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Abandoned by Booklikes

Government drone by day and book lover and geek girl by night!

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Curtain: Poirot's Last Case

Curtain: Poirot's Last Case - Agatha Christie Curtain is the last novel starring Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. This was a whirlwind year for me to actually read all of the Poirot books this year. There were definitely some books that were my favorites, and some that I ended up just outright disliking. This particular book felt like classic Christie. I think it was because Curtain was written by Agatha Christie thirty years before it was published in 1975. Because of this, though we have allusions to the second World War, Christie did not include a lot of references to clothes, cars, and other things that could put a definite time stamp on the novel.

Narrated by Hastings (Poirot's sidekick and friend) we have the duo returning to the place that first brought them together, Styles. You can read my review about that first book, here, Gone Fishing Day Six.

The last time we have Hastings and Poirot together was in Dumb Witness (you can read my review Dumb Witness Was a Below Average Poirot.) and since then Hastings has lived with his now dead wife in Argentina. Together they raised four children, though Hastings youngest child, Judith, is now living in England and assisting a scientist with his research. Through happenstance, Judith, the man she is working for and his wife are also at Styles along with an assorted list of people.

Poriot has summoned Hastings to him in order for them to investigate one last case together. Poirot now elderly and unable to walk is now wheelchair bound. He still is the same intelligent man who can match wits with anyone and tells Hastings about a mysterious "X" who Poirot has connected to five murders. Poirot believes that "X" is going to strike again and someone at Styles will be murdered. Since Poirot cannot interview and pick people's brains per usual, Hastings is to be his eyes, ears, and legs in this case.

What was interesting is that for once you actually have Hastings doing much of the investigating with very little input by Poirot. Poirot is still there, but in the shadows for the most part since he tires very easily and is often taken rests. What I loved though was that unlike in the last book that included Hastings, I could actually see the long standing affection between Hastings and Poirot. In fact throughout the story we have Hastings seemingly more upset about the impending loss of Poirot and what would he do without him.

The other characters are actually written very well and Christie manages to give life to them all. Though I correctly guessed "X" in this case, I can honestly say that Christie made it tough because initially you realize that it could be anyone at Styles just based on their behavior and how they acted throughout the book.

I thought the writing was top notch just because it reminded me a little bit of Murder on the Orient Express with the solution being cleverly done with enough clues being left by Christie that you could figure things out if you focused on what was being said and not said. The flow actually was really good too. I think that the book being written in Hastings voice with him being the primary narrator actually helped things along. The last few Christie books had multiple narrators and way too many things crammed in the story. It was refreshing to just read a story about Hastings and Poirot doing their best to figure out who "X" is and how to stop them before anyone else was hurt.

Moving the setting to Styles I thought was very brilliant. One of the characters asked Hastings was it a happy house before and I liked that he brought up the fact that he was not allowing himself to think about how unhappy the house and inhabitants actually were. I do believe that a house can take on an aura from those that lived there over time. Styles seemed to go from unhappiness to more unhappiness through the changing years so there is a considerable pall during Hastings and Poirot's stay at the home.

Now to the ending. It was brilliantly done. Though as I said in my updates, I think just a wee bit melodramatic. Though I had correctly guessed "X" I still got 'wrong' how this person did the murders.