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tchoupie42's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
loz1327's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? No
3.75
dnandrews797's review
3.0
Short stories are my favourite format for mysteries and I especially enjoyed the variety and plot twists found in these. Poirot continues to be my favourite little Frenchman and solves everything with such ease and sophistication I can’t help but admire him.
kattila's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
crhurlbert's review
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.5
bunnybookslife's review
DNF @ 50 % ish?
I just can't stay focused on this one. Not totally sure why. :/
I just can't stay focused on this one. Not totally sure why. :/
eesh25's review
3.0
3.5 Stars
I put this book on hold less than two weeks ago because I thought I wouldn't want to continue it anytime soon. Then suddenly I did, and I finished the second half in one evening.
This was an interesting but okay read. It's a collection of short stories, all told by Hastings, of cases Poirot has solved. My edition of the book had 14 stories, though I know some have 11. I liked all of them, though some were more interesting than others. Of the ones I read recently, I remember really liking The Case of the Missing Will and The Chocolate Box.
Most of the stories are a bit formulaic. And I don't have an issue with formulaic things (one of my favourite shows is Phineas and Ferb), but this wasn't a formula I loved. So many of these mysteries ended with the culprit being arrested because they'd already been wanted for a previous crime.
One good thing the book accomplished was making me warm up to Hastings. I've never disliked Poirot's sidekick though he can be too oblivious. But his genuine fondness and patience toward Poirot are... nice? Poirot can be a conceited ass, and anyone having to deal with his remarks regularly (his "use your grey cells!" is so annoying) deserves some sympathy.
Overall, this was a decent read. I don't think you'd be missing much if you skipped it, but if you're in the mood for a short story, this is a good book to try.
I put this book on hold less than two weeks ago because I thought I wouldn't want to continue it anytime soon. Then suddenly I did, and I finished the second half in one evening.
This was an interesting but okay read. It's a collection of short stories, all told by Hastings, of cases Poirot has solved. My edition of the book had 14 stories, though I know some have 11. I liked all of them, though some were more interesting than others. Of the ones I read recently, I remember really liking The Case of the Missing Will and The Chocolate Box.
Most of the stories are a bit formulaic. And I don't have an issue with formulaic things (one of my favourite shows is Phineas and Ferb), but this wasn't a formula I loved. So many of these mysteries ended with the culprit being arrested because they'd already been wanted for a previous crime.
One good thing the book accomplished was making me warm up to Hastings. I've never disliked Poirot's sidekick though he can be too oblivious. But his genuine fondness and patience toward Poirot are... nice? Poirot can be a conceited ass, and anyone having to deal with his remarks regularly (his "use your grey cells!" is so annoying) deserves some sympathy.
Overall, this was a decent read. I don't think you'd be missing much if you skipped it, but if you're in the mood for a short story, this is a good book to try.