Scan barcode
stephbakerbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was my third Hercule Poirot book, the first two being Murder on the Orient Express and Mysterious Affair at Styles. For some reason, I thought I’d read more, but I’m on a role now!
I did like this one—it has plenty of twists and the mystery was engaging. Poirot, as ever, is utterly amusing, and I greatly enjoyed his interactions and competition with Detective Giraud. It was also very readable, with short chapters and a fast-moving plot.
That being said, Hastings is so annoying in this book! He acts like a lovestruck teenager for most of it, and I really just wanted to give him a good thump on the head to knock some sense into him haha. Thankfully Poirot is there to make sure Hastings doesn’t derail the investigation too much. But seriously, he needs a better investigative buddy.
I watched the TV episode of this story soon after reading, and the changes they made had me laughing—but it made for good TV!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I've not read this one of Christie's before, but I can see some of the patterns that are common within other stories, and was interested in seeing how the plot came together.
Thoughts on finishing - this is one of the good ones. There are lots of fascinating twists and turns, there are people faking alibis all over the place (for themselves and others), Hastings gets to show what a twit they are while still being a generally good egg. There is a scathing commentary on modern policing which puts the police in a bad light.
I'm giving this one a 4, because unfortunately, it is showing its age, and I doubt that I would rate many of the Christie's as five star reads these days, even if I might have when reading as a more naive individual. Other than classism and misogyny that seems in keeping with the setting, I didn't notice any isms, but that doesn't mean they were there (I was reading this on a plane as something that didn't require a lot of focus; I would not call myself at all a discerning reader in this context)
Thoughts on finishing - this is one of the good ones. There are lots of fascinating twists and turns, there are people faking alibis all over the place (for themselves and others), Hastings gets to show what a twit they are while still being a generally good egg. There is a scathing commentary on modern policing which puts the police in a bad light.
I'm giving this one a 4, because unfortunately, it is showing its age, and I doubt that I would rate many of the Christie's as five star reads these days, even if I might have when reading as a more naive individual. Other than classism and misogyny that seems in keeping with the setting, I didn't notice any isms, but that doesn't mean they were there (I was reading this on a plane as something that didn't require a lot of focus; I would not call myself at all a discerning reader in this context)
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity, Sexism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
fraise's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping and War
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia
iinasomnia's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder
kers_tin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder
leaflibrary's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked this one pretty well. The story - both past and present - felt very familiar, so much so that I wondered if I had seen an adaptation years ago. There truly is tragedy in this one, even if the characters who die "had it coming" due to past or present villainy.
My favorite character was Cinderella/Bella/Dulcie, an underage manic pixie dream girl who eventually marries Hastings. Much like the surprise of meeting a Poirot already in retirement last book, this end game pairing caught me off guard so early in the series. Apparently Christie later agreed, because Cinderella is barely - if at all - mentioned in the Hastings stories ahead. How disappointing! Dulcie is such a bold, rascally, risk-taking character, with a love of true crime and acrobat skills to boot. She could have been a youthful, plucky third in at least a few of the Poirot/Hastings pairings ahead!
I also wish she weren't SO much younger than Hastings - that weird old womanizing stick in the mud. She's "little over seventeen," and he's at least 30 (his age in Styles). Speaking of Styles, it's interesting how Christie covers that topic: she references it almost immediately, but without giving anything (other than the initial death) away for someone who hasn't read it yet.
My favorite character was Cinderella/Bella/Dulcie, an underage manic pixie dream girl who eventually marries Hastings. Much like the surprise of meeting a Poirot already in retirement last book, this end game pairing caught me off guard so early in the series. Apparently Christie later agreed, because Cinderella is barely - if at all - mentioned in the Hastings stories ahead. How disappointing! Dulcie is such a bold, rascally, risk-taking character, with a love of true crime and acrobat skills to boot. She could have been a youthful, plucky third in at least a few of the Poirot/Hastings pairings ahead!
I also wish she weren't SO much younger than Hastings - that weird old womanizing stick in the mud. She's "little over seventeen," and he's at least 30 (his age in Styles). Speaking of Styles, it's interesting how Christie covers that topic: she references it almost immediately, but without giving anything (other than the initial death) away for someone who hasn't read it yet.
“Do you remember the Styles Case?” I asked.
“Let me see, was that the old lady who was poisoned? Somewhere down in Essex?”
I nodded.
“That was Poirot’s first big case. Undoubtedly, but for him, the murderer would have escaped scot-free. It was a most wonderful bit of detective work.”
Warming to my subject, I ran over the heads of the affair, working up to the triumphant and unexpected dénouement.
So who knows how much time has passed. Near that section, Hastings, as narrator, announces, "Now I am old-fashioned. A woman, I consider, should be womanly. I have no patience with the modern neurotic girl who jazzes from morning to night, smokes like a chimney, and uses language which would make a Billingsgate fishwoman blush!" This particular misogyny is hypocritical, given his immediate attraction to and eventual romance with a woman who does all of the above. The concept of "jazz[ing] morning til night" is now hilarious, and Hastings, as in Styles, is at his funniest while trying to be galant with ladies. The scene where Hastings gives Cinderella time to escape by fending off Poirot is especially funny:
It was a sound in the doorway that made us look up. Poirot was standing there looking at us.
I did not hesitate. With a bound I reached him and pinioned his arms to his sides.
“Quick,” I said to the girl. “Get out of here. As fast as you can. I’ll hold him.”
With one look at me, she fled out of the room past us. I held Poirot in a grip of iron.
“Mon ami,” observed the latter mildly, “you do this sort of thing very well. The strong man holds me in his grasp and I am helpless as a child. But all this is uncomfortable and slightly ridiculous. Let us sit down and be calm.”
The combination of awkwardness, earnestness, sarcasm, and homoeroticism (“It is that you have the strength of a bull when you are roused, Hastings!") adds fun to an otherwise rather grim murder mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
phoebemurtagh's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Misogyny and Blood
Not her best mystery, but given that it's one of the earliest Poirots, perhaps that's to be expected. The French law enforcement were pretty flat as characters, and there's just the general feeling that Ms. Christie hadn't quite gotten into the swing of it yet (which she did, of course, go on to do better than pretty much everyone). Seemed to go on a bit and felt convoluted. Hastings is also in peak ninny-Watson mode._gabi_'s review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
mayr3adsab00k's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
dilani's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A fine mystery with complicated layers. I was able to figure out one part of the mystery, but the rest left me feeling surprised. Hastings was annoying at times. I can’t help but think why someone like Poirot wants to keep him as good company…Maybe Poirot gets a boost of confidence when he proves Hastings wrong?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cursing