Title: Smashing debut for Christie and Poirot!
Review: For anyone just starting to read mystery novels and particularly anyone who is new to Agatha Christie, I would highly recommend starting with this, the first Poirot mystery. Poirot has recently come to England as a WW1 war refugee. Shortly after his arrival, he encounters an old friend Captain Hastings, who serves as the perfect Watson to Poirot's Holmes. An old lady who had been of great help to Poirot is murdered and he feels an obligation to find her killer. A simple premise but Christie builds a wonderfully complex mystery upon it, with multiple suspects, several red herrings and a lot of atmosphere. The ending is a genuine shocker and the mystery is nicely interposed with comedic moments due to Captain Hastings' various observations about life and love, most of which show his intelligence to be decidedly inferior to that of his little Belgian friend! Definitely do not miss - you will thoroughly enjoy it!
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