The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah Narrator: Julian Rhind-Tutt
Series: New Hercules Poirot Mysteries #1
Published by HarperAudio on September 9, 2014
Genres: Historical Mystery
Length: 11 hours, 13 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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Hercule Poirot's quiet supper in a London coffeehouse is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified—but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.
Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London Hotel have been murdered, and a cufflink has been placed in each one's mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…
Recently, I picked up and read the latest release in this series, Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night. I thought Sophie Hannah did a bang up job giving tribute to Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective and was eager to go back and get the series from the beginning. I went with the audio version and listened in to a new to me narrator.
I was most eager to see how Scotland Yard detective, Edward Catchpool and Hercule Poirot met and started detecting together. I did have to be patient about that because the book opens with an attention-grabbing scene of Poirot at a small restaurant he has discovered, meeting a frenzied woman who fears for her life and yet, is resigned that the murder will be justified. A seemingly unrelated murder of three people, execution-style at a luxury hotel has made Catchpool relive a nightmare from his past.
Poirot considers himself Catchpool’s mentor and Catchpool does as well, but Poirot’s superior attitude does cause something of an acrimonious relationship at times as they work to solve this bizarre revenge case. Poirot is adamant that the woman, Jenny, he met at the restaurant is tied to Catchpool’s case of the three people killed at the hotel and he is equally insistent that Catchpool must go to the village where the three people came from and the answers to this crime will be there.
The murder mystery had a good pacing and held my attention through the bulk of the story. But, then in the last fourth, it didn’t. There were some twists and turns revealed, the usual Poirot gathering of all involved, and I’d already figured out much of it, but I didn’t feel the need to belabor the point and just wanted the story to just finish already.
As with the earlier story I read, The Monogram Murders was a fitting tribute to Agatha Christie’s detective and her stories. I felt the situation here was startling and uncomfortable, a tad darker than I was anticipating, but it was a good convoluted mystery. I can recommend it to those who appreciate the historical cozy mysteries.
Narration:
The narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt was new to me and I was impressed with his range of voices and particularly Poirot’s. Now, that said, I had a disconnect with his narration for a time until I figured out why. It occurred to me late in the story that I’ve been reconnecting with Agatha Christie’s books recently and all on audio. All the Poirot books have been narrated by a now familiar talented narrator. Aha, that was the trouble. I got used to that voice for Poirot and so anyone else’s was going to sound odd even if done incredibly well. So, it will just be a matter of adjusting and I have no hesitation praising the vocal efforts of Julian Rhind-Tutt.
Listen to the clip: HERE
About Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling writer of crime fiction, published in forty-nine languages and fifty-one territories. Her books have sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2014, with the blessing of Agatha Christie’s family and estate, Sophie published a new Poirot novel, The Monogram Murders, which was a bestseller in more than fifteen countries. She has since published three more Poirot novels: Closed Casket, The Mystery of Three Quarters and The Killings at Kingfisher Hill, all of which were instant Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers. Her next Poirot novel will be published in October 2023.
Sophie’s murder mystery musical, The Mystery of Mr E – co-written with her friend and composer Annette Armitage – is currently being filmed and will be released as a movie in 2023. The film is directed by Martyn Tott and produced/made by Landrigan Entertainment Ltd. In 2013, Sophie’s novel The Carrier won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. She has also published two short story collections and five collections of poetry – the fifth of which, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A Level and degree level across the UK. She has published a self-help book called How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment – The Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life.
Sophie has recently helped to create a Master’s Degree in Crime and Thriller Writing at the University of Cambridge, for which she is the main teacher and Course Director. She is also the founder of the DREAM AUTHOR coaching programme for writers. She lives with her husband, children and dog in Cambridge, where she is an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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I read this shortly after it came out and did like it but like you thought the ending went off the rails a bit. Overall, I have enjoyed this series and have enjoyed the tribute to Poirot. I need to read the latest.
Yes! The latest was great because we finally get to meet Catchpool’s infamous mother. 🙂