Posted by Hi folks! And welcome back to another episode of my ongoing Project Poirot series where for the past couple of years I have been slowly re-reading (and savouring) all the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot novels in the order they were published. I’m about halfway through the list at this point. You can read reviews of all the previous books here. My thoughts on the next three books are shared below:
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
Goodreads Blurb:
In Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, the holidays are anything but merry when a family reunion is marred by murder — and the notoriously fastidious investigator is quickly on the case. The wealthy Simeon Lee has demanded that all four of his sons — one faithful, one prodigal, one impecunious, one sensitive — and their wives return home for Christmas. But a heartwarming family holiday is not exactly what he has in mind. He bedevils each of his sons with barbed insults and finally announces that he is cutting off their allowances and changing his will. Poirot is called in the aftermath of Simeon Lee’s announcement.
My Review:
Though the outcome and the killer came as a surprise for me, I don’t think this book’s plot was as watertight or ingenious as some of her earlier ones. The final denouement also relied on too many coincidences, which is ironic because Poirot himself declares in this book that he only accounts for “one coincidence in a murder”! But as a typical potboiler cozy murder mystery, it doesn’t disappoint!
Rating: 4/5
Buy Your Copy Here: https://amzn.to/4suttmT
Sad Cypress
Goodreads Blurb:
Beautiful young Elinor Carlisle stood serenely in the dock, accused of the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. The evidence was damning: only Elinor had the motive, the opportunity and the means to administer the fatal poison.
Yet, inside the hostile courtroom, only one man still presumed Elinor was innocent until proven guilty: Hercule Poirot was all that stood between Elinor and the gallows…
My Review:
It’s rare for me to come across a Poirot novel by Christie that I haven’t read. But when I do, I thoroughly enjoy it! Sad Cypress has a romantic premise but the actual crime is far from romantic. Quite ingeniously put together as always!
Rating: 4.5/5
Buy Your Copy Here: https://amzn.to/4sqcC4t
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Goodreads Blurb:
The dentist was found with a blackened hole below his right temple. A pistol lay on the floor near his outflung right hand. Later, one of his patients was found dead from a lethal dose of local anaesthetic. A clear case of murder and suicide. But why would a dentist commit a crime in the middle of a busy day of appointments?
A shoe buckle holds the key to the mystery. Now—in the words of the rhyme—can Poirot pick up the sticks and lay them straight?
This title was previously published as The Patriotic Murders and An Overdose of Death.
My Review:
Christie continues to play with nursery rhymes to interesting effect. In this book, each line of the famous rhyme is used as a chapter title. It also reflects the plot and character progression in quite an ingenious manner. The book moves along well and keeps you guessing till the end, with the climax coming completely out of the blue. However, there are one-too-many coincidences which are required for the climax to play out the way it does. Not Christie’s best perhaps, but certainly enjoyable.
Rating: 4/5
Buy Your Copy Here: https://amzn.to/4uHlG6A
If you would like to watch me sharing my thoughts, here you go:
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This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
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