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Hercule Poirot #39
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La policia se encuentra ante un rompecabezas irresoluble tras el hallazgo del cadáver de un desconocido en la vivienda de una mujer ciega. Por suerte, un agente del servicio secreto se pone en contacto con Hércules Poirot, quien, con su maestría habitual, reconstruirá los hechos y revelará la identidad de la víctima y del asesino.
255 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 1963
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About the author
Agatha Christie
5,816 books75.4k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,643 reviews
September 17, 2019
A Hercule Poirot mystery. A young woman stenographer is requested to come to an elderly blind woman’s house to take dictation. She is told if the woman is not home when she arrives, to enter the unlocked door and wait in the dining room. When she does so, she encounters a dead man and she runs screaming from the house into the arms of a passer-by.
The man passing by turns out to be a cold-war spy who is good friends with the head detective investigating the murder case. So the investigation is conducted by the police detective with the informal help of his friend the spy. Their discussions keep us posted on the progress of the case. These numerous and detailed discussions mean the reader never gets lost in the plot.
When the police arrive, among other things, they find that four clocks, all set for the wrong time, 4:13, have been added to the blind woman’s home without her knowledge. Also they learn that the elderly lady did not call the stenography agency and the young woman has no idea why she, of the eight women at the agency, was specifically requested to come. The dead man has a business card in his pocket but it’s a fake name and a fake business. His photo is posted in newspapers but no one comes forward to identify him. (Identify him ‘correctly’ I should add.)
There’s not a lot of progress, so the spy, a good friend of Hercule, now retired, visits the great detective and fills him in on what he calls a ‘complex case.’ This occurs about halfway through the story. Hercule’s first comment is “it has to be as simple case, made to look complex.” Another woman working at the steno agency appears to have tried to contact the police because she knows something and then she is found strangled in a phone booth.
A good story and a fairly quick and fun read. The book jacket tells us that Agatha Christie’s novels have sold a billion copies in English and a billion copies in other languages. That puts her in third place after the Bible and Shakespeare!
TV version of Hercule Poirot from pintermonamour.com
Agatha Christie from stmedia.stimg.co
The man passing by turns out to be a cold-war spy who is good friends with the head detective investigating the murder case. So the investigation is conducted by the police detective with the informal help of his friend the spy. Their discussions keep us posted on the progress of the case. These numerous and detailed discussions mean the reader never gets lost in the plot.
When the police arrive, among other things, they find that four clocks, all set for the wrong time, 4:13, have been added to the blind woman’s home without her knowledge. Also they learn that the elderly lady did not call the stenography agency and the young woman has no idea why she, of the eight women at the agency, was specifically requested to come. The dead man has a business card in his pocket but it’s a fake name and a fake business. His photo is posted in newspapers but no one comes forward to identify him. (Identify him ‘correctly’ I should add.)
There’s not a lot of progress, so the spy, a good friend of Hercule, now retired, visits the great detective and fills him in on what he calls a ‘complex case.’ This occurs about halfway through the story. Hercule’s first comment is “it has to be as simple case, made to look complex.” Another woman working at the steno agency appears to have tried to contact the police because she knows something and then she is found strangled in a phone booth.
A good story and a fairly quick and fun read. The book jacket tells us that Agatha Christie’s novels have sold a billion copies in English and a billion copies in other languages. That puts her in third place after the Bible and Shakespeare!
TV version of Hercule Poirot from pintermonamour.com
Agatha Christie from stmedia.stimg.co
June 20, 2020
This Hercule Poirot murder mystery is rather unusual, since he isn't in it very much. Monsieur Poirot is old, five feet four inches (1.625 meters), but with a certain presence that belies his diminutive stature. And spends the few pages he appears in at his London apartment, rich yet bored. Reading fictional and nonfiction books about of course, killings. Don't worry folks he comes to the rescue at the last chapter, in fact 3rd from last and a few others, in the middle of the novel. The typical plot , Sheila Webb a stenographer typist, goes to a house, for a routine assignment. The door is unlocked, as she had been informed beforehand, enters the sitting -room and waits for the owner, to arrive. A blind woman named Miss Pebmarsh , however, surprise , surprise, a dead man is found on the floor with a stab wound, in his chest. Things like this aren't common in the small , quiet some would say quaint ( not I) English town, of Crowdean. Then in comes Miss Pebmarsh, and almost steps on the victim, like a bat out of hell, the screaming Sheila, says, emphatically ...Eeeeeeeeek! Coming out the door, collides with a secret agent Mr.Colin Lamb, not his real name, what self- respecting operative would give it. He is investigating a spy ring (Crowdean isn't so quiet after all). Set in the cold war era, of the early turbulent, 1960's, she being quite attractive, Colin doesn't mind getting hit, by the young lady (love at first sight , or is it touch?). Stepping inside, he notices six clocks, in the deceased room, four showing the time as precisely 4:13...more than an hour ahead of the actual, what can this puzzle mean. And the owner says she has only two clocks there, has the criminal brought them, the first time a thief brings gifts... This being England, everyone sits down calmly and has a delicious warm cup of tea awaiting the police to arrive . Detective Inspector Hardcastle, a friend of Mr. Lamb, is extremely perplexed when he looks over the gruesome scene. The neighbors are no help, they haven't seen anything, no strangers around, just the ordinary acquaintances. Then one clock weirdly vanishes... into the void ...Days pass and still no one can identify the poor dead man. This is the strangest murder, the policeman has ever had, it will not be the last. Fine story by the always great, and talented Agatha Christie. There are many imitators but only one Queen...Long live the Queen...
May 20, 2019
The Clocks, by Agatha Christie. It was a very short read, and I caught myself binge reading, flipping through the pages while enjoying myself.
I couldn't ask for more. The crime setting reminded me of an Ellery Queen mystery whose title escapes my memory for now. The start was full of unanswered questions, it was so full of mystery.
For once I didn't mind the fact that Poirot appears so little in the book. I thought the author juggled a lot of the facts to her heart's content which resulted in a book that gives the illusion that it was written in her prime.
I couldn't ask for more. The crime setting reminded me of an Ellery Queen mystery whose title escapes my memory for now. The start was full of unanswered questions, it was so full of mystery.
For once I didn't mind the fact that Poirot appears so little in the book. I thought the author juggled a lot of the facts to her heart's content which resulted in a book that gives the illusion that it was written in her prime.
August 3, 2022
A stopped clock is right twice a day.
And when Sheila Webb trips on a dead body in a blind client's house, she notices several stopped clocks sitting around the room.
She runs from the room in hysterics.
As you do.
Meanwhile, Colin Lamb stumbles upon an understandably hysterical hot chick and murder mystery while investigating some fishy goings-on in the same neighborhood for the Special Branch.
I didn't realize this was a Poirot novel at first. He comes in towards the middle of the story at the invitation of Colin, because he's a good friend of his father's that Colin has known most of his life.
It is hinted that his father is none other than Superintendent Battle.
That was pretty cool.
Anyway, Colin challenges Poirot to work his magic and put his money where his mouth is when it comes to Hercule's claim that he can sit in his chair and solve a mystery. So while Colin and his friend Inspector Hardcastle investigate things on the ground, our favorite detective is getting reports and mulling things over.
I thought it was both funny and touching that at the end of the book he admits to getting out of his proverbial chair because he's only human.
There are a lot of different plot threads, not everyone is who they seem to be, and there are enough red herrings to feed a small army. I certainly didn't see the ending coming.
Well done!
This was a good whodunnit and I quite enjoyed Lamb's voice. Agatha created another great one-and-done character that I would have loved to be able to read more about.
Recommended for fans of Cozy Christie Mysteries.
And when Sheila Webb trips on a dead body in a blind client's house, she notices several stopped clocks sitting around the room.
She runs from the room in hysterics.
As you do.
Meanwhile, Colin Lamb stumbles upon an understandably hysterical hot chick and murder mystery while investigating some fishy goings-on in the same neighborhood for the Special Branch.
I didn't realize this was a Poirot novel at first. He comes in towards the middle of the story at the invitation of Colin, because he's a good friend of his father's that Colin has known most of his life.
It is hinted that his father is none other than Superintendent Battle.
That was pretty cool.
Anyway, Colin challenges Poirot to work his magic and put his money where his mouth is when it comes to Hercule's claim that he can sit in his chair and solve a mystery. So while Colin and his friend Inspector Hardcastle investigate things on the ground, our favorite detective is getting reports and mulling things over.
I thought it was both funny and touching that at the end of the book he admits to getting out of his proverbial chair because he's only human.
There are a lot of different plot threads, not everyone is who they seem to be, and there are enough red herrings to feed a small army. I certainly didn't see the ending coming.
Well done!
This was a good whodunnit and I quite enjoyed Lamb's voice. Agatha created another great one-and-done character that I would have loved to be able to read more about.
Recommended for fans of Cozy Christie Mysteries.
July 15, 2025
Just when I think that Poirot series is taking its toll and I debate whether I should continue or not and decide to settle the question after one more read, Agatha Christie shows that it is not the time to quit and yet and that she has enough in her to amaze us still.
The Clocks is a very interesting and a clever story. It is a story that could only come from the pen of an ingenious writer. Christie combines two plots here, one being the baffling crime mystery and the other is apprehending a "spy" who was passing government information to the "enemy" during the cold war. These two plots are intertwined so well that while it was both exciting and engaging, it also was complex and bewildering which makes it difficult for the readers to guess the murderer and the motive. The deliberate attempt to achieve the complexity is masterfully done by Agatha Christie yet again proving that she is the "Queen of the Crimes".
It is the first in the series to have a two plot combination. I liked that novelty very much. It gave you two separate yet connected stories in one. It also made it difficult to guess the criminal and the motive. A fair share of red herrings added further difficulties to the guessing game. For my part, I totally gave up my detective skills midway. :)
Hercule Poirot plays a fairly low role in this installment and more groundwork is done by a local police detective and a British intelligence agent. Interestingly, I didn't mind it here. I felt it was quite appropriate the low-key role that was allotted to him, for this is a story where Poirot's analytical mind, his "little grey cells" are challenged the most. Poirot doesn't investigate; he doesn't even visit one single crime scene nor interview any suspect. He is guided only by the typed notes handed over to him which contained the statements of the suspects. But for a brilliant detective like Poirot, this is quite enough. What baffled the detective inspector, the Intelligence agent, and me :), Poirot clears up as if he has witnessed them.
This is one of the best in the Poirot series and I enjoyed it very much. After The Mysterious Affair at Styles (which is still my favourite) The Clocks is the best I've come across in this series.
The Clocks is a very interesting and a clever story. It is a story that could only come from the pen of an ingenious writer. Christie combines two plots here, one being the baffling crime mystery and the other is apprehending a "spy" who was passing government information to the "enemy" during the cold war. These two plots are intertwined so well that while it was both exciting and engaging, it also was complex and bewildering which makes it difficult for the readers to guess the murderer and the motive. The deliberate attempt to achieve the complexity is masterfully done by Agatha Christie yet again proving that she is the "Queen of the Crimes".
It is the first in the series to have a two plot combination. I liked that novelty very much. It gave you two separate yet connected stories in one. It also made it difficult to guess the criminal and the motive. A fair share of red herrings added further difficulties to the guessing game. For my part, I totally gave up my detective skills midway. :)
Hercule Poirot plays a fairly low role in this installment and more groundwork is done by a local police detective and a British intelligence agent. Interestingly, I didn't mind it here. I felt it was quite appropriate the low-key role that was allotted to him, for this is a story where Poirot's analytical mind, his "little grey cells" are challenged the most. Poirot doesn't investigate; he doesn't even visit one single crime scene nor interview any suspect. He is guided only by the typed notes handed over to him which contained the statements of the suspects. But for a brilliant detective like Poirot, this is quite enough. What baffled the detective inspector, the Intelligence agent, and me :), Poirot clears up as if he has witnessed them.
This is one of the best in the Poirot series and I enjoyed it very much. After The Mysterious Affair at Styles (which is still my favourite) The Clocks is the best I've come across in this series.
November 6, 2020
Review to follow 👍🏼
Am I getting bored of Poirot after 3 years or was this just an average book for AC ? I'm hoping it is the latter as I still have a few Poirot novels to go to complete the set.
What do I mean by average, well obviously still good by general standards but average for the Great Lady of Crime. My wife and I recently watched all the Poirot movies with David Suchet and I vaguely remembered the "Clocks" episode, but that didn't spoil it for me.
This books centres on the murder of an unknown man in the house of a blind retired school teacher, who now teaches blind children. Who is the unknown smartly dressed man killed in the well-to-do neighbourhood ?
Does the stenographer who found her, play any part, or even the blind teacher who was absent that morning ? Why was the stenographer ordered by name , and who by ?
A really enjoyable book despite the fact that Poirot hardly appears, and is only involved by Colin Lamb very late in the book. What I didn't get, and maybe it was just me And that was why it only got 4 stars. !!!
Am I getting bored of Poirot after 3 years or was this just an average book for AC ? I'm hoping it is the latter as I still have a few Poirot novels to go to complete the set.
What do I mean by average, well obviously still good by general standards but average for the Great Lady of Crime. My wife and I recently watched all the Poirot movies with David Suchet and I vaguely remembered the "Clocks" episode, but that didn't spoil it for me.
This books centres on the murder of an unknown man in the house of a blind retired school teacher, who now teaches blind children. Who is the unknown smartly dressed man killed in the well-to-do neighbourhood ?
Does the stenographer who found her, play any part, or even the blind teacher who was absent that morning ? Why was the stenographer ordered by name , and who by ?
A really enjoyable book despite the fact that Poirot hardly appears, and is only involved by Colin Lamb very late in the book. What I didn't get, and maybe it was just me And that was why it only got 4 stars. !!!
October 3, 2020
3.5★
I had read this one after all! It didn't sound at all familiar, but I remembered when I started reading
This isn't one of Christie's best (yet another but it is a pleasant way to while away the hours. Lots of literary musings of both real & imagined authors.
Christie was taking a sly dig at herself, especially since this book trades heavily on coincidence - more heavily than any other Christie I recall.
I had read this one after all! It didn't sound at all familiar, but I remembered when I started reading
This isn't one of Christie's best (yet another but it is a pleasant way to while away the hours. Lots of literary musings of both real & imagined authors.
"I have read also," he said, "some of the early works of Mrs.Ariadne Oliver. She is by way of being a friend of mine,and of yours, I think. I do not wholly approve of her works, mind you. The happenings in them are highly improbable. The long arm of coincidence is far too freely employed. And being young at the time, she was foolish enough to make her detective a Finn, and it is clear that she knows nothing about Finns or Finland except possibly the works of Sibelius."
Christie was taking a sly dig at herself, especially since this book trades heavily on coincidence - more heavily than any other Christie I recall.
January 23, 2022
Choose Your Own Adventure!
You are a member of the British secret service, and you are having a really bad day. Murder is never the best of reasons to engage in romance, but for you, the two become intertwined before you know it. In a way, it is not hard to understand why: temporary secretaries are their own kind of secret agent, slipping in and out of mysterious situations, reporting what they know to their benefactor, a constant smile on their lips and calm professionalism their by-word. When double agents meet: fireworks! But who is an agent and who is the pawn? What are the motives of your benefactors? Who is pulling the strings, who is winding the clocks? For whom does the dread bell toll? Beware: time does not stop for your petty romances!
If you decide that the bell tolls for you, and you shall hear that surly sullen bell, choose
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you decide for whom the bell tolls, as it must for guilty and innocent alike, choose
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
You are a member of the British secret service, and you are having a really bad day. Murder is never the best of reasons to engage in romance, but for you, the two become intertwined before you know it. In a way, it is not hard to understand why: temporary secretaries are their own kind of secret agent, slipping in and out of mysterious situations, reporting what they know to their benefactor, a constant smile on their lips and calm professionalism their by-word. When double agents meet: fireworks! But who is an agent and who is the pawn? What are the motives of your benefactors? Who is pulling the strings, who is winding the clocks? For whom does the dread bell toll? Beware: time does not stop for your petty romances!
If you decide that the bell tolls for you, and you shall hear that surly sullen bell, choose
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you decide for whom the bell tolls, as it must for guilty and innocent alike, choose
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 2, 2023
Barely any Poirot in this one, but on the plus side I could actually keep track of the characters for once, AND I figured out one of the clues. I was a thousand miles off from guessing any part of the murder plot itself though, so I won't pat myself on the back for it.
P.S. AC wrote such weird child characters, I love Geraldine and I wish she had her own book as an adult detective
P.S. AC wrote such weird child characters, I love Geraldine and I wish she had her own book as an adult detective
August 5, 2019
One of the rare boring Poirot novel. For more than eighty percent of the story Poirot is missing and the actual investigations are being handled by some body else. Suddenly he appears , asks a few questions and solves the case. Unbelievable. It is almost as if Agatha had a brain wave and decided to include Poirot at the last moment. Avoidable
January 30, 2021
“Everything makes sense. Everything”—Poirot
The Clocks is Hercules Poirot #37, and I feel like I am sort of limping to the finish here, reading them in order. This one features the “mature” writing of Christie, a book published in 1963, 43 years after her first Poirot, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, published in 1920! She knew no one in life as well as Poirot at this point, and it was by now a resigned relationship, with love and hate and resentment all present at times. Which is perhaps why Poirot doesn’t even make it into the book until the half-way point and then disappears until the very end to—of course—put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
There are murder(s), yep, all related but you have no idea how until the end. It features:
*Poirot solving the case on a kind of challenge without ever seeing a scrap of evidence nor talking to a single witness. It’s all gathered for him and related to him. He has often claimed he can solve a case using only his “little gray cells” and here he does it, trusting the veracity of the information that comes to him (though sometimes he tells his messengers to ask more questions for him).
*A blind woman, Millicent Pebmarsh
*Who comes home one day to find a dead man in her house, and some clocks she has never seen before, set ahead an hour to 4:13. What can this ever mean?!
*Poirot, aging, “retired” and bored, and though never really a reader, has a new hobby after all these years: reading detective fiction, which he is surprisingly enjoying, given his high standards for quality detective work. This reading turns out to more than casually involved in the plot, one book in particular that he reads figuring in to the resolution.
“He’s not dead. But I have a feeling he’s bored. That’s worse.”
*A clever and precocious young girl, Geraldine, maybe the youngest character Christie (a Grandmother now) has featured as a central figure in her story. Geraldine’s use of opera glasses while laid up in her home with a broken leg recalls Hitchcock’s Rear Window. A bit. The section featuring this girl is one of the most engaging parts of the book, but she doesn’t come into it until ¾ of the way, alas!
*A cat lady
*Lots of deliberately set false leads by the murderer
To be fair, I am a little tired of Christie at this point. So it's not her but me. Had this been my first one I might have given it 4 stars, I think. Maybe. It is entertaining, really. But if you are Christie-curious, start with the ones in the thirties, not the sixties!
The Clocks is Hercules Poirot #37, and I feel like I am sort of limping to the finish here, reading them in order. This one features the “mature” writing of Christie, a book published in 1963, 43 years after her first Poirot, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, published in 1920! She knew no one in life as well as Poirot at this point, and it was by now a resigned relationship, with love and hate and resentment all present at times. Which is perhaps why Poirot doesn’t even make it into the book until the half-way point and then disappears until the very end to—of course—put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
There are murder(s), yep, all related but you have no idea how until the end. It features:
*Poirot solving the case on a kind of challenge without ever seeing a scrap of evidence nor talking to a single witness. It’s all gathered for him and related to him. He has often claimed he can solve a case using only his “little gray cells” and here he does it, trusting the veracity of the information that comes to him (though sometimes he tells his messengers to ask more questions for him).
*A blind woman, Millicent Pebmarsh
*Who comes home one day to find a dead man in her house, and some clocks she has never seen before, set ahead an hour to 4:13. What can this ever mean?!
*Poirot, aging, “retired” and bored, and though never really a reader, has a new hobby after all these years: reading detective fiction, which he is surprisingly enjoying, given his high standards for quality detective work. This reading turns out to more than casually involved in the plot, one book in particular that he reads figuring in to the resolution.
“He’s not dead. But I have a feeling he’s bored. That’s worse.”
*A clever and precocious young girl, Geraldine, maybe the youngest character Christie (a Grandmother now) has featured as a central figure in her story. Geraldine’s use of opera glasses while laid up in her home with a broken leg recalls Hitchcock’s Rear Window. A bit. The section featuring this girl is one of the most engaging parts of the book, but she doesn’t come into it until ¾ of the way, alas!
*A cat lady
*Lots of deliberately set false leads by the murderer
To be fair, I am a little tired of Christie at this point. So it's not her but me. Had this been my first one I might have given it 4 stars, I think. Maybe. It is entertaining, really. But if you are Christie-curious, start with the ones in the thirties, not the sixties!
August 1, 2025
Although Poirot makes an appearance in this one for only about 20 pages, or so, it is still a very tangled web that only he can straighten out.
December 6, 2016
Started off so well! I loved the strange, eeriness of the murder and the characters were all so peculiar. I was really aiming high for the grand finale, but at the end it all tumbled out within 10 or so pages and was a bit of a disappointment, added to which, Poirot was conspicuous by his absence for the majority of the book which was a shame. I assume Christie was by now getting a bit sick of writing wonderful plots for her marvellous creation and so was trying to keep him 'away' whilst other characters took the lead. Wonderful, followed sharply by a letdown.
January 24, 2021
I really, really enjoyed this one. I was laughing as I read because I’ve truly come to enjoy Poirot as a detective. He actually decides to perpetuate an armchair detective in a literal sense in this book. Which means he solves the crime while sitting in an armchair and not on location. He’s also such a drama queen and so extra. He knows it and owns it. I love that.
I also liked the other policemen, and that doesn’t always go for me in the mysteries. I liked Colin and Hardcastle – especially Hardcastle because he makes mistakes, is sensible, and willing to admit when he is wrong. I also liked the duality of having a main storyline but a minor secondary one unravelling too.
I was fairly convinced I knew whodunnit in this book, but Queen Christie got me once again and I was just as surprised when it came to the grand reveal as the rest of the characters. I also like the small nods – there are moments where other mystery writers are praised or critiqued, as well as a discussion on how people are fascinated by the morbidity of crime and murder.
I found the romantic storyline to be quite ridiculous. It has no chemistry whatsoever, and the main character barely knows who he has supposedly fallen for. In no way does she once show that she reciprocates those feelings, which also makes the romance hard to believe.
I also liked the other policemen, and that doesn’t always go for me in the mysteries. I liked Colin and Hardcastle – especially Hardcastle because he makes mistakes, is sensible, and willing to admit when he is wrong. I also liked the duality of having a main storyline but a minor secondary one unravelling too.
I was fairly convinced I knew whodunnit in this book, but Queen Christie got me once again and I was just as surprised when it came to the grand reveal as the rest of the characters. I also like the small nods – there are moments where other mystery writers are praised or critiqued, as well as a discussion on how people are fascinated by the morbidity of crime and murder.
I found the romantic storyline to be quite ridiculous. It has no chemistry whatsoever, and the main character barely knows who he has supposedly fallen for. In no way does she once show that she reciprocates those feelings, which also makes the romance hard to believe.
December 7, 2018
So, here's the thing. No Christie is a bad Christie but that doesn't mean they are all created equally. This one began in such an intriguing manner - a dead man, a blind woman, a stenographer, and several clocks whose presence no-one can account for - that I felt sure it was about to become a new favourite. What was so initially compelling, however, unravelled too slowly for me to continue with the breathless engagement that I begun this with. This still delivered a wonderful ending that managed pull together all the disparate strings of the story but the central lagging hasn't convinced me that this is one of Christie's best.
July 7, 2022
I don't know what it is. I am either blown away by Christie or totally underwhelmed by her books. There is never a really nice happy medium I am finding. I think one good thing about reading all of these books back to back like this is that I am able to pick up on plots that Christie has used previously.
I can now see why it took so long for my library to track down this book and make it available to me. It's not that a compelling read of a Hercule Poirot book. One wonders if Christie was playing with having another detective type character to play with or what. Instead that is all done away with by the end of the book.
Even though this is a Hercule Poirot book, he does not enter the scene so to speak until about more than half way through. And even then he only makes a small amount of appearances. He has decided that he will solve Colin Lamb's case without going to the scenes or talking to witnesses, doing this apparently is supposed to awe all around Poirot with his wonderful grey cells.
The main character is actually Colin Lamb. It becomes apparent that Colin's last name really isn't Lamb. That he is actually a son of one of the men that Poirot has come to know over the years. The name is never said, so I am going to guess Superintendent Battle because of some of the descriptions that Poirot uses to describe Colin's father.
I was not impressed with Colin at all. From his insistence one of the suspects could not be the murderer because he was attracted to her and kept "my girling" her every-time he thought or talked to her, I was actually surprised at the end when we see what Colin has really been up to and how smart he is.
The other characters in this book were actually written either very well or poorly. Once again no middle ground with Christie. The random coincidences that they all found themselves to be tied to though, I honestly had a lot of problems swallowing.
There were two main plot lines in this book and I think that neither one of them was really done very well. Especially because one was revealed towards the very end and it caused me to actually go back through the book to see if I had missed something. Nope, I hadn't missed a thing, it was just kind of dropped there at the end of the book.
The main plot-line of discovering who murdered a man at number 19 Wilbraham Crescent took up the majority of the book.
My biggest complaint besides the switch from first person point of view to third person narration was that the entire plot of this book could have been lifted from Dead Man's Folly, with only a few small changes here and there. I was really unimpressed with Poirot's final reveal of who dun it and why.
There was some mention of Hastings being in South America and how Poirot missed him and I tried to not laugh. There has not been any mention of Hastings in the last couple of books, it feels as if Christie recalled that Poirot used to have an affable side kick that worked his cases with him.
I can now see why it took so long for my library to track down this book and make it available to me. It's not that a compelling read of a Hercule Poirot book. One wonders if Christie was playing with having another detective type character to play with or what. Instead that is all done away with by the end of the book.
Even though this is a Hercule Poirot book, he does not enter the scene so to speak until about more than half way through. And even then he only makes a small amount of appearances. He has decided that he will solve Colin Lamb's case without going to the scenes or talking to witnesses, doing this apparently is supposed to awe all around Poirot with his wonderful grey cells.
The main character is actually Colin Lamb. It becomes apparent that Colin's last name really isn't Lamb. That he is actually a son of one of the men that Poirot has come to know over the years. The name is never said, so I am going to guess Superintendent Battle because of some of the descriptions that Poirot uses to describe Colin's father.
I was not impressed with Colin at all. From his insistence one of the suspects could not be the murderer because he was attracted to her and kept "my girling" her every-time he thought or talked to her, I was actually surprised at the end when we see what Colin has really been up to and how smart he is.
The other characters in this book were actually written either very well or poorly. Once again no middle ground with Christie. The random coincidences that they all found themselves to be tied to though, I honestly had a lot of problems swallowing.
There were two main plot lines in this book and I think that neither one of them was really done very well. Especially because one was revealed towards the very end and it caused me to actually go back through the book to see if I had missed something. Nope, I hadn't missed a thing, it was just kind of dropped there at the end of the book.
The main plot-line of discovering who murdered a man at number 19 Wilbraham Crescent took up the majority of the book.
My biggest complaint besides the switch from first person point of view to third person narration was that the entire plot of this book could have been lifted from Dead Man's Folly, with only a few small changes here and there. I was really unimpressed with Poirot's final reveal of who dun it and why.
There was some mention of Hastings being in South America and how Poirot missed him and I tried to not laugh. There has not been any mention of Hastings in the last couple of books, it feels as if Christie recalled that Poirot used to have an affable side kick that worked his cases with him.
December 11, 2017
جثة في بيت عمياء ومكتشفة الجثة فتاة اختزال تذهب الى البيت عن طريق مكالمة هاتفية ثم تبين ان صاحبة الشقة لم تقم بهذا الاتصال.
هيركيول بوارو يكتشف القاتل بدون ان يشارك في التحقيقات وهو جالس في مكتبه.
لم استمتع بها اعتقد بسبب سوء الترجمة من يحب قراءتها يبحث عن طبعة اخرى .
هيركيول بوارو يكتشف القاتل بدون ان يشارك في التحقيقات وهو جالس في مكتبه.
لم استمتع بها اعتقد بسبب سوء الترجمة من يحب قراءتها يبحث عن طبعة اخرى .
September 12, 2019
Trust me I had never given 2 star rating for any of Christie's books so far. I am a huge fan of her mysteries. And this 2 star book is definitely better than a lot of 3 star books I had rated. I gave it 2 stars because it was not one of her best works. So compared to her other books, this one falls short.
The beginning of the novel is very thrilling and the readers are all excited about 'The Clocks' which comprise the title of the book and is a significant factor in the murder mystery. But as we proceed further, the story unfurls so conveniently for the investigators and they find everything they came to find so so so easily, it just kills your senses. And the whole mystery of the clocks!! Well let the reader find out. I am not revealing any plot lines.
There are several great Christie mysteries worth spending time reading. This is not one of them. But as a die-hard Christie fan, I try to read all her books. And if you are one, you should too.
If you are new to Agatha Christie, you should try these before venturing into The Clocks!
Death on the Nile
Body in the Library
Sleeping Murder
Endless Night
Crooked House
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Murder on the Orient Express
And Then There Were None
Five Little Pigs
These are some of my favourites.
Have a good day : )
The beginning of the novel is very thrilling and the readers are all excited about 'The Clocks' which comprise the title of the book and is a significant factor in the murder mystery. But as we proceed further, the story unfurls so conveniently for the investigators and they find everything they came to find so so so easily, it just kills your senses. And the whole mystery of the clocks!! Well let the reader find out. I am not revealing any plot lines.
There are several great Christie mysteries worth spending time reading. This is not one of them. But as a die-hard Christie fan, I try to read all her books. And if you are one, you should too.
If you are new to Agatha Christie, you should try these before venturing into The Clocks!
Death on the Nile
Body in the Library
Sleeping Murder
Endless Night
Crooked House
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Murder on the Orient Express
And Then There Were None
Five Little Pigs
These are some of my favourites.
Have a good day : )
September 24, 2024
اول شروع کردم به گوش کردن صوتی اش تو ایران صدا تا وقتای رفت و آمدم باهاش پر بشه. خیلی ذوق کردم که استاد اکبر منانی هم توی کار هستش. ولی هرچقدر صوتی بیشتر جلو رفت بیشتر متوجه شدم متن کامل نیست و خیلی اطلاعاتش ناقصه و پریده پریده... انگار فقط می خواست بچپونه همه اطلاعات رو تو تقریبا دو ساعت و نیم. برداشت اقتباسی واقعا بدی داشت و ناقص بود. و حیف که کار صوتی ای که استاد منانی هم توش هستن، دقیقا همون متن کتاب نیست و اقتباس چندان جالبی هم نشده ... جالبه که اقتباس نمایشی هم نبود و روایی بود... چیزی بود بین متن خوانی اثر با صدای مهبد قناعت پیشه و اجرای نمایشی ...اولاش تا حدود زیادی منطبق با متن بود بعد ریتم بهم ریخت و از طمانینه کتاب به شدت کم کرد.
برا همین برگشتم و کتابشو خوندم، کتابش از صوتی ایران صدا خیلی خیلی بهتره.
برا همین برگشتم و کتابشو خوندم، کتابش از صوتی ایران صدا خیلی خیلی بهتره.
August 23, 2023
I truly enjoyed listening to Hugh Fraser narrate this complex mystery.
My favorite passage, chosen for it's historical context:
"The houses themselves might have been embalmed like mummies for all the signs of life there were in them. I knew why that was, it was already, or close upon, the sacred hour of one, an hour sanctified by English traditions to the consuming of a midday meal."
"In one or two houses I could see through the uncurtained windows a group of one or two people around a dining table, but even that was exceedingly rare. Either the windows were discretely screened with nylon netting as opposed to the once popular Nottingham lace, or -- which was far more probable -- anyone who was at home was eating in the "modern" kitchen, according to the custom of the 1960s."
My favorite passage, chosen for it's historical context:
"The houses themselves might have been embalmed like mummies for all the signs of life there were in them. I knew why that was, it was already, or close upon, the sacred hour of one, an hour sanctified by English traditions to the consuming of a midday meal."
"In one or two houses I could see through the uncurtained windows a group of one or two people around a dining table, but even that was exceedingly rare. Either the windows were discretely screened with nylon netting as opposed to the once popular Nottingham lace, or -- which was far more probable -- anyone who was at home was eating in the "modern" kitchen, according to the custom of the 1960s."
December 5, 2025
Pointless
This was one of Agatha Christie’s weaker works—dry, directionless, and deeply unsatisfying.
The narrative takes far too long to introduce Poirot, and when he finally appears, he conducts most of his investigation from home. This narrative choice is not only impractical but egotistical in concept, as it strips the reader of any investigative engagement. We are left watching a parade of characters drift aimlessly, acting random and clueless while the plot tries to convince us that momentum exists when, in truth, nothing meaningful happens.
My detachment from both the story and its characters grew with every chapter. The only reason I kept reading was curiosity about the crime and its mechanics, not emotional involvement or intellectual intrigue.
Then comes the supposed romantic subplot—a disastrous attempt at injecting charm. A man meets a woman once, under tragic circumstances, and instantly decides she’s trustworthy, loveable, flaws and all, and that he’s ready to marry her? It’s absurd to the point of parody. Instead of emotional depth, the romance feels like a hastily glued-on sticker: flimsy, unrealistic, and unnecessary.
Christie’s persistent stereotyping is another jarring element. Women are portrayed as impulsive, empty-headed, whimsical creatures; elderly women are framed as nosy busybodies who thrive on rummaging through others’ misery; widows or single older ladies are painted as unhinged cat-hoarders trying to patch emotional voids with fur and purrs. These tropes are outdated, offensive, and reduce the narrative’s credibility.
To make matters worse, the final plot twist—the supposed payoff—fails to deliver. The resolution is illogical, rushed, and lacks the cleverness Christie is known for. Instead of a triumphant “Aha!”, the ending leaves a hollow “Really? That’s it?”
A disappointing miss from an author capable of so much more.
This was one of Agatha Christie’s weaker works—dry, directionless, and deeply unsatisfying.
The narrative takes far too long to introduce Poirot, and when he finally appears, he conducts most of his investigation from home. This narrative choice is not only impractical but egotistical in concept, as it strips the reader of any investigative engagement. We are left watching a parade of characters drift aimlessly, acting random and clueless while the plot tries to convince us that momentum exists when, in truth, nothing meaningful happens.
My detachment from both the story and its characters grew with every chapter. The only reason I kept reading was curiosity about the crime and its mechanics, not emotional involvement or intellectual intrigue.
Then comes the supposed romantic subplot—a disastrous attempt at injecting charm. A man meets a woman once, under tragic circumstances, and instantly decides she’s trustworthy, loveable, flaws and all, and that he’s ready to marry her? It’s absurd to the point of parody. Instead of emotional depth, the romance feels like a hastily glued-on sticker: flimsy, unrealistic, and unnecessary.
Christie’s persistent stereotyping is another jarring element. Women are portrayed as impulsive, empty-headed, whimsical creatures; elderly women are framed as nosy busybodies who thrive on rummaging through others’ misery; widows or single older ladies are painted as unhinged cat-hoarders trying to patch emotional voids with fur and purrs. These tropes are outdated, offensive, and reduce the narrative’s credibility.
To make matters worse, the final plot twist—the supposed payoff—fails to deliver. The resolution is illogical, rushed, and lacks the cleverness Christie is known for. Instead of a triumphant “Aha!”, the ending leaves a hollow “Really? That’s it?”
A disappointing miss from an author capable of so much more.
February 1, 2022
This is a good story, but hardly Agatha Christie's best book. I am also afraid that this is one of the stories by this author that I will not remember in a week or two.
The whole story fits into the well-known pattern of Christie's books. A mysterious crime, this time the identity of the victim is unknown. One unusual element in this crime, the clocks that surrounded the victim but did not belong to the owner of the house where he died. And as always, a small group of very expressive characters, most of whom are hiding something, while some are not who they say they are. This well-known scheme, which almost always works for Christie, is strangely comforting for the reader.
Usually, I don't even try to see through Christie's plot because she comes up with the most unusual and intricate solutions. This time, however, I guessed at least part of the mystery. The one about Sheila's family. The rest was surprising as always.
Although this is a book in the Hercule Poirot series, he is not the main character in this story. The investigation is carried out by the policeman and a young friend of his, who spends some time in the area to unravel the case of international espionage. Of course, the case cannot be finally resolved without Poirot's help. And it is he who finally discovers who the murderer is. Nevertheless, the scenes in which our well-known Belgian detective appears do not occupy much space in this book.
All in all, it's a nice story, I had a good time, although it probably won't be a book that I will remember.
The whole story fits into the well-known pattern of Christie's books. A mysterious crime, this time the identity of the victim is unknown. One unusual element in this crime, the clocks that surrounded the victim but did not belong to the owner of the house where he died. And as always, a small group of very expressive characters, most of whom are hiding something, while some are not who they say they are. This well-known scheme, which almost always works for Christie, is strangely comforting for the reader.
Usually, I don't even try to see through Christie's plot because she comes up with the most unusual and intricate solutions. This time, however, I guessed at least part of the mystery. The one about Sheila's family. The rest was surprising as always.
Although this is a book in the Hercule Poirot series, he is not the main character in this story. The investigation is carried out by the policeman and a young friend of his, who spends some time in the area to unravel the case of international espionage. Of course, the case cannot be finally resolved without Poirot's help. And it is he who finally discovers who the murderer is. Nevertheless, the scenes in which our well-known Belgian detective appears do not occupy much space in this book.
All in all, it's a nice story, I had a good time, although it probably won't be a book that I will remember.
September 30, 2024
Well, that's not a full four, but I feel somehow responsible for the books I read, as I see many (too many...) vampire stuff around here close to 4.50 or even better!?!
So, the usual story, slightly different, as Poirot solves the case without keeping too many cards close to his chest, and an interesting matter, Agatha's view about her "brothers" who are writing police novels.
That is a flattering view, which means much respect, a great part of it returning to herself.
So, the usual story, slightly different, as Poirot solves the case without keeping too many cards close to his chest, and an interesting matter, Agatha's view about her "brothers" who are writing police novels.
That is a flattering view, which means much respect, a great part of it returning to herself.
June 30, 2021
I like how Christie incorporates the current climate in many of her books, it's even more noticeable when reading in chronological order.
This 'Poriot' mystery is firmly rooted in the mist of 1960's Cold War.
The opening was so so strong with the murdered victim turning up in the prologue.
So much intrigue was set up with the victims identity unknown and surrounded by clocks with four of them set to 4:13.
Much of the investigation is taken up by Inspector Hardcastle interviewing the various neighbours of Wilbraham Crescent.
That's the first issue with this book as most of the residents blur into one and found the many of these chapters dull and bland.
Hardcastle puts to his father's friend Poriot the challenge of solving the case from his armchair.
This sounds like a neat and fun idea unfortunately my second issue was Poriot hardly featured. Three chapters max??
You kinda expect a bit more Belgian detection for you buck...
With such a strong opening I was really expecting more from Dame Agatha, the overall solution felt like a massively underwhelming disappointment.
This 'Poriot' mystery is firmly rooted in the mist of 1960's Cold War.
The opening was so so strong with the murdered victim turning up in the prologue.
So much intrigue was set up with the victims identity unknown and surrounded by clocks with four of them set to 4:13.
Much of the investigation is taken up by Inspector Hardcastle interviewing the various neighbours of Wilbraham Crescent.
That's the first issue with this book as most of the residents blur into one and found the many of these chapters dull and bland.
Hardcastle puts to his father's friend Poriot the challenge of solving the case from his armchair.
This sounds like a neat and fun idea unfortunately my second issue was Poriot hardly featured. Three chapters max??
You kinda expect a bit more Belgian detection for you buck...
With such a strong opening I was really expecting more from Dame Agatha, the overall solution felt like a massively underwhelming disappointment.
November 30, 2025
Pues 3 estrellas muy justitas.
Ya que apenas aparece Poirot, y eso se nota, y porque durante todo el libro han ido dando palos de ciego y la resolución, como el mismo Poirot comenta, ha sido con fortuna...
Valoración: 6/10
Sinopsis: Desde el número 19 de Wilbraham Crescent alguien llama solicitando una mecanógrafa, con preferencia Sheila Webb. La llamada es atendida y Sheila es enviada a la dirección reseñada con el encargo de presentarse a miss Pebmarsh.
Al llegar allí se encuentra la puerta abierta y se introduce en un saloncito que le llama la atención por los numerosos relojes que distingue y porque junto al sofá descubre el cuerpo de un hombre con los ojos entreabiertos, unos ojos que miran sin ver ya que está muerto.
Afortunadamente del caso se encarga finalmente Hércules Poirot.
Ya que apenas aparece Poirot, y eso se nota, y porque durante todo el libro han ido dando palos de ciego y la resolución, como el mismo Poirot comenta, ha sido con fortuna...
Valoración: 6/10
Sinopsis: Desde el número 19 de Wilbraham Crescent alguien llama solicitando una mecanógrafa, con preferencia Sheila Webb. La llamada es atendida y Sheila es enviada a la dirección reseñada con el encargo de presentarse a miss Pebmarsh.
Al llegar allí se encuentra la puerta abierta y se introduce en un saloncito que le llama la atención por los numerosos relojes que distingue y porque junto al sofá descubre el cuerpo de un hombre con los ojos entreabiertos, unos ojos que miran sin ver ya que está muerto.
Afortunadamente del caso se encarga finalmente Hércules Poirot.
September 6, 2017
Though Poirot makes only little appearances in this story, it's worth it to hear the detective's take on various mystery stories and their authors. Not to mention Poirot gets to exercise his "little grey cells" from home when the narrator of this mystery, Charles Lamb, takes the facts as he knows them to Poirot, in an effort to both enliven Poirot's day and to stump the Belgian detective. Ha! This is Poirot, and Lamb should have had more faith, as Poirot deduces the solution to the case involving a mystery dead guy, too many clocks set to the wrong time, a young stenographer, a blind, elderly teacher, and several individuals in the same neighbourhood of the crime.
March 1, 2023
۴.۷
جسد یک مرد متشخص ۶۰ ساله با صورت اصلاح شده و کتو شلوار تمیز، تو خونه یک خانم نابینا پیدا شده. نه تنها قاتل رو نمیشناسیم که مقتول هم ناشناسه! نه کسی میشناستش. نه کسی دیدتش که وارد خونه شده باشه. نه کسی صدایی شنیده. نه کسیو پیدا کردن که انگیزه کافی داشته باشه. شمایین و یک جسد که انگار از ناکجا اباد انداختنش وسط یه خونه.
واقعا تا اخر کتاب گیج میزدم. هزار تا تئوری چیدم و انصافا یکم به نزدیکیای قاتل رسیده بودم. اما اگه پرونده رو دست من میدادن بعید میدونم تا ده سال دیگه هم میتونستم نحوه قتل رو با اون جزییات و دقت حدس بزنم.
قشنگ بود.
جسد یک مرد متشخص ۶۰ ساله با صورت اصلاح شده و کتو شلوار تمیز، تو خونه یک خانم نابینا پیدا شده. نه تنها قاتل رو نمیشناسیم که مقتول هم ناشناسه! نه کسی میشناستش. نه کسی دیدتش که وارد خونه شده باشه. نه کسی صدایی شنیده. نه کسیو پیدا کردن که انگیزه کافی داشته باشه. شمایین و یک جسد که انگار از ناکجا اباد انداختنش وسط یه خونه.
واقعا تا اخر کتاب گیج میزدم. هزار تا تئوری چیدم و انصافا یکم به نزدیکیای قاتل رسیده بودم. اما اگه پرونده رو دست من میدادن بعید میدونم تا ده سال دیگه هم میتونستم نحوه قتل رو با اون جزییات و دقت حدس بزنم.
قشنگ بود.
January 10, 2026
Murder in a Room of Clocks
A review of the William Morrow eBook (September 28, 2004) of the Dodd, Mead & Co. (US 1964) and Collins Crime Club (UK November 7, 1963) hardcover originals.
[4.5 rounded up to a GR 5]
A typist from a secretarial agency goes to an appointment to supposedly take dictation from a blind woman. She arrives to find the door unlocked and goes in and finds a dead body in a roomful of clocks set at the time of 4:13 while a single cuckoo clock announces the time as 3 o'clock. The blind woman arrives home and denies ordering any secretarial assistance. The typist runs into the street screaming and is comforted by Colin Lamb who was passing. Lamb assists Inspector Hardcastle with his enquiries while also asking for Poirot's assistance.
This was completely delightful as a late Poirot book which I thought reflected some inspiration from the works of locked-room specialist John Dickson Carr even if the complex murder setting wasn't exactly a locked-room. The case takes on further complexity as additional murders occur and international espionage becomes a factor.
The front cover of the current 2026 HarperCollins / William Morrow eBook. GR does not permit you to add alternate cover editions (ACEs) for Kindle eBooks for some reason. Image sourced from HarperCollins.
I have extended my Agatha Christie binge from 2024 (when I read the Miss Marples) and 2025 (when I read most of the Parker Pyne, Inspector Battle, Tommy & Tuppence & Hercule Poirot books) into 2026 so that I can hopefully finish the remainder. I'm not yet sure about tackling the 6 novels published under the Mary Westmacott pseudonym as I suspect they are more romance dramas.
Confusion for Completists
The Clocks (1963) is listed as #39 in the GR Hercule Poirot series, although it is the novel that follows Cat Among the Pigeons (Hercule Poirot #36 - 1959). The interim books are the short story collections The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (GR's Hercule Poirot #37 - 1960) and Double Sin and Other Stories (GR's Hercule Poirot #38 - 1961). I have skipped over those for the time being as they contain non-Poirot stories which I have already read as part of my earlier Miss Marple binge.
Soundtrack
You can listen to an extended version of the opening theme music of the long-running TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989-2013) with many screenshots of actor David Suchet as the title character on a YouTube clip here.
Trivia and Links
The Clocks will not enter the public domain in the USA until 2060, 96 years after first publication in the USA.
The Clocks was adapted as a feature length episode for the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989-2013). It was Season 12's Episode 4 in 2011.
A review of the William Morrow eBook (September 28, 2004) of the Dodd, Mead & Co. (US 1964) and Collins Crime Club (UK November 7, 1963) hardcover originals.
“And what did he say?” Dick asked with some curiosity.
“He said,” I told him, “that it must be a very simple murder.”
“Simple, my God!” said Hardcastle, roused. “Why simple?”
“As far as I could gather,” I said, “because the whole setup was so complex.”
[4.5 rounded up to a GR 5]
A typist from a secretarial agency goes to an appointment to supposedly take dictation from a blind woman. She arrives to find the door unlocked and goes in and finds a dead body in a roomful of clocks set at the time of 4:13 while a single cuckoo clock announces the time as 3 o'clock. The blind woman arrives home and denies ordering any secretarial assistance. The typist runs into the street screaming and is comforted by Colin Lamb who was passing. Lamb assists Inspector Hardcastle with his enquiries while also asking for Poirot's assistance.
This was completely delightful as a late Poirot book which I thought reflected some inspiration from the works of locked-room specialist John Dickson Carr even if the complex murder setting wasn't exactly a locked-room. The case takes on further complexity as additional murders occur and international espionage becomes a factor.
The front cover of the current 2026 HarperCollins / William Morrow eBook. GR does not permit you to add alternate cover editions (ACEs) for Kindle eBooks for some reason. Image sourced from HarperCollins.
I have extended my Agatha Christie binge from 2024 (when I read the Miss Marples) and 2025 (when I read most of the Parker Pyne, Inspector Battle, Tommy & Tuppence & Hercule Poirot books) into 2026 so that I can hopefully finish the remainder. I'm not yet sure about tackling the 6 novels published under the Mary Westmacott pseudonym as I suspect they are more romance dramas.
Confusion for Completists
The Clocks (1963) is listed as #39 in the GR Hercule Poirot series, although it is the novel that follows Cat Among the Pigeons (Hercule Poirot #36 - 1959). The interim books are the short story collections The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (GR's Hercule Poirot #37 - 1960) and Double Sin and Other Stories (GR's Hercule Poirot #38 - 1961). I have skipped over those for the time being as they contain non-Poirot stories which I have already read as part of my earlier Miss Marple binge.
Soundtrack
You can listen to an extended version of the opening theme music of the long-running TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989-2013) with many screenshots of actor David Suchet as the title character on a YouTube clip here.
Trivia and Links
The Clocks will not enter the public domain in the USA until 2060, 96 years after first publication in the USA.
The Clocks was adapted as a feature length episode for the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989-2013). It was Season 12's Episode 4 in 2011.
May 15, 2023
I really enjoyed this Poirot. It was so much better than the TV movie I saw not long ago. Shelia Webb a typist is sent out to work at someone’s house and walks into a room to find a body. She runs screaming into the street and bumps into Colin Lamb a friend of Poirot’s and who becomes involved in the case.
The story unfolds with Inspector Hardcastle investigating the neighbors and identification of a mysterious body. He also tries to solve the mystery of the clocks surrounding the body. Another typist is murdered with no suspects. Lots of red herrings as always but the case is relatively simple once the motive is known. Throw in a bit of espionage and that further muddies the waters.
What is interesting in this case is Poirot never visits the crime scene and solves the murders from his armchair.
The story unfolds with Inspector Hardcastle investigating the neighbors and identification of a mysterious body. He also tries to solve the mystery of the clocks surrounding the body. Another typist is murdered with no suspects. Lots of red herrings as always but the case is relatively simple once the motive is known. Throw in a bit of espionage and that further muddies the waters.
What is interesting in this case is Poirot never visits the crime scene and solves the murders from his armchair.
September 4, 2017
“One gets infected, it is true, by the style of a work that one has been reading.”
Continuing my Agatha Christie odyssey. This is a Poirot story with a difference - our favourite Belgian mastermind is very much in the background, appearing only a couple of times, to direct (or rather baffle) the players and readers, and then obviously sweep in with the solution. Having said this, I rather enjoyed this investigation at the hand of an unknown.
Apart from our crime story, this novel also felt like a medium for Christie to share thoughts on writing. She usually adds a few sentences here and there, scathing the art, especially when Ariadne Oliver is present. In this title, she goes one step further, reminding me a little of something Jane Austen did in Northanger Abbey - she uses Poirot's voice to discuss the crime writing genre, mentioning the following: The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katherine Green (TBR), The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc (I grew up with these stories), The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux (yep, read this one too and its sequel), and let's not forget Sherlock Holmes! Brilliant!
Finally, our doyenne had a wicked sense of humour: “Edna restored the toffee to the centre of her tongue and sucking pleasurably, resumed her typing of Naked Love by Armand Levine. Its painstaking eroticism left her uninterested--as indeed it did most of Mr. Levine's readers, in spite of his efforts. He was a notable example of the fact that nothing can be duller than dull pornography.” ;O)
Continuing my Agatha Christie odyssey. This is a Poirot story with a difference - our favourite Belgian mastermind is very much in the background, appearing only a couple of times, to direct (or rather baffle) the players and readers, and then obviously sweep in with the solution. Having said this, I rather enjoyed this investigation at the hand of an unknown.
Apart from our crime story, this novel also felt like a medium for Christie to share thoughts on writing. She usually adds a few sentences here and there, scathing the art, especially when Ariadne Oliver is present. In this title, she goes one step further, reminding me a little of something Jane Austen did in Northanger Abbey - she uses Poirot's voice to discuss the crime writing genre, mentioning the following: The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katherine Green (TBR), The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc (I grew up with these stories), The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux (yep, read this one too and its sequel), and let's not forget Sherlock Holmes! Brilliant!
Finally, our doyenne had a wicked sense of humour: “Edna restored the toffee to the centre of her tongue and sucking pleasurably, resumed her typing of Naked Love by Armand Levine. Its painstaking eroticism left her uninterested--as indeed it did most of Mr. Levine's readers, in spite of his efforts. He was a notable example of the fact that nothing can be duller than dull pornography.” ;O)
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