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Thursday, October 2, 2014

Throwback Thursday: BLog Tour: The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah


Author: Sophie Hannah
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: September 2014

Since the publication of her first novel in 1920, more than two billion copies of Agatha Christie’s books have been sold around the globe. 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.

‘I’m a dead woman, or I shall be soon…’

Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffeehouse 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 a fashionable London Hotel have been murdered, and a cufflink has been 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…

The Monogram Murders isn't really a Throwback Thursday book since it's a new novel. But since it involves a throwback character, I thought I would make this my Throwback Thursday book for the week,  Everyone has heard of Hercule Poirot, right?  Author Sophie Hannah received special permission from Christie's estate to write a new adventure featuring the famous detective.  

I thought overall that the mystery was pretty enjoyable.  It flowed pretty well.  Having said that, I'm not sure the book really worked for me.  I think that fans of Christie's Poirot will be a tad bit disappointed in the book.  It didn't really have the same feel as a Christie mystery, which is something I thought the author was shooting for with this book.  It was missing something that I couldn't quite put my finger on.  I also wasn't sold on the new character, Catchpool.  I didn't really care for him and I don't think he really worked as a second to Poirot. How that man ever made it into Scotland Yard is beyond me.  Too wimpy!

Would I recommend the book?  Yeah, sure I would.  But I think you really have to go into with the thought that it's a period mystery with a detective named Poirot.  Don't expect an Agatha Christie mystery.  You won't get it here.


About Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976.
Learn more about Agatha Christie through her official website.


About Sophie Hannah

Internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah breathes new life into the incomparable detective. In this thrilling tale, Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London—a diabolically clever puzzle that will test his brilliant skills and baffle and delight longtime Christie fans and new generations of readers discovering him for the first time. Authorized by Christie’s family, and featuring the most iconic detective of all time, this instant Christie classic is sure to be celebrated by mystery lovers the world over.
Connect with Sophie Hannah through her website, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

Purchase Links

Sophie’s Tour Stops
Monday, September 15th: A Bookish Way of Life
Wednesday, September 17th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Thursday, September 18th: The Road to Here
Thursday, October 2nd: From the TBR Pile
Friday, October 3rd: My Bookshelf
Tuesday, October 7th: A Bookworm’s World
Wednesday, October 8th: Jorie Loves a Story
Thursday, October 9th: BoundbyWords
Thursday, October 9th: Wordsmithonia
Friday, October 10th: Books in the Burbs
Wednesday, October 15th: Olduvai Reads


2 comments:

Shirley said...

I don't think there's an author out there who could realistically write Poirot as Christie did, though I've read some positive things about this novel about an inspector named Poirot. I can't wait to read it myself, or rather to finish it but then I am wishing away a good thing that I have waited for with great anticipation.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book for the tour.