The murder in Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (aka, A Holiday for Murder and Murder for Christmas) happens on Christmas Eve in a locked room. The mystery was first published in 1938 in England and Dodd, Mead published it in the U. S. in 1939. Christie was at the height of her powers and this puzzle is clever. A wealthy, dying man calls his sons and their wives together for a “holiday” party. But when the father announces he’s going to change his Will, multiple motives spring up. When the body is found, Hercule Poirot investigates and finds a tangled web of lies. Herclule Poirot’s Christmas is one of the best Poirots I’ve read. If you’re looking for a dandy holiday mystery, you’ll find it here.
One of the firt Poirot novels I ever read – I still think it’s a good one, though her version of the ‘locked room’ mystert didn’t convince me much even in my teens!
Sergio, the locked room aspect of HERCULE POIROT’S CHRISTMAS isn’t up the John Dickson Carr standards!
George, I haven’t read these particular Christie books and this Christmas would be a good time to pick up one.
Prashant, these are just different covers (and titles) for the same book. I like the middle one the best!
In the end I got too lazy (or lost track of the time), but this is the exact book that came to mind for the holiday theme! Excellent choice.
Jeff, Great Minds think alike!
I think of rest ye merry by Charlotte MacLeod at the holidays
I’ve read all the Christies, and the premise sounds familiar but not the solution.
Maggie, I’ve read about 80% of the mysteries Agatha Christie wrote. I read only a couple per year just to make them last. I know how sad I felt when I read the last 87th Precinct novel. Coming to the end of a great series is tragic.
I have to confess that I also read Agatha’s books when I was younger – but somehow they all seemed the same to me after a while. Those mysteries weren’t really convincing …
maybe the translations into German were part of the problem?
Though later the films were funny again – but just on tv. The good news: It didn’t really matter if you had to get up and leave for a few minutes, because you could be sure that nothing really important to the story happened. And they always had good actors!
A bit OT:
A distinct relative of mine used to read one detective novel every evening – and then put the books away …
So I was very happy when I visited them as a student (maybe once a year) and took home at least one crate of books – almost new. I even sold some of them in the second hand book shop or rather bought some science fiction from the money I got …
Wolf, I know several retired friends who read a mystery novel a day! I managed to read HERCULE POIROT’S CHRISTMAS in one sitting.
A good choice, George, I considered it, but decided to pick something I hadn’t already read. The theme for Winter as a character / holiday time mystery is perfectly addressed by your choice!
Rick, I’ve read most of the Christie Poirot mysteries, but not HERCULE POIROT’S CHRISTMAS. This FFB was the perfect opportunity to remedy that situation!
This comment is another Richard, not me.
– Rick Robinson who was in the APA.
Oh wait, it is, this is an old post… duh.
OK, you sold me. This Christmas!
Mathew, I think you’ll find HERCULE POIROT’S CHRISTMAS to be a satisfying mystery.
Good choice. Like you, George, I did not read this one until this year when I (alas) finished reading all of Christie’s mysteries.
Jerry, I have about a dozen Christie’s left to read. I’ll be sad when I read the last one…
I, as you discovered, reviewed the same book today. I wanted a Christmas mystery and this came to mind. I agree with Maggie, the MacLeod would have worked well too.