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New Hercule Poirot Mysteries #6
The Last Death of the Year
The brilliant Belgian detective rings in the New Year with a chilling murder investigation on a Greek island in this all-new holiday mystery from Sophie Hannah, author of Hercule Poirot's Silent Night.
New Year's Eve, 1932. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arrive on the tiny Greek island of Lamperos to celebrate the holiday with what turns out to be a rather odd community of locals living in a dilapidated house. A dark sense of foreboding overshadows the beautiful island getaway when the guests play a New Year's Resolutions game after dinner and one written resolution gleefully threatens to perform "the last and first death of the year."
Hours later, one of the home's residents is found dead on the terrace.
In light of the shocking murder, Poirot reveals to Catchpool the real reason he's brought him to the island--the life of another community member has been threatened. Now both men resolve to ensure that the first murder will be the last.
New Year's Eve, 1932. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arrive on the tiny Greek island of Lamperos to celebrate the holiday with what turns out to be a rather odd community of locals living in a dilapidated house. A dark sense of foreboding overshadows the beautiful island getaway when the guests play a New Year's Resolutions game after dinner and one written resolution gleefully threatens to perform "the last and first death of the year."
Hours later, one of the home's residents is found dead on the terrace.
In light of the shocking murder, Poirot reveals to Catchpool the real reason he's brought him to the island--the life of another community member has been threatened. Now both men resolve to ensure that the first murder will be the last.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published October 23, 2025
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About the author
Sophie Hannah
109 books4,605 followersSophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling writer of psychological crime fiction, published in 27 countries. In 2013, her latest novel, The Carrier, won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. Two of Sophie’s crime novels, The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives, have been adapted for television and appeared on ITV1 under the series title Case Sensitive in 2011 and 2012. In 2004, Sophie won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her suspense story The Octopus Nest, which is now published in her first collection of short stories, The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
Sophie has also published five collections of poetry. Her fifth, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the 2007 T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A-level and degree level across the UK. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. She is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 630 reviews
October 30, 2025
I’m rolling my eyes and grumbling and rubbing my temple and sighing… only a little… it wasn’t that bad. Although, I may have cussed at some point, in a language no one would understand.
I love Christie and am a number one fan of her works and I know bringing a quirky famous character to life, using the same style as the author is a difficult task. I have read all of the new Poirot books and am sure will read the next one too, but this one was just too confusing.
For one thing, the plot wasn’t enthralling, the characters weren’t portrayed nicely, anybody could have replaced Poirot, Catchpool was annoying, there were no clues along the way and the motive was not strong enough… in fact, the motive wasn’t motive enough.
The motive was laughable.
In a word, the book wasn't Christie-esque.
Everything was jumbled. I got headache trying to figure out the reasoning and the constant jabbering. I just finished the book, but I can’t tell you who the killer was, why and how were the victims killed and how did Poirot solve the case, if my life depended on it.
I love Christie and am a number one fan of her works and I know bringing a quirky famous character to life, using the same style as the author is a difficult task. I have read all of the new Poirot books and am sure will read the next one too, but this one was just too confusing.
For one thing, the plot wasn’t enthralling, the characters weren’t portrayed nicely, anybody could have replaced Poirot, Catchpool was annoying, there were no clues along the way and the motive was not strong enough… in fact, the motive wasn’t motive enough.
The motive was laughable.
In a word, the book wasn't Christie-esque.
Everything was jumbled. I got headache trying to figure out the reasoning and the constant jabbering. I just finished the book, but I can’t tell you who the killer was, why and how were the victims killed and how did Poirot solve the case, if my life depended on it.
November 4, 2025
'I expect you would not believe me if I told you it is possible to solve a murder simply by reading a list of all the suspects' New Year's resolutions, while knowing no more about any of them'.
Hercule Poirot and Edward Catchpole find themselves on a Greek Island for New Year's Eve, along with a handful of people seeking to retreat from their previous lives and live by the value of forgiveness. But when an after dinner game of guessing each other's New Year's resolutions, reveals murderous intentions, celebrations are put on hold as the dinner guests cast wary glances at each other.
This is the third Poirot mystery I've read by Sophie Hannah and I've always enjoyed her take on Hercule's quirky character, as well as capturing the era. I did find this one a bit slower paced than her others, and perhaps a bit more complicated, but still found it an enjoyable read overall.
'I took my interogative aim as rigorously as the scapel of the finest surgeon'.
Hercule Poirot and Edward Catchpole find themselves on a Greek Island for New Year's Eve, along with a handful of people seeking to retreat from their previous lives and live by the value of forgiveness. But when an after dinner game of guessing each other's New Year's resolutions, reveals murderous intentions, celebrations are put on hold as the dinner guests cast wary glances at each other.
This is the third Poirot mystery I've read by Sophie Hannah and I've always enjoyed her take on Hercule's quirky character, as well as capturing the era. I did find this one a bit slower paced than her others, and perhaps a bit more complicated, but still found it an enjoyable read overall.
'I took my interogative aim as rigorously as the scapel of the finest surgeon'.
December 29, 2025
EXCERPT: The fact was, I was cross - and with my dear Belgian friend as much as with Austin Lanyon.
'Why didn't you tell me the truth, Poirot?' I said. 'There was no need to pretend this was a holiday with your friends. You must have known I'd leap at the chance to feel the sun on my face in December, visit a country I'd never seen before, swim every day from a beautiful bay no more than forty easy footsteps from my bedroom. You also know by now, I hope, that assisting you with your investigations is quite the most rewarding -'
'Catchpool, please allow me to explain -'
'- work I ever get to do. And the thing is, people like to have a modicum of control over their own choices. Even unassuming coves like me prefer not to be tricked into -'
'Mais tu as tout à l'envers!' Poirot erupted. 'The upside-down way of wrong way round, Catchpool. It was not supposed to be a trick.' He looked crestfallen. 'C'etait prévu comme en cadeau. A gift - that is what I planned. Evidently, I miscalculated. Forgive me.'
'A . . . gift?' My heart plummeted to the floor of my stomach. I expected to feel thoroughly ashamed of myself in no time at all; indeed, that emotional state was already bedding in around the edges.
'I told you a large portion of the truth,' Poirot declared with pride. 'The stone house overlooking the bay, with the many terraces laid out like the petticoats of a dancing lady, each one a different shape - you do not remember me saying any of this?'
'Of course I do, but -'
'And did I not tell you that a group of very good friends resided here at Liakada Bay?'
'You led me to believe they were your close friends, and keen to be mine too,' I said. 'In fact, you had never clapped eyes on any of them until today!'
'That is correct. Our purpose here is not merely le divertissement but also to get to the bottom of a problem that plagues Monsieur Nash's House of Perpetual Welcome. That element of surprise, the intriguing revelation that a mystery awaited us at Lakaida Bay, was going to be my Christmas present to you, Catchpool. The cake of the cherry! I thought you would be delighted to discover that we have another conundrum to solve together - and to discover it, rather than be told by me.'
ABOUT 'THE LAST DEATH OF THE YEAR': New Year's Eve, 1932.
Hercule Poirot and his good friend Inspector Edward Catchpool arrive on the Greek island of Lamperos for a little holiday…or is it?
Catchpool suspects Poirot has a different reason for being there — one he won't reveal. As the clock ticks towards the New Year and a festive guessing game takes a sinister turn, can Poirot stop a murderer who is determined to strike before midnight?
MY THOUGHTS: Other people's minds are always such a mystery.
Hmmm . . . I liked and disliked The Last Death of the Year in pretty much equal measure. It starts off well enough, but the pace soon slows, and we are quite well into the book before the first body appears.
The mystery is quite complex and, had it been pared down to its bare bones, I might have enjoyed it more. But it is mired in layers of subterfuge and becomes just a little 'dull' in parts. The characters are more caricature than realistic, and the Police Inspector Konstantinos Kombothekra doesn't help matters by claiming that none of the people, his very good friends, at the House of Perpetual Welcome could possibly have committed this crime simply by the fact that they ARE his very good friends and therefore it must have been committed by the impossible to catch master criminal who never leaves a trace, Kefáli Stin Ámmo. I almost threw in the towel at this point!
None of the characters other than Poirot and Catchpool, of course, were remotely realistic and there was nobody that I thought, 'Oh, I hope s/he isn't the murderer.'
I have been enthusiastic about the previous titles in this series and The Last Death of the Year is the first which has failed to hold my interest fully. The sections of writing that were good were very, very good indeed, but other sections were equally dull and/or confusing. Definitely not up to the standard of Hercule Poirot's Silent night which I loved.
My least favorite of the series, but not dire enough to put me off reading the next when it arrives.
⭐⭐⭐.3
#TheLastDeathoftheYear(NewHerculePoirotMysteries#6) #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: SOPHIE HANNAH is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and Harper Collins Australia via Netgalley for providing an e-ARC of The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
'Why didn't you tell me the truth, Poirot?' I said. 'There was no need to pretend this was a holiday with your friends. You must have known I'd leap at the chance to feel the sun on my face in December, visit a country I'd never seen before, swim every day from a beautiful bay no more than forty easy footsteps from my bedroom. You also know by now, I hope, that assisting you with your investigations is quite the most rewarding -'
'Catchpool, please allow me to explain -'
'- work I ever get to do. And the thing is, people like to have a modicum of control over their own choices. Even unassuming coves like me prefer not to be tricked into -'
'Mais tu as tout à l'envers!' Poirot erupted. 'The upside-down way of wrong way round, Catchpool. It was not supposed to be a trick.' He looked crestfallen. 'C'etait prévu comme en cadeau. A gift - that is what I planned. Evidently, I miscalculated. Forgive me.'
'A . . . gift?' My heart plummeted to the floor of my stomach. I expected to feel thoroughly ashamed of myself in no time at all; indeed, that emotional state was already bedding in around the edges.
'I told you a large portion of the truth,' Poirot declared with pride. 'The stone house overlooking the bay, with the many terraces laid out like the petticoats of a dancing lady, each one a different shape - you do not remember me saying any of this?'
'Of course I do, but -'
'And did I not tell you that a group of very good friends resided here at Liakada Bay?'
'You led me to believe they were your close friends, and keen to be mine too,' I said. 'In fact, you had never clapped eyes on any of them until today!'
'That is correct. Our purpose here is not merely le divertissement but also to get to the bottom of a problem that plagues Monsieur Nash's House of Perpetual Welcome. That element of surprise, the intriguing revelation that a mystery awaited us at Lakaida Bay, was going to be my Christmas present to you, Catchpool. The cake of the cherry! I thought you would be delighted to discover that we have another conundrum to solve together - and to discover it, rather than be told by me.'
ABOUT 'THE LAST DEATH OF THE YEAR': New Year's Eve, 1932.
Hercule Poirot and his good friend Inspector Edward Catchpool arrive on the Greek island of Lamperos for a little holiday…or is it?
Catchpool suspects Poirot has a different reason for being there — one he won't reveal. As the clock ticks towards the New Year and a festive guessing game takes a sinister turn, can Poirot stop a murderer who is determined to strike before midnight?
MY THOUGHTS: Other people's minds are always such a mystery.
Hmmm . . . I liked and disliked The Last Death of the Year in pretty much equal measure. It starts off well enough, but the pace soon slows, and we are quite well into the book before the first body appears.
The mystery is quite complex and, had it been pared down to its bare bones, I might have enjoyed it more. But it is mired in layers of subterfuge and becomes just a little 'dull' in parts. The characters are more caricature than realistic, and the Police Inspector Konstantinos Kombothekra doesn't help matters by claiming that none of the people, his very good friends, at the House of Perpetual Welcome could possibly have committed this crime simply by the fact that they ARE his very good friends and therefore it must have been committed by the impossible to catch master criminal who never leaves a trace, Kefáli Stin Ámmo. I almost threw in the towel at this point!
None of the characters other than Poirot and Catchpool, of course, were remotely realistic and there was nobody that I thought, 'Oh, I hope s/he isn't the murderer.'
I have been enthusiastic about the previous titles in this series and The Last Death of the Year is the first which has failed to hold my interest fully. The sections of writing that were good were very, very good indeed, but other sections were equally dull and/or confusing. Definitely not up to the standard of Hercule Poirot's Silent night which I loved.
My least favorite of the series, but not dire enough to put me off reading the next when it arrives.
⭐⭐⭐.3
#TheLastDeathoftheYear(NewHerculePoirotMysteries#6) #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: SOPHIE HANNAH is forty-one and lives with her husband and children in Cambridge, where she is a Fellow Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. She is currently working on a new challenge for the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famous detective.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and Harper Collins Australia via Netgalley for providing an e-ARC of The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
November 12, 2025
3 "meh" stars - I was intrigued by the idea of more Poirot and this author writing "authorized" Christie mysteries. Guess I chose the wrong one to start with as this was just - not so good. I think my main issue with it was the setting & secondary characters - an inspirational commune/cult on a Greek island full of the most unlikeable people ever, and besides Poirot, I just couldn't connect with any of them, which made it super hard to care about who the killer was.
November 12, 2025
In typical Agatha Christie style, The Last Death of the Year conjured up a Golden Age whodunnit in all of its glory. With a remote setting, a small group of suspects, and plenty of secrets and lies, this locked room mystery kept me guessing from beginning to end. You see, every time I thought I had a handle on who could’ve been the killer, a new reveal shocked me but good. Twist-filled, fun, and thoroughly quirky, even the cult-like angle managed to work for this mystery lover. After all, the slow-burning plot had me watching all of the characters with plenty of side-eye glances. Although I do have to say that Hannah’s personas didn’t quite live up to Ms. Christie’s. Somewhat flat and yet also over-the-top, I couldn’t connect with any of them like I would’ve hoped. Despite that, however, the complex group dynamics made for a truly clever read by the end.
The only other gripe that I had with this modern Poirot spinoff was the intricacy of the web of mysteries. With a clever but convoluted conclusion, it was difficult to parse together the clues. That being said, I had a blast immersing myself in the historical setting that came complete with period charm. Book six in Hannah’s new Poirot series, I loved the claustrophobic atmosphere and layers of secrets. From the classic mystery feel of the prologue to the well-played dénouement, I was pinned to the pages until the our detective’s “little grey cells” worked their magic. You see, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with the answer to this riddle of an ending. So if you love a crafty whodunnit, be sure to check this one out. Even if it didn’t quite reach the rather high benchmark of Ms. Christie’s crime fiction, it was still a solid read. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
New Year’s Eve, 1932. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arrive on the tiny Greek island of Lamperos to celebrate the holiday with what turns out to be a rather odd community living in a dilapidated house. A dark sense of foreboding overshadows the beautiful island getaway when the guests play a New Year’s Resolutions game after dinner and one written resolution gleefully threatens to perform “the last and first death of the year.”
Hours later, one of the home’s residents is found dead on the terrace.
In light of the shocking murder, Poirot reveals to Catchpool the real reason he’s brought him to the island and both men resolve to ensure that the first murder will be the last.
Thank you to Sophie Hannah and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: October 28, 2025
Content warning: murder, blood
The only other gripe that I had with this modern Poirot spinoff was the intricacy of the web of mysteries. With a clever but convoluted conclusion, it was difficult to parse together the clues. That being said, I had a blast immersing myself in the historical setting that came complete with period charm. Book six in Hannah’s new Poirot series, I loved the claustrophobic atmosphere and layers of secrets. From the classic mystery feel of the prologue to the well-played dénouement, I was pinned to the pages until the our detective’s “little grey cells” worked their magic. You see, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with the answer to this riddle of an ending. So if you love a crafty whodunnit, be sure to check this one out. Even if it didn’t quite reach the rather high benchmark of Ms. Christie’s crime fiction, it was still a solid read. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
New Year’s Eve, 1932. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arrive on the tiny Greek island of Lamperos to celebrate the holiday with what turns out to be a rather odd community living in a dilapidated house. A dark sense of foreboding overshadows the beautiful island getaway when the guests play a New Year’s Resolutions game after dinner and one written resolution gleefully threatens to perform “the last and first death of the year.”
Hours later, one of the home’s residents is found dead on the terrace.
In light of the shocking murder, Poirot reveals to Catchpool the real reason he’s brought him to the island and both men resolve to ensure that the first murder will be the last.
Thank you to Sophie Hannah and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: October 28, 2025
Content warning: murder, blood
November 1, 2025
Who doesn’t love a good Agatha Christie mystery? Years after her death, Sophie Hannah has taken the reins giving us more Hercule Poirot and Edward Catchpole adventures and I am so happy for it.
Hercule and Edward head to a sunny Greek Island to see in the new year - 1933. They stay in a house with a cult like group of people that they have never met… what could go wrong?
It is Hercule Poirot so of course there is a murder, there always is. Any one of the people in the house could be the killer, they all have a reason to want the victim dead, ,and they are all hiding secrets from each other. But with Poirot on the case, the murderer will not go free.
It is always fun to try to see the clues and solve the case but who a, I kidding, these murder mystery’s are far too clever for me and it never happens. That is a good thing in my mind, nothing is never obvious and there are always plenty of red herrings to confuse me. In true Agatha Christie style, the conclusion is smart and simple when you really think about it.
Thanks so much to William Morrow on NetGalley for my early copy of this book to read. Out on October 28th.
Hercule and Edward head to a sunny Greek Island to see in the new year - 1933. They stay in a house with a cult like group of people that they have never met… what could go wrong?
It is Hercule Poirot so of course there is a murder, there always is. Any one of the people in the house could be the killer, they all have a reason to want the victim dead, ,and they are all hiding secrets from each other. But with Poirot on the case, the murderer will not go free.
It is always fun to try to see the clues and solve the case but who a, I kidding, these murder mystery’s are far too clever for me and it never happens. That is a good thing in my mind, nothing is never obvious and there are always plenty of red herrings to confuse me. In true Agatha Christie style, the conclusion is smart and simple when you really think about it.
Thanks so much to William Morrow on NetGalley for my early copy of this book to read. Out on October 28th.
October 26, 2025
ARC for review. To be published October 28, 2025.
3 stars
#6 in the series by Sophie Hannah. I’m assuming there were all appropriate permissions from the author’s estate and that’s why Agatha is listed as a co-author.
House party! No one does a house party quite like AC and, as a bonus, always a dead body! In this series featuring the Belgian detective (in the appropriate time period and his sidekick Catchpod who narrates the action, the group is also n Lamperos, a small Greek isle. There a group of mostly youngish adults have followed Nash, a wealthy young man pushing radical forgiveness. Allow me to be the first to say that murder is pushing it.
This was cute. Hannah captures Poirot’s voice well, the mystery very much reminded me of one Christie might write and all the proper period references are there. It’s just light enough. Enjoyed it.
3 stars
#6 in the series by Sophie Hannah. I’m assuming there were all appropriate permissions from the author’s estate and that’s why Agatha is listed as a co-author.
House party! No one does a house party quite like AC and, as a bonus, always a dead body! In this series featuring the Belgian detective (in the appropriate time period and his sidekick Catchpod who narrates the action, the group is also n Lamperos, a small Greek isle. There a group of mostly youngish adults have followed Nash, a wealthy young man pushing radical forgiveness. Allow me to be the first to say that murder is pushing it.
This was cute. Hannah captures Poirot’s voice well, the mystery very much reminded me of one Christie might write and all the proper period references are there. It’s just light enough. Enjoyed it.
November 7, 2025
Tedious. If you are a Poirot fan just re-read The Hollow or Evil Under The Sun instead.
October 11, 2025
The Last Death of the Year is set on a fictional Greek island where Poirot and sidekick, Inspectorate Catchpool, have been invited to solve a mystery. Not that Catchpool is aware of which mystery until long after a death has occurred, which entirely baffles the detective duo.
I have to say that despite the plot seeming to be pretty straightforward, the rest of the book is not. I admit that Poirot is far from my favourite detective and the character of Catchpool doesn't help. In fact none of the characters help. They are, to a man, all revolting and possibly the most unsympathetic cast I've ever read.
Then there's the repetition. A death occurs and there's pages of going round in circles trying (not very hard) to work out whodunnit. The other thing that wound me up was the names - Thirza and Nash were bad enough but what kind of name is Belty (nickname obviously but even so ...)
There are so many irritating characters, some strange timings and by the end I honestly couldn't have cared less who "did it". In fact its a miracle that Poirot works it out because the conclusion is the most utterly baffling and convoluted I've ever read.
Agatha Christie this is not. Not even adjacent. I really didn't enjoy it. Simply not for me. If, on the other hand, you like a Christie character but not a Christie style story then this might be for you.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Harper Fiction for the advance review copy.
I have to say that despite the plot seeming to be pretty straightforward, the rest of the book is not. I admit that Poirot is far from my favourite detective and the character of Catchpool doesn't help. In fact none of the characters help. They are, to a man, all revolting and possibly the most unsympathetic cast I've ever read.
Then there's the repetition. A death occurs and there's pages of going round in circles trying (not very hard) to work out whodunnit. The other thing that wound me up was the names - Thirza and Nash were bad enough but what kind of name is Belty (nickname obviously but even so ...)
There are so many irritating characters, some strange timings and by the end I honestly couldn't have cared less who "did it". In fact its a miracle that Poirot works it out because the conclusion is the most utterly baffling and convoluted I've ever read.
Agatha Christie this is not. Not even adjacent. I really didn't enjoy it. Simply not for me. If, on the other hand, you like a Christie character but not a Christie style story then this might be for you.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Harper Fiction for the advance review copy.
November 4, 2025
2 stars
Once again, the entire book is written through the eyes of Edward Catchpool who is thinking a lot of times as the village idiot. He has no clue, is completely oblivious to almost anything, is missing all the important details, even when Poirot is trying to guide him gently in the wright direction.
Then the story itself...one has no chance of figuring out who the culprit is as vital clues are hidden till the very end and exposed only when Poirot is gathering everyone in the room to tell them what had happened and why. I prefer when the author gives me a chance too, as a reader to figure out the murderer.
Once again, the entire book is written through the eyes of Edward Catchpool who is thinking a lot of times as the village idiot. He has no clue, is completely oblivious to almost anything, is missing all the important details, even when Poirot is trying to guide him gently in the wright direction.
Then the story itself...one has no chance of figuring out who the culprit is as vital clues are hidden till the very end and exposed only when Poirot is gathering everyone in the room to tell them what had happened and why. I prefer when the author gives me a chance too, as a reader to figure out the murderer.
November 27, 2025
I will never learn - time and again I’ve given Sophie Hannah another chance but every time she lets me down. Another dreadful book - poor characterisation, ridiculous plot… the only reason I’ve given one star is for the narrator who did a fantastic job of narrating this drivel.
There are so many incredible authors who would do justice to Agatha Christie’s memory - why oh why did Sophie Hannah get the gig??
There are so many incredible authors who would do justice to Agatha Christie’s memory - why oh why did Sophie Hannah get the gig??
November 11, 2025
" Evil people exist. And some of the good ones are just as bad. Good people, I'm afraid to say, do at least half the harm, which complicates matters."
Hercule Poirot and Inspector Catchpool are back and this time on a small Greek island; it's New Year's Eve and a curious group of people residing at The House of Perpetual Welcome meet for dinner. This is a house where it's owner allows any individuals to come and live and where forgiveness is granted for any past misdemeanours
A game is announced- everyone will write down a resolution and then try to determine the writer. But among the proposed undertakings is an announcement that one of the group will die before the year is over.... tragedy strikes and Poirot and Catchpool have to determine who is the culprit before further crimes could be committed.
Sophie Hannah returns with her sixth Poirot novel and again she captures the nuances and subtleties of the Belgian sleuth with total mastery. As with all Poirot tales ( old and new) there is an element of suspending belief and immersing yourself in the period charm of the story; the location; the privileged lifestyles; the diverse characters all with secrets.. This is complex in its plotting and is like a spider's web of intricate tales- the denouement needs careful reading as the clues were there but with red herrings and misdirection you need tone a master of crime fiction to determine any culprit.
If you like your crime /detective fiction with an old-fashioned charm and flavour then The Last Death of the Year will be a perfect read.
Hercule Poirot and Inspector Catchpool are back and this time on a small Greek island; it's New Year's Eve and a curious group of people residing at The House of Perpetual Welcome meet for dinner. This is a house where it's owner allows any individuals to come and live and where forgiveness is granted for any past misdemeanours
A game is announced- everyone will write down a resolution and then try to determine the writer. But among the proposed undertakings is an announcement that one of the group will die before the year is over.... tragedy strikes and Poirot and Catchpool have to determine who is the culprit before further crimes could be committed.
Sophie Hannah returns with her sixth Poirot novel and again she captures the nuances and subtleties of the Belgian sleuth with total mastery. As with all Poirot tales ( old and new) there is an element of suspending belief and immersing yourself in the period charm of the story; the location; the privileged lifestyles; the diverse characters all with secrets.. This is complex in its plotting and is like a spider's web of intricate tales- the denouement needs careful reading as the clues were there but with red herrings and misdirection you need tone a master of crime fiction to determine any culprit.
If you like your crime /detective fiction with an old-fashioned charm and flavour then The Last Death of the Year will be a perfect read.
December 11, 2025
Story: 2.5
Audio: 5
Narrator: Julian Rhind-Tutt
Available: Netgalley
Listen at 1.25 speed
I will start out this review by saying that (1) I appreciate how difficult it must be to try to emulate an author as well known and beloved as Agatha Christie and (2) I have not read any the previous novels in this series. With those points being made I am reviewing this novel as a standalone and with no comparisons to Christie’s novels.
I thought this was ok? The whole ‘forgiveness’ religious cult thing was a bit ridiculous as was the resolution to the crime, however, it did keep me somewhat interested. I think this interest had more to do with the narration, which was very well done, and less to do with the story. I have no doubt that it I had been reading a hard copy I would’ve DNF.
***ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Audio: 5
Narrator: Julian Rhind-Tutt
Available: Netgalley
Listen at 1.25 speed
I will start out this review by saying that (1) I appreciate how difficult it must be to try to emulate an author as well known and beloved as Agatha Christie and (2) I have not read any the previous novels in this series. With those points being made I am reviewing this novel as a standalone and with no comparisons to Christie’s novels.
I thought this was ok? The whole ‘forgiveness’ religious cult thing was a bit ridiculous as was the resolution to the crime, however, it did keep me somewhat interested. I think this interest had more to do with the narration, which was very well done, and less to do with the story. I have no doubt that it I had been reading a hard copy I would’ve DNF.
***ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2025
The Last Death of the Year is the sixth in the New Hercule Poirot mysteries series by well-known crime writer Sophie Hannah. I read the previous one two years ago, and did remark in my review of that one that I probably wouldn’t continue the series because I had found both Poirot and the narrator so irritating, but I was offered this one by the publisher and figured I’d give her a second go. Which turned out to be a mistake. This one was slow - so much talking! - with a completely preposterous plot and ridiculous reveal, with a horrible cast of characters.
Told from the point of view of Poirot’s bumbling friend, Scotland Yard Detective Edward Catchpool, a creation of Hannah’s for this series, this has them journeying to a rundown house on small Greek island at the request of the leader of a small religious group of English and American expats who are wealthy enough to not have to work and preach a doctrine of forgiveness above all else. After playing a parlour game with a sinister twist, one of them is found dead, but the local police do not believe any of the inhabitants could be guilty. Can Poirot solve the baffling crime before the end of his “holiday”?
My word this was tedious. Catchpool is a hopeless detective, so in awe of (or is that in love with?) Poirot that he brushes off the constant put downs of his so-called friend. The cast of suspects are all equally unlikeable, and their mission on the island is never really explained. Neither is the reason for Poirot being there in the first place. Catchpool goes round in circles interviewing the suspects and believing everything he’s told, until finally Poirot gathers everyone together (of course) to explain who did what to whom and why for reasons which make no sense whatsoever. I didn’t enjoy this, but slogged in to the end in the hope of a clever twist. Alas there wasn’t even that. Not recommended.
I received a free Advance Review Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. The Last Death of the Year Is available now.
Told from the point of view of Poirot’s bumbling friend, Scotland Yard Detective Edward Catchpool, a creation of Hannah’s for this series, this has them journeying to a rundown house on small Greek island at the request of the leader of a small religious group of English and American expats who are wealthy enough to not have to work and preach a doctrine of forgiveness above all else. After playing a parlour game with a sinister twist, one of them is found dead, but the local police do not believe any of the inhabitants could be guilty. Can Poirot solve the baffling crime before the end of his “holiday”?
My word this was tedious. Catchpool is a hopeless detective, so in awe of (or is that in love with?) Poirot that he brushes off the constant put downs of his so-called friend. The cast of suspects are all equally unlikeable, and their mission on the island is never really explained. Neither is the reason for Poirot being there in the first place. Catchpool goes round in circles interviewing the suspects and believing everything he’s told, until finally Poirot gathers everyone together (of course) to explain who did what to whom and why for reasons which make no sense whatsoever. I didn’t enjoy this, but slogged in to the end in the hope of a clever twist. Alas there wasn’t even that. Not recommended.
I received a free Advance Review Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. The Last Death of the Year Is available now.
Want to read
January 8, 2025Oh, HELL YES.
December 9, 2025
IF Ms Hannah continues writing these, I will be obliged to continue reading, only because no one else is writing any new stories with Poirot.
However, because Poirot is so far off from being Poirot (#aintmypoirot), I have invented a belief and I'm trying to convince myself that actually, these are fan fiction stories written by Catchpool, who has a tiny crush on Poirot and imagines going on adventures with him.
Tell me that doesn't make more sense ? 🤣
Well, on a one hand, it feels like some of the feedback regarding Sophie Hannah's approach has been listened to
-- she no longer spends 100 pages on the murder explanation, we were done under 3 chapters, albeit loads needing to be clarified.
As mentioned, Poirot doesn't feel like Poirot 😕 😒 And that sadly hasn't improved, although, this was HEAPS better than book 5, which was the worst book, nay, murder mystery and a personal insult to Agatha Christie.
Now, I must say, my observation, that sometimes Hannah crams in a murder last minute, even if it doesn't make sense, is still valid. There was absolutely no point to kill off a certain lady, and her murder made zero sense.
I'd also like to mention that most of these characters were idiots. No one acts like that in real life, especially not in 1933, when you can be hanged for murder or for being accomplice to a murderer, and yet they all talk about (very nonchalantly) killing people or covering for people. And the most baffling of it all is how well Catchpool (who works as a detective at SY) and HP takes it.
And by reading the new year resolutions, yes, there is only one that suggests that the writer intends to do harm. The second one makes no sense and is crammed in there for ... ? I don't know, I guess the editor said 'insert another murder here'?
In conclusion, I desperately want Sophie Hannah to stop writing these.
Thank you.
However, because Poirot is so far off from being Poirot (#aintmypoirot), I have invented a belief and I'm trying to convince myself that actually, these are fan fiction stories written by Catchpool, who has a tiny crush on Poirot and imagines going on adventures with him.
Tell me that doesn't make more sense ? 🤣
Well, on a one hand, it feels like some of the feedback regarding Sophie Hannah's approach has been listened to
-- she no longer spends 100 pages on the murder explanation, we were done under 3 chapters, albeit loads needing to be clarified.
As mentioned, Poirot doesn't feel like Poirot 😕 😒 And that sadly hasn't improved, although, this was HEAPS better than book 5, which was the worst book, nay, murder mystery and a personal insult to Agatha Christie.
Now, I must say, my observation, that sometimes Hannah crams in a murder last minute, even if it doesn't make sense, is still valid. There was absolutely no point to kill off a certain lady, and her murder made zero sense.
I'd also like to mention that most of these characters were idiots. No one acts like that in real life, especially not in 1933, when you can be hanged for murder or for being accomplice to a murderer, and yet they all talk about (very nonchalantly) killing people or covering for people. And the most baffling of it all is how well Catchpool (who works as a detective at SY) and HP takes it.
And by reading the new year resolutions, yes, there is only one that suggests that the writer intends to do harm. The second one makes no sense and is crammed in there for ... ? I don't know, I guess the editor said 'insert another murder here'?
In conclusion, I desperately want Sophie Hannah to stop writing these.
Thank you.
December 5, 2025
I was interested to read this as it promised Agatha Christie's vibes along with holiday celebrations. This is a quick and easy read, almost a "cozy" mystery, and quite enjoyable.
All in all a good light read for the Holidays!
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for the ARC.
All in all a good light read for the Holidays!
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for the ARC.
October 17, 2025
Hercule Poirot has always been my favorite of Agatha Christie's detectives. Back in 2014, I was so excited when the first of Sophie Hannah's New Hercule Poirot Mysteries. I loved that book and have enjoyed the subsequent books in the series. I like Hannah's take on Poirot and appreciate that instead of trying to replace Hastings, she has created a new sidekick for Poirot. Edward Catchpool is a Scotland Yard inspector and the narrator for the books.
Poirot and Catchpool arrive on the Greek Island of Lamperos on New Year's Eve. Poirot had claimed he wanted a little holiday with friends, but Catchpool soon realizes there is something else going on. A party game becomes serious when a killer hints that someone will soon die. Will Poirot be able to catch a killer?
There is only one Agatha Christie, but I've enjoyed Hannah's Poirot novels. This one was a bit slower paced than the others and some of the suspects/witnesses are hard to relate to. Poirot dramatically reveals the solution, parts of which were more surprising than others. It's not my favorite of the "New Poirot" novels, but there were several entertaining moments, and I enjoyed reading about the great Poirot solving another case...
I received an advance copy of this ebook for review consideration from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
Poirot and Catchpool arrive on the Greek Island of Lamperos on New Year's Eve. Poirot had claimed he wanted a little holiday with friends, but Catchpool soon realizes there is something else going on. A party game becomes serious when a killer hints that someone will soon die. Will Poirot be able to catch a killer?
There is only one Agatha Christie, but I've enjoyed Hannah's Poirot novels. This one was a bit slower paced than the others and some of the suspects/witnesses are hard to relate to. Poirot dramatically reveals the solution, parts of which were more surprising than others. It's not my favorite of the "New Poirot" novels, but there were several entertaining moments, and I enjoyed reading about the great Poirot solving another case...
I received an advance copy of this ebook for review consideration from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
November 10, 2025
I honestly found it hard to connect to any of the characters including this version of Poirot. I was expecting to read about a quirky genius instead he was so one-dimensional, haughty, and just rude. It felt like Poirot and Catchpool were replaceable and added nothing to the plot.
The overall mystery felt nonexistent and the motive was pretty much laughable. No body was really a suspect, everyone was just a crappy person that couldn't even sell a lie.
Sadly this felt like a very novice mystery that lacked dimension, motive, and a twist.
The overall mystery felt nonexistent and the motive was pretty much laughable. No body was really a suspect, everyone was just a crappy person that couldn't even sell a lie.
Sadly this felt like a very novice mystery that lacked dimension, motive, and a twist.
January 2, 2026
Man, this was boring. The whole thing read like one giant info dump. At no point did I care who died, or why, or who did it. I keep reading this series hoping for good, but the best I've gotten was "not horrible".
July 13, 2025
I've loved Sophie Hannah's continuations of Poirot as she has brought her unique brand of 'impossible mysteries' to Christie's set up. Sadly, this one falls flat: there just isn't the intriguing plotting, the puzzles and urgency, the characterisation that has made this series so much fun.
Poirot and Catchpool join a small cult-like community on a Greek island but the potential isn't really optimized: there are tedious conversations with characters who don't come to life, and the final solution doesn't make much sense.
I'm hoping this is a blip and we'll be back to Hannah's best soon.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley
Poirot and Catchpool join a small cult-like community on a Greek island but the potential isn't really optimized: there are tedious conversations with characters who don't come to life, and the final solution doesn't make much sense.
I'm hoping this is a blip and we'll be back to Hannah's best soon.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley
November 5, 2025
This installment was filled with the usual humorous moments between Poirot and Catchpool. The setting, a small Greek island housing a religious collective, was unique and made for an interesting backdrop. The cast of characters was eccentric and entertaining and I liked how the story centered on the theme of forgiveness and whether one can truly forgive. That question is put to the test and leads to several murders. The reveal was both surprising and satisfying. Overall, this was just as enjoyable as the previous books in Sophie Hannah’s series and I’m already looking forward to the next one!
January 18, 2026
For the love of God, this series stop.
1. No depth of the characters whatsoever. I didnt care about the guy who was murdered and didnt want to know who murdered him.
2. Is this even a Poirot centric novel?
Just couldn't finish it.
1. No depth of the characters whatsoever. I didnt care about the guy who was murdered and didnt want to know who murdered him.
2. Is this even a Poirot centric novel?
Just couldn't finish it.
December 28, 2025
The Last Death of the Year is book 6 in the New Hercule Poirot Mysteries, By Sophie Hannah and the first one I've read. Sophie Hannah has crafted a remarkable murder mystery, showcasing Agatha Christie's iconic detective, Poirot, alongside his trusted associate, Inspector Catchpool.
I have always found Poirot to be a captivating character. I particularly enjoyed the narrative provided by Catchpool, a character I believe was introduced in the more recent books. Catchpool's perspective as an inspector is quite interesting, as he conducts his own interviews and contributes to solving parts of the mystery, yet he never overshadows Poirot's remarkable intellect.
On New Year's Eve 1932, Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arrived on the Greek island of Lamperos, ostensibly for a holiday. However, amidst the ongoing celebrations, a guest was found deceased. It is now Poirot and Catchpool's responsibility to identify the perpetrator and ensure justice is served.
This is essentially a locked-room mystery where the characters are trapped on a Greek island at New Year's, where a threat of murder during a party game culminates in a fatality. This was an atmospheric read in Agatha Christie style and with similar twists and turns.
I absolutely recommend this book to murder mystery fans, especially if you enjoy Christie's works, as long as you can see it as its own thing and not compare it too much.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I have always found Poirot to be a captivating character. I particularly enjoyed the narrative provided by Catchpool, a character I believe was introduced in the more recent books. Catchpool's perspective as an inspector is quite interesting, as he conducts his own interviews and contributes to solving parts of the mystery, yet he never overshadows Poirot's remarkable intellect.
On New Year's Eve 1932, Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arrived on the Greek island of Lamperos, ostensibly for a holiday. However, amidst the ongoing celebrations, a guest was found deceased. It is now Poirot and Catchpool's responsibility to identify the perpetrator and ensure justice is served.
This is essentially a locked-room mystery where the characters are trapped on a Greek island at New Year's, where a threat of murder during a party game culminates in a fatality. This was an atmospheric read in Agatha Christie style and with similar twists and turns.
I absolutely recommend this book to murder mystery fans, especially if you enjoy Christie's works, as long as you can see it as its own thing and not compare it too much.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 31, 2025
Ο Ηρακλής Πουαρό και ο φίλος του, επιθεωρητής Κατσπουλ, έρχονται στην Ελλάδα λίγο πριν αλλάξει ο χρόνος για διακοπές στο νησί Λαμπερός, προσκεκλημένοι ενός αρχηγού μιας ιδιαίτερης κοινότητας. Παραμονή πρωτοχρονιάς λοιπόν, μαζί με τους υπόλοιπους καλεσμένους, παίζουν ένα παιχνίδι όπου καθένας τους γράφει ένα στόχο για τη νέα χρονιά, χωρίς να αποκαλύπτει το όνομα του. Όταν ένας από αυτούς τους στόχους είναι η δολοφονία ενός εκ των παρευρισκομένων, το παιχνίδι σταματάει να έχει πλάκα. Κι όταν βρίσκεται και το πτώμα, τότε όλα αλλάζουν.
Η συγγραφέας έχει πιάσει όλα τα δυνατά στοιχεία της Αγκάθα Κριστι και τα χρησιμοποιεί με τον καλύτερο τρόπο! Είναι ένα πολύ καλογραμμένο βιβλίου μυστηρίου που θες να βρεις ποιος το έκανε, το οποίο συνδιάζει πολλούς υπόπτους, που όλοι κάτι έχουν να κρύψουν αλλά και να κερδίσουν από αυτό, μυστικά καλα κρυμμένα και ανατροπές που περιπλέκουν τα πράγματα! Και φυσικά τον αγαπημένο μας Ηρακλή Πουαρό και τον φίλο του!
Τι άλλο να ζητήσεις;
3,5 αστέρια
Η συγγραφέας έχει πιάσει όλα τα δυνατά στοιχεία της Αγκάθα Κριστι και τα χρησιμοποιεί με τον καλύτερο τρόπο! Είναι ένα πολύ καλογραμμένο βιβλίου μυστηρίου που θες να βρεις ποιος το έκανε, το οποίο συνδιάζει πολλούς υπόπτους, που όλοι κάτι έχουν να κρύψουν αλλά και να κερδίσουν από αυτό, μυστικά καλα κρυμμένα και ανατροπές που περιπλέκουν τα πράγματα! Και φυσικά τον αγαπημένο μας Ηρακλή Πουαρό και τον φίλο του!
Τι άλλο να ζητήσεις;
3,5 αστέρια
Read
November 10, 2025DNF at 62%
I just couldn't care about anything or anyone in this book. It took me almost 3 weeks to get 60% in , this is the point I just decided I didn't want to continue.
I was listening through my local library's Libby app and the audiobook narration was excellent, other than that everything else was not so good for me in this installment of the series. I went to open the app and realized I didn't remember who or what I was reading about after 12 hours away from the last listening session. Everything felt so bland, Catchpool seemed annoying to me, and I couldn't keep the characters straight throughout the 60% that I did finish.
I hope this is just a little glitch and Ms.Hannah's next Poirot mystery will be as entertaining as usual. This may be a matter of it just not being the right time or my mood, so don't take my word for it, others reviewers enjoyed this one and you may as well. I can't accurately rate this one because I didn't get to the end.
On to the next one! :)
I just couldn't care about anything or anyone in this book. It took me almost 3 weeks to get 60% in , this is the point I just decided I didn't want to continue.
I was listening through my local library's Libby app and the audiobook narration was excellent, other than that everything else was not so good for me in this installment of the series. I went to open the app and realized I didn't remember who or what I was reading about after 12 hours away from the last listening session. Everything felt so bland, Catchpool seemed annoying to me, and I couldn't keep the characters straight throughout the 60% that I did finish.
I hope this is just a little glitch and Ms.Hannah's next Poirot mystery will be as entertaining as usual. This may be a matter of it just not being the right time or my mood, so don't take my word for it, others reviewers enjoyed this one and you may as well. I can't accurately rate this one because I didn't get to the end.
On to the next one! :)
January 19, 2026
A remote Greek Island with a cultish community for the New Year and, of course, someone gets murdered while Catchpool and Poirot are guests. Sophie Hannah’s New Hercule Poirot Mysteries were a recent discovery for me and I was pleased as punch to see a new installment set during the New Year’s Holiday with the ‘stranded guests- remote island’ situation.
The Last Death of the Year is the sixth in a series of standalone historical cozy mysteries set in the 1930 era in the world of Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Sophie Hannah’s plots and characters are all diverse and original with only Poirot as the familiar figure from Christie’s novels and stories.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1932 and Poirot drags a reluctant Catchpool along with him to visit an odd little group on a Greek Island. Odd because they believe strongly in ‘forgiveness for the past’ at the House of Perpetual Welcome right up until one of their own is bumped off not long after they are all encouraged to play a game. Write out a New Year’s resolution and everyone is to guess whose is whose, and, oh, by the way, someone will be dead before the New Year. Can a New Year’s resolution be the motive for murder, Catchpool wonders? Poirot certainly thinks so, or does he? Inspector Catchpool notes that every last person is keeping secrets, is as annoying as all get out, and have motives to end the victim. Poirot, as usual tsk-tsks over Catchpool’s deductions and keeps his own thoughts close until its time to ‘wow’ the group with his reveal.
The Last Death of the Year was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed simply following along as Catchpool’s dry humor and curmudgeonly-ness over Poirot’s high-handedness never failed to entertain. I enjoyed that they were in an exotic new locale and it was a setting not unlike one Christie would have planned for her characters and mystery. It even has some wow factors with the way the murder is set up and some of the ‘secret reveals’ along the way. But, for land’s sake, there was no figuring this one out even if I’d tried and I could only stand that crowd of suspects in short increments of time. Vital clues were kept to the end and the motive was so obscure that it made very little sense to me.
And, so, I liked it, but didn’t love it. I still recommend the series for those who want a historical cozy with an amusing team of detectives and some startling situations and mysteries to solve.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 1.14.25.
The Last Death of the Year is the sixth in a series of standalone historical cozy mysteries set in the 1930 era in the world of Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Sophie Hannah’s plots and characters are all diverse and original with only Poirot as the familiar figure from Christie’s novels and stories.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1932 and Poirot drags a reluctant Catchpool along with him to visit an odd little group on a Greek Island. Odd because they believe strongly in ‘forgiveness for the past’ at the House of Perpetual Welcome right up until one of their own is bumped off not long after they are all encouraged to play a game. Write out a New Year’s resolution and everyone is to guess whose is whose, and, oh, by the way, someone will be dead before the New Year. Can a New Year’s resolution be the motive for murder, Catchpool wonders? Poirot certainly thinks so, or does he? Inspector Catchpool notes that every last person is keeping secrets, is as annoying as all get out, and have motives to end the victim. Poirot, as usual tsk-tsks over Catchpool’s deductions and keeps his own thoughts close until its time to ‘wow’ the group with his reveal.
The Last Death of the Year was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed simply following along as Catchpool’s dry humor and curmudgeonly-ness over Poirot’s high-handedness never failed to entertain. I enjoyed that they were in an exotic new locale and it was a setting not unlike one Christie would have planned for her characters and mystery. It even has some wow factors with the way the murder is set up and some of the ‘secret reveals’ along the way. But, for land’s sake, there was no figuring this one out even if I’d tried and I could only stand that crowd of suspects in short increments of time. Vital clues were kept to the end and the motive was so obscure that it made very little sense to me.
And, so, I liked it, but didn’t love it. I still recommend the series for those who want a historical cozy with an amusing team of detectives and some startling situations and mysteries to solve.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 1.14.25.
August 2, 2025
Let me start by saying I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan. I’ve been devouring her books for years, and when Sophie Hannah started writing new Poirot mysteries, I was one of those skeptical fans who steered clear. I mean, how do you follow a legend without tripping up? But curiosity finally got me, and I picked up the sixth book in Hannah’s series, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. It’s not quite Christie, no one is, but it doesn’t try to be, and honestly, I’m just thrilled to hang out with Hercule Poirot again.
This story whisks Poirot and his new sidekick, Inspector Edward Catchpool, off to a tiny Greek island called Lamperos for what’s supposed to be a New Year’s Eve getaway. All sounds good except the vibe is more creepy than cozy, with a rundown house and a bunch of oddball locals. Things get downright chilling when the group plays a New Year’s Resolutions game, and one creepy note promises “the last and first death of the year.” Sure enough, a body turns up on the terrace, and Poirot lets Catchpool in on a secret: they’re actually there because someone else’s life is in danger.
Hannah does a great job weaving a mystery that feels like it could fit in Poirot’s world while still being her own thing. The island’s spooky atmosphere and quirky characters had me hooked, and Poirot’s still got that sharp, mustache-twirling brilliance we all love. Now, about Catchpool… he’s fine, really, but I’ll admit I missed Captain Hastings something fierce. Hastings, Miss Lemon, Inspector Japp, oh, how I’d love to see that trio back together! I’m a bit stubborn about change, so warming up to Catchpool is a work in progress, but he’s growing on me.
This book is not perfect. The pacing can feel a tad different, and it’s got a modern spin that might not click for everyone. But for me, getting to dive back into Poirot’s world was such a treat. I’m a sucker for authors who keep beloved characters alive, like R.L. Green does with M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. Hannah’s doing the same for Poirot, and I’m here for it. So, if you’re a Christie fan who’s been on the fence, give this one a shot. It’s a fun, twisty mystery that lets Poirot shine, even if it’s not quite the original. I’m already eyeing the rest of Hannah’s series.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story whisks Poirot and his new sidekick, Inspector Edward Catchpool, off to a tiny Greek island called Lamperos for what’s supposed to be a New Year’s Eve getaway. All sounds good except the vibe is more creepy than cozy, with a rundown house and a bunch of oddball locals. Things get downright chilling when the group plays a New Year’s Resolutions game, and one creepy note promises “the last and first death of the year.” Sure enough, a body turns up on the terrace, and Poirot lets Catchpool in on a secret: they’re actually there because someone else’s life is in danger.
Hannah does a great job weaving a mystery that feels like it could fit in Poirot’s world while still being her own thing. The island’s spooky atmosphere and quirky characters had me hooked, and Poirot’s still got that sharp, mustache-twirling brilliance we all love. Now, about Catchpool… he’s fine, really, but I’ll admit I missed Captain Hastings something fierce. Hastings, Miss Lemon, Inspector Japp, oh, how I’d love to see that trio back together! I’m a bit stubborn about change, so warming up to Catchpool is a work in progress, but he’s growing on me.
This book is not perfect. The pacing can feel a tad different, and it’s got a modern spin that might not click for everyone. But for me, getting to dive back into Poirot’s world was such a treat. I’m a sucker for authors who keep beloved characters alive, like R.L. Green does with M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. Hannah’s doing the same for Poirot, and I’m here for it. So, if you’re a Christie fan who’s been on the fence, give this one a shot. It’s a fun, twisty mystery that lets Poirot shine, even if it’s not quite the original. I’m already eyeing the rest of Hannah’s series.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2025
Being a Agatha Christie aficionado I was delighted with the opportunity to read Sophie Hannah’s sixth novel in the New Hercule Poirot Mysteries. Ah mon ami, how I missed you and your little French comments! For once and for all for those still confused: Poirot is Belgian (like me) – not French – but he lives in London :-).
I was very surprised that Poirot and his sidekick Edward Catchpool (a Scotland Yard detective) arrive at Liakanda Bay at the Greek island Lamperos without there being a murder to investigate at the start. Surely nobody would be such a fool as to murder someone while they’re there? Rest assured that even without a murder just the mere threat of murder that is expressed via an anonymous poem is enough to be extremely unsettling from the start and the select pool of suspects didn’t make it easier to cross any of them off.
I wasn’t able to guess the whodunnit this time; that is to say that I had a suspect in mind for no other reason that they weren’t suspected, but I was wrong. I have to say that it was near impossible to solve this one as a reader but that’s ok and I already expected it this way. Poirot had to involve his contacts in London to solve this one and dive into some of the character’s pasts. In true Poirot/Marple style most of the reveals are presented at the end of the novel and once Poirot started his speech I was hanging on his every word. The reveal was a veritable rollercoaster as the secrets they’re holding onto are soon all disclosed thanks to our best Belgian detective. Revenge, love and money are the number one motives for murder and they’re all involved here. Funny how the community of The House of Perpetual Welcome (or the even more ridiculous name The Spitty) is built upon ‘unconditional’ forgiveness… is it any wonder it attracts murderers? The novel is a little over the top in regards to crushes they develop for one another (even worse than love island I suspect) and while I could get behind the motive the characters themselves didn’t really come to life. That said there’s more than one twist here and who doesn’t love a lot of surprises in the end? In that respect you’ll certainly get your money’s worth.
Whilst this novel didn’t blow my mind, if you enjoy an Agatha Christie-esque novels this one fits the bill.
I was very surprised that Poirot and his sidekick Edward Catchpool (a Scotland Yard detective) arrive at Liakanda Bay at the Greek island Lamperos without there being a murder to investigate at the start. Surely nobody would be such a fool as to murder someone while they’re there? Rest assured that even without a murder just the mere threat of murder that is expressed via an anonymous poem is enough to be extremely unsettling from the start and the select pool of suspects didn’t make it easier to cross any of them off.
I wasn’t able to guess the whodunnit this time; that is to say that I had a suspect in mind for no other reason that they weren’t suspected, but I was wrong. I have to say that it was near impossible to solve this one as a reader but that’s ok and I already expected it this way. Poirot had to involve his contacts in London to solve this one and dive into some of the character’s pasts. In true Poirot/Marple style most of the reveals are presented at the end of the novel and once Poirot started his speech I was hanging on his every word. The reveal was a veritable rollercoaster as the secrets they’re holding onto are soon all disclosed thanks to our best Belgian detective. Revenge, love and money are the number one motives for murder and they’re all involved here. Funny how the community of The House of Perpetual Welcome (or the even more ridiculous name The Spitty) is built upon ‘unconditional’ forgiveness… is it any wonder it attracts murderers? The novel is a little over the top in regards to crushes they develop for one another (even worse than love island I suspect) and while I could get behind the motive the characters themselves didn’t really come to life. That said there’s more than one twist here and who doesn’t love a lot of surprises in the end? In that respect you’ll certainly get your money’s worth.
Whilst this novel didn’t blow my mind, if you enjoy an Agatha Christie-esque novels this one fits the bill.
November 24, 2025
Η Sophie Hannah παρουσιάζει μια νέα υπόθεση του Ηρακλή Πουαρό, αυτή τη φορά σε ένα φανταστικό ελληνικό νησί που παραπέμπει στη Σκύρο. Παραμονή Πρωτοχρονιάς του 1932, ο Πουαρό και ο επιθεωρητής της Σκότλαντ Γιάρντ Έντουαρντ Κάτσπουλ ταξιδεύουν για ολιγοήμερες διακοπές στο νησί του Λαμπερού, οι οποίες πολύ σύντομα μετατρέπονται σε μια υπόθεση μυστηρίου που κορυφώνεται λίγο πριν τα μεσάνυχτα.
Η αφήγηση γίνεται αποκλειστικά μέσα από τα μάτια του αφελούς –όπως συνήθως– Κάτσπουλ, που λειτουργεί περισσότερο ως παρατηρητής παρά ως ισότιμος συνεργάτης. Η δυναμική του με τον Πουαρό θυμίζει σε σημεία το κλασικό δίδυμο Σέρλοκ Χολμς–δρ. Γουάτσον: ο Πουαρό ο οξυδερκής ερευνητής, ο Κάτσπουλ ο πιο ανθρώπινος σχολιαστής της υπόθεσης. Η πλοκή αγγίζει μια κλειστή κοινότητα με επίκεντρο τη συγχώρεση—μια έννοια που εδώ συχνά μένει θεωρητική και προκαλεί το ερώτημα: μέχρι πού μπορεί κανείς πραγματικά να συγχωρήσει; Οι διάλογοι και οι αλληλεπιδράσεις δίνουν μια ενδιαφέρουσα χροιά, ενώ η ελληνική νησιωτική ατμόσφαιρα προσθέτει ιδιαίτερο χρώμα στην ιστορία.
Συνολικά, ένα βιβλίο με ευχάριστη, εορταστική διάθεση και το χαρακτηριστικό δίδυμο της Hannah (που πλέον λειτουργεί σχεδόν ως σταθερή φόρμουλα—αν και θα ήθελα κάποια στιγμή να δω τον Πουαρό να δρα εντελώς μόνος στα βιβλία της Hannah). Μια ελαφριά, εποχιακή ανάγνωση για όσους αγαπούν τις χριστουγεννιάτικες ιστορίες μυστηρίου.
Η αφήγηση γίνεται αποκλειστικά μέσα από τα μάτια του αφελούς –όπως συνήθως– Κάτσπουλ, που λειτουργεί περισσότερο ως παρατηρητής παρά ως ισότιμος συνεργάτης. Η δυναμική του με τον Πουαρό θυμίζει σε σημεία το κλασικό δίδυμο Σέρλοκ Χολμς–δρ. Γουάτσον: ο Πουαρό ο οξυδερκής ερευνητής, ο Κάτσπουλ ο πιο ανθρώπινος σχολιαστής της υπόθεσης. Η πλοκή αγγίζει μια κλειστή κοινότητα με επίκεντρο τη συγχώρεση—μια έννοια που εδώ συχνά μένει θεωρητική και προκαλεί το ερώτημα: μέχρι πού μπορεί κανείς πραγματικά να συγχωρήσει; Οι διάλογοι και οι αλληλεπιδράσεις δίνουν μια ενδιαφέρουσα χροιά, ενώ η ελληνική νησιωτική ατμόσφαιρα προσθέτει ιδιαίτερο χρώμα στην ιστορία.
Συνολικά, ένα βιβλίο με ευχάριστη, εορταστική διάθεση και το χαρακτηριστικό δίδυμο της Hannah (που πλέον λειτουργεί σχεδόν ως σταθερή φόρμουλα—αν και θα ήθελα κάποια στιγμή να δω τον Πουαρό να δρα εντελώς μόνος στα βιβλία της Hannah). Μια ελαφριά, εποχιακή ανάγνωση για όσους αγαπούν τις χριστουγεννιάτικες ιστορίες μυστηρίου.
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