Perfect for audiobooking! ( )

As much as I love Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot is growing in my favor. ( )

Thank God it’s all over!” Lydia said: “Thanks to Hercule Poirot.” “Yes. You know, it was really amazing the way everything fell into place when he explained it.” “I know. Like when you finish a jigsaw puzzle and all the queer-shaped bits you swear won’t fit in anywhere find their places quite naturally.”

Christie, Agatha. Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot series Book 20) (p. 333). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Christmas is a time for peace and goodwill - and murder if you're the family of Simeon Lee. The Lee's reunite under one roof for the first time in years on the invitation of the patriarch. Old grudges and old scores are quick to ignite though, leaving Simeon delighted with results of his meddling - if only he could've found a way to not end up dead...

I adored this one. Poirot was at his finest and the crime was riveting. The ending in particular was perfection. The whole book was really clever and very well planned. I guessed minor parts but otherwise I was completely stumped by this mystery. The red herrings had red herrings in this one. I sort of guessed about Stephen Farr being a Lee but I was totally stunned by the murderer. OMFG!!!! Mind blown. Superintendent Suget because he's ANOTHER SON!!!!??? - no freaking way. I also didn't realise Pilar wasn't who she said she was.

I liked Superintendent Suget, Lydia and Hilda the best, but all the characters were entertaining. I really loved Poirot's obsession with Suget's moustache though.

Poirot made a little bow and looked the other man over. He saw a tall man with square shoulders and a military bearing who had an aquiline nose, a pugnacious jaw and a large flourishing chestnut-coloured moustache. Sugden stared hard at Hercule Poirot after acknowledging the introduction. Hercule Poirot stared hard at Superintendent Sugden’s moustache. Its luxuriance seemed to fascinate him.

Christie, Agatha. Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot series Book 20) (pp. 106-107). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Lol the idea of the luxuriance fascinating him cracked me up. Although I was also pretty amused when he asks him if he uses a special pomade and Suget is like no of course not, it just grows and poor Hercule is so sad afterwards.

“Do not call her my friend,” said Poirot hastily. “Or I shall speak of your friend Miss Estravados, who finds you such a handsome man!” He had the pleasure of seeing the superintendent’s official poise upset again. The police officer turned crimson. Poirot looked at him with malicious amusement. He said, and there was a wistful note in his voice: “It is true that your moustache is superb . . . Tell me, do you use for it a special pomade?” “Pomade? Good lord, no!” “What do you use?” “Use? Nothing at all. It—it just grows.” Poirot sighed. “You are favoured by nature.” He caressed his own luxuriant black moustache, then sighed. “However expensive the preparation,” he murmured, “to restore the natural colour does somewhat impoverish the quality of the hair.”

Christie, Agatha. Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot series Book 20) (pp. 212-213). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

A must read Christie. 4.5 stars, rounded to 5 stars. ( )

A classic locked-room mystery. Curmudgeonly Simeon Lee has called all his descendants to the manor for Christmas. He plans to change his will – or does he only plan to stir the pot, getting them all riled up and at each other’s throats for his own amusement? Makes little difference what he intended, as no one is amused; and someone is upset enough to kill the old man. But how? And who did it?

Everyone heard the crashing furniture and Simeon’s anguished cry, but when they ran to his room it was locked from the inside! No one had time to exit without being seen, or did s/he? There is no shortage of suspects, and Poirot has many theories on how each of them might have accomplished the murder. But, of course, only one person did it.

I did not guess the murderer’s identity and was completely taken by surprise at Hercule Poirot’s reveal. Bravo to Christie for giving us satisfactory explanations for all the red herrings, too. ( )

I wasn't feeling this one, until the twist at the end, which was really quite good.
But the tone overall was pretty heavy and full of family drama and stock characters... definitely not as witty or enjoyable as others. ( )