Hello everyone. It's been a while since I've posted and I wanted to get one more post in before Christmas. It won't be a long one, but I hope you enjoy it.
First, I'm going to share my thoughts on my most recent read: Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie.
Simeon Lee is an elderly man who's lived quite a life - one that gives few people reason to like him much. His family certainly doesn't, nor do they particularly like one another. Never the less, he invited all his sons and their wives, along with his granddaughter from Spain, to his estate for Christmas. When a young man arrives and says he's the son of one of Simeon's old friends, he's invited to join the party as well.
As you've probably guessed, tensions run high, and Simeon Lee ends up murdered. Hercule Poirot is staying with his friend Colonel Johnson who lives near the Lees. They are called in, along with Superintendent Sugden who was already on the scene investigating a theft. As Poirot and Sugden investigate, they discover that Simeon Lee had given practically everyone he met a motive for murder. They also discover that nearly everyone is hiding something. The case culminates in a stunning plot twist that I doubt I'd have seen coming if I didn't have vague memories of watching the TV adaptation.
My thoughts:
This is a classic "country house" murder of the sort British crime buffs will be familiar with. Christie's skill at creating complex character tensions and dynamics makes her well suited to the type of mystery that involves a variety of people in close quarters.
Have you ever watched an old black and white movie that you heard described as a "Christmas" movie only to find there was one scene with a tree in the background and that was it? This book is kind of like that. I had hoped it would feel more seasonal, but the Christmas element was really only relevant as it gave Simeon Lee a reason to get all of his estranged relatives in one place. I still liked the book, but in the same way I like any Christie. I could have read it in July and had the same opinion.
One good thing about reading this book at Christmas is that it can give you some perspective. If there's a family get together you're dreading, after reading this book you'll be grateful all you have to face is a bit of awkwardness!
In part of the book, Christie describes and summarizes a scene through the butler's perspective. I thought this was clever as it allowed her to handle what might have been boring details with some character and interest.
Poirot doesn't come in at the very beginning. In the scene where he is introduced, we are first given the thoughts of Colonel Johnson's unnamed guest. Instantly, I knew it was Poirot - a testament to how well Christie has developed his character and how the reader gets to know him.
Poirot's admiration of Sugden's mustache is a delightful touch of humor... or does it have more significance? You'll have to read it yourself to find out...
I really liked the way Christie handled the interrogation scenes. The police asked questions mostly focused on logistics: where people were, when, and what they saw or heard. Poirot, however, would subtly insert questions that were more psychological in nature. If you want a chance at figuring out the case yourself, these are the questions to pay attention to.
I have the "official" version of the book that I bought new this year and it's full of typos! I'm pretty sure I've noticed this issue before. If anyone at Agatha Christie LTD. is reading this, my proofreading services are available and I'd love reading Agatha Christie to be my job :)
That's it for Hercule Poirot's Christmas. Overall, an enjoyable read, though not as festive as I'd hoped.
To add some festivity to my post, I thought I'd share some pictures from my December so far. I put them together in a quick collage. (Using an ancient software... my student access to the better one ended with my classes. So don't judge my skill as a graphic designer based on this.)
The cookies are the ones I shared the recipe for in my December Brought to Mind column.
That's it for my Christmas post. My next post will probably be a year-in-review/looking to 2025 theme, so stay tuned for that.
Until then, in the words of Poirot's friend Colonel Johnson: "Peace, goodwill - and all that kind of thing. Goodwill all around."
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