Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Movie, Book, and Music Review Book--"Hercule Poirot's Christmas" by Agatha Christie

Okay this book's been out for a while--since 1938. I've just read it and have found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable read. In it a Mr. Simeon Lee is an elderly, wealthy man who made his start of a fortune in diamonds in South Africa. He has led a rather amorous life amidst his moneymaking. It was difficult on his wife and she died after giving him three sons and a daughter. A family Christmas gathering is ordered and everyone shows up. Only the daughter has died and her daughter has come to the place from her home in Spain. A stranger, the son of a partner from 40 years before when they were obtaining diamonds, also shows up. Things are lively in an somewhat tense and unpleasant way and then someone murders the old man. It's a classic 'locked room' mystery where there is no one in the locked room but the victim. There's a lot of blood-- and that is part of the solution to the crime.

It's a fun read and worth the time if you have some time.

I agree.

Frankly, most of Dame Agatha's work is worth the read, I'm hard-pressed to choose a favorite, perhaps Murder on the Orient Express.