Lord Edgeware Dies by Agatha Christie

6^th February 2023.

Poirot is called upon to unravel another complex murder, where the prime suspect has publicly talked of killing her husband. Yet she was in a different place when he was murdered. As Poirot and Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard investigate the murder, all is not as it seems.

With contradicting evidence, questions that Poirot struggles to answer, and a long list of suspects, this is a story that continues to confound until the detective finally makes sense of all the disparate clues.

Narrated by Captain Hastings, who is once again patronised and made fun of by his Belgian friend, it’s a cleverly plotted story with several twists within twists, showing why Agatha Christie is a master of her art. We watch Poirot go from confidence to despair as he struggles to make sense of the case. Japp seems to have it all sorted, but still defers to the detective.

At times, there seemed to be so many suspects, I lost track of a who some of them were, only to be reminded by the author. The detail, as you would expect, is complex and compelling. The characters are well drawn and there is plenty of social commentary thrown in to add touches of humour and irony. The denouement, as always ties up every loose end with consummate ease.

Agatha Christie never fails to confound and entertain with an amazing breadth of ideas and plots that were ground breaking at the time they were written. This story is a must for fans of Poirot and anyone who enjoys an intricate murder mystery with plenty of twists and surprises.

Description

Poirot had been present when Jane bragged of her plan to ‘get rid of’ her estranged husband. Now the monstrous man was dead. And yet the great Belgian detective couldn’t help feeling that he was being taken for a ride.

After all, how could Jane have stabbed Lord Edgware to death in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? And what could be her motive now that the aristocrat had finally granted her a divorce?