A Book Review

Hmm, been busy and tired for the past few weeks but didn't think it's been as long as it has been since I last posted. Sorry about that.

A few weeks ago I got an email from Chapters/Indigo Books about a new Hercule Poirot mystery. Now since Agatha Christie is dead and has been for several years, I was surprised to get this notification. But, apparently the estate of Ms. Christie was approached about a new novel and after considerable discussion, approved the request.

Naturally, every Poirot fan out there was excited and worried about a new novel. How good is this author at recreating Christie's style? How well does she know Poirot? Too many times, authors have tried to write about characters and worlds that are not their own and have done bad, no horrible works which have destroyed some or all of the pleasure people got from that world and characters.

The reviews looked good, perhaps too good. I don't usually pay attention to reviews as I like to judge myself but in this case I wanted to see what other people were saying. Unfortunately, I have no idea who most of these reviewers are so I don't know how well their opinions and mine would mesh. However, I was willing to take the chance.

The BBC has adapted all the novels written by Christie about Poirot and they have been performed fabulously by David Suchet, who, without any doubt, has faithfully captured the essence of Poirot. It is him that I picture when I read a Poirot mystery. I might quibble with some of the adaptations not being entirely true to the novels (Murder on the Orient Express in particular) but never with Mr. Suchet's performance of Poirot.

So, with that in mind, I opened the book and started reading.

The author, Sophie Hannah, has done an excellent thing - she has introduced a character never before heard about to be the main narrator of the story but she does do some scenes from Poirot's viewpoint. Christie did the same in many of her stories, telling most of it from Hastings' viewpoint but with the occasional scenes from Poirot's viewpoint. Hannah brings in an Scotland Yard Inspector, younger than Poirot but with some experience under him. Like Hastings, Catchpool is stereotypical British and many of Poirot's habits are annoying to him. And like Hastings, he says things that help Poirot solve the case.

There were a few times when I felt that the story tripped me up. When I read, I like an author who can make me feel like I'm gliding through the story, catching me up into it and taking me along until the end. When something doesn't fit right, when the writing is off, it's like stubbing a toe or hitting a bump. There were a few places when I thought "That isn't precisely how Poirot would act or what he would say" but very few places were like that. Less than five anyway. And they were all in the first three chapters. Like Christie, Hannah kept her chapters short.

Overall, I was pleased with the book. If anything, it was too short. I want more Poirot. But the story was the right length, not dragged out and not compressed. Poirot was there, even if there were a few times when he seemed to fade a bit into the background rather than stand forth. Catchpool is a character with obvious flaws, one of which played an important part and perhaps was too prevalent. But he is a likable character and has the potential to become as much a favourite supporting character as Hastings or Japp.

If she writes more Poirot mysteries, I will certainly be trying to get my hands on them. I give her a 9.75 out of 10. Aside from the little hiccups in her writing, I had figured out who was involved and most of how it was done between the halfway and three-quarters marks. Some of it from the very beginning. With Christie, it usually took me almost three-quarters of the book to figure out most of who did it and how and rarely was I certain of any of my reasoning before I was two-thirds of the way through. Still, there was one surprise in it. So, overall, I am happy with the book.

If you are a Poirot fan, get the book. If you like mysteries and have never read Christie's Poirot, start reading them.