The mystery of three quarters

the new Hercule Poirot mystery

No cover

Sophie Hannah: The mystery of three quarters (2018)

344 pages

English language

Published Dec. 14, 2018

ISBN:
978-0-06-279234-1
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OCLC Number:
1013592598

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3 stars (1 review)

"The world's most beloved detective, Hercule Poirot--the legendary star of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and most recently The Monogram Murders and Closed Casket--returns in a stylish, diabolically clever mystery set in the London of 1930. "We Agatha Christie fans read her stories--and particularly her Poirot novels--because the mysteries are invariably equal parts charming and ingenious, dark and quirky and utterly engaging. Sophie Hannah had a massive challenge in reviving the beloved Poirot, and she met it with heart and no small amount of little grey cells. I was thrilled to see the Belgian detective in such very, very good hands. Reading The Monogram Murders was like returning to a favorite room of a long-lost home."--Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, Hercule Poirot returns home afteran agreeable luncheon to find an angry woman waiting to berate himoutside his front door. Her name is Sylvia Rule, and shedemands to …

1 edition

reviewed The mystery of three quarters by Sophie Hannah (Hercule poirot mysteries)

Review of 'The mystery of three quarters' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I liked that this story had a different structure to the previous two Hercule Poirot novels Sophie Hannah has written, the premise was clever, as was the ultimate reveal at the end, but I again felt like puzzle was needlessly complicated. I had hoped that once the author settled into a rhythm of writing Poirot, and stopped trying to prove her worth as a whodunit crafts-person, the mysteries might relax into something more believable, but I found myself distracted from the cleverness of the solution by how unlikely all the individual elements are.

Some of the characters are well developed though I did find the children unbelievable, they were far too grown up. The post-reveal conclusion was somewhat rushed and unsatisfying. Catchpool feels a bit toned down in his objections and annoyance, but he's still not an immensely likeable character.

I'll read more of these books as they are released, …

Subjects

  • Nineteen thirties
  • Private investigators
  • Fiction

Places

  • Belgium
  • London (England)