By Erica Barnes
Contributing Writer
For nearly a century, Agatha Christie has been the first lady of the mystery genre and Hercule Poirot her ultimate detective. Now, after nearly 40 years, Poirot is back on the case in “The Monogram Murders” by Sophie Hannah. Hannah picks up with Poirot where Christie left off and takes readers through a near-perfect new murder mystery the likes of which Dame Agatha would be proud.
Set in 1920s London, “The Monogram Murders” sets the legendary Poirot in a coffeehouse where he encounters a woman fearing for her life. In short order three bodies are discovered in a nearby luxury hotel, each with a monogrammed cufflink in their mouth. With the help of young Inspector Catchpool, Poirot launches himself into solving the murder mystery in classic fashion.
Fans of Agatha Christie’s popular Poirot series will find much to enjoy in the story, as a way of catching up with the legendary detective. Hannah, a writer of numerous psychological thrillers, is a self-professed Christie super-fan, and it shows in her attention to detail. From Poirot’s use of a smattering of familiar French phrases, to his reactions under duress, Hannah presents an authentic character, recognizable to fans of the original novels. Poirot still relies on his “little grey cells” and extensive study of human nature to assist him on the case. His assistant, Inspector Catchpool, though slightly more neurotic than other Poirot protégés, still fits the role of helpful sidekick admirably.
Hannah also makes use of a frequent Christie theme: malice simmering just under the surface of small-town life. Poirot and Catchpool’s investigations lead them to the quaint village of Great Holling, where they encounter characters from local Lords to the town drunk, all bubbling over with possible clues and motivations for murder. In his interrogations and deductions, Hannah’s Poirot behaves in character with his earlier stories. Ever the Continental gentleman, Hercule sifts through the suspects’ stories and comes away with the truth, all while using his usual respectful geniality.
My only complaint is not with Hannah’s portrayal of Poirot, but with the mystery’s continuity. Understandably, it is nearly impossible to perfect the mystery genre mousetrap, as Christie did. But Hannah’s suspects occasionally act out of character in ways that jeopardize the plot. Some of the alibis and solutions are a little too convenient to be believable. This is where Agatha Christie excelled and Sophie Hannah becomes an imitator.
Christie’s characters always acted out of clear motivations and would not justify incongruous behavior by merely saying they were lying. It’s the literary equivalent of a movie character waking up at the end of a film and learning it was all just a dream. It weakens an otherwise thrilling mystery. Of course, for readers less interested in nitpicking the solution, it is less of an issue. The mystery is still untangled one confession at a time and with typical Poirot finesse.
As a whole, “The Monogram Murders” is a terrifically satisfying read. If the mechanics of the crime are occasionally weak, the story and characters are not. Sophie Hannah resurrects Hercule Poirot in spectacular fashion and gives longtime fans and first time readers alike, a real treat.
