The Next Dark Age
We're in it Now
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas: A Holiday Mystery, by Agatha Christie
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=leartojugg-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1579127894&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrBook 43 – 50 Book Challenge
Book 2 – Holiday Challenge
I didn’t know that Agatha Christie had done any holiday novels, so I was really jazzed when I saw this one that feature Hercule Poirot, who I think is a total riot. The premise is extremely basic:
Rich old invalid asks his entire estranged family to gather around him at the old manor house for Christmas. They all show up, he acts like a jerk, makes the phone call to his lawyer to change his will and is murdered on Christmas Eve. Poirot happens to be visiting a law enforcement friend in the next county or something.
The Lee family is mixed with the usual stereotypes, but interestingly enough, I generally liked them all. There is the usual subplot with suspicion of the staff and a question of theft.
The mystery built pretty well. I had guessed one of the twists correctly, but even that was a red herring. The “whodunnit” made sense. The “how it was done” was pretty convoluted. But overall it was a whole lot of fun.
However, the “holiday theme” was extremely weak.
The Next Dark Age 
Having problems sourcing Christmas reads, even my library should have/be able to get hold of a copy of this. Thanks for an insightful review, I enjoyed reading your thoughts. You are more than welcome to drop by http://pettywitter.blogspot.com/2010/11/hogfather.htmlto see my 2nd review for this challengse, Terry Pratchett's Hogfather. Best wishes, PW
Just wanted to let you know I also read and reviewed this as one of my holiday reads. I hope you don't mind that I have linked to it in my post which will be published later this week.
I didn't realize that Agatha Christie did a Christmas story either. Hmm.. Maybe I will look to see if my sister has it in her collection. If so, I can read it for next year.