔚喂 渭慰谓维蠂伪 位委纬慰蟼 蠂蟻蠈谓慰蟼 味蠅萎蟼. 螌位慰喂 位慰喂蟺蠈谓 伪谓伪蟻蠅蟿喂慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 纬喂伪 蟺慰喂慰谓 位蠈纬慰 伪蟺慰蠁维蟽喂蟽蔚 畏 位伪委未畏 谓伪 伪蠁萎蟽蔚喂 蠈位伪 蟿畏蟼 蟿伪 蠂蟻萎渭伪蟿伪 蟽蔚 魏维蟺慰喂慰谓 蟺慰蠀 鈥撓單蔽刮轿课嘉滴轿刮何€� 未蔚谓 胃伪 渭蟺慰蟻苇蟽蔚喂 谓伪 伪蟺慰未蔚蠂蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 魏位畏蟻慰谓慰渭喂维. 螝伪喂 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 胃伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位蔚蠂蟿慰蠉谓 伪魏蠈渭伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰, 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿慰 委未喂慰 魏喂蠈位伪蟼 尾蟻维未蠀 慰 危魏蠈蟿蟽蔚位 尾蟻蔚胃蔚委 维纬蟻喂伪 未慰位慰蠁慰谓畏渭苇谓慰蟼. 螌位慰喂 蟽蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 鈥撐枷屛轿刮硷拷锟轿� 苇谓慰喂魏慰喂 魏伪喂 蠁喂位慰尉蔚谓慰蠉渭蔚谓慰喂鈥� 蠁伪委谓慰谓蟿伪喂 谓伪 苇蠂慰蠀谓 苇谓伪 魏委谓畏蟿蟻慰 纬喂伪 谓伪 未喂伪蟺蟻维尉慰蠀谓 蟿慰谓 蠁蠈谓慰. 螆蠂蔚喂 苇蟻胃蔚喂 畏 蠋蟻伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 未喂维蟽畏渭慰 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蟺蔚蟻委蠁畏渭慰 苇谓蟽蟿喂魏蟿蠈 蟿慰蠀 谓伪 伪谓伪位维尾慰蠀谓 未蟻维蟽畏. 螤维谓蟿伪 渭蔚 蟿畏 尾慰萎胃蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 螝维蟿蟽蟺慰蠀位, 慰 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈 伪谓伪味畏蟿蔚委 蟽蟿慰喂蠂蔚委伪 魏伪喂 魏蟻蠀蠁维 魏委谓畏蟿蟻伪, 尉蔚纬蠀渭谓蠋谓蔚喂 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 蟽蠀渭蟺位畏蟻蠋谓蔚喂 苇谓伪 苇谓伪 蟿伪 魏慰渭渭维蟿喂伪 蟿慰蠀 纬蟻委蠁慰蠀 蠋蟽蟺慰蠀, 蟿蔚位喂魏维, 魏伪蟿慰蟻胃蠋谓蔚喂 谓伪 慰位慰魏位畏蟻蠋蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 蟺伪味位 渭喂伪蟼 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏蟼 蟺慰蠀 魏蟻蠉尾蔚喂 蟺慰位位维 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 伪蟺鈥� 蠈蟽伪 维蠁畏谓蔚 谓伪 未喂伪蠁伪谓慰蠉谓 伪蟻蠂喂魏维鈥�
螚 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 蔚委蠂蔚 蔚尉鈥� 伪蟻蠂萎蟼 苇谓伪 未蠉蟽魏慰位慰 苇蟻纬慰: 谓伪 伪谓伪尾喂蠋蟽蔚喂 苇谓伪谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺喂慰 魏位伪蟽喂魏慰蠉蟼, 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟻喂蟽渭苇谓慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 伪纬伪蟺畏蟿慰蠉蟼 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏慰蠉蟼 萎蟻蠅蔚蟼. 螤伪蟿蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蟿伪 尾萎渭伪蟿伪 蟿畏蟼 Agatha Christie 魏喂 伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蟿慰 未喂魏蠈 蟿畏蟼 渭慰蟿委尾慰, 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃畏蟽蔚 谓伪 渭畏谓 蟺伪蟻蔚魏魏位委谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 尾伪蟽喂魏萎 未慰渭萎 蟿蠅谓 魏位伪蟽喂魏蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 苇蟻纬蠅谓. 螆蠂蔚喂 蟺蟻慰蟽胃苇蟽蔚喂 蠈渭蠅蟼, 伪谓伪渭蠁委尾慰位伪, 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏萎 蟿畏蟼 蟺喂谓蔚位喂维 蟽蟿畏谓 伪谓伪谓苇蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 魏蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏慰蠉 萎蟻蠅伪, 蠈蟺蠅蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏 未慰渭萎 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪蟼. 螝伪谓蔚委蟼 维位位蠅蟽蟿蔚 未蔚谓 蟺蔚蟻喂渭苇谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 Hannah 谓伪 纬委谓蔚喂 渭喂伪 未蔚蠉蟿蔚蟻畏 Christie路 慰蠉蟿蔚 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟿慰 魏维谓蔚喂, 慰蠉蟿蔚 魏伪喂 畏 委未喂伪 胃伪 蟿慰 萎胃蔚位蔚. 螌渭蠅蟼, 苇蠂蔚喂 魏伪蟿慰蟻胃蠋蟽蔚喂 谓伪 伪蟺慰未蠋蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 蠉蠁慰蟼 蟿畏蟼 鈥樜参毕兾晃瓜兿兾毕� 蟿慰蠀 谓慰蠀维蟻鈥� 蠈蟽慰 蟺喂慰 蟺喂蟽蟿维 魏伪喂 蟺蔚蟿蠀蠂畏渭苇谓伪 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈, 魏伪蟿维 蟿畏谓 维蟺慰蠄萎 渭慰蠀.
螚 蟺位慰魏萎 胃蠀渭委味蔚喂 蔚魏蔚委谓畏 蟺慰位位蠋谓 谓慰蠀维蟻 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿慰蟻畏渭维蟿蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟿蠀位委蟽蟽慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻蠋蟿蔚蟼 未蔚魏伪蔚蟿委蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺蔚蟻伪蟽渭苇谓慰蠀 伪喂蠋谓伪, 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟺喂慰 蟽蠉纬蠂蟻慰谓伪. 螠喂伪 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂伪 苇蟺伪蠀位畏, 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂 蔚谓蟿蔚位蠋蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏慰委 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼, 蟺慰蠀 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 伪谓伪纬魏伪蟽渭苇谓慰喂 谓伪 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺维蟻蠂慰蠀谓, 魏蟻蠀渭渭苇谓伪 蟺维胃畏 魏伪喂 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏维, 苇蟻蠅蟿蔚蟼 魏伪喂 渭委蟽畏, 苇蟻喂未蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蠀蟺蠈谓慰喂蔚蟼. 螝伪喂, 尉维蠁谓慰蠀, 渭喂伪 未慰位慰蠁慰谓委伪 蟺慰蠀 魏伪胃喂蟽蟿维 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蔚谓 未蠀谓维渭蔚喂 蠀蟺蠈蟺蟿慰蠀蟼. 螣 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 萎 慰 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭喂魏蠈蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蔚委 谓伪 蔚尉喂蠂谓喂维蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 渭蠀蟽蟿萎蟻喂慰, 魏伪喂 蠈蟽伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 苇蟻蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 蠁蠅蟼 魏伪喂 慰 魏位慰喂蠈蟼 蟽蟿蔚谓蔚蠉蔚喂 纬蠉蟻蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠀蟺蠈蟺蟿慰蠀蟼, 蟿蠈蟽慰 蔚魏蔚委谓慰喂 蔚委谓伪喂 未喂伪蟿蔚胃蔚喂渭苇谓慰喂 谓伪 魏维谓慰蠀谓 蟿伪 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟺蟻慰魏蔚喂渭苇谓慰蠀 谓伪 伪蟺慰未蔚委尉慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 伪胃蠅蠈蟿畏蟿维 蟿慰蠀蟼 鈥� 萎 谓伪 魏伪位蠉蠄慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 蔚谓慰蠂萎 蟿慰蠀蟼.
螚 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 蔚蟺苇位蔚尉蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰, 慰渭慰位慰纬慰蠀渭苇谓蠅蟼, 蔚蟺喂蟿蠀蠂畏渭苇谓慰 渭慰蟿委尾慰 魏伪喂 纬喂伪 蟿畏 未喂魏萎 蟿畏蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪. 螝伪喂 蟺苇蟿蠀蠂蔚 谓伪 蟿慰 未喂伪蠁慰蟻慰蟺慰喂萎蟽蔚喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 维位位蔚蟼 蟺伪蟻蠈渭慰喂蔚蟼 蠀蟺慰胃苇蟽蔚喂蟼 渭蠀蟽蟿畏蟻委慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂慰蠀渭蔚 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 魏伪蟿维 魏伪喂蟻慰蠉蟼. 螣蟺蠅蟽未萎蟺慰蟿蔚 畏 蟺位慰魏萎 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 蟺喂慰 蟺蟻蠅蟿蠈蟿蠀蟺畏, 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 魏伪位慰未慰蠀位蔚渭苇谓畏, 苇谓蟿蔚蠂谓伪 蟽蟿畏渭苇谓畏, 鈥樜枷€慰位喂伪蟽渭苇谓畏鈥� 渭蔚 委谓蟿蟻喂纬魏蔚蟼 魏伪喂 未慰位慰蟺位慰魏委蔚蟼, 蔚蟻蠅蟿萎渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蠄维蠂谓慰蠀谓 伪蟺伪谓蟿萎蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿蔚蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼. 螔苇尾伪喂伪, 苇谓伪蟼 鈥樝埼蔽澄嘉轿肯傗€� 蠁伪谓伪蟿喂魏蠈蟼 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏蟼 蟿慰蠀 蔚委未慰蠀蟼 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 苇蠂蔚喂 蠀蟺慰蠄喂伪蟽蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏萎 蟿伪蠀蟿蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟿慰蠀 未慰位慰蠁蠈谓慰蠀 蟺慰位蠉 蟺蟻喂谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀, 萎 谓伪 苇蠂蔚喂 蠀蟺慰蠄喂伪蟽蟿蔚委 蟺蠅蟼 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 蠈蟽慰谓 伪蠁慰蟻维 蟿慰 胃蠉渭伪 萎 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿蠅谓 渭蔚位蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼. 螆蟿蟽喂, 蠈蟿伪谓 蟿蔚位喂魏维 胃伪 苇蟻胃慰蠀谓 蟿伪 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟽蟿慰 蠁蠅蟼, 未蔚谓 胃伪 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位苇蟽蔚喂 纬喂鈥� 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 渭蔚纬维位畏 苇魏蟺位畏尉畏 畏 伪蟺慰魏维位蠀蠄畏 蟿畏蟼 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪蟼. 螌蟺蠅蟼 魏伪喂 谓伪 鈥樝囄滴�, 蠈渭蠅蟼, 蟿慰 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏蠈 蟿伪尉委未喂 渭苇蠂蟻喂 蔚魏蔚委 伪尉委味蔚喂 蟿慰谓 魏蠈蟺慰.
螠蔚 蟿慰 芦螝位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 蠁苇蟻蔚蟿蟻慰禄, 未委谓蔚蟿伪喂 畏 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟽蟿慰谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏 谓伪 纬谓蠅蟻委蟽蔚喂 鈥撐� 谓伪 尉伪谓伪蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿萎蟽蔚喂鈥� 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 蟺喂慰 未伪喂渭蠈谓喂伪 渭蠀伪位维 蟿畏蟼 蟺伪纬魏蠈蟽渭喂伪蟼 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭喂魏萎蟼 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓委伪蟼路 蟿慰谓 螚蟻伪魏位萎 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈. 螒谓 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺慰位慰纬委蟽蔚喂 魏伪谓蔚委蟼 蟺蠅蟼 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位蔚委 渭喂伪 伪尉喂慰蟺蟻蔚蟺苇蟽蟿伪蟿畏 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏萎 伪蟺蠈蟺蔚喂蟻伪 魏伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 未喂伪蟿畏蟻蔚委 伪渭蔚委蠅蟿慰 蟿慰 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟽蟿喂魏蠈 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓 魏伪胃鈥� 蠈位畏 蟿畏谓 蟺位慰魏萎 蟿慰蠀, 蔚委谓伪喂 伪谓伪渭蠁委尾慰位伪 渭喂伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位萎 蔚蟺喂位慰纬萎 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 位维蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀 蔚委未慰蠀蟼.
March 31, 2021
Bit too long and complicated and too little "grey cells" in this new invention of a Poirot mystery.
February 17, 2017
Worse than the first one. Poirot seldom appeared in the story and when he did, he didn't do much. Catchpool was as whiny, morose, and inept as ever. How he ever became a cop I can't imagine. Nancy Drew is more adventuresome. The pretense for getting Poirot and Catchpool to the scene of the crime was weak at best, lazy at worst. A random invitation to a dinner party, in a foreign country, from a complete stranger? A month in advance of the party? And "the world's greatest detective" doesn't bother to find out why? Just goes to the party because, what, he had nothing better to do? Why even set it in outside of England? The setting was so nondescript, it could have taken place anywhere. At any time. I had to remind myself the Poirot mysteries were set in the 1920s/1930s. The murder doesn't occur until a hundred pages in and the detective work doesn't start until about page 200. The "startling" revelation wasn't startling and the murderer wasn't a surprise. The characters were so dreadful, and their motives for behaving the way they did so ridiculous, I wished more of them had been killed off. If there鈥檚 a third "new" Hercule Poirot mystery on the way, I'll give it a miss. In fact, I'm going to re-read some of the original Poirot mysteries to cleanse my brain of this mess.
April 11, 2017
I saw this in the bookstore and had to buy it. A revival of Hercule Poirot? Wow!
But then I read it. Maybe it's my age. Maybe I'm too jaded. Too much Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher novels in me. Whatever . . . but poor Herucle in this effort just turned out to be too bland for my tastes.
And that's the operative word: bland.
But then I read it. Maybe it's my age. Maybe I'm too jaded. Too much Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher novels in me. Whatever . . . but poor Herucle in this effort just turned out to be too bland for my tastes.
And that's the operative word: bland.
May 16, 2020
4/5
Me ha gustado mucho, me ha recordado a Cinco Cerditos y a La Casa torcida, y esas novelas me encantan!
Me ha gustado mucho, me ha recordado a Cinco Cerditos y a La Casa torcida, y esas novelas me encantan!
September 20, 2016
I need to confess that I had no idea Sophie Hannah had revitalised Agatha Christie鈥檚 famous Belgian detective and his little grey cells until this book appeared on a listing. It was only then I discovered Hannah had previously released The Monogram Murders, featuring Hercule Poirot, in 2014 鈥� almost 40 years after the passing of Dame Agatha.
I should mention here that I adore Agatha Christie. I鈥檝e read all of her books a million times. At least.
Lovers of the original will notice there are some significant differences between Christie鈥檚 Poirot and Hannah鈥檚 Poirot.
Hannah鈥檚 books are far longer for a start. And Poirot 鈥� for me 鈥� was a little less impressive. Though less arrogant, he was also less larger-than-life (if that makes sense).
Our narrator this time around was the off-duty Inspector Catchpool and it felt weird to be privy to Poirot鈥檚 investigations through someone else鈥檚 eyes. I wasn鈥檛 actually a Hastings devotee but realised I missed their witty banter. Hannah obviously also featured Catchpool in The Monogram Murders as he was still smarting from being bested by Poirot on that outing.
The cast of characters themselves were far more distasteful than I remember Christie鈥檚 being. Hers were often eccentric and unlikeable, but not necessarily evil.
The crime itself and references to it were also far more vivid and gory than the original series鈥� but I assume some of that relates to the fact that we鈥檝e become inured to 鈥榮imple鈥� deaths in our reading, television and big screen fodder.
There were also a lot of positives.
Hannah did mostly keep to the style of Christie: in her overly-wordy language and prose. The mystery itself was suitably twisty; and investigation offered up a myriad of suspects.
So this was an enjoyable outing with my old friend and his little grey cells. His star shone a little less bright than it once did, but I most-certainly welcome his return.
3.5 stars
I should mention here that I adore Agatha Christie. I鈥檝e read all of her books a million times. At least.
Lovers of the original will notice there are some significant differences between Christie鈥檚 Poirot and Hannah鈥檚 Poirot.
Hannah鈥檚 books are far longer for a start. And Poirot 鈥� for me 鈥� was a little less impressive. Though less arrogant, he was also less larger-than-life (if that makes sense).
Our narrator this time around was the off-duty Inspector Catchpool and it felt weird to be privy to Poirot鈥檚 investigations through someone else鈥檚 eyes. I wasn鈥檛 actually a Hastings devotee but realised I missed their witty banter. Hannah obviously also featured Catchpool in The Monogram Murders as he was still smarting from being bested by Poirot on that outing.
The cast of characters themselves were far more distasteful than I remember Christie鈥檚 being. Hers were often eccentric and unlikeable, but not necessarily evil.
The crime itself and references to it were also far more vivid and gory than the original series鈥� but I assume some of that relates to the fact that we鈥檝e become inured to 鈥榮imple鈥� deaths in our reading, television and big screen fodder.
There were also a lot of positives.
Hannah did mostly keep to the style of Christie: in her overly-wordy language and prose. The mystery itself was suitably twisty; and investigation offered up a myriad of suspects.
So this was an enjoyable outing with my old friend and his little grey cells. His star shone a little less bright than it once did, but I most-certainly welcome his return.
3.5 stars
December 24, 2016
螝位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 蠁苇蟻蔚蟿蟻慰 畏 谓苇伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃蔚喂伪 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇蠅蟼 谓伪 蔚蟺伪谓伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟿慰谓 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓慰 萎蟻蠅伪 螚蟻伪魏位萎 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈. 危蔚 伪谓蟿委胃蔚蟽畏 渭蔚 蟿慰 苇纬魏位畏渭伪 渭蔚 蠀蟺慰纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蔚委蠂蔚 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 谓伪 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓萎蟽蔚喂 胃蔚蠅蟻蠋 蠈蟿喂 蟿慰 魏位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 蠁苇蟻蔚蟿蟻慰 苇蠂蔚喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 伪蟻蔚蟿苇蟼 蟽伪谓 尾喂尾位委慰 魏伪喂 畏 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 蟿慰蠀 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇蟻谓蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蟿伪胃蔚委 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蔚蟺维尉喂伪 蟽蟿畏 尾伪蟻喂维 魏位畏蟻慰谓慰渭喂维 蟺慰蠀 维蠁畏蟽蔚 蟺委蟽蠅 蟿畏蟼 畏 螁纬魏伪胃伪 螝蟻委蟽蟿喂 渭蔚 苇谓伪谓 萎蟻蠅伪 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 螚蟻伪魏位萎蟼 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈 未畏渭喂慰蠀蟻纬蠋谓蟿伪蟼 伪蠀蟿萎 蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维 苇谓伪 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓 尾喂尾位委慰 渭蠀蟽蟿畏蟻委慰蠀 渭蔚 纬蟻萎纬慰蟻慰 蟻蠀胃渭蠈 魏伪喂 蟽蠀谓慰蠂萎. 韦慰 魏伪魏蠈 蠈渭蠅蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈蟿喂 谓伪喂 渭蔚谓 蟽伪谓 尾喂尾位委慰 尾蟻萎魏伪 蠈蟿喂 蔚委蠂蔚 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蟽伪蟽蟺苇谓蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟺蟻慰畏纬慰蠉渭蔚谓慰 蠈渭蠅蟼 苇蠂慰谓蟿伪蟼 魏维谓蔚喂 未喂伪蟿蟻喂尾萎 蟽蔚 蠈位伪 蟿伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟿畏蟼 螒纬魏伪胃伪 螝蟻委蟽蟿喂 胃蔚蠅蟻蠋 蠈蟿喂 魏伪喂 蟽蟿伪 未蠀慰 蟿畏蟼 尾喂尾位委伪 畏 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 渭伪蟼 未委谓蔚喂 苇谓伪 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 螤慰蠀伪蟻蠈 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟿畏蟼 螝蟻委蟽蟿喂. 螆谓伪谓 蟺喂慰 渭蟺位伪味苇 蠁位伪蟿 萎蟻蠅伪 萎 蟿蔚位慰蟽蟺维谓蟿蠅谓 位喂纬蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蔚谓蟿蠀蟺蠅蟽喂伪魏蠈 伪蟺蠈 蠈蟿喂 蟿慰谓 蔚委蠂伪渭蔚 蟽蠀谓畏胃委蟽蔚喂. 螘蟺喂蟺位苇慰谓 蔚谓蠋 伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蔚委 蟿慰 蟽蟿蠀位 蟿畏蟼 螝蟻委蟽蟿喂 蠅蟼 蟺蟻慰蟼 蟿畏 未蠈渭畏蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀 胃蔚蠅蟻蠋 蠈蟿喂 慰喂 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 蟿畏蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 渭蔚谓 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰蠀蟽蔚蟼 伪位位维 蠈蠂喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 伪谓伪蟿蟻蔚蟺蟿喂魏苇蟼 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 蟽慰蠀 魏蠈蠄慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 伪谓维蟽伪. 螘谓 魏伪蟿伪魏位蔚委未喂 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位萎 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃蔚喂伪 伪位位维 蠂蟻蔚喂维味蔚蟿伪喂 伪魏蠈渭伪 未蟻蠈渭慰蟼 纬喂伪 谓伪 纬委谓蔚喂 畏 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 畏 谓苇伪 尾伪蟽委位喂蟽蟽伪 蟿畏蟼 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭喂魏萎蟼 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓委伪蟼.
December 30, 2016
I feel a twinge of guilt giving this only one star as I couldn't finish it, but in both cases the reason is the same... it reads like almost-good fan fiction. It's close enough to the original to merit consideration, but sufficiently different to grate woefully on the senses, in much the same way as an ever-so-slightly out of tune guitar string renders a chord painful to listen to.
February 27, 2019
Look, I included a fat character! He's the size of a PLANET! Ha ha, that's so funny. I made his chair break when he sits on it. He doesn't know what's going on during a dramatic scene because he's too busy eating! Ha ha, now he's in excruciating pain because he ate too much and got gas! Everyone laugh at the stupid fat guy! What a riot. I sure do have great writing skills.
May 22, 2019
Pretty dire stuff. I was hoping for better given the reviews. Nothing would induce me to read another of these pseudo-Poirots.
January 22, 2018
Sophie Hannah must have had great fun writing this new Poirot mystery. The immaculate Belgian detective is drawn impeccably, surrounded by an outrageous cast of mostly unpleasant people in a wildly improbable version of the English country house murder.
It was an entertaining, stylish, escapist read, 3.5 rather than a flat 3.
I was a bit startled to see that copyright rests with Agatha Christie Limited, and hope Hannah's contract pays her well for what should be a successful book. Clearly the company liked The Monogram Murders, or they wouldn't have commissioned her for a second. I'd be happy to read a third.
It was an entertaining, stylish, escapist read, 3.5 rather than a flat 3.
I was a bit startled to see that copyright rests with Agatha Christie Limited, and hope Hannah's contract pays her well for what should be a successful book. Clearly the company liked The Monogram Murders, or they wouldn't have commissioned her for a second. I'd be happy to read a third.
March 29, 2017
Poirot in 1929 - the heyday, nee the Golden Age of murder and Christie. Ths was great. Lots of fun if a bit brutal and not as adoring to Hercule as Christie would have made it. She still liked him in the early days.
Want to read
June 26, 2016Won in 欧宝娱乐 giveaway!
Want to read
June 29, 2023Love a good whodunnit with Poirot. A fun listen and great story. I really should go back and read some of the older Christie books....one day!!
September 9, 2016
Closed Casket 鈥� Hercule Poirot Returns
Sophie Hannah has risen to the challenge to become the voice and mind of Hercule Poirot and mimic everything that the Grand Dame of Crime Fiction created. Hannah has picked up where Agatha Christie left off and it is impossible to notice that Poirot came to life over 100 years before, this is a seamless addition to the Christie canon.
Hercule Poirot has been invited over to the newly independent Ireland, as the guest of aristocratic author Lady Playford to her country estate of Lillieoak. We are told the story of Closed Casket, through the eyes and voice of Inspector Edward Catchpole of Scotland Yard, a friend and colleague of Poirot鈥檚.
It is October 1929, and both Poirot and Catchpole wonder why they have both been invited to stay as guests. Everything becomes clear over the first night why they are both house guests, when Lady Playford鈥檚 secretary, Joseph Scotcher, after dinner is found murdered. So begins the classic Christie, Manor House style mystery.
Throughout the book we get to know all the characters a lot more and some of their thoughts that they have not told each other. Poirot who has his 鈥榞rey cells鈥� thinking is intrigued by what has gone on, and investigates further, to the annoyance of the Irish Police Inspector sent to investigate the murder.
Even at the Coroner鈥檚 Inquest Poirot recognises that everything that they have been told and what has been said in court is not necessarily the truth. The suspects all have their own quirks and secrets that they do not want to come out, as did the murder victim. Like Christie, Hannah does not delve too deeply in to the characters, but is consumed by the whole even of murder in a Country House.
In parts of Closed Casket you can be forgiven if you feel that Christie could have written those passages, but that is the art of an excellent author, who has studied her subjects of Poirot and Christie. It would be easy to point out the things Christie did make Poirot do, but Hannah does, but clearly different people bring their own quirks to the story.
Closed Casket does not disappoint, and I am sure Christie herself would have been delighted with this story if she had written it. For fans of Poirot all his nuances are there, from his gate, his OCD, and how he expresses himself in Franco-English. Sophie Hannah has written Closed Casket so well, that Poirot is just as he was when Christie wrote her last, this is a seamless continuation.
An excellent book that fans of Poirot and Christie will love and take to heart.
Sophie Hannah has risen to the challenge to become the voice and mind of Hercule Poirot and mimic everything that the Grand Dame of Crime Fiction created. Hannah has picked up where Agatha Christie left off and it is impossible to notice that Poirot came to life over 100 years before, this is a seamless addition to the Christie canon.
Hercule Poirot has been invited over to the newly independent Ireland, as the guest of aristocratic author Lady Playford to her country estate of Lillieoak. We are told the story of Closed Casket, through the eyes and voice of Inspector Edward Catchpole of Scotland Yard, a friend and colleague of Poirot鈥檚.
It is October 1929, and both Poirot and Catchpole wonder why they have both been invited to stay as guests. Everything becomes clear over the first night why they are both house guests, when Lady Playford鈥檚 secretary, Joseph Scotcher, after dinner is found murdered. So begins the classic Christie, Manor House style mystery.
Throughout the book we get to know all the characters a lot more and some of their thoughts that they have not told each other. Poirot who has his 鈥榞rey cells鈥� thinking is intrigued by what has gone on, and investigates further, to the annoyance of the Irish Police Inspector sent to investigate the murder.
Even at the Coroner鈥檚 Inquest Poirot recognises that everything that they have been told and what has been said in court is not necessarily the truth. The suspects all have their own quirks and secrets that they do not want to come out, as did the murder victim. Like Christie, Hannah does not delve too deeply in to the characters, but is consumed by the whole even of murder in a Country House.
In parts of Closed Casket you can be forgiven if you feel that Christie could have written those passages, but that is the art of an excellent author, who has studied her subjects of Poirot and Christie. It would be easy to point out the things Christie did make Poirot do, but Hannah does, but clearly different people bring their own quirks to the story.
Closed Casket does not disappoint, and I am sure Christie herself would have been delighted with this story if she had written it. For fans of Poirot all his nuances are there, from his gate, his OCD, and how he expresses himself in Franco-English. Sophie Hannah has written Closed Casket so well, that Poirot is just as he was when Christie wrote her last, this is a seamless continuation.
An excellent book that fans of Poirot and Christie will love and take to heart.
September 17, 2017
This is my first time reading Sophie Hannah's interpretation of Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. These are big shoes for Hannah to fill, and I think she does a fairly good job in Closed Casket. I very much enjoyed the murder, the clues, the eccentric cast of characters and the way the story develops.
The one weakness is the actual solution of the murder mystery. It feels somewhat unbelievable at times, both in the explanation of some of the more outrageous details and in the motivations for murder. Also, while Hannah sticks to Christie's format of having Poirot gather all the characters in a room to explain and unveil whodunnit, Hannah takes more than 50 pages to do this (about 1/6th of the book), making that part drag on unnecessarily.
In the end, while this book falls short of its lofty goal in the inevitable comparisons with the queen of mystery, I feel it is an enjoyable book in its own right, and I look forward to reading more from the author.
The one weakness is the actual solution of the murder mystery. It feels somewhat unbelievable at times, both in the explanation of some of the more outrageous details and in the motivations for murder. Also, while Hannah sticks to Christie's format of having Poirot gather all the characters in a room to explain and unveil whodunnit, Hannah takes more than 50 pages to do this (about 1/6th of the book), making that part drag on unnecessarily.
In the end, while this book falls short of its lofty goal in the inevitable comparisons with the queen of mystery, I feel it is an enjoyable book in its own right, and I look forward to reading more from the author.
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