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genny'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I've long seen this touted as one of Agatha's best, and I can see why! I would never have guessed the ending, and yet it felt organic and earned, unlike the one in And Then There Were None (I still enjoyed that book, but wasn't a huge fan of the twist). Very clever. I'm already thinking back on all the clues I missed. Stop reading reviews because you might guess it too soon 😆
I listened to the audiobook voiced by Charles Armstrong, whose performance was just as good as the other Poirot narrators I've tried. Hearing Poirot's accent always puts a smile on my face. However, I plan to reread this via ebook because it's high time I admit that it's harder for me to follow Christie's mysteries via audio - there's always a big cast of characters, varying statements regarding locations and time stamps, etc., and the magic of it all coming together gets a little lost on me. Knowing what I know now, it'll be a different kind of fun to experience this story again :D
I listened to the audiobook voiced by Charles Armstrong, whose performance was just as good as the other Poirot narrators I've tried. Hearing Poirot's accent always puts a smile on my face. However, I plan to reread this via ebook because it's high time I admit that it's harder for me to follow Christie's mysteries via audio - there's always a big cast of characters, varying statements regarding locations and time stamps, etc., and the magic of it all coming together gets a little lost on me. Knowing what I know now, it'll be a different kind of fun to experience this story again :D
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Death
sarabookshelf's review against another edition
mysterious
4.25
A great mystery with an unexpected plot twist. I accidentaly spoiled the book for myself about half way through by flipping through the essay at the end of the book, but it was still a very enjoyable read and very interesting to see how it all folds out and to catch all the different hints the author drops.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Suicide and Addiction
violetaalseide's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse and Violence
crobert's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
sassylk's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What an exemplary study in the art of the first person narrative!
Unfortunately I did guess the murderer earlier than it was revealed. I guessed the twist when we as readers understood that Sheppard’s narration was merely an account that he had written for Poirot, rather than just a fictional narrator, but the shocking announcement was still a real surprise!
At some points the details got lost to me, and I found it hard to keep up with the multitude of characters and timings, but that is part of what Christie ultimately succeeds at - we as readers honestly will never catch up with Poirot in terms of his ability to see a case so clearly, and so all we can do is watch it unfurl before us (even if it is not the way we think it will unfurl).
What is first person narration, if ultimately always unreliable? Is it not supposed, when we read a novel set in first person, that some part of the truth will always be concealed by the limitations of human perspective?
Christie plays with these questions in an exceedingly clever way, and the use of communication devices (the telephone call, the dictaphone) adds to the idea that this novel is a cautionary tale about the art of communication, truth, and changing perspectives. Almost a masterpiece in detective literature!
At some points the details got lost to me, and I found it hard to keep up with the multitude of characters and timings, but that is part of what Christie ultimately succeeds at - we as readers honestly will never catch up with Poirot in terms of his ability to see a case so clearly, and so all we can do is watch it unfurl before us (even if it is not the way we think it will unfurl).
What is first person narration, if ultimately always unreliable? Is it not supposed, when we read a novel set in first person, that some part of the truth will always be concealed by the limitations of human perspective?
Christie plays with these questions in an exceedingly clever way, and the use of communication devices (the telephone call, the dictaphone) adds to the idea that this novel is a cautionary tale about the art of communication, truth, and changing perspectives. Almost a masterpiece in detective literature!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Suicide
jfield351's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.25
that was good. at first i suspected flora and blunt, and then slightly before the end i suspected the actual murderer, shepherd. i realised it was wierd that the book was written in first person when none of christie’s other books are. also, somewhere around page 230, poirot said something about all the suspects and shepherd was not one of them. that was interesting because i thought he would be an obvious suspect. i read this book because my mother guessed the ending when she was a child. i was on the verge of guessing it but didn’t. i did suspect him for a hot minute. also, the fact that the dictaphone read out the dead man’s voice was quite creepy! .
it’s not like her other murder books! wow
it’s not like her other murder books! wow
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
prettiestwhistles's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Classism, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Suicide, and Alcoholism
Minor: Addiction and Drug use
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’d never read this Agatha Christie book before and was really impressed at the complexity of the plot. Based on my memories of what I read in my youth, her books weren’t that complicated. Clearly I either didn’t read them well or thoroughly, or I just wasn’t remembering clearly.
Without giving details or spoilers I’ll only say Christie uses a great plot device in this story. I found it surprising and very satisfying as a result. As with all mysteries, everyone has something to hide, some far more unsavory than others.
Definitely recommended.
Without giving details or spoilers I’ll only say Christie uses a great plot device in this story. I found it surprising and very satisfying as a result. As with all mysteries, everyone has something to hide, some far more unsavory than others.
Definitely recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Classism, Medical content, Murder, Suicide, and Violence
jessthanthree's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Classism
snazzysie's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was the second Agatha Christie novel I had ever read, and I wasn't aware that Hercule Poirot has multiple stories based around his fictitious crime investigations before reading this particular one. I can see that he would be an interesting character to have as an inspector for these mystery novels, but having no prior knowledge of this going into this book, I immediately fell into step with Dr. Sheppard's narration, and the suspenseful, yet comfortable setting of the story. *Spoiler* >> Although arguably the main character, as Poirot later pointed out Sheppard didn't put a lot of his own personality into his writing, which did make him suspicious, but I never truly pieced together that he was the murderer until it was revealed. This being said, not that I had been expecting something obvious, but throughout the story, Sheppard and Poirot are theorizing and inspecting the evidence, and it feels as if the reader is part of the investigation. So to be completely blindsided at the end as we realise we have been observing the events through the eyes of the culprit, while perhaps a good twist, was a little disappointing. Also, I was kind of frustrated that Poirot seemed to know everything but never revealed it, making the book feel slow-paced and like every clue was a dead-end. I did enjoy the light-hearted banter of Caroline, and all in all, I give this book 3 stars.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder