The Mystery of Three Quarters

The worldΓÇÖs most beloved detective,Hercule PoirotΓÇöthe legendary star of Agatha ChristieΓÇÖs Murder on the Orient Express and most recently The Monogram Murders and Closed CasketΓÇöreturns in a stylishdiabolically clever mystery set in the London of 1930. ΓÇ£We Agatha Christie fans read her stories–and particularly her Poirot novels–because the mysteries are invariably equal parts charming and ingeniousdark and quirky and utterly engaging. Sophie Hannah had a massive challenge in reviving the beloved Poirotand she met it with heart and no small amount of little grey cells. I was thrilled to see the Belgian detective in such veryvery good hands. Reading The Monogram Murders was like returning to a favorite room of a long-lost home.ΓÇ¥ ΓÇö Gillian Flynnauthor of Gone Girl Hercule Poirot returns home after an agreeable luncheon to find an angry woman waiting to berate him outside his front door. Her name is Sylvia Ruleand she demands to know why Poirot has accused her of the murder of Barnabas Pandya man she has neither heard of nor ever met. She is furious to be so accusedand deeply shocked. Poirot is equally shockedbecause he too has never heard of any Barnabas Pandyand he certainly did not send the letter in question. He cannot convince Sylvia Rule of his innocencehoweverand she marches away in a rage. ShakenPoirot goes insideonly to find that he has a visitor waiting for him ΓÇö a man called John McCrodden who also claims also to have received a letter from Poirot that morningaccusing him of the murder of Barnabas Pandy… Poirot wonders how many more letters of this sort have been sent in his name. Who sent themand why? More importantlywho is Barnabas Pandyis he deadandif sowas he murdered? And can Poirot find out the answers without putting more lives in danger?