The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah.

About the Book

The new Hercule Poirot novel – another brilliant murder mystery that can only be solved by the eponymous Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’.

Since the publication of her first book in 1920, Agatha Christie wrote 33 novels, two plays and more than 50 short stories featuring Hercule Poirot. Now, for the first time ever, the guardians of her legacy have approved a brand new novel featuring Dame Agatha’s most beloved creation.

Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified, but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.

Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at the fashionable Bloxham Hotel have been murdered, a cufflink placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…

In the hands of internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah, Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London – a diabolically clever puzzle that can only be solved by the talented Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’.

My Review

I was a huge Hercule Poirot fan years ago and loved getting my hands on one that I hadn’t read from the library. However, when I had read them all countless times they were replaced by more modern crime novels. I was really interested though when I heard that Sophie Hannah was continuing the series. I was advised that the hardback edition was preferable to the e-book, mainly because of the cover. I’m glad that I did buy that version, its stunning.
Monsieur Poirot was just like I remembered him although if it was possible to meet characters from books I would have to apologize to him for forgetting that he was Belgian and not French. It was like the gap of thirty years plus didn’t exist. He was still the clever, vain, mildly insulting but loyal character that Agatha Christie created.
I thought his relationship with Edward Catchpool worked very well. Catchpool is the narrator throughout the novel and he took all the put downs from Poirot in his stride just appreciating him using his ‘little grey cells’ to help in the investigation. Parts of the novel were slightly intimidating, the way that Catchpool was made very unwelcome in the village where the victims lived was one of them.
The case itself was complicated. I never had a clue who the murderer was or how the murders were carried out. Neither did Catchpool but Poirot solved it as only he could. There are a couple of characters apart from the main two who I really liked and I hope that they will appear again in the future.
I was lucky enough to buy a signed edition of Closed Casket the next book in this series, I hope to read it soon. Recommended for all Hercule Poirot fans.