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Dustin (dragonarmybooks)'s Reviews > Murder in Mesopotamia
Murder in Mesopotamia (Hercule Poirot, #14)
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Murder is a habit.
This might be my new favorite Hercule Poirot novel to date.
We've got a totally new location. A totally new narrator. And a total refreshment to the tried and true (but possibly aging) structure that Christie has employed for more than a dozen books now.
Iraq. 1930s. An archaeological expedition goes awry as the lead archeologist's wife seems to be hallucinating. She is convinced someone is trying to kill her. She sees ghosts. Hears noises. And received threatening letters from her long-deceased first husband. When she is, indeed, murdered, a short, balding Belgian detective with a perfect moustache shows up to do what he does best--solve the case.
The story is told in a unique way. Rather than seeing the story through the eyes of either Poirot or his trusty partner, Captain Hastings, we get the recounting of the narrative by a third party, nurse Amy Leatheran. This was SUCH a refreshing take on the narrative structure of the book. Hercule Poirot really plays second fiddle to the star of the show, nurse Leatheran. And it really, really worked for me.
The mystery is, of course, absurd. The web of deceit is layered. Everyone is proven to be a liar in their own way. And Hercule Poirot is as intelligent as ever (though he is a bit less pompous, which was nice to see). I really enjoyed this one and hope that Christie continues in this direction as she moves further with the series.
---
Murder is a habit.
This might be my new favorite Hercule Poirot novel to date.
We've got a totally new location. A totally new narrator. And a total refreshment to the tried and true (but possibly aging) structure that Christie has employed for more than a dozen books now.
Iraq. 1930s. An archaeological expedition goes awry as the lead archeologist's wife seems to be hallucinating. She is convinced someone is trying to kill her. She sees ghosts. Hears noises. And received threatening letters from her long-deceased first husband. When she is, indeed, murdered, a short, balding Belgian detective with a perfect moustache shows up to do what he does best--solve the case.
The story is told in a unique way. Rather than seeing the story through the eyes of either Poirot or his trusty partner, Captain Hastings, we get the recounting of the narrative by a third party, nurse Amy Leatheran. This was SUCH a refreshing take on the narrative structure of the book. Hercule Poirot really plays second fiddle to the star of the show, nurse Leatheran. And it really, really worked for me.
The mystery is, of course, absurd. The web of deceit is layered. Everyone is proven to be a liar in their own way. And Hercule Poirot is as intelligent as ever (though he is a bit less pompous, which was nice to see). I really enjoyed this one and hope that Christie continues in this direction as she moves further with the series.
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