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BBC Radio 4 Poirot
After the Funeral
When Richard Abernethie, last master of Enderby Hall, dies suddenly in his sleep, the family are eager to discover how his riches have been divided. However, the reading of the will is rudely interrupted by his younger sister Cora, who suddenly blurts out, 'He was murdered, wasn't he?' Used to her habit of making inopportune remarks, the family ignore her. But the next day, when Cora herself is found brutally killed, they start to wonder. Richard's barrister and lifelong friend, Mr Entwhistle, decides to look into the matter. Using legal duties as an excuse, he visits the potential suspects and tries to find out more. He discovers that each has a motive for murder: Timothy Abernethie, Richard's brother, desperately needed money; and his wife Maude apparently considers no sacrifice too great for her beloved husband. Nieces Susan Banks and Rosamund Shane have husband troubles too: who knows what lengths they would go to? Defeated by the complexity of the task, Mr Entwhistle calls in Hercule Poirot.
A superb mystery from the Queen of Crime, dramatised with a full cast including Frank Thornton and Jill Balcon. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 28 August 1999.
2 CDs. 1 hr 30 mins.
A superb mystery from the Queen of Crime, dramatised with a full cast including Frank Thornton and Jill Balcon. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 28 August 1999.
2 CDs. 1 hr 30 mins.
2 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1999
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bakewell
72 books6 followersMichael Bakewell (7 June 1931 – 11 July 2023) was a British radio and television producer and radio playwright.
His work included adapting The Lord of the Rings (with Brian Sibley) into a 1981 radio series for the BBC and a series of 27 adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories broadcast between 1985 and 2007 by BBC Radio 4.
He was born in Birmingham, England. After graduating from Cambridge in 1954, he was recruited by the BBC's Third Programme. He became the first Head of Plays at the BBC in the 1960s.
His work included adapting The Lord of the Rings (with Brian Sibley) into a 1981 radio series for the BBC and a series of 27 adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories broadcast between 1985 and 2007 by BBC Radio 4.
He was born in Birmingham, England. After graduating from Cambridge in 1954, he was recruited by the BBC's Third Programme. He became the first Head of Plays at the BBC in the 1960s.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 24, 2018
EXCERPT:"I may," said Poirot in a completely unconvinced tone, "be wrong."
Morton smiled. "But that doesn't often happen to you?"
"No. Though I will admit - yes, I am forced to admit - that it has happened to me."
"I must say I'm glad to hear it! To be always right must be sometimes monotonous."
"I do not find it so," Poirot assured him.
ABOUT THE BOOK: Hercule Poirot is called on to investigate the murder of a brother and sister in this classic from the Queen of Mystery.
When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered, the odd remark she made the day before at her brother's funeral becomes chillingly important: "It's been hushed up very nicely, hasn't it. . . . But he was murdered, wasn't he?"
Desperate to learn more about both deaths, the family solicitor turns to detective extraordinaire Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I think that After the Funeral is one of Agatha Christie's best books. It is more of a mystery and less of a vehicle to showcase the talents of Hercule Poirot, although he does, of course, solve the crime in the end. It is a very clever, inventive and unpredictable story. And thoroughly enjoyable. Even upon repeat readings/hearings.
I particularly enjoyed the BBC production, especially Frank Thornton's role as the family solicitor. He has long been a firm favorite of mine as Truly of the Yard in Last of the Summer Wine.
4.5 shimmering stars for After the Funeral by Agatha Christie, narrated by John Moffat, Frank Thornton and Jill Balcon, produced by BBC Audiobooks. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
Morton smiled. "But that doesn't often happen to you?"
"No. Though I will admit - yes, I am forced to admit - that it has happened to me."
"I must say I'm glad to hear it! To be always right must be sometimes monotonous."
"I do not find it so," Poirot assured him.
ABOUT THE BOOK: Hercule Poirot is called on to investigate the murder of a brother and sister in this classic from the Queen of Mystery.
When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered, the odd remark she made the day before at her brother's funeral becomes chillingly important: "It's been hushed up very nicely, hasn't it. . . . But he was murdered, wasn't he?"
Desperate to learn more about both deaths, the family solicitor turns to detective extraordinaire Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I think that After the Funeral is one of Agatha Christie's best books. It is more of a mystery and less of a vehicle to showcase the talents of Hercule Poirot, although he does, of course, solve the crime in the end. It is a very clever, inventive and unpredictable story. And thoroughly enjoyable. Even upon repeat readings/hearings.
I particularly enjoyed the BBC production, especially Frank Thornton's role as the family solicitor. He has long been a firm favorite of mine as Truly of the Yard in Last of the Summer Wine.
4.5 shimmering stars for After the Funeral by Agatha Christie, narrated by John Moffat, Frank Thornton and Jill Balcon, produced by BBC Audiobooks. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
abandoned
October 6, 2018DNF unrated - the radio dramatization version. I don't know why I even borrowed it from the library, because I never like radio dramatizations, no matter how good the production or the source material. But so many friends have spoken glowingly of this book and Hugh Fraser's performance, that I spent the Audible credit on that version and will start listening to it today.
March 17, 2017
3.5 stars
Read
August 15, 2011After the Funeral, by Agatha Christie, A. Narrated by Hugh Fraser, Produced by BBC-WW Audio Books America, Downloaded from Audible.com.
The master of Enderby Hall, Richard Abernethie, has passed away, leaving his massive fortune divided up between family members. The family is not close, and they are fairly uncomfortable dining together in Abernathy’s house after the funeral and waiting for the solicitor to read the will. Cora, who generally said exactly what she thought without consideration for anyone else, when talking about his death said in a matter-of-fact voice: “well he was murdered wasn’t he?” The family is shocked, but then each, individually starts thinking about whether he could have been murdered, and who would have done it. The next day, Cora was murdered in her house with a hatchet, supposedly during a robbery. Mr. Entwhistle, the solicitor, speaks with family members and finds that they are less concerned with the death of Cora than they are with how her share of
the fortune will be divided. He turns to detective Hercule Poirot for help. Hercule Poirot, pretending to be some kind of government bureaucrat, comes to Abernathy’s house, where everyone is meeting to divide up the inheritance, and by quietly observing people and having private conversations with some of them, he determines who killed Cora, and he answers the question of whether or not Richard Abernathy was murdered. The conclusion is set out in the usual Christie way, with everyone present in the drawing room. Very good. I am sure I must have read this one in highschool as I read most of Christie’s books then, but it was really nice to revisit her books.
The master of Enderby Hall, Richard Abernethie, has passed away, leaving his massive fortune divided up between family members. The family is not close, and they are fairly uncomfortable dining together in Abernathy’s house after the funeral and waiting for the solicitor to read the will. Cora, who generally said exactly what she thought without consideration for anyone else, when talking about his death said in a matter-of-fact voice: “well he was murdered wasn’t he?” The family is shocked, but then each, individually starts thinking about whether he could have been murdered, and who would have done it. The next day, Cora was murdered in her house with a hatchet, supposedly during a robbery. Mr. Entwhistle, the solicitor, speaks with family members and finds that they are less concerned with the death of Cora than they are with how her share of
the fortune will be divided. He turns to detective Hercule Poirot for help. Hercule Poirot, pretending to be some kind of government bureaucrat, comes to Abernathy’s house, where everyone is meeting to divide up the inheritance, and by quietly observing people and having private conversations with some of them, he determines who killed Cora, and he answers the question of whether or not Richard Abernathy was murdered. The conclusion is set out in the usual Christie way, with everyone present in the drawing room. Very good. I am sure I must have read this one in highschool as I read most of Christie’s books then, but it was really nice to revisit her books.
February 9, 2018
The best part of this book is during the big reveal when Poirot says they need to start from the beginning and the one dude is like, "Why are you like this? Why won't you tell us who did it?" and Poirot says, "Because this is my way." I laughed out loud.
This is a reread, and the radio dramatization was a fun way to revisit the story. I love a full-cast audio production. The only problem with this one is that there are a lot of characters to keep straight, and they aren't always identified, which means that often I wasn't clear who was speaking or what their relationship was to the murder victim. There were also times that it wasn't clear exactly where the action was taking place, especially in the beginning.
I chose to reread this because I remembered how the murder was solved and that there was a country house involved, but that was it. Christie plants the clue right from the beginning and I felt very clever that I picked up on it (even though I already kind of knew the end). So that's a good way to make yourself feel smart, basically.
The story is definitely five stars; narration/performance is probably about a 3.5 just for the clarity issues.
This is a reread, and the radio dramatization was a fun way to revisit the story. I love a full-cast audio production. The only problem with this one is that there are a lot of characters to keep straight, and they aren't always identified, which means that often I wasn't clear who was speaking or what their relationship was to the murder victim. There were also times that it wasn't clear exactly where the action was taking place, especially in the beginning.
I chose to reread this because I remembered how the murder was solved and that there was a country house involved, but that was it. Christie plants the clue right from the beginning and I felt very clever that I picked up on it (even though I already kind of knew the end). So that's a good way to make yourself feel smart, basically.
The story is definitely five stars; narration/performance is probably about a 3.5 just for the clarity issues.
March 30, 2018
I enjoyed this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatization with John Moffatt as the rather uppity and self-important (but beloved) Belgian in Britain detective Hercule Poirot. I was pleased to recognize the voice of Frank Thornby (from British television as Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? and as Truly in Last of the Summer Wine. As the production opens, we hear him as Mr. Entwhistle, the executor of Richard Abernethie's will, with the heirs gathered. And he is the one who goes to Poirot with concerns that perhaps the last master of Endby Hall had been murdered, but that's only the beginning of the bother amongst the Abernethie clan.
These BBC Radio dramas are lovely amusing diversions from household chores or insomnia and such. There's a number of these Agatha Christie sort of adaptations, and I'll listen to more.
These BBC Radio dramas are lovely amusing diversions from household chores or insomnia and such. There's a number of these Agatha Christie sort of adaptations, and I'll listen to more.
July 19, 2018
July 2018 - re-read, Kindle edition. How is it that I wasn't really sure who-dun-it, after re-reading so often? Still a solid 3-star book.
Aug 2016 - a very good listen, worth repeating.
Read by Hugh Fraser (Hastings to Suchet's HP). His voice for Hercule isn't quite what I'd expected, but he's a good narrator.
Even though I've read/listened before, I couldn't quite recall WhoDunIt and how.
Aug 2016 - a very good listen, worth repeating.
Read by Hugh Fraser (Hastings to Suchet's HP). His voice for Hercule isn't quite what I'd expected, but he's a good narrator.
Even though I've read/listened before, I couldn't quite recall WhoDunIt and how.
June 16, 2024
52 Book Club 2024 Summer Reading Challenge-Prompt 23 (Silver): An Author who has not Released a Book in over Four Years
I enjoyed listening to this as a refresher read and actually enjoyed it more than the physical book, due to the succinct pacing.
I enjoyed listening to this as a refresher read and actually enjoyed it more than the physical book, due to the succinct pacing.
December 4, 2025
An excellent production of a murder mystery featuring one of the Dame's most pathetic (in the true sense of the word) murderers. As with so many of her books, a mirror is held up to the class distinctions of the time.
December 20, 2023
Good dramatisation, but I think it's far more fun reading these mysteries, digesting clues, and trying to figure out whodunit.
September 13, 2025
(3.5 stars)
Controversial opinion: the television adaptation was better 😅
Unfortunately, knowing who the killer is (as clever as it is) makes re-consuming the story a bit boring, in this instance. The family dynamics that usually make other Christie works engaging and entertaining were too convoluted and vague for me to really care.
Controversial opinion: the television adaptation was better 😅
Unfortunately, knowing who the killer is (as clever as it is) makes re-consuming the story a bit boring, in this instance. The family dynamics that usually make other Christie works engaging and entertaining were too convoluted and vague for me to really care.
September 7, 2013
Bei der Testamentseröffnung nach der Beerdigung von Richard Abernethie, kommt es zu einem unangenehmen Zwischenfall. Seine Schwester Cora behauptet, es wäre Mord gewesen. Als Cora Lansquenet kurz darauf ermordet wird, nimmt der mit der Testamentsvollstreckung von Richard betraute Anwalt, Mr. Entwhistle, Kontakt zu Hercule Poirot auf. Der Mord an Cora ist einfach zu suspekt. Es scheint wie ein Raubmord, aber das Diebesgut wird unter einem Strauch versteckt gefunden. Als Coras Mitbewohnerin Miss Gilchrist beinahe Opfer eines Giftanschlags wird, ist jeder in der Familie verdächtig. Alle sind knapp bei Kasse, und dann ist da noch diese mysteriöse Nonne, die vor jedem Mord vorbeischaute.
After the Funeral (dt. Der Wachsblumenstrauß) ist Agatha Christies 44. Kriminalroman und Poirots 29. Fall (laut Goodreads), der 25. Fall laut Wikipedia. Der Roman erschien auf Englisch 1953.
Für mich einer der besseren Fälle, denn es wird tatsächlich nichts verschwiegen. Alle Hinweise sind da, teils wird wirklich sehr auffällig darauf hingewiesen, man muss nur die Puzzlestücke zusammensetzen. OK, welcher Maler das nun ist, darauf wird man nicht kommen, aber das ist auch ein nicht so wichtiges Detail.
Dieses BBC Hörspiel stammt aus dem Jahr 2008 und somit spricht noch der mittlerweile verstorbene John Moffatt Hercule Poirot. Wie alle Hörspiele der Reihe ist die Umsetzung extrem gut. Die Sprecher sind hervorragend, besonders natürlich John Moffatt, und die Umsetzung als Hörspiel ist so sorgfältig, dass man der Geschichte problemlos folgen kann und es keine Verständnisschwierigkeiten gibt, auch wenn man das Buch nicht kennen sollte (das ist ja nicht immer der Fall).
Der Fall an sich ist in sich abgeschlossen, auch wenn es einen kleinen Querverweis auf „Lord Edgeware dies/Thirteen at Dinner“ gibt.
Fazit: Sehr gelungene Adaption, wie man es von der BBC gewohnt ist. Wunderbare Hörspielereihe, die ich jedem nur empfehlen kann, vor allem, weil die Hörspiele ja auch regelmäßig auf BBC Radio 4 Extra laufen.
After the Funeral (dt. Der Wachsblumenstrauß) ist Agatha Christies 44. Kriminalroman und Poirots 29. Fall (laut Goodreads), der 25. Fall laut Wikipedia. Der Roman erschien auf Englisch 1953.
Für mich einer der besseren Fälle, denn es wird tatsächlich nichts verschwiegen. Alle Hinweise sind da, teils wird wirklich sehr auffällig darauf hingewiesen, man muss nur die Puzzlestücke zusammensetzen. OK, welcher Maler das nun ist, darauf wird man nicht kommen, aber das ist auch ein nicht so wichtiges Detail.
Dieses BBC Hörspiel stammt aus dem Jahr 2008 und somit spricht noch der mittlerweile verstorbene John Moffatt Hercule Poirot. Wie alle Hörspiele der Reihe ist die Umsetzung extrem gut. Die Sprecher sind hervorragend, besonders natürlich John Moffatt, und die Umsetzung als Hörspiel ist so sorgfältig, dass man der Geschichte problemlos folgen kann und es keine Verständnisschwierigkeiten gibt, auch wenn man das Buch nicht kennen sollte (das ist ja nicht immer der Fall).
Der Fall an sich ist in sich abgeschlossen, auch wenn es einen kleinen Querverweis auf „Lord Edgeware dies/Thirteen at Dinner“ gibt.
Fazit: Sehr gelungene Adaption, wie man es von der BBC gewohnt ist. Wunderbare Hörspielereihe, die ich jedem nur empfehlen kann, vor allem, weil die Hörspiele ja auch regelmäßig auf BBC Radio 4 Extra laufen.
July 25, 2021
Audiobook review
I love David Suchet's portrayal of Hercule Poirot in the TV series, yet I've always been too focused on other books to pick up one of Christie's. My library came to the rescue with the perfect solution; an audio version of "After the Funeral: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation (Hercule Poirot #31) by Agatha Christie, John Moffatt (Reading), Various (Reading)"
I am familiar with the story, so there were no real surprises. There's a dysfunctional family, a country pile, and a murder to solve. After his investigative efforts, Poirot takes the figurative stage as he brings together all the suspects and slowly weaves together a story about his discoveries and the unveiling of the murderer.
Knowing the story allowed me to concentrate on the many narrators. John Moffatt did a wonderful job as Poirot, as did all the other narrators. The dramatisation, including sound effects, added a sense of the theatrical that I enjoyed listening to.
This dramatisation comes in at around the 90 minute mark, making it ideal for the work week commute.
I love David Suchet's portrayal of Hercule Poirot in the TV series, yet I've always been too focused on other books to pick up one of Christie's. My library came to the rescue with the perfect solution; an audio version of "After the Funeral: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation (Hercule Poirot #31) by Agatha Christie, John Moffatt (Reading), Various (Reading)"
I am familiar with the story, so there were no real surprises. There's a dysfunctional family, a country pile, and a murder to solve. After his investigative efforts, Poirot takes the figurative stage as he brings together all the suspects and slowly weaves together a story about his discoveries and the unveiling of the murderer.
Knowing the story allowed me to concentrate on the many narrators. John Moffatt did a wonderful job as Poirot, as did all the other narrators. The dramatisation, including sound effects, added a sense of the theatrical that I enjoyed listening to.
This dramatisation comes in at around the 90 minute mark, making it ideal for the work week commute.
October 12, 2017
Published September 10th 2010 by BBC Audiobooks
John Moffatt stars as the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in a full cast production.
Aunt Cora blurts out after the funeral of her brother that he was murdered. Next day, she’s found murdered. Her companion is poisoned days later with arsenic in a piece of wedding cake.
***
Christie draws these uniquely horrible and totally English families.
Poirot has no status to investigate it; he’s been asked by the family solicitor to investigate. And he is Hastings-less so occasional pieces are third person other party. And the solicitor. [it took me a while but I think the voice actor is Captain Mannering from ‘Are you being served’ Frank Thornton.]
Oh, Poirot.
Nuns, poison, furniture, and hatchets… oh my. Or as this family calls it: fun.
3 stars
John Moffatt stars as the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in a full cast production.
Aunt Cora blurts out after the funeral of her brother that he was murdered. Next day, she’s found murdered. Her companion is poisoned days later with arsenic in a piece of wedding cake.
***
Christie draws these uniquely horrible and totally English families.
Poirot has no status to investigate it; he’s been asked by the family solicitor to investigate. And he is Hastings-less so occasional pieces are third person other party. And the solicitor. [it took me a while but I think the voice actor is Captain Mannering from ‘Are you being served’ Frank Thornton.]
“Funny, I have never heard of you.”
“That is not funny, it is lamentable.”
Oh, Poirot.
Nuns, poison, furniture, and hatchets… oh my. Or as this family calls it: fun.
3 stars
August 2, 2018
Two in a row where a mirror reveals important aspects. (Two in a row as I've listened, not as written.) I like how a seeming chance remark leads Poirot to unravel the clues backwards to the beginning - although I suppose that's often the way in his cases!
Tangential aside about these BBC productions: in some of them, there are musical interludes at choice points - either at the end of CDs (which I initially thought) or perhaps breaks in the radio broadcast (my new theory, since there's more than just 1 in the equivalent of 2 CDs). I like the interludes - it's more cheerful. This one is missing the music.
Tangential aside about these BBC productions: in some of them, there are musical interludes at choice points - either at the end of CDs (which I initially thought) or perhaps breaks in the radio broadcast (my new theory, since there's more than just 1 in the equivalent of 2 CDs). I like the interludes - it's more cheerful. This one is missing the music.
September 20, 2019
This audiobook was a dramatization of the Agatha Christie story. Although I missed David Suchet's voice of Poirot, I enjoyed listening to this story. I hadn't read this mystery before, and found it to be very entertaining. I might read other versions, just to see the differences and similarities to this audiobook version.
July 18, 2019
While attending the funeral of Richard Abernethie, everyone thinks his death was natural, until Cora says that he was murdered. No one believes her, until she turns up murdered the next day. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect.
June 17, 2015
Frank Thorton (Captain Peacock from "Are You Being Served?") was the voice of one of the characters in this one. Didn't know it beforehand, but recognized his voice at once. What a treat. :)
October 28, 2015
Comforting, as usual, to listen to an Agatha Christie book while trying to relax...
June 9, 2016
A quick production, intriguing, surprising, interesting. I love Hercule Poirot stories. Agatha Christie always creates great characters.
November 17, 2016
After the Funeral is typical Poirot unraveling the mystery in the Poirot manner. I did find the book rather short, but a very enjoyable listen.
January 31, 2018
Another good BBC full-cast audio performance.
May 9, 2019
Short and sweet!
October 28, 2019
An enjoyable re-listen :)
Added to my permanent AC Collection!
Added to my permanent AC Collection!
April 29, 2020
Excellent!
BBC Audio - Full cast dramatization. The 15 Best Agatha Christie novels. Each book roughly 1.5 hours.
BBC Audio - Full cast dramatization. The 15 Best Agatha Christie novels. Each book roughly 1.5 hours.
September 3, 2021
An enjoyable mystery from the queen of crime.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews