After I accidentally read the 4th book in the Poirot series first (which BLEW MY MIND, see review of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd). I decided to backtrack and begin at the beginnings. Not only is this the first book about Poirot, it is her VERY FIRST detective novel. The first novel does a great job of introducing us to Poirot in a way where he, and his companion Author Hastings, feel already familiar. Hastings is the Watson to Poirot’s Holmes, the foil who is there to be surprised by the twists, and marvel at Poirot’s intellect, and record his goings on.
Mrs. Emily Inglethorp, a wealthy woman with a vast estate, is found dead in her locked bedroom. Though at first it looks like it could have been natural causes, clues quickly pile up and murder is at hand. Her entire family has motive and this novel is a real study in misdirection.
The red herrings have red herrings! Christie doesn’t give the reader enough details or information for us to solve the mystery, we are left like Hastings, in the dark until Poirot pulls us along and unmasks the murder and uncovers and explains it all away, as we sit in wonder.
This series was great a few months back (yeah, I’m behind on reviews LIKE WHOA, 20 behind in fact) when my brain absolutely needed linear stories where things would always turn out in the end, good wins, evil is punished, and everything has a neat and tidy explanation.