Being a long time fan of the fabulous Hercules Poirot, I was pleased to receive a copy of this new mystery and it didn't disappoint - not at all. While I was a bit perturbed by the sections where the POV wasn't that of Poirot's, I came to quite enjoy these parts of the novel, and it did offer a respite from Poirot's more meticulous nature. The build-up of the mystery was intriguing and very true to the originals, and if, in the end, it was a little predictable - that too is quite true to the originals.
A great return for Poirot. I will be reading more.

Hercule "Porrot" (sic) has returned in his usual pedantic Belgian form and what a splendid resurrection this is. Agatha Christie's Poirot has often irritated me with his OCD and pedantry. A tribute to her authorship, as Sophie Hannah has done a great job in continuing the Agatha Christie tradition by irritating me too. If you like the style of Hercule Poirot, you need to read The Mystery of Three Quarters.

Taking on the mantle of the most well known of the greatest golden age crime authors and resurrecting one of her most beloved characters is no small feat. But Sophie Hannah has, to date, managed it ably and her first two ‘New Hercule Poirot’ mysteries, The Monogram Murders and Closed Casket, have gone down a treat with readers – including myself! So I was delighted to be given an opportunity via Netgalley to read Hannah’s latest outing, The Mystery of Three Quarters, which sees everyone’s favourite Belgian detective confronted with a most peculiar mystery indeed.

With an opening that rivals the intrigue of ‘Murder is Announced’, Hercule Poirot is confronted by a four different people all of whom claim he has sent them a letter accusing them of the murder of Barnabas Pandy – a man who Poirot has never heard of and, it transpires, drowned in his bathtub at a ripe old age without the apparent intervention of anyone else. Why have these letters been sent in Poirot’s name? Was Barnabas Pandy really murdered? And what connects the people who have received the accusatory letter? It’s a puzzle that Christie herself would have been proud of and one that will take all of Poirot’s little grey cells to solve.

As with her previous two Poirot books, Hannah absolutely nails Christie’s tone but, in reacquainting us once again with her own ‘eyes’ on the famous detective – long-suffering Scotland Yard Inspector Edward Catchpool – rather than one of Christie’s own preferred sidekicks, she manages to pay homage rather than attempt a full resurrection. It’s a trick which allows the jaunty briskness of Christie to come across without ever crossing over into pastiche.

That said, all of the golden age tropes are present and correct – there’s a suitably grand country house, a private boy’s boarding school, an aged retainer, an eclectic array of apparently well-to-do suspects, and a typewriter with a dodgy letter ‘e’. There’s also a cake – specifically a church window cake (think Battenberg) made up of four little pink and yellow squares – that might just provide the answer to the whole thing. Throw in a handful of well-placed red-herrings and you’ve got a plot that rattles along nicely until the classic ‘everyone gathered in the drawing room’ denouement in which Poirot explains all.

Thoroughly enjoyable and with just the right level of homage to the genre, this is another excellent addition to the ‘New Poirot’ series and one that is sure to appeal to fans of the previous two books, as well as lovers of Christie’s originals. Hannah’s Poirot has a little glint of mischief in his eye at times but he still feels like Poirot – and his little grey cells are still firmly in working order. Perfect for curling up with as the nights draw in, The Mystery of Three Quarters is a fun and entertaining read, written with finesse and confidence.

3. 5 stars rounded up to 4.

The New Hercule Poirot Mystery Series #3

Hercule Poriot was met at his door by Sylvia Rule. She claims that Poirot has sent her a letter claiming he has proof that she had murdered a man called Barnabas Pandy. A few minutes after she leaves, John McCrodden appears claiming to have received the same letter. The next day two more people turn up who have also received the letter.

I did not know Sophie Hannah had written two previous books in the New Hercule Poirot series . There is probably just a few books of Agatha Christie's that I have not read, it I do think it is a really brave thing to do to try an recreate a well known and much loved character. But I must admit, Sophie Hannah has made a pretty good effort. There is the usual clues, Poirot humor, red herrings and the long drawn meeting of all the suspects, where the culprit is eventually revealed. I do have a criticism though, and that is the first part of the book. I found it rather boring and it seemed to drag on for a bit. Thankfully the second half was better.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Sophie Hannah for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was indeed a real treat, to read the third of Sophie Hannah's Poirot novels! I am truly grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in return for an honest review.
As with the two previous novels, Sophie has entirely captured Poirot's 'voice' this time around the narrative starts in the third person, from Poirot's perspective , as Christie was wont to do, she would sometimes have it in the first (Captain Hastings, or occasionally another narrator as in 'Roger Ackroyd') .
The slight tongue in cheek humour that is so brilliantly threaded through the story adds to the atmosphere and veracity as does the character who takes over the narration, Edward Catchpool, Hannah's own creation who would not be out of place in one of Christie's own tales.

In 'Three Quarters', Poirot finds himself most disconcerted to be approached, separately, by 4 individuals with varying degrees of concerns (some are angry, some baffled). All, it transpires, have been sent a letter accusing them of being the murderer of one Barnabus Pandy. And the letters have been written by Poirot himself.
Shocked and agitated to have had someone take his good name in vain and being falsely accused of being an accuser, Poirot sets out at once to not only clear his name but also find out if Barnabus Pandy actually existed, was he murdered, and if so, which of the three quarters is innocent, if any? And who exactly sent the letters and involved Poirot, was it a game to see if the letter writer could beat the world's most famous Belgian detective or was it someone who wanted justice and trusted Poirot to deliver it?

All these questions and more are answered via a wonderful trip down memory lane for myself, as a huge fan and lifelong reader of Agatha Christie. Yet again, Sophie Hannah has breathed new life into Poirot and I honestly hope there will be more to come.

I loved this! Love these type of books, the story was fantastic and will definitely be hoping there are more to come! Thank you for providing me with a copy of this book

‘The Mystery of Three Quarters’ is an interesting Poirot investigation that had me fooled until the reveal. Sophie Hannah has managed to successfully take on the mantle of Agatha Christie and weave an enjoyable tale that kept me guessing. When four people are sent letters accusing them of murder and supposedly from the great Belgian detective, Poirot feels compelled to investigate. He is joined by Inspector Catchpool and the chapters jump from a first person account from the policeman, to third person where more of the story is revealed. I found this a bit odd at first but in the end it did work. An enjoyable read.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley for review.

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie and I've read all of her work. I have also read Sophie Hannah's last two new Poirot books, though I'm not familiar with her other work.

I enjoyed this latest new Poirot - I think it was well written, the characters were likeable and the plot was interesting.

I find that Ms Hannah's Poirot has a more agreeable and less pompous character than Christie's. I would definitely say the plot is a more modern take on the classic murder mystery - I found it more intricate than the originals.

I thought there was deeper exploration of character motivation for the suspects than the previous two New Poirots, which I liked. This is my favourite of the New Poirot series so far.

Overall, I would say the mystery is different from Christie's style but enjoyable in it's own right.

I must admit that I approached this book with trepidation - not having read any of the author's previous new-Poirot novels - but am delighted to say I enjoyed it immensely.

The author remained true to Poirot's nature, and whilst there are similarities with Agatha Christie's prose style, there are sufficient differences to make this an extension to Christie's works.

I am now confident that I'll enjoy Sophie Hannah's other Poirot novels and will seek them out.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

An easy, entertaining read. It was great to read a Hercule Poirot mystery written by someone else. I liked the writing style and the way the plot came together.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Harper Collins UK for the ARC copy of this book that I freely chose to review.
I had not realised that an author had been commissioned to write new Poirot mysteries, and as I saw this book after a conversation about Agatha Christie, I could not resist requesting a copy of it. This means I have not read the author’s two previous New Poirot Mysteries (The Monogram Murders and Closed Casket), so I cannot discuss the evolution of the characters or compare this one to the previous two. I am not familiar with any of Hannah’s previous writing either. I have read some of Agatha Christie’s novels and short stories, some of them I read translated into Spanish many years back (and might not have fully reflected her style of writing although I remember enjoying them) and I have not read a Poirot one in many years, although I have watched both films and TV series adapting some of Christie’s classic Poirot novels, so I would not dare to address this review to connoisseurs. Still, for what is worth, this is my opinion.
I enjoyed the novel. The case starts with four seemingly random people accusing Poirot of sending them letters accusing them of a crime. Not only has Poirot not sent them such letters, but the alleged victim died of natural causes (he was an elderly man and drowned whilst bathing, alone in his bathroom). So, who is behind the letters? And what’s his or her motive? I will try and not reveal any spoilers, but I can say that there are plenty of clues to follow, red-herrings along the way, peculiar characters, true and false motivations, slices of cake, dogs, a public school for boys, a wonderful old mansion, faulty typewriters, likeable and less likeable characters, and a Poirot in full form.
The novel is told by Edward Catchpool, a Scotland Yard Inspector who, like Captain Hastings in Christie’s stories, is the scribe behind the stories. He is a new creation and one of a couple of characters that, from the comments, I have read, are regulars in The New Poirot Mysteries. The narration is split between parts written in the third person (when Catchpool is not present) that, when we are some way into the book, he explains he has compiled through later discussions with Poirot, and those written in the first person, that pertain to events he witnessed or participated in himself. This works well, in general (we might wonder briefly how Poirot might have become aware of some detail or conversation, but we all know he has his ways), and it also allows for any differences in style with previous novels to be blamed on Catchpool’s own style of writing (that would not be the same as Hastings’). The language is straightforward and effective in conveying the story, without any jarring moments due to usage inappropriate to the historical period. Catchpool himself does not reveal much of his own personality through the novel and he is mostly a blank canvas to reflect Poirot’s thoughts and his deductive process. There are some interesting personal morsels about the inspector included in the narrative (he does not like his boss at work and he is averse to the idea of marriage, especially one to suit his mother’s taste) but not enough for readers to become truly attached to him. As this is the third novel and I have not read the two previous one, it is likely that people who have followed the whole series will know and appreciate the character more fully (but this is not necessary for the enjoyment of the mystery).
Notwithstanding my disclaimer on my limited expertise in all things Poirot, the Poirot in the novel will be recognisable to most people who have some familiarity with Christie’s detective. People still think he is French, his ‘little grey cells’ are mentioned often, he sprinkles his dialogue with French terms and some peculiar English translations (‘oil of the olives’ instead of olive oil, for instance), he is a keen observer, opinionated, with high regard for himself, and a lover of comfort and good food and drink. Perhaps he is an extreme version of Poirot, but I could not help but remember, as I read the book, that Christie expressed her dislike for the character and called him: detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep. (We might agree or not with her assessment, although her Poirot had some moments of weakness and sometimes showed more of a soft heart than he would have liked to admit). He is that here and keeps making demands on people, puts to the test his ideas and theories in pretty cruel ways, and drags the resolution of the case, creating anxiety and disquiet among all. But he can come up with pretty amazing insights and his figure has always been one of those that perhaps we would not like to meet personally, but we nonetheless admire.
Some of the secondary characters are almost caricatures, and the story is fundamentally about the plot and not about the psychological complexity of those involved, but there are some likeable characters, and I had a soft spot for the younger generation (and the dog). There are good descriptions and observations that will keep people guessing and turning the pages, although the story is not told at a fast pace, and the ending drags on (as is usual for this type of stories, where the reveal can become as frustrating for the readers as for those present). Although the evidence, in this case, remains mostly circumstantial and stretches somewhat the imagination, everything is explained and tied up and people who like a definite ending will have no complaint. There is a murder but there is no explicit violence or bad language and although it will not suit readers looking for gritty and realistic thrillers, it should not offend or discourage most readers who love a gentler mystery.
I am not sure if this would fit into the category of cozy mystery. By its tone and nature, it should do, but many books marketed as cozy mysteries abound in over-the-top characters, seem to place more emphasis on other aspects rather than the actual mystery (romance, recipes, pets…), include elements of other genres (paranormal, for instance), and can be frustrating to any readers looking for logical explanation and a meaty, intriguing, and complex mystery they can actually solve. This is like a good old-fashioned mystery, with plenty of character, a light read that will keep you entertained, and if that’s what you’d like to read, I’d recommend it. (Does it add anything new to the Poirot canon? Well, that is a matter for another discussion. Judging by the reviews, most people think the author has done a good job and has made the character her own). Personally, I’ll keep track of the author and future novels in the series.

This is so far the most Agatha Christie flavoured book Hannah have penned! Like the delicious "Church Window Cake" mentioned many times in it, this novel has been baked to perfection!
Sophie Hannah's grey cells were certainly busy. I really liked that she didn't over complicate the plot like she did in some of her other books. When Poirot puts all the puzzle pieces together in the end everything makes sense.
The start of the book reminded me of "A murder is announced"- 4 people get letters accusing them of murdering a man called 'Barnabas Pandy'- and the letters are signed by Hercules Poirot!
Who is Barnabas Pandy and did one of these people: Slyvia Rule, John McCrodden, Hugo Dockerill and Annabel Treadway, really killed Mr Pandy?
The story gets really interesting as Mrs Rule and McCrodden claim they don't even know the man, but Miss Treadway and Mr Dockerill turns out the be connected with Pandy!
As Poirot Investigates, we are sucked into the story and I can confidently say it's a more modern and humorous version of 1930's Agatha Christie's. Loved this book and so glad to be reading the world's best detective again.

One has to be quite brave and confident as a writer to want to work with someone else’s characters, and writing and plot development styles. And if that someone else happens to be Agatha Christie and the character Hercule Poirot, the writer would appear to have a death wish.

However, faced with the very challenging task of meeting millions of readers’ expectations, Sophie Hannah manages to hold her own. She works hard to give her writing the Agatha Christie feel and she succeeds to do so to a reasonable extent. Hannah’s Poirot sounds like Christie’s Poirot for the most part, except when he is shown in a lighter light. His arrogance too seems to not pack its usual punch.

Hannah’s development of the plot and how the narrative unfolds is quite like Christie’s, and this she manages to do well. However, her writing does not immerse you into the story in the same way. The intrigue that Christie manages to bring to each of her characters is missing. One only gets into the meat of the mystery after the first half of the novel, which is a bit disappointing. Nonetheless, it is an enjoyable read.

A witty and well thought out Poirot mystery. I found the cake similes and explanations a bit tedious and confusing but otherwise an enjoyable read.

In the end I enjoyed The Mystery Of Three-Quarters, but it was hard going for a while.

Sophie Hannah has done a good job of creating a Christie-style mystery, with an intriguing puzzle, odd clues, red herrings and a lengthy climactic meeting of all possible suspects in which Poirot reveals the true culprit. The first half was a bit of a struggle, as the characters and the strange mystery of the accusatory letters in Poirot’s name are introduced. It all seemed a bit laboured and disjointed, but things moved along much better in the second half and I ended up in that old state of ought-to-be doing-something-else-but-must-finish the-book, which is always a good sign.

Part of the problem is that I found very little in the way of period setting. This mattered less as the story began to rattle along, but it was a disappointment for me. It’s not that Sophie Hannah gets it badly wrong – she’s far too good a writer for that – but somehow I never felt that we were in the 1930s. The language was generally pretty well done, but there were occasional things like an ancient family servant saying, “I’ve set up the two machines for Mr Porrott, like you asked, Mrs Lavington.” Surely he would have said something more like “I have set up the two machines as you requested...” There wasn’t too much of this but it did grate occasionally.

This ended up as a four-star read for me; it’s fun but be prepared for a somewhat stodgy first half.

(My thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC via Netgalley.)

The plot is rather tedious; the insistence on "three quarters" is excessive and the central metaphor is strained. But the book is an entertaining read.

Either I've got more used to the style, or Ms Hannah has really got into her stride in the Poirot delivery.  Her own thrillers contrast in their modernity (e.g. The Narrow Bed); I thought the Monogram Murders was a little stilted, but now the Poirot style fits her.  The new mantle has lost its stiffness and become a good warming friend.

Imagine three people rushing up to you in various states of excitement, complaining you'd accused them of murdering someone. This is Poirot's opening predicament, and naturally he is both stimulated to investigate who would do such a thing using his name, and suspicious that they want him to investigate something without drawing attention to themselves.

Three quarters (using a slice of Battenberg cake to stimulate his little grey cells as well as his sweet tooth) suggest there is a fourth letter, too.  Finding the link between these people is the main part of the problem.  After that, Poirot questions whether one of them, or indeed all of them, are complicit in a murder, or whether it is, as it seems, an accidental death.

Ms Hannah creates a most enjoyable puzzle. Several red herrings and alternative possibilities lead you astray, but there is a niggle that keeps bringing you back to your first thought.  Or maybe it was your second. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the characters were believable, the settings pleasantly varied, and the bile, anger and shattered dreams that filtered through various strands of the family were enough to keep any soap opera full of viewers for months. It didn't take me long to read, simply because I was eager to see what happened next.

A first class addition to the Poirot adventures, and full marks to Ms Hannah.

The estate of Agatha Christie made such a good choice when giving Sophie Hannah the chance to continue writing the Poirot series. I have loved the previous two books and this one is also fab and very much like Christie's novels. A puzzle first and foremost, Poirot stays the same and we are not too concerned about the character development more about the why and how. I adore puzzles and that's why I adore Christie's mysteries and love how Hannah stays true to that formula. Great fun for the upcoming autumn evenings, I highly recommend this.

This one really got the little brain cells working overtime! I really enjoyed the style of writing and could hear John Suchet as Poirot talking to me all the way through. I enjoyed the little splashed of humour as well. I did find the final explanation a bit confusing, but I'm sure every Agatha Christie fan will love this.

I loved this book. It was so true to Agatha's style but with a twist. I was a sceptical about another author writing as Agatha and I didn't particularly warm to Edward Catchpole in The Monagram Murders
This however exceeded all my expectations and I can't wait until the next one. The story starts with 4 letters being sent to 4 strangers accusing them of the murder of Barnabus Pandy. The letters are signed by Hercule Poirot and he has no knowledge of this until he is contacted 1 by 1 by the receivers of the letters. After deliberation he asks Catchpole to help him solve The Mystery of the Three Quarters.
Great character development and as with Dame Agatha some quite loathsome characters. Always entertaining and very clever.