The Mystery Of Three Quarters: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

The world’s most beloved detective, Hercule Poirot—the legendary star of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and most recently The Monogram Murders and Closed Casket—returns in a stylish, diabolically clever mystery set in the London of 1930.

“We Agatha Christie fans read her stories–and particularly her Poirot novels–because the mysteries are invariably equal parts charming and ingenious, dark and quirky and utterly engaging. Sophie Hannah had a massive challenge in reviving the beloved Poirot, and she met it with heart and no small amount of little grey cells. I was thrilled to see the Belgian detective in such very, very good hands. Reading The Monogram Murders was like returning to a favorite room of a long-lost home.”
— Gillian Flynn, author 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 Rule, and she demands to know why Poirot has accused her of the murder of Barnabas Pandy, a man she has neither heard of nor ever met. She is furious to be so accused, and deeply shocked. Poirot is equally shocked, because he too has never heard of any Barnabas Pandy, and he certainly did not send the letter in question. He cannot convince Sylvia Rule of his innocence, however, and she marches away in a rage.

Shaken, Poirot goes inside, only to find that he has a visitor waiting for him — a man called John McCrodden who also claims also to have received a letter from Poirot that morning, accusing him of the murder of Barnabas Pandy…

Poirot wonders how many more letters of this sort have been sent in his name. Who sent them, and why? More importantly, who is Barnabas Pandy, is he dead, and, if so, was he murdered? And can Poirot find out the answers without putting more lives in danger?

my thoughts:

Church Window Cake is all I can think about after reading this book. Along with the jolly good fun I
had trying to solve the mystery before Poirot could explain it all at the end.  Of course, I was stymied from the get go and could never seem to land on the right culprit - I suppose my little grey cells were no match for Poirot's.  Then again, is anyone ever a match for him?

In the latest Hercule Poirot Mystery, we find our inimitable detective being accosted on the way home by an angry woman claiming to have received a letter written by him that accuses her of murder. Say what?! Poirot is shocked and confused.  He has written no such letter and does not even know this woman or the man she is accused of killing. The whole matter is a terrible mess that he just wants to forget about.  Except he can't.  Turns out that several people have received these letters - all of them accusing each and everyone of these people of having murdered Barnabas Pandy. Talk about a mystery indeed. 

Soon, Poirot is on the case - trying to solve Pandy's murder and find the culprit behind these terrible letters.  With the help of his friend Inspector Catchpool and Euphemia's Church Window Cake, Poirot is able to piece together what really happened to Pandy and whether or not the author behind these letters is in fact a murderer.

Sophie Hannah has written another terrific story starring Agatha Christie's mustachioed detective, Hercule Poirot.  She has once again proven how adept she is at creating Poirot's world filled with mystery, suspense, humor, and his little grey cells that manage to shock and awe with their quick wit and intellect.  I found myself laughing out loud at the craziness that seemed to be surrounding Poirot - no one seemed to believe that he didn't write these letters and it drove him bonkers.  Plus, the more involved he became in trying to solve this new mystery, the more complicated it all seemed to become.  Talk about a whodunit with too many suspects.  In fact, it appeared that Poirot's little grey cells were having to work overtime - I felt stressed for him.  However, in the end, our beloved detective comes through with all the answers. And that is all I will write about this fantastic story.

I would happily recommend The Mystery Of Three Quarters to fans of the Hercule Poirot mysteries - you will LOVE this book!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Mystery Of Three Quarters

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!