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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hercule Poirot goes to a youth hostel to investigate a series of small thefts. He quickly determines who the culprit is, she apologizes and either returns the items or makes restitution. But the next morning she is dead – an apparent suicide. Or … was it murder?
As is typical of a Poirot mystery, there are plenty of suspects what with all the students and young people living in the rooming house. The police investigate, but it will be Poirot who solves the crimes. Christie throws in a few false leads and keeps the reader guessing. The 1950s setting is a bit dated, especially the expressed attitudes towards “the coloreds.” It’s an entertaining cozy mystery, but not her best work.
As is typical of a Poirot mystery, there are plenty of suspects what with all the students and young people living in the rooming house. The police investigate, but it will be Poirot who solves the crimes. Christie throws in a few false leads and keeps the reader guessing. The 1950s setting is a bit dated, especially the expressed attitudes towards “the coloreds.” It’s an entertaining cozy mystery, but not her best work.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
I had a lot of fun reading this, but the ending was disappointing.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
While the puzzle is intriguing with satisfying answers, this is arguably one of the more cluttered of Dame Agatha's novels. There are way too many characters to keep track of in the novel's premise of a student hostel. And some of the foreign students are little more than borderline racist stereotypes. At points it feels like she is purposely throwing bodies down when the novel starts to feel like its stalling or a little dull. Overall, not a tightly plotted or perfect Christie with a little light enjoyment.
3/5 stars
3/5 stars
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A