The Hollow

A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Hugh Fraser

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

A far-from-warm welcome greets Hercule Poirot as he arrives for lunch at Lucy Angkatell's country house. A man lies dying by the swimming pool, his blood dripping into the water. His wife stands over him, holding a revolver.

As Poirot investigates, he begins to realize that beneath the respectable surface lies a tangle of family secrets and everyone becomes a suspect.

This title was previously published as Murder After Hours.

©1946 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2002 HarperCollins Publishers

Not much mystery for a Poirot mystery

Not my favorite Poirot book... Poirot was barely in it! And it was more about the oddities of the characters than the crime. But still very well-written and enjoyable. I loved how it tied together at the end. I will always give Christie's books 5 stars

Interesting characters; not enough Poirot

Some very memorable characters (Henrietta, Lucy) but there wasn't much detective work for HP to do. This Christie entry was more about interpersonal relationships than a well-plotted mystery.

Deeper characters in The Hollow

This really stood out for me as a different type of Christie mystery, and a very different Poirot mystery. This is probably not for fans of Poirot, because he is really just barely involved in the story or the mystery, and, if fact, the author once said she was sorry she even put him in this story at all. But I loved it. The characters were deeper and more complex, and the story line seemed to take precedence over the mystery, if that makes any sense.

One of my two favorite Christie’s

The Hollow and The Pale Horse are my two favorites by Agatha Christie. Admittedly, The Hollow is not the usual Poirot story. But it is the depth of the characterizations — especially Henrietta, Midge and Lucy — that makes the story so appealing to me. More than once I have finished the book in tears — the only mystery that has ever had that affect on me!
Hugh Fraser is splendid as usual as the narrator!

My Favorite Poirot Novel

What made the experience of listening to The Hollow the most enjoyable?

Hugh Fraser's expert narration makes this a most enjoyable listen. He reads well and does the voice of Poirot very well.

What did you like best about this story?

That Agatha Christie had fun with Poirot's characer. In this novel, you get to see the amusing side to Poirot while solving a mystery.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I think that first and foremost, Christie wrote to entertain. So her writing style and plots vary.

One of my favorite Poirots!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. Hugh Fraser is so talented, the story is good, and the mystery surprising. Loved it!

Wowsuhs

Holy smokes where did that come from, Agatha? Even though she herself agrees with critics that Poroit was unnecessary, I didn't mind him at all. And just...woo. I loved the whole thing. This definitely wouldn't have been possible early on in Christie's career. Well worth listening to if you're interested in humans.

Favorite!

this is my favorite Agatha Christie book, audio or print. The characters are real and the narration is fantastic. The ending is hopeful. I always enjoy this book, again and again.

My Favorite Agatha Christie

If you could sum up The Hollow in three words, what would they be?

An excellent mystery

Who was your favorite character and why?

Henrietta is such an interesting character, it is intriguing to see what she will do next.

What does Hugh Fraser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Hugh Fraser's narration is one of the best parts to me. I find his voice very comforting and easy to listen to. As a part of the Poirot show for so long and as a narrator of so many of the books, I think he brings a special understanding of Poirot to his narration.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I have easily listened to most of this book at once, it is one that I have listened to many times.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend for any cozy mystery fan.

Agatha Christie triumph

Darker, serious, excellently psychological. Fascinating Christie, possibly introspective. Brilliant author, well performed story. Don’t miss it!