The Mystery of Three Quarters

A Hercule Poirot Mystery

By: Sophie Hannah, Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

The world’s most beloved detective, Hercule Poirot - the legendary star of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and most recently The Monogram Murders and Closed Casket - returns in a stylish, diabolically clever mystery set in 1930s London.

Returning home after lunch one day, Hercule Poirot finds an angry woman waiting outside his front door. She demands to know why Poirot has sent her a letter accusing her of the murder of Barnabas Pandy, a man she has neither heard of nor ever met.

Poirot has also never heard of a Barnabas Pandy and has accused nobody of murder. Shaken, he goes inside, only to find that he has a visitor waiting for him - a man who also claims also to have received a letter from Poirot that morning, accusing him of the murder of Barnabas Pandy.... 

Poirot wonders how many more letters of this sort have been sent in his name. Who sent them, and why? More importantly, who is Barnabas Pandy, is he dead, and, if so, was he murdered? And can Poirot find out the answers without putting more lives in danger?

©2018 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic Reviews

"What Sophie and Agatha have in common is a rare talent for fiendish unpredictability. They make you see how the impossible might be possible after all." (Sunday Telegraph)

this is what a great narrator sounds like

Great idea to continue the Poirot character in a new series. Perfectly keeping up the good tradition. The narration by Julian Rhind-Tott takes the listening experience to a new level. Love everything about this book.

I loved it

Interesting novel beautifully and engagingly read by an excellent voice actor. I thoroughly recommend it.

Excellent narrator, shame about the writer

I had high hopes for this and I should have paid attention to the reviews, but I thought I'd give it a go. The narrator is excellent, drums up a David Suchet Poirot and has some great nuances for all the different characters, without the need for caracature or silly accents. The story is very weak really and certainly not up to Agatha Christie standard. It would have made a nice little short story, without the many red herrings, some of which are left hanging. The denouement is hopelessly long winded and seems ridiculously padded out - not to mention, Poirot is very quick to leave us in no doubt as to the killer's identity, but then spends chapters explaining it....not the way Christie does things I'm afraid. I don't think I will be reading any more, but I shall look out for the narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt in future listenings.

Utter nonsense

The main problem with the book is that it has nothing in common with the original Hercule Poirot's books, written by Agatha Christie - apart from the fact that it uses the figure of the detective. But that figure is a fake - he doesn't act like the original, he doesn't speak like him and, most importantly - he doesn't think like him. As for the plot - it is verbose where the original Christie's novels were concise, it's illogical, overly complicated and absurd were the originals were simple, elegant and "obvious" once the reader knew the solution of the mystery. Never again I'll touch another book of this series.

Great narrator. Beautiful voice. Poor story

Such a shame. It has an Ok story. It’s not great. A little repetitive and long winded but JRT the narrator has a wonderful voice and does a good ‘Poirot’

Brilliant Narration, Shockingly Bad Story

Against my better judgement I downloaded this Poirot story even though I thought Sophie Hannah's previous Poirot book was dreadful. Initially I was pleasantly surprised, the set up with the four letters was quite intriguing and I love Julian Rhind- Tutt's narration. However the story soon descended into the ridiculous, the solution to the 'mystery' was laughable and extremely drawn out. Even after making us suffer that, Sophie Hannah rubs salt into the wound with some nonsensical tarradiddle at the end on the nature of justice. If the book had been 2 hours shorter as a result of judicious editing she might have got away with it but 80% of the book is simply an overblown, ego trip.

Really Hard Work

This story and the others by Sophie Hannah that I've heard are a really poor substitute for the original Agatha Christie novels; this story is so long-winded and dull.

Poor substitute

I bought this book because I love Poirot - what a disappointment. Sophie Hannah's Poirot was a long way off Agatha Christie's. He said and did things the original never would and he took far too long to solve the case. I won't be buying any more of her books and will have to make do with listening to the original Agatha Christie books I read when I could see well enough to do so. Even knowing the ending will be better than this! I will however give Miss Hannah 10/10 for having the nerve to try to emulate such a well loved author. Sorry but I had to return it.

Odd plot

Very padded, an odd plot - not up to originals, not as well crafted or ingenious. Would have been better as a short story rather than a full length book - even then the plot would have needed sharpening up a bit. Only saving grace is the reader, who battles on trying to make it interesting and entertaining.

A fair premise

Drawn out far too thin. Could only recommend to those who found Like Elephants Can Remember a bit too pacy.

Lovely narration, awful story!

Oh dear! What a shame. Julian Rhind-Tutt is a gifted narrator and has a great Poirot voice. He deserves a medal or a stiff drink for narrating this over long, boring and unconvincing story. Agatha Christie would have given us the story in a third of the time. Indeed she did on many occasions - this feels like a mash up of a few Christie originals. Not recommended by me.

Tedious in the extreme!

I had high hopes for this, being a Hercule Poirot/Agatha Christie fan and encouraged by the reviews I read but unfortunately it was a disappointing listen. Tedious in the extreme and laboured and repetative, it bored me almost to tears but I persevered hoping it would improve. It did not. Not recommended except perhaps as an alternative to counting sheep.