Member Review

The Last Death of the Year, the sixth New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah, finds the great detective and his sidekick-cum-chronicler, Inspector Edward Catchpool, on a tiny Greek island among a peculiar group of people living in an isolated seaside mansion. While the precise assignment for which he has been invited is unclear, the brutal murder of a resident – most likely committed by one of the handful of other occupants – on the very first night of his arrival fires up Poirot’s little grey cells. Hidden beneath the façade of peace and idyll are many sinister secrets, and Poirot must uncover those quickly, before another person is killed.

This is the second Poirot mystery I have read by Sophie Hannah, and the language, especially the dialogue between Poirot and Catchpool, sounds authentic. Poirot’s quirks and the way he treats the hapless inspector are funny, and the eccentric cast adds amusement. The setup of The Last Death of the Year is classic Christie: a closed circle of suspects, each with secrets, plenty of red herrings, and a final convoluted resolution.

However, the plot this time does not hold together. The characters are mostly unlikable, the narrative drags with repeated scenes, and key details are withheld from the reader, making any attempt to work out the mystery futile. The denouement is too contrived, even for a Poirot story. Compared to the only other Hannah Poirot I’ve read, this one feels weaker and less inspired.

With The Last Death of the Year, Hannah gets Poirot’s voice right, but there is not much beyond that. Despite being faithful to the formula, the substance that makes it enjoyable is missing. In the end, this book feels routine rather than memorable, unfortunately.

I am thankful to HarperCollins UK for the digital review copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.