Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie (also published as Five Little Pigs)

Reviewed by: Michal, the mom (does age matter?)

I loved Agatha Christie in my teens and read everything that my local library had by her. I have no idea if this was one that I read-- it likely was, but my memory for such things is not good enough to spoil this mystery a second time around (20+ years later)! Hercule Poirot does not disappoint. I recommend Christie's mysteries for high school and up. They are never graphic or crude and I love trying to unravel the mystery along with Poirot or Miss Marple.

Genre: Murder mystery

Setting: 1940's England

Introduction:

Private detective Hercule Poirot is contacted by a young woman to investigate a murder that happened 16 years before, when she was a child. Her father was poisoned and her mother convicted to die, but her mother, on her deathbed, claimed to be innocent. The daughter wants to know the truth. Poirot must recreate the murder so many years after the fact and find out who the real murderer is.

Themes: family history, loyalty, everyone's perspective is a bit different, but if you hear them all then a clear picture will form

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Full Disclosure:

A large part of this case involves infidelity-- not just one love affair, but a habit of infidelity by one character (the murder victim). There is never anything graphic or specific in nature, only references to love affairs. Although some of the characters dismiss this behavior as to be expected from "a man like him", the book does not portray his affairs in a favorable light-- and as it made his family suffer and eventually cost him his life, I feel like there are consequences to his actions that are on par with reality. To me it makes a difference if poor choices are shown to have consequences and not portrayed as a way to happiness.

Rating: 4 stars

Poirot Loses A Client, or Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Reviewed by Kimball, age 15

This book was a good read. There are mystery books where it turns out to be the one you least expect, and then there was this book, where you suspected everybody and didn't know what to think. It was not exactly surprising, but if you're the type who tries to work out the mystery as you read, you will have a good challenge ahead of you.

Genre: Mystery

Setting: England, 1920s

Introduction:

This book is about a woman who writes to a detective named Hercule Poirot, worried that she might be murdered. When Poirot gets the letter too late, he investigates anyway.
It is purported that the woman died naturally after battling liver failure. Previously she had tripped over the dog's ball and almost died, but the witnesses believed that was accidental and not deliberate. The woman was very wealthy and strange changes in the will lead Poirot to believe someone had motives to set up both cases deliberately, and that she changed it to keep her relatives from gaining any advantage from her death. Interviewing all possible suspects, Poirot and his narrative assistant Hastings discover the truth behind what seemed to be two unrelated accidents.

Themes: It's never too late for justice, don't be greedy, don't spoil your kids, don't be prejudiced against foreigners

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Rating: 4 stars

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