jjares reviewed on 1/6/2021 + 3413 more book reviews

Unliked 13-year-old Joyce attends a Halloween party and gets the attention to center on her when she claims she witnessed a murder. No one is buying her story and so she leaves in a huff. However, hours later, her body is back at that house where the party was held, drowned in a tub of bobbing apples. One of Agatha Christie's recurring characters, Mrs. Ariadne Oliver (a crime novelist) calls her friend, Hercule Poirot, asking for his help. But the question is: Is it one murder or two?

How could a 13-year-old be killed? How could she have enemies? As Hercule investigates, he learns that Joyce is an unpleasant little girl and a known liar. Superintendent Spence makes a return appearance.

Christie wrote this book late in her career. Not as tightly written as earlier novels, she complains about the British society she sees around her (this was written in 1969). However, Christie is ingenious in her plotting and unique solutions. I listened to this and Hugh Fraser narrated. TV audiences will remember him from his role as Captain Hastings in the Hercule Poirot Series.

Hercule Poirot Series - The Last Books of this Series
** 36. Hallowe'en Party (1969)
37. Elephants Can Remember (1972)
38. Curtain (1975)

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