Closed Casket: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery

The New Hercule Poirot Mystery

By: Sophie Hannah

Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hercule Poirot returns in another brilliant murder mystery that can be solved only by the eponymous Belgian detective and his 'little grey cells'.

'What I intend to say to you will come as a shock....'

Lady Athelinda Playford has planned a house party at her mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork, but it is no ordinary gathering. As guests arrive, Lady Playford summons her lawyer to make an urgent change to her will - one she intends to announce at dinner that night. She has decided to cut off her two children without a penny and leave her fortune to someone who has only weeks to live....

Among Lady Playford's guests are two men she has never met - the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited...until Poirot starts to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murderer to strike. But why does she seem so determined to provoke in the presence of a possible killer?

When the crime is committed in spite of Poirot's best efforts to stop it, and the victim is not who he expected it to be, will he be able to find the culprit and solve the mystery?

Following the phenomenal global success of The Monogram Murders, which was published to critical acclaim following a coordinated international launch in September 2014, international best-selling crime writer Sophie Hannah has been commissioned by Agatha Christie Limited to pen a second fully authorised Poirot novel. The new audiobook marks the centenary of the creation of Christie's world-famous detective, Hercule Poirot, introduced in her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

©2016 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Certainly not Agatha

A cute story but Poirot didn't behave like Poirot, the detective and police are ridiculously thick, and the killer was obvious from the first... I might have thought better of it if the author had used her own characters. As it is i feel using Poirot is just an attention grab... nothing to do with Agatha Christie's genius

Agatha Christie must be spinning in her grave

This new Poirot story is such a painful story I would strongly recommend not getting it. There is so much 'soul searching' and wringing of hands that I cannot find anything about this story to associate it with Agatha Christie.

Long winded monologue

Far too much explanation and not enough mystery also the use of “me” as opposed to “I “ or “one” just seemed to drag the quality down too much for a period drama. Respect where it’s due, A tough choice to follow on from Agatha Christie, nevertheless I found myself skipping forward to get through the monologue.

Ridiculous plot, badly in need of editing

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

Don't know, the plot is ludicrous and the story is endlessly repetitive.

What was most disappointing about Sophie Hannah’s story?

The plot. Some of the characterisation is good but they run over the same points again and again ad nauseum. The only thing that makes this a worthwhile purchase is Julian Rhind - Tutt's performance.

What about Julian Rhind-Tutt’s performance did you like?

Everything. His voices and accents are clearly distinguishable and give you an insight into the individuals character and are very appropriate to the story setting.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Intense disappointment, as a Christie fan I think this book is a travesty.

Any additional comments?

One and a quarter hours to reveal the denouement which could have comfortably been completed in 20 minutes.

Not as good The Monogram Murders

In some respects I loved this novel. The narration was superb, the character development wonderful and the 'feel' of the setting, time and Poirotness of the book were so right! It felt ( in so many respects) like something Agatha Christie could have written, expect she hasn't, and if you scratch the surface of this novel, it is obvious that Dame Agatha's fabulous talent is most definitely lacking. The plot was downright silly, the motive weak and frankly laughable. That I could forgive, to be honest, as Agatha Christie plots can stretch motive thinly too, however Agatha's novels are always robust and solid. However, unlike the original Christie masterpieces, the storyline for 'Closed Casket' is full of so many holes it is fragile and quite unstable. It really felt was if it had been painted using broad brush strokes only with little attention to fine detail evident. Agatha's books was solid and robust and always held up to intense scrutinisation, the same can't be said for this poor imitation.

Good but not Christie

Although I enjoyed it, there was too much detail and I kept thinking oh do hurry up. It took a while to get used to the fact that poirot was really not the main character, however I can see why as otherwise it would try to be a copy of Christies which is impossible. If this idea is to repeated cut down the description and padding out. Poirot's books were so good because they were the right length and you could still imagine all the characters

Story dragged on way too long

I felt like I kept hearing that same bit of the story again and again.

Love Poirot, love Julian Rt as the narrator.

The story could have ended much sooner, bit of mission to get to the end.

A mysterious offer of styles

The narration is excellent - I occasionally found Julian Rhind-Tutt's Poirot a little uncomfortable to listen to when despairing of 'Catchpool' in the last offering. Here he is just that little bit more settled into the character and he distinguishes the other characters from each other with admirable success.

I was intrigued by the mystery, finding myself enjoying the story for most of its length and I was looking forward to the solution which I could not guess at. The style here worked rather well except for the lack of Hastings. Catchpool serves his function in the story but somehow does not manage that likeability of Poirot's original foil. The last quarter takes a bit of a dip, however. Though more successful than 'The Monogram Murders' this story suffers from a similarly drawn out and exasperating denouement. The ending would have benefitted immensely from a bit of pruning - losing the tiresomely detailed catalogue of every wrinkle of the killer's psychology. The major mechanics of the murder are interesting and feel quite faithful in style but there is a truly infuriating moving of goalposts that Christie would surely have felt was just not Cricket. Another minor mystery is also a disappointment and could be excised from the story without losing anything - the reasoning behind its resolution still feeling tenuous even though a character has evidently been given a quirk for the sole purpose of justifying the title.

An enjoyable piece but one that outstays its welcome. That definitely was not Christie's style.

Poor!

Long drawn out and boring. Hardly surprising as no one can write like Agatha Christie.

So dull!

This book is not an Agatha Christie - that’s for certain! I usually like long books, but this one went on and on with endless detail nobody cared about. The murderer was rather obvious, but the plot itself was downright peculiar and it took oh so long for Poirot to finally solve the case. Not that I can really blame him with how peculiar the motive(s) turned out to be. Most of all though it completely failed to conjure up that charming old England atmosphere. It was just a run-of-the-mill murder mystery and not a good one at that.

Boring and flat, not a patch on Agatha Christie

What a long winded and tortuous way to get to a denouement. The characters are one-dimensional and there is so much repetition and unnecessary padding. Julian Rhind-Tutt does great job with the characterisation, even his delivery cannot save this turkey.

very poor poirot

struggled to finish, did not enjoy the narrators voice. storyline was very poor and dull

very disappointed by stereotypical characters.

I was disappointed by the stereotypical depiction of many of the Irish characters. Very odd really, in this day and age.