Published: December 15, 1985 by: Berkley
Pages: 224
Rating: 3/5 stars
Everyone knew that Caroline Crale had poisoned and killed her husband, a brilliant painter named Amyas. Now sixteen years after she was convicted and died in prison, Caroline's daughter seeks Hercule Poirot to reopen the case, after a letter from her mother before she died insists that she was innocent. Poirot interviews the group of people who were last around the Crale's before the incident, and with his knowledge of human psychology, Poirot finds himself caught into a web of truth and lie.
This was only the second Christie book I have read and I was extremely excited for it. I find her books clever, easy to get through, and they always leave me feeling shocked. While this one did not live up to the hype I had built up in my head, it definitely was cleverly thought out.
I wasn't as impressed as I had hoped to be while reading this. I found the case really confusing and too complicated for my liking, and I lost track a lot while reading. I don't think that this book captured my attention as well as The Mousetrap did, and I found myself with just a lot of questions after I finished.
I get Christie's intentions, and I definitely think that this case was extremely complex and well planned, but it just didn't click enough for me. That being said, I am definitely looking to read more of her novels as the endings always surprise me.
Have you read Five Little Pigs? What did you think?
Emily @ Paperback Princess
I had the same sort of feelings with this book. While I loved the complexity and the whole concept of having to figure out the inconsistencies in each of the testimonies (and the parts that each person was likely to exaggerate or add based on their personality) it somehow just wasn't one of my favorites. That feeling always slightly annoys me because I know it's a really well-written and thought out book but I just couldn't get into it. Lovely review, Emily!
ReplyDeleteLaura @BlueEyeBooks
Yes, I definitely agree! There was just something about it that didn’t click :(
DeleteI AM YET TO READ ANYTHING BY AGATHA CHRISTIE, CAN YOU BELIEVE? I will though. Soon. I think I might start with And Then There Were None or Murder on the Orient Express, I haven't decided yet lol.
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds intriguing though- pity it didn't work for you!
Omg you have to give some of her books a try!! I would recommend The Mousetrap. It's actually a play, but it's super easy to get through and it was shocking!!
DeleteThat's probably part of the reason that The Mousetrap is more famous than this one! :)
ReplyDeleteI loved The Mousetrap and this one definitely did not live up to it.
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