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fridabackjanis's review against another edition
2.0
You know the writer have written themself into a corner when it takes two hours to explain the plot. The beginning is excellent, intriguing murders, creepy village gone evil and the hunt for a missing woman. But the rest is to much and to long.
The brilliance of Christies novels is the simplicity of Poirot's genius. Subtle clues that you COULD pick up on if you are really smart, but this feels like a murder mystery game that keeps changing the rules on the player. Its impossible to keep up with the characters, clues, lies and revelations.
The second half is so long and its impossible to know what is a lie and what actually happened. Then its up to Poirot to explain the murder case and it takes two hours. I´m left with the feeling of "ok, but I just don't care anymore".
The brilliance of Christies novels is the simplicity of Poirot's genius. Subtle clues that you COULD pick up on if you are really smart, but this feels like a murder mystery game that keeps changing the rules on the player. Its impossible to keep up with the characters, clues, lies and revelations.
The second half is so long and its impossible to know what is a lie and what actually happened. Then its up to Poirot to explain the murder case and it takes two hours. I´m left with the feeling of "ok, but I just don't care anymore".
ohmyhoven's review against another edition
2.0
please do not write as Agatha Christie or steal her characters ever again.
dauntlessdeclan's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
synnke's review against another edition
1.0
I'm not even going to bother finishing this. It's really sad.
I really wanted to like this book. But after 90 pages I regret to say it's awful. This is not Poirot, this is some angry little bastard. Which books did she read to base this shameful character on? The character Catchpool is utterly ridiculous. There are no words...
The name Agatha Christie (in huge letters) on the cover hurts my eyes and it hurts my heart.
I sincerely hope this is a joke. I'm waiting for someone to say: 'Haha got you there!'
I really wanted to like this book. But after 90 pages I regret to say it's awful. This is not Poirot, this is some angry little bastard. Which books did she read to base this shameful character on? The character Catchpool is utterly ridiculous. There are no words...
The name Agatha Christie (in huge letters) on the cover hurts my eyes and it hurts my heart.
I sincerely hope this is a joke. I'm waiting for someone to say: 'Haha got you there!'
poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Monogram Murders was an interesting crime novel. I never figured out anything until it was explained to me. Some of the leaps seemed just a little out of reach. I also didn't like any of the characters in the novel. They were flushed out but had all had different annoying habits. Poirot was more condescending than usual.
It's not as good as the real thing, but it's not bad.
It's not as good as the real thing, but it's not bad.
tinarucek's review against another edition
3.0
I've read anything by Agatha Christie I was able to get my hands on. It is a love affair that started at a tender age of twelve with "Death Comes as the End". For me as a huge fan, it was an okay book, but it could have profited for some cuts, some times it was far too long. I found many of Poirot's traits overexaggerated, like yes, we must allude to all of the cannon to feel legit. I found the ending a bit too much. Too complicated for its own good. Filling Dame Agatha Christie's shoes is a hard task indeed and I felt the author tried too hard. On the other hand, I believe she could write detective fiction of her own. But taking a break from Nicholas Blake's wonderful detective series starring Nigel Strangeways, I found this one to be a bit too serious.
bioniclib's review against another edition
4.0
I must admit, I went in skeptically. I've been burned before by someone taking over the reigns of a great detective. Turns out my fears were unfounded.
What makes the great Hercule Poirot, well, great, is how rich a character he is. In this story, the narrator, Det. Catchpool, is the dunderhead that makes us, the reader, feel less dunderhead-ish because he's as lost as we are. Which is how Poirot can get away with calling people morons but not come across as a egotistical jerk.
This story centers around three people found dead in three hotel rooms with monogrammed cuff links in their mouths. Hence the title. I'll spare you the rehash of the plot and just tell you why Ms. Hannah was so successful.
Dame Christie's Poirot stories always focused on the clues. Unlike some mystery writers, she always presented the reader with pivotal clues right away. Oh, she withheld some in the name of plot twists for sure, but you had most of the clues up front. Next, she always had people tell their version of what happened and Poirot would get all Grammar Nazi on them and pick apart not just what they said but how and what words they used. Then there's the fact that this happens multiple times; false reveals if you will. After that, she had seemingly irrelevant comments or observations turn out to be what Poirot needed to solve the thing. Finally, she has Poirot have a grand ol' time revealing how everything was done, making everyone look stupid in the process, but not pulling anything out of a hat to get things to fall into place.
I'm pleased to inform you that Ms. Hannah does all of these things just as well. I don't think this plot reaches the lofty heights of The Murder of Rodger Ackryod or Murder of the Orient Express, but that's not an indictment on her skill, which is plentiful, but rather a proof of how great a writer Dame Christie could be. But I, for one, am pleased to see the late Christie's detective in such capable hands.
I would recommend this book to even folks that haven't read a Poirot book before. While not the same as Christie's works, it may be more accessible to newer readers. Each writer is a product of their times and that fact may make it tough for newbies to break into Christie's works right away. I can see this serving as a stepping stone to those.
What makes the great Hercule Poirot, well, great, is how rich a character he is. In this story, the narrator, Det. Catchpool, is the dunderhead that makes us, the reader, feel less dunderhead-ish because he's as lost as we are. Which is how Poirot can get away with calling people morons but not come across as a egotistical jerk.
This story centers around three people found dead in three hotel rooms with monogrammed cuff links in their mouths. Hence the title. I'll spare you the rehash of the plot and just tell you why Ms. Hannah was so successful.
Dame Christie's Poirot stories always focused on the clues. Unlike some mystery writers, she always presented the reader with pivotal clues right away. Oh, she withheld some in the name of plot twists for sure, but you had most of the clues up front. Next, she always had people tell their version of what happened and Poirot would get all Grammar Nazi on them and pick apart not just what they said but how and what words they used. Then there's the fact that this happens multiple times; false reveals if you will. After that, she had seemingly irrelevant comments or observations turn out to be what Poirot needed to solve the thing. Finally, she has Poirot have a grand ol' time revealing how everything was done, making everyone look stupid in the process, but not pulling anything out of a hat to get things to fall into place.
I'm pleased to inform you that Ms. Hannah does all of these things just as well. I don't think this plot reaches the lofty heights of The Murder of Rodger Ackryod or Murder of the Orient Express, but that's not an indictment on her skill, which is plentiful, but rather a proof of how great a writer Dame Christie could be. But I, for one, am pleased to see the late Christie's detective in such capable hands.
I would recommend this book to even folks that haven't read a Poirot book before. While not the same as Christie's works, it may be more accessible to newer readers. Each writer is a product of their times and that fact may make it tough for newbies to break into Christie's works right away. I can see this serving as a stepping stone to those.
brc29's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
4.25
jess_polishedcomma's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5