Closed Casket: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery

Set in October 1929, bestseller Hannah’s captivating sequel to 2014’s The Monogram Murders finds Hercule Poirot and Scotland Yard’s Insp. Edward Catchpool visiting Lady Athelinda Playford’s mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork, in the Irish Free State. Other guests include Athie’s children, their significant others, her attorneys, and her ailing secretary. At first, Poirot and Catchpool can’t figure out why they were invited, but then Athie announces she’s drafted a new will leaving everything to her secretary, and they realize their presence is intended to keep the peace. Someone commits murder regardless, and the detecting duo must determine whodunit. An intriguing setup, colorful characters, and witty dialogue elevate this classic manor house mystery. Fiendish schemes and an abundance of interpersonal conflict foster tension and drive plot, while outrageous twists and juicy red herrings confound readers. This Christie estate–sanctioned pastiche isn’t perfect—Hannah’s Poirot is too subdued and the killer’s machinations prove preposterous—but overall, this endeavor confirms that the Queen of Crime’s legacy is in capable hands. (Sept.)