Agatha Christie’s The Mystery Of Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah
brings to life the famous detective Hercule Poirot. Those
who grew up on her novels once again are treated to mysteries
written in her style. Anyone who has not read the famous novelist
will enjoy the plot.
Hannah explains she took on this project, “because I
was excited about the creative possibilities. I saw her style
as eloquent, clear, and simple with challenging plots that
are more like intellectual puzzles. This is my third, and
I will have a fourth one coming out. Since I am a massive
fan of Christie, I wanted to make sure I got everything correct,
so I went back and did my homework. I re-read all the Poirot
novels from a more analytical point of view. I had read my
first book at the age of twelve and had finished all her books
at the age of fourteen. Because he is such a legendary character
I did not change him, loving him as he was. It is the same
old character seen through new eyes. What I did change was
the narrator.”
As in the previous novels Hannah created, Inspector Edward
Catchpool from Scotland Yard narrates the story. This allows
the book to be in her voice instead of mimicking Christie’s
narrator Hastings. Set in the 1930s, readers find Poirot confronted
by Sylvia Rule who demands to know why he sent her a letter
accusing of murdering Barnabas Pandy. Perplexed, he is trying
to understand what she is talking about when he is confronted
again by John McCrodden with the same accusation. The next
day, two others, Annabel Treadway and Hugo Dockerill also
come forward with similar letters. It accuses each of killing
Barnabas Pandy, a 94-year-old, found drowned in his bathtub
in Combingham Hall three months earlier. The reactions of
each ranged from anger to contempt to sorrow to apologetic.
Annabel Treadway is distraught at the accusation since Pandy
was her grandfather and tells Poirot that his death was ruled
an accident. Deciding to get to the bottom of this mystery
the famous detective decides to gather all to uncover who
did what to whom and why, while observing their reactions.
Hannah noted, “I always thought of Poirot as brilliantly
clever, kind, loyal, methodical, with a strong passion for
justice. He is fascinated by the human psyche and interested
in how people behave. Catchpool is clever, nice, faithful,
and helpful. He is being mentored by Poirot on how to solve
the cases. They contrast with the four accused of murder.
Annabelle is obviously sad about something, and that piques
Poirot’s curiosity. Sylvia is self-righteous, and a
know it all. John has this adolescent attitude about his father,
always blaming him for something. Hugo is a bumbling, absent-minded
type.”
This story delves into how people can harm one another. How
lies can take root in people’s heads as truths. The
theme has characters stubbornly clinging to old grudges. Hannah
will continue this theme with a self-help book, How
To Hold A Grudge, out in January that allows people
to hold on to their negative feelings as long as they forgive
and find inner peace.
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