Finished audio 2-11-12, rating 4/5, mystery, pub. 1923
Unabridged audio 6 hours. Read by Hugh Fraser.
Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings are off to France to answer a letter from a man in trouble, but they are too late. Paul Renauld has been murdered and left in a shallow grave. His wife is overwrought and his son is suspect, and what about his supposed mistress and her daughter? There’s no shortage of suspects.
This is Christie’s third book and second with Poirot and narrated by Hastings. Poirot grew on me a bit in this one. I like smart guys and he wasn’t quite the insufferable know-it-all he was in the first (The Mysterious Affair at Styles). This time around he had to outsolve the French Detective Geraud.
Hastings had a love interest and I wasn’t that crazy about his infatuation with the mysterious Cinderella. The only other complaint I will make it about this cover and the title, really. Renauld was found on the border of a golf course, but that is the only connection to golf. Seems a bit misleading to me.
I thought the mystery was good and even though I had my suspicions about certain characters, the truth was so much better! This was a fun audio book with a solid narration.
I read this for the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge, where I am reading all of her books in order.
Stacy's Books 
Oh I’m happy to learn it’s not about golf! I may have avoided it because of the title. Thanks! 🙂
I’m crazy about Agatha Christie, and for some reason I haven’t read this one! Must rectify that immediately. Happy Wednesday, Stacy!
It has been so long since I’ve read any Agatha Christie. I gobbled them up when I was a tween.
I love that new, modern cover. I want to explore more of Christie’s work.
You are making better progress with liking Poirot than I did. It took over 20 books for him to grow on me. Hastings, however, is such a bumbler that I had to like him. He’s so naive when it comes to women.
I think I really need to do this…I know that the few that i have read I really have enjoyed!
Glad Poirot softened up because that attitude can be tiring!
Didn’t realize all these books were being read in order. Good for you Stacy!
I’m listening to And Then There Were None on audio by Fraser too. I will be adding this one to my list! 😀
That’s really cool that you are reading her books in order. I just recently purchased Murder on the Orient Express but now your are tempting me to read hers in order too.
I only remember reading two Agatha Chrisitie mysteries — And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express– and that was a long time ago. You’ve made me want to return to her books 🙂
I don’t know if I’ve ever read this one. I do love Christie, though.