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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Pleasantly surprised by how fun and breezy this book was. It was fairly obvious who the murderer was, and even why, but Poirot's hunt (and the few times he seems to be momentarily flustered) was very fun.
I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. The who-done-it was clever enough although I think I've kinda come to expect something like this after reading so many Christie novels. And after reading Lord Edgware Dies not too long ago, the solutions are similar. Otherwise, I might have given it a four star rating. Always find Christie's book enjoyable. Great when I just want an easy light read or when I'm in-between other books.
It was a great whodunit, terrific misdirection yet, as usual, all the relevant clues were there for the astute (not me) reader!
Another classic Poirot novel from Agatha Christie. However, this has a twist - the murder has yet to happen. It's interesting to see how Poirot and the murderer engage in a game of cat and mouse, each trying to outwit the other. And a good example of the classic deduction that marks Christie's deep understanding of the criminal mind and proceedings.
Agatha Christie is never a disappointment.. She can create mystery out of anything and this book is a testament to that.
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:
Complicated
For once, I actually had a correct hunch. Not all the minutiae of how and why, but I suspected correctly. That never happens and I just tore through this book. Loved it.
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:
Complicated
This was another typical Hercule Poirot mystery. This new woman has Hercule Poirot in a tizzy. There's someone out to kill her and things aren't adding up. Poirot can't find all the pieces and it's throwing him for a loop. Of course Hastings is even more lost than Poirot, but he's as always a sounding board for the great detective. Nick Buckly seems to be stuck in the middle of some bad trouble with one of her closest friends being the biggest suspects.
I liked this story. I wasn't overly surprised by the ending, I had started to suspect things being a little too muddled and convenient. Watching Poirot figure it all out was a lot of fun though.
I liked this story. I wasn't overly surprised by the ending, I had started to suspect things being a little too muddled and convenient. Watching Poirot figure it all out was a lot of fun though.
This was a fairly enjoyable Poirot installment, with an interesting play on the typical formula. Poirot and Hastings start out on holiday, with nothing to induce Poirot (per his own proclamation) into taking on a new case aside from a bullet whizzing past his head. Of course, that very thing nearly happens, but instead of the egg-shaped head, the aforementioned bullet forces a hole through the hat of the charmingly modern young lady introduced as Nick Buckly. Missing her noggin, but doing just as was proposed, Poirot and Hastings endeavor to take on a murder case before the murder has been committed.
Nick and her titular estate, End House, hold their own as main features in this cozy mystery...right up until the very end. Christie has Poirot at a disadvantage here, with a lot of kindling but very little fuel to get his grey cells into high gear. That is, until an actual murder takes place—Nick's own cousin, Maggie. However, the murderer has apparently missed his mark with Nick as the intended target. So, full-speed ahead goes Poirot.
The characterizations were a little wobbly, but the majority of the cast of players were fairly filled out. Some notable exceptions were Nick's crowd—her would-be boyfriend, George Challenger, her best friend, Freddie Rice, and Jim Lazarus, an art dealer in love with Freddie. These three are lacking in some development for no apparent reason.
There was the occasional blatant sexist remark and the stereotypical Jewish comments about Lazarus, and I honestly don't know if we have to just chalk that up to the era in which it was written or if it was meant to be a reflection on that very era because the comments all came in the form of dialogue. So the possibility that it was simply meant to be part of a character's personality and personal prejudices (including Hastings, Japp, and Poirot) is hanging out there for me like bait.
For the most part though, this was a typically entertaining Poirot mystery. On to the next.
Nick and her titular estate, End House, hold their own as main features in this cozy mystery...right up until the very end. Christie has Poirot at a disadvantage here, with a lot of kindling but very little fuel to get his grey cells into high gear. That is, until an actual murder takes place—Nick's own cousin, Maggie. However, the murderer has apparently missed his mark with Nick as the intended target. So, full-speed ahead goes Poirot.
The characterizations were a little wobbly, but the majority of the cast of players were fairly filled out. Some notable exceptions were Nick's crowd—her would-be boyfriend, George Challenger, her best friend, Freddie Rice, and Jim Lazarus, an art dealer in love with Freddie. These three are lacking in some development for no apparent reason.
There was the occasional blatant sexist remark and the stereotypical Jewish comments about Lazarus, and I honestly don't know if we have to just chalk that up to the era in which it was written or if it was meant to be a reflection on that very era because the comments all came in the form of dialogue. So the possibility that it was simply meant to be part of a character's personality and personal prejudices (including Hastings, Japp, and Poirot) is hanging out there for me like bait.
For the most part though, this was a typically entertaining Poirot mystery. On to the next.