Hercule Poirot's Silent Night is the fifth novel in the Agatha Christie New Hercule Poirot Mysteries written by Sophie Hannah. Come see why Sophia Rose enjoyed this cozy mystery....
Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night is the fifth novel in the Agatha Christie New Hercule Poirot Mysteries written by Sophie Hannah. Come see why Sophia Rose enjoyed this cozy mystery….
by Sophie Hannah
Series: New Hercule Poirot Mysteries #5
Genres: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
The world’s greatest detective, Hercule Poirot – legendary star of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice – puts his little grey cells to work solving a baffling Christmas mystery.
CAN HERCULE POIROT SOLVE A BAFFLING MURDER MYSTERY IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS?
It’s 19 December 1931. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are called to investigate the murder of a man in the apparent safe haven of a Norfolk hospital ward. Catchpool’s mother, the irrepressible Cynthia, insists that Poirot stays in a crumbling mansion by the coast, so that they can all be together for the festive period while Poirot solves the case. Cynthia’s friend Arnold is soon to be admitted to that same hospital and his wife is convinced he will be the killer’s next victim, though she refuses to explain why.
Poirot has less than a week to solve the crime and prevent more murders, if he is to escape from this nightmare scenario and get home in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, someone else – someone utterly ruthless – also has ideas about what ought to happen to Hercule Poirot . . .
Sophia Rose’s Review
A Christmas spent in a cozy flat with a brilliant, intelligent friend for good food and stimulating conversation was the height of his Christmas holiday until an irrepressible woman burst in and demanded they come and solve a mystery that was baffling local police.
For a few years now, I’ve been aware of the New Hercule Poirot Mysteries and I’ve wanted to try them since I love Agatha Christie’s eccentric Belgium detective. When I spotted the latest installment among this year’s Christmas offerings, I decided it was time to visit the series. Thankfully, Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night is standalone though it’s the fifth book in the series.
I enjoyed being introduced to Hercule Poirot’s new companion, Scotland Yard Inspector Catchpool who also happens to chronicle the cases they have worked on together. The holiday case comes to them via Catchpool’s annoying force of nature of a mother. He has told her ‘no’ about coming to visit her friends for the holidays so she ends around him and presents the local murder case to Poirot and demands he help solve it because it affects her dear friend and her eccentric household.
I was wary of this new iteration of Poirot, but it wasn’t long before I was comfortable with Sophie Hannah’s careful creation of the character and Catchpool. Then, when Cynthia Catchpool crashed into the story, I was amused and irritated by her in equal measure, but she definitely livened things up.
For the next several chapters, there was the intro to the cast of characters, the murder case, and the setting of the town and the estate by the sea. The characters were all fascinating people and the interactions had me eying them all suspiciously as Poirot and Catchpool interviewed and observed with plans to get the case solved and leave for London by Christmas. Silly men, I can see Cynthia tsking them with her playful finger.
The mystery had me curious, but I confess that I was more into getting to know the new Poirot and seeing him compare favorably with Christie’s original. Also, the amusing way Catchpool is not as quick on the uptake as Poirot and gets put to work while still in the dark by Poirot. Their friendship is fun.
In summary, this was a delightful holiday cozy historical mystery. I’ll be going back to see Poirot and Catchpool’s first meeting and case and getting the whole series though I was glad this worked great as a standalone and recommend you stuff your stocking with this Christmas goodie.
Are you looking for a delightful cozy holiday historical mystery? Check out Sophia Rose's review of Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah #bookreview
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About Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction, published in 27 countries. In 2013, her latest novel, The Carrier, won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Two of Sophie’s crime novels, The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives, have been adapted for television and appeared on ITV1 under the series title Case Sensitive in 2011 and 2012. In 2004, Sophie won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her suspense story The Octopus Nest, which is now published in her first collection of short stories, The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets.
About Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.