Her daughter asks Poirot to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice and he approaches the other five suspects. Sixteen years ago, Caroline Crale died in prison while serving a life sentence for poisoning her husband. A perfect combination of thriller and detective story, this much-copied plot is Christie’s greatest technical achievement. Panic ensues when the diminishing group realises that one of their own number is the killer. Although they all harbour a secret, they remain unsuspecting until they begin to die, one by one, until eventually … there are none. Ten people are invited to an island for the weekend. But how many readers are as clever as Poirot? Can he stop the ABC Killer before he reaches D? One of the earliest examples of the “serial killer” novel this classic Christie is based on a beautifully simple premise.

Predicated on an inspired gimmick, this is one of the great surprise endings in the genre.ĭespite advance warnings, Poirot is unable to prevent the murders of Alice Ascher, Betty Barnard and Carmichael Clarke. This glamorous era of train travel provides Poirot with an international cast of suspects and one of his biggest challenges. Ratchett is found stabbed in his compartment and untrodden snow shows that the killer is still on board. The glamorous Orient Express stops during the night, blocked by snowdrifts. Of its type, perfection this is how the classic detective story should be written. Which of the other guests is a murderer? Perfectly paced, with subtle and ingenious clueing, and an unexpected but totally logical solution. The impoverished owner of End House hosts a party where fireworks camouflage the shot that kills her cousin. An unmissable, and still controversial, milestone of detective fiction. This title would still be discussed today even if Christie had never written another book.

A typical village murder mystery or so it seems until the last chapter with its stunning revelation. But when wealthy Roger Ackroyd is found stabbed in his study, he agrees to investigate. Hercule Poirot has retired to the village of King’s Abbot to cultivate marrows.

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