Agatha Christie Lovers discussion

Originally published 1963. Features Hercule Poirot (#34).

When a young secretary, Sheila Webb, is sent to the home of a blind woman on an errand, she is horrified to discover a dead man behind the couch, surrounded by four clocks that have all been stopped at 4:13.

The owner arrives home and denies that the clocks belong to her, the deceased's business card turns out to be a fraud, and a woman shows up claiming to be the dead man's wife.

There is only one man who can unravel this complicated case: Hercule Poirot.

I like this one very much. Some interesting characters and an ingenious plot.

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.

Alas, I was unable to get to this one in May. I will try to work it in sometime this year.