Author: Agatha Christie Release Date: 19 September’ 1933 Series: Hercule Poirot Genre: Mystery | Crime Pages: 351 ISBN NO.: 978-0-00-728248-7 Publisher: Harper Collins Preceded by: Peril at End House (Hercule Poirot #8) Followed by: Murder On The Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10)
Summary
When Lord Edgware is found murdered the police are baffled. His estranged actress wife was seen to visit him just before his death and Poirot himself heard her brag of her plan to ‘get rid’ of him.
But how could his estranged wife Jane have stabbed Lord Edgware to death in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? It’s a case that almost proves to be too much for The Great Hercule Poirot.
-Book-cover
Review
This is the first Hercule Poirot book I’ve read and I’ll tell you what, it wasn’t a total disappointment. I loved the mystery and the way the suspense unfolded but not so much the lead characters. For me, Hercule Poirot = (Miss Marple X 10) + even worse! Tolerating his irritating grandma behaviour really became a challenge. I really hated him and most probably will not read more than a book or two from this series (that too only the recommended ones). Believe it or not, he irritated me to the point where I actually started leaving his explanatory lines unread. And what really drove me nuts was that everyone in the book was going gaga about Hercule and his brain, which to me, was really immature. I really lost my patience and regretted wasting my time on this book until the mystery unfolded and the murderer was revealed.
I don’t think it will be easy for you to guess, in any way, who’s the real culprit. And that’s the only part of the book, that makes me feel “fine” about reading it.
If you have the patience to overlook Hercule’s obsessed behaviour then go ahead and read it. I’ll be a mind-tickling experience.
Read this review on Goodreads here.
Other Stuff
Opening Page: ‘The memory of the public is short.’
Highlights: The unbelievable ending.
Low-lights: Hercule Poirot!
Memorable Quotes: “Do you know my friend that each one of us is a dark mystery, a maze of conflicting passions and desire and aptitudes?”
Memorable Paragraph: None.
Final Thoughts: Could have been a little less immature!
The Reading Bud 
I’m sorry you didn’t like this one – I don’t think it’s close to being the best Poirot though. Try Death on the Nile, if you can bring yourself to read another…or Evil Under the Sun. 🙂
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Yea, I guess I picked up the wrong one!
Will read these two for my next Christie read.
Thanks for the recommendation dear! It really brightens my spirit to get a book recommendation from readers like you 🙂
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My pleasure! I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie, but there’s no doubt some of the books are far better than others. 😀
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Hi! What I think was not very persuasive is that the actress was not recognised by 13 people at the dinner, not even by the ones who invited her! They were supposed to have seen her only 2-3 times. Why would they invite her if they knew her so little? (I have not read the book, I’ve watched only the series, so maybe I have lost some clues)
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Haha… I agree with you on that 😀
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