The Monogram Murders: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery (A New Hercule Poirot Mystery)

The New Hercule Poirot Mystery

De: Sophie Hannah, Agatha Christie

Narrado por: Julian Rhind-Tutt

The new Hercule Poirot novel – another brilliant murder mystery that can only be solved by the eponymous Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’.

Since the publication of her first book in 1920, Agatha Christie wrote 33 novels, two plays and more than 50 short stories featuring Hercule Poirot. Now, for the first time ever, the guardians of her legacy have approved a brand new novel featuring Dame Agatha's most beloved creation.

Hercule Poirot's quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified, but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.

Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at the fashionable Bloxham Hotel have been murdered, a cufflink placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…

In the hands of internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah, Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London – a diabolically clever puzzle that can only be solved by the talented Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Hannah gets it right in every particular – her extraordinary feat is to make the reader forget very quickly that the novel is not, in fact, written by Dame Agatha herself.”—The Times

“Poirot purists will be in seventh heaven.”—Daily Telegraph

“Within the first few pages of The Monogram Murders it is obvious that we are in safe hands. Sophie Hannah has written a novel that would have delighted the Queen of Crime.”—The Independent

“A brilliant new murder mystery which picks up where the grande dame of crime left off”—Mail on Sunday

“Both faithful to the character and an entirely worthy addition to the canon. The plot is as tricky as anything written by Agatha Christie. Nothing is obvious or predictable in this very difficult Sudoku of a novel. The Monogram Murders has a life and freshness of its own. Poirot is still Poirot. Poirot is back.”— Alexander McCall Smith in The New York Times

“Sophie Hannah had large boots to fill… Nevertheless, she manages it with considerable wit, charm and ingenuity.”—Sunday Express

“Equal parts charming and ingenious, dark and quirky and utterly engaging … I was thrilled to see Poirot in such very, very good hands. Reading The Monogram Murders was like returning to a favourite room of a long-lost home.”—Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl

“Perfect … a pure treat for Agatha Christie fans.”—Tana French, author of The Secret Place

“Sophie Hannah’s The Monogram Murders does Christie proud. Our favourite detective is back and in impeccable form!”—Charles Todd

“Sophie Hannah is a prodigious talent. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”—Laura Lippman

Love this author

In the second book of this new Hercule Poirot series, Inspector Edward Catchpool said that he had been rather frustrated that detective Poirot had been given the credit for a previous case that he had worked on with him. Whether this was the case he was talking about or not I can’t call. But I can understand when you haven’t gotten to know the detective how he could be a little frustrating. When someone understands their own mind and their own brilliance, one sometimes doesn’t comprehend other peoples way of thinking. Because the detective understands things quicker, he in a way looks down upon inspector Catchpool without meaning to do so. He thinks he’s helping him to become a better inspector by trying to teach him his ways of thinking. I think the detective is an acquired taste, but I could see us being very good friends. This book led you on such an interesting journey. One of intrigue and a little bit of chaos. The other characters in this book seemed to be very dramatic. From the hotel staff to the suspects. But I did not at all see that ending coming. And after reading many of detective Poirot stories I keep on looking at the small things, but only once he explains why the small things matter do I finally understand. The brilliant mind of the detective cannot be replicated and that’s why I enjoy these stories so much.

Channelling Agatha

What made the experience of listening to The Monogram Murders the most enjoyable?

The story. I think that Ms Hannah has captured the essence of Agatha Christie's story telling style. There is a lot of reliance on dialogue to move the plot along, always interspersed with Poirot's egomanic claims that HIS little grey cells are superior to his offsider's!

The only 2 comments that I make about the book, is the setting is not a classical Christie setting - elite hotel, aristocratic home or simple English country village. (Indeed the village in this story bears more relation to Midwich that St Mary Mead!) The other comment is that the writing is a bit more detailed than I am used to with Agatha Christie, making the story a bit too long.

However, neither of these was a significant barrier to my enjoyment of the book. I congratulate Sophie Hannah on an excellent replication of a Hercule Poirot tale, and await her foray into Miss Marple's world.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Not on the edge of my seat, any more than one of Agatha Christie's stories did. What it did do well was to get me to exercise my little grey cells. I thoroughly enjoyed the many and varied red herrings as they trailed across the story.

Have you listened to any of Julian Rhind-Tutt’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't heard Julian Rhind-Tutt previously, and I thought that his personification of Poirot was especially good. I liked his voice and the pace at which he read.

One problem that I did have was that he varied the volume of his voice rather too much, and that even with earphones that sit inside my ear, there were times when I had to turn the volume of my iPod very high (if I had time) and then, when using hie regular voice, it was much too loud.

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

No extreme reaction - a quiet delight that there is someone who can write a good copy of Agatha Christie's style.

Any additional comments?

If you are a Christie afficionado - read it. If you have never read Christie - read it, but then read some Christie afterwards

Over complicated narrative quite unlike Agatha Christie

Although the story was well read it was far too long , unnecessarily complicated & with too many peripheral characters.
The premise of the story was good, a locked room mystery , resulting from events in the past , but the manner of solving the murders was too wordy with too many needless red herrings & diversions.
The presence of the Scotland Yard detective was completely irrelevant & unnecessary, he added nothing to the story, in fact, confused the issue.
The same is true of the hotel owner, the waiter, the junior clerk & the waitresses.
Having finished the story I felt dissatisfied with the solution in a way that one never felt with an Agatha Christie novel & with no desire to hear it again at a future date as one can with an Agatha Christie story.
To sum up - good idea poorly executed.

Really disappointing

This was a slog. So much repetition, such frustrating narration, shitty payoff at the end. I've never hated Poirot before.

THE MONOTOMOUS MURDERS

Would you try another book from Sophie Hannah and/or Julian Rhind-Tutt?

Judging by thus book, I doubt it.

Has The Monogram Murders turned you off from other books in this genre?

It will be a long time, before I try a pseudo Agatha Christie again.
Can't beat the real thing.

What didn’t you like about Julian Rhind-Tutt’s performance?

His performance was okay. The book was too long.

What character would you cut from The Monogram Murders?

All of them;

Any additional comments?

Was bored to tears. Book was tooooooo long, did not hold my attention. Was longwinded.
Was a waste of money. Fell asleep twice. Was surprised it was still going, when I woke up.
Terrible.