Book info

• Title The Murder on the Links
• Author Agatha Christie
• Year 1923
• Genre Mystery

When Hercule Poirot and his sidekick Arthur Hastings arrive in the French village of Merlinville-sur-Mer, France, to meet their client Paul Renauld they learn from Paris police that he has been found that morning stabbed in the back with a letter opener and left in a newly dug grave adjacent to a local golf course. Among the plausible suspects are Renauld’s wife Eloise, his son Jack, an unknown visitor of the previous day, Renauld’s immediate neighbor Madame Daubreuil, and the mysterious “Cinderella” of Hasting’s recent acquaintance—all of whom Poirot has reason to suspect. Poirot’s powers of investigation ultimately triumph over the wiles of an assailant whose misdirection and motives are nearly—but not quite—impossible to spot.

Thoughts

I really enjoyed this Poirot story as the action kicked off straight away - our favourite detective is summoned to France but by the time he gets there the person who wrote him the letter has been murdered, and thus the investigation begins! There are many, many twists and turns in this story, not just because there are the usual cast of characters who full under the finger of suspicion by turn, but also in revelations. Just when you think it’s sorted, something else happens and the whole thing is turned on its head.

I was a bit astounded at the actions of Hastings, he met a girl three times and for that he was willing to perjure himself and turn his whole world upside down. I mean, there’s love at first sight but this is next level. I can see why Agatha Christie didn’t want to keep Hastings around in too many of the novels.

Rating: 4 / 5