A review by andreareadsalot
Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie

5.0

I loved this twisty murder mystery! It kept me guessing until the very end.

Plot: 4.75/5. When the millionaire Gordon Cloade unexpectedly dies with no will, his money is left in full to his young widow Rosaleen. No longer under the financial protection of Gordon, the rest of his family is struggling to adjust. Who will be the first to crack under the pressure of financial strain? This Hercule Poirot mystery (like all Poirot mysteries) can be read as a stand-alone without reading any of the others. I really enjoyed the setup and the twist at the end.

Pacing: 4.5/5. This book is in two parts. It is a mix of character driven and plot driven narrative. Hercule Poirot really enters at part two and part one is setting up motive. The older style of English takes some adjusting. I would say it is medium to fast paced.

Character Development: 4/5. There are some quirky characters and strong motives. I very much enjoyed the uniqueness of the Cloade family and trying to figure out who the murderer was.

I’ve seen some 1-2 star reviews because of the final chapter of part 2. While it was not my favorite, I actually felt it was true to the character and do not feel it negates the rest of this amazing murder mystery.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 but rounded up to 5 stars.

Mood: murder, mystery, twisty,

TW: death, violence. suicide, substance use (drugs and alcohol)