These cozy mysteries, written by Sophie Hannah, emulate the style of Agatha Christie. In this 5th book in the 'New Hercule Poirot Mysteries', Poirot travels to Norfolk to investigate a murder. The story is narrated by Scotland Yard Inspector Edward Catchpool (in the style of Poirot's former sidekick Captain Hastings).
*****
The book opens a few days before Christmas in 1931. Poirot and Catchpool are in Poirot's apartment, debating the merits of turkey versus duck for their upcomig holiday dinner.
The discussion is interrupted by the arrival of Catchpool's mother, Cynthia Catchpool, a bossy woman Edward avoids like the plague.
Edward is prepared to say NO to whatever his mother wants, but it's not to be, and before long Poirot, Catchpool, and Cynthia are on a train to Frellingsloe House (Frelly House) in Norfolk. The reason: Poirot's been asked to solve a murder.
Cynthia Catchpool explains that she's been visiting her friends Vivienne and Arnold Laurier at Frelly House, perhaps for the last time. For one thing, Arnold is sick and dying; for another thing, the coast around Frelly House is eroding, and the building will eventually fall into the sea.
Terminally ill Arnold Laurier is scheduled to enter St. Walstan's Cottage Hospital in Norfolk right after Christmas, for nursing care during his final months.
When the Laurier family - including Arnold's wife Vivienne, their two sons, and the sons' spouses - go to St. Walstan's to check out Arnold's future room, a patient named Stanley Niven is killed in the same ward, conked on the head with a vase.
Inspector Mackle, who's in charge of investigating Niven's murder, is an incompetent nincompoop, and clearly can't solve the crime. (I laughed every time Mackle calls our hero Mr. Prarrow. LOL)
Vivienne Laurier is desperately worried, certain her husband Arnold will be murdered when he goes to St. Walstans. Thus, Poirot has been recruited to discover Niven's murderer before Christmas.
As is typical in golden age mysteries, there's a large cast of characters, including: the extended Laurier family; Enid and Terence Surtrees - relatives who work as the cook and gardener at Frelly House; the visitor Cynthia Catchpool; Dr. Robert Osgood - Arnold's physician; Felix Rawcliffe - the curate; and several nurses and doctors at St. Walstan's.
Poirot investigates in his usual fashion, by looking around; interviewing people; asking Catchpool to do various errands; and using his little grey cells. A second murder occurs, which points Poirot in the right direction, and - at the book's climax - Poirot gather everyone in the drawing room to reveal the killer.
Most armchair detectives will be out of luck solving the mystery, because the clues - though present - are very obscure. The story is also repetitive and slow. For me, Sophie Hannah just doesn't have Agatha Christie's flair.
Still, for readers craving a Hercule Poirot story, this novel might hit the spot.
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