This is not only the first book featuring the great detective Hercule Poirot, it's Agatha Christie's debut novel. It's full of all the elements you would expect from a Poirot mystery: a seemingly unsolvable crime, lots of suspects, some red herrings, and a solution that eventually makes sense. Plus, we get to see Poirot and Hastings become friends, which is so fun!
Is this my favorite Poirot mystery? Don't think so, but it doesn't have to be. I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm glad I've finally read it!
Particularly Good Bits:
"You gave too much rein to your imagination. Imagination is a good servant, and a bad mater. The simplest explanation is always the most likely" (p. 84).
If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: PG for murder and the tiniest bit of strong language.
This is my second book read and reviewed for my fifth Classics Club list.
It's not my favorite either, but I still like it; a straightforward mystery with enough red herrings to be interesting.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I imagine Christie (or any other crime writers) must have been pondering while writing: should I make the murderer an obvious one this time?, or should it be the most improbable one?
That's always my question when reading a mystery, anyway... :P