Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Chr
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
New York : Dodd, Mead, [1975]
Description
Fiction. Mystery. HTML: The legendary detective saves his best for last as he races to apprehend a five-time killer before the final curtain descends in Curtain: Poirot's Last Case, the last book Agatha Christie published before her death. The crime-fighting careers of Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings have come full circle�??they are back once again in the rambling country house in which they solved their first murder together. Both Hercule Poirot and Great Styles have seen better days�??but, despite being crippled with arthritis, there is nothing wrong with the great detective and his "little gray cells." However, when Poirot brands one of the seemingly harmless guests a five-time murderer, some people have their doubts. But Poirot alone knows he must prevent a sixth murder before the curtain falls… (more)
Original publication date
1975-09-01
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User reviews
LibraryThing member TheCriticalTimes
When we think of a murder mystery we think of a plot where a detective finds out who killed whom, with what and possibly where. None of this applies to this masterpiece mystery. Although known as the second novel Agatha Christie ever wrote, it is one of the last ones published. Agatha Christie
In Curtain, we meet famed detective Hercule Poirot one last and final time. In a message, which leaves nothing to speculation as to Poirot's health, the great detective summons his old friend Hastings to the house where it all began. The large mansion has since changed ownership and is now a lovely bed and breakfast with modern conveniences. Like before, and this time announced early on by Poirot, the hotel will be host to a murderer. Again without giving away too much about the plot it can be said that this is one of the most unorthodox methods by which any murderer has operated. In fact it is the way by which the murderer kills and more importantly gets away with it, which is the best part of the novel and its most controversial part.
Christie early on defined for herself two principles by which her Belgian detective approached a case. First of all Poirot would solve all crimes by means of psychology and not for example by using an analysis of cigarette ashes. Second, it was extremely important to Poirot that the innocent should not suffer or be blamed for something they had not done. Out of all the novels she wrote, Curtain actually honors those both those principles. In other works it could be argued that Poirot also used cigarette ashes and circumstantial evidence, but not in this one, this one is all psychology. Perhaps yet another reason she was hesitant to release the book into the critical hands of her readers.
Agatha Christie liked unorthodox plots, to her credit. But she had one weakness, which makes this novel even more difficult to get into. Her characters have always been rather flat and boilerplate. She usually introduces a grand old lady of the house who's irresistibly beautiful and eternally tragic. There's always a colonel or captain somewhere who just got back from safari or a war. This does not make a good combination with a plot that is highly logical and mechanical and contrary to other novels she wrote this one is on the extreme side of mechanical writing. How then to think about a book such as this? Should the rating reflect the genius of plotting and logic or should the work be judged solely on its character development and emotional depth? It's hard to say but I feel I need to reward the tremendous originality of the novel and slightly overlook the sentimental aspects.
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herself claimed she wanted to save the book until she had finished a lot more other detective novels. After reading the book you might agree that she was most likely too nervous to release this type of plot onto the world, and with good reason. She would in her life be berated by readers and other crime novelists for her 'unorthodox' murder mechanisms and approaches. In fact Dorothy Sayers threatened to kick her out of the Detection Club for her plot in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Christie's main offense was allegedly not providing enough information for the readers to figure out for themselves who dunnit. This novel, Curtain, is no exception, except that the plot in this novel is so subtle and intricate that even if all information was explicitly provided people would most likely still be up in arms over it. Without giving too much away, Christie found a means of committing murder that can not under any circumstance be blamed on the killer.In Curtain, we meet famed detective Hercule Poirot one last and final time. In a message, which leaves nothing to speculation as to Poirot's health, the great detective summons his old friend Hastings to the house where it all began. The large mansion has since changed ownership and is now a lovely bed and breakfast with modern conveniences. Like before, and this time announced early on by Poirot, the hotel will be host to a murderer. Again without giving away too much about the plot it can be said that this is one of the most unorthodox methods by which any murderer has operated. In fact it is the way by which the murderer kills and more importantly gets away with it, which is the best part of the novel and its most controversial part.
Christie early on defined for herself two principles by which her Belgian detective approached a case. First of all Poirot would solve all crimes by means of psychology and not for example by using an analysis of cigarette ashes. Second, it was extremely important to Poirot that the innocent should not suffer or be blamed for something they had not done. Out of all the novels she wrote, Curtain actually honors those both those principles. In other works it could be argued that Poirot also used cigarette ashes and circumstantial evidence, but not in this one, this one is all psychology. Perhaps yet another reason she was hesitant to release the book into the critical hands of her readers.
Agatha Christie liked unorthodox plots, to her credit. But she had one weakness, which makes this novel even more difficult to get into. Her characters have always been rather flat and boilerplate. She usually introduces a grand old lady of the house who's irresistibly beautiful and eternally tragic. There's always a colonel or captain somewhere who just got back from safari or a war. This does not make a good combination with a plot that is highly logical and mechanical and contrary to other novels she wrote this one is on the extreme side of mechanical writing. How then to think about a book such as this? Should the rating reflect the genius of plotting and logic or should the work be judged solely on its character development and emotional depth? It's hard to say but I feel I need to reward the tremendous originality of the novel and slightly overlook the sentimental aspects.
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LibraryThing member rcooper3589
...Poor old Poirot, he was a great detective! I didn't want to read this one because I knew it was Poirot's final case and I didn't want to see him die, however, now that I have read it, I'm glad I did! I love Agatha Christie and she didn't dissapoint with "Curtain." Like always, she kept me
FAVORITE QUOTES: Why the worst type of man can always be relied upon to please and interest the nicest of women has long been a problem beyone me. I knew instinctively that Allerton was a rotter- and nine men out of ten would have agreed with me. Whereas nine women or possibly the whole ten would have fallen for him immediately. // It's an idea of mine, you know, that about eighty per cent of the human race ought to be eliminated. We'd get on much better without them. // People are too afraid of responsibility. They'll take responsibility where a dog is concerned- why not with a human being? // "Truth," he said, "is seldom appreciated. And yet it saves a lot of time and a lot of inaccurate speech."
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guessing until the very end- although I was sure I knew who did it with each new clue, only to be proven wrong once again. While the beginning is a little slow, once the shooting and fighting start everything picks up and snowballs! My only critisism is with Hastings. He's very much in his own little world and kinda stuck up, which at times annoyed me. Other than that, however, if you're an Agatha fan, you'll certainly enjoy this one!FAVORITE QUOTES: Why the worst type of man can always be relied upon to please and interest the nicest of women has long been a problem beyone me. I knew instinctively that Allerton was a rotter- and nine men out of ten would have agreed with me. Whereas nine women or possibly the whole ten would have fallen for him immediately. // It's an idea of mine, you know, that about eighty per cent of the human race ought to be eliminated. We'd get on much better without them. // People are too afraid of responsibility. They'll take responsibility where a dog is concerned- why not with a human being? // "Truth," he said, "is seldom appreciated. And yet it saves a lot of time and a lot of inaccurate speech."
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LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
Poirot's last case and what a case it is! Morals and values are pitted against the murder - a grand book for all who know Poirot!
LibraryThing member RubyScarlett
And so it ends. I spent most of my year reading almost all of the Poirot books in chronological order of publication so this feels so much like the end of an era. Now it's a matter of rereading not for the great reveal but for the psychology and the words chosen. I was surprised to see Hastings in
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this but it's very much a book wrapped in nostalgia for a time long gone (even more so now) and memories not quite forgotten. The case itself was good, though not as great as, say, Murder on the Orient Express (which I think is the ideal case) and Christie could have spent more time saying goodbye, but she was never one for being sentimental. I quite missed that, if I'm honest, the end is so abrupt, there's no epilogue, anything that could give you a clue as to the status of this book. Reading those books was a great adventure and one of the highlights of my reading life. I'll miss those characters dearly. Show Less
LibraryThing member smik
Published in 1975, and supposedly written about 35 years earlier, which puts it at the beginning of World War II, apparently during the blitz.
Hastings, as narrator, makes his first appearance since DUMB WITNESS. In fact he has married, brought up four children, and then buried his wife. The
Poirot, crippled with arthritis, a shadow of his former self, and confined to a wheel chair, brings Hastings to Styles to assist in the apprehension of X who has already been involved in five murders. He hopes they will be able to prevent another murder.
Poirot constantly tells Hastings that his mind, his little grey cells, is not impaired, just his body, and he needs Hastings to be the mobile one. However he refuses to tell Hastings who he has identified as X, and this puts him at quite a disadvantage. Poirot finds Hastings as frustrating to work with as he always has, and they do not manage to prevent more murders occurring. It is not for four months after the last murder that Hastings finds out the truth.
Even without the title the reader knows this is the final curtain for Poirot.
I don't actually think that I have read CURTAIN before and so the ending comes as a real surprise. I am not sure it fits with the Poirot I know from books that were written after this one. In many ways CURTAIN is a very black pessimistic book, fitting with the mood of the world when it was written.
The novel is relatively short, similar to earlier novels.
At the end of the Kindle version there is an interesting essay by Sir Charles Osborne in which he discusses the decision taken to finally publish the novel, and the impact that it had on the Christie reading public.
Hastings, as narrator, makes his first appearance since DUMB WITNESS. In fact he has married, brought up four children, and then buried his wife. The
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timeline of Hastings' life doesn't quite fit real time so it is one of those things we don't look at too closely. His daughter Judith is one of the characters in the story, and seems to be in her early twenties.Poirot, crippled with arthritis, a shadow of his former self, and confined to a wheel chair, brings Hastings to Styles to assist in the apprehension of X who has already been involved in five murders. He hopes they will be able to prevent another murder.
Poirot constantly tells Hastings that his mind, his little grey cells, is not impaired, just his body, and he needs Hastings to be the mobile one. However he refuses to tell Hastings who he has identified as X, and this puts him at quite a disadvantage. Poirot finds Hastings as frustrating to work with as he always has, and they do not manage to prevent more murders occurring. It is not for four months after the last murder that Hastings finds out the truth.
Even without the title the reader knows this is the final curtain for Poirot.
I don't actually think that I have read CURTAIN before and so the ending comes as a real surprise. I am not sure it fits with the Poirot I know from books that were written after this one. In many ways CURTAIN is a very black pessimistic book, fitting with the mood of the world when it was written.
The novel is relatively short, similar to earlier novels.
At the end of the Kindle version there is an interesting essay by Sir Charles Osborne in which he discusses the decision taken to finally publish the novel, and the impact that it had on the Christie reading public.
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LibraryThing member BookAngel_a
I didn't want to see Poirot die, but if he has to die, this is the way for him to go. Hunting a criminal with his best friend Hastings. It definitely reminds me of the "death" of Sherlock Holmes pursuing his greatest enemy, Moriarty. The plot was complex, and there are many reasons to suspect
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everyone of murder. And it has a satisfying ending. Any Poirot fan will want to read this since it brings back lots of Poirot/Hastings memories and ties up some loose ends. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Poirot and Hastings return to Styles, the scene of their first investigation, for what is Poirot's last case. This book has an ingenuious plot, which I don't want to give away. Christie wrote this book and kept it back so that it could be released after her death, or when she was ready to stop
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writing Poirot stories, and she was right to do so. I believe that one of her main concerns was to stop other authors writing Poirot stories after her death, and I hope that the Christie Estate doesn't follow the examples set by the Estates of Ian Fleming, Enid Blyton and Douglas Adams. Show Less
LibraryThing member raizel
I didn't guess it. This is Poirot's last case and a fairly satisfying end to the series. In it he confronts the perfect criminal. I really don't remember much about the other Poirots I read, but his loyal sidekick, Hastings, is very obviously an unreliable narrator in this one. I'm not convinced
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that all the other people that I had thought "done it" could be absolutely ruled out; they all had means and opportunity (in my telling of the back story) and could have had motives. But the book's explanation also works. My primary uneasiness about the story is that the crossword puzzle answer to "'Jealousy is a green-eyed monster,' this person said" is five letters and "Iago" is only four. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
Poirot's last case. But this was not written last. Christie wrote this early on and left instruction for it to be published posthumously in order to kill Poirot and not make it easy for someone else to continue writing Poirot stories.
LibraryThing member Smiler69
Hadn't read an Agatha Christie Novel since the '80’s, so thought I’d revisit an old favourite. This was probably not the best book to revisit with if I wanted to figure out why I was hooked on her writing back then to begin with. Whether it's fair or not, I expected this novel to somehow be
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better than all the others that came before it. For me it came short, not to say that it disappointed. It did fill the spot for an easy to read murder mystery, so I’ll give it props on that. Show Less
LibraryThing member Maydacat
This is Poirot’s last case, and it ends where it all began. His mind is sharp until the last, and he is still educating Hastings in the way true detectives should think. A fitting way to finish Poirot’s career, it is still sad to see it come to an end. Well written, fans of Christie will find
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it fascinating. Show Less
LibraryThing member emanate28
I always enjoy Agatha Christie's writing, no matter how I find the plot, so I enjoyed this story, even though I found the solution to the mystery far-fetched, even to my credulous mind. At least I got the pleasure of reading how Poirot met his end...
LibraryThing member MrsLee
I enjoy most Agatha Christie books, this was a fine mystery as well. Memorable, though not my favorite Poirot. I do not keep Christie books on my shelves because there are too many of them and although fun, there isn't much more to them for me.
LibraryThing member dbsovereign
Hercule Poirot "detecting his own death" (Inspector Japp in the _The ABC Murders_) in this, his last, mysterious affair at Styles. Christie apparently had this book stashed in a vault waiting for her to let it be published just prior to her own death. Poirot is afflicted with self-doubt and commits
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himself to protecting Hastings. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
This is the last of the Poirot mysteries. Christie wrote it years before her death with instructions that it be published after her death to help ensure that no one else continued writing Poirot stories. Of course we all know how well that worked with Sherlock Holmes.
LibraryThing member katcoviello
totally unexpected and sad and marvellous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LibraryThing member ritaer
Back at Styles, Hastings finds Poirot ill, crippled but intent on finding an elusive killer.
LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
Curtain, the last case for Hercule Poirot takes place at Styles, the manor where Agatha Christie first introduced the funny little Belgian detective who makes use of his little gray cells. With him is a widowed Captain Hastings who has returned to England from Argentina. I loved how Christie
For diehard Poirot fans, Curtain is a must read. But if you are new to him or haven’t read many of the books in the series, please save this one for later. Give yourself many Poirot moments before the final curtain.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
Genre: classic mystery.
(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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brought the series full circle giving Poirot a worthy send-off. This mystery also references other cases that Poirot solved during his career weaving the past and present into the twisting storyline. As always, the interactions between Hastings and Poirot are entertaining and induce a chuckle here and there. The narrative kept my husband and I engaged as we tried to figure out just whodunit. I agree with my husband that with Curtain, no more Poirot is sad. But I found the way Christie tied up the long-running series to be a fitting end for Poirot. As always, Hugh Fraser’s narration is delightful — there can never be another Poirot for us.For diehard Poirot fans, Curtain is a must read. But if you are new to him or haven’t read many of the books in the series, please save this one for later. Give yourself many Poirot moments before the final curtain.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
Genre: classic mystery.
(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
“Curtain” is an apt title for this Poirot mystery, as it is his last case.
The setting is a country house called “Styles,” the site of his first case and where he met the person he would partner with on many cases — Arthur Hastings. This makes for a full circle of Poirot’s life. The
Poirot is in bad health and has asked Hastings to meet at Styles. Among the guests at Styles is Hastings’ daughter, who is working with a research doctor. There is the retired colonel and his sharped tongued wife who runs the guest home; the research doctor and his invalided wife and her nurse; three single men and a single woman — among them is a murderer.
The murderer has struck in five instances and five locations, and will probably strike again. Poirot intends to stop the murderer
It is a traditional Christie mystery, with locked room, people roaming the halls after all have gone to bed, secrets and atmosphere. It is the twists and turns and red herrings that are unexpected.
The setting is a country house called “Styles,” the site of his first case and where he met the person he would partner with on many cases — Arthur Hastings. This makes for a full circle of Poirot’s life. The
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story is told by Hastings.Poirot is in bad health and has asked Hastings to meet at Styles. Among the guests at Styles is Hastings’ daughter, who is working with a research doctor. There is the retired colonel and his sharped tongued wife who runs the guest home; the research doctor and his invalided wife and her nurse; three single men and a single woman — among them is a murderer.
The murderer has struck in five instances and five locations, and will probably strike again. Poirot intends to stop the murderer
It is a traditional Christie mystery, with locked room, people roaming the halls after all have gone to bed, secrets and atmosphere. It is the twists and turns and red herrings that are unexpected.
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LibraryThing member Devil_llama
Classic Agatha Christie, with twists and turns you don't expect, but still the ending isn't totally a surprise because at least once or more, you anticipated who was the killer. In this case, there is a surprise twist at the end. I don't know if I've just read so much of her work that I can
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anticipate her, or if the clues were obvious, or maybe I read this before (I don't remember this one) and subconsciously remembered at least part of the ending. Overall, a fun, quick read, ideal for a time when you don't want to have to think too hard. The characters are standard archetypes and that makes it even more enjoyable since it usually isn't the archetype you would most expect that commits the murder. Show Less
LibraryThing member Figgles
A revolving bookcase in an Innovations catalogue* brought be back to the final Poirot novel, but written many years (30ish) earlier so it's chronologically more aligned to her pre war novels. On this reading I found it a little unengaging, but that may've been me. The plot takes us back to where
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Poirot began, the house Styles, where he is staying, a physically broken man, and where he has invited his faithful friend Hastings, to help prevent a murder. So an oddity in many ways but a completion of the Poirot story. *To say more would be a spoiler! Show Less
LibraryThing member smik
Published in 1975, and supposedly written about 35 years earlier, which puts it at the beginning of World War II, apparently during the blitz.
I have read this before, when I was reading the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge. Now I have re-read it for my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. However
Nearing the end of his life Hercule Poirot has discovered 5 murders where he believes innocent people have borne the responsibility but at someone else's design. He calls this person X. The place where he met Hastings so many years ago, Styles, has now become a guest house, and one of the people now staying there is X. Poirot realises that X will never be tried in a court of law and he is determined that he will deal with X himself. He wants Hastings to be his eyes and ears because he himself is crippled with arthritis, and prone to heart attacks, and in a wheel chair.
But Poirot understands the dangers to both Hastings and himself, as well as Hastings' daughter Judith who is also living at Styles.
This novel is a very fitting tribute to Poirot, obviously written while Christie was still enamoured with him, and not yet ready to kill him off.
I have read this before, when I was reading the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge. Now I have re-read it for my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. However
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we intend to keep up our reading and discussion next year.Nearing the end of his life Hercule Poirot has discovered 5 murders where he believes innocent people have borne the responsibility but at someone else's design. He calls this person X. The place where he met Hastings so many years ago, Styles, has now become a guest house, and one of the people now staying there is X. Poirot realises that X will never be tried in a court of law and he is determined that he will deal with X himself. He wants Hastings to be his eyes and ears because he himself is crippled with arthritis, and prone to heart attacks, and in a wheel chair.
But Poirot understands the dangers to both Hastings and himself, as well as Hastings' daughter Judith who is also living at Styles.
This novel is a very fitting tribute to Poirot, obviously written while Christie was still enamoured with him, and not yet ready to kill him off.
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LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
The final Hercule Poirot novel, Agatha Christie's Curtain brings things full circle, with Poirot and Captain Hastings returning to Styles (the scene of their first murder investigation) to attempt to prevent a second murder in that ill house. This time, the killer is far more ingenious and cunning,
Christie ended her long run of Poirot stories with a masterpiece, breaking one of the cardinal rules of classic detective fiction, though in a manner that satisfies her audience. Curtain is permeated with a sense of nostalgia, evoking Poirot's long career and reminding Christie's readers why he remains such a mainstay of detective fiction while simultaneously giving him a fitting sendoff.
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compelled to kill but with no connection to his victims and a clear suspect for every crime. An ailing Poirot needs Hastings' assistance to stop this, his most diabolical adversary.Christie ended her long run of Poirot stories with a masterpiece, breaking one of the cardinal rules of classic detective fiction, though in a manner that satisfies her audience. Curtain is permeated with a sense of nostalgia, evoking Poirot's long career and reminding Christie's readers why he remains such a mainstay of detective fiction while simultaneously giving him a fitting sendoff.
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LibraryThing member troymcc
This was the last of the Poirot mysteries yet somehow Agatha Christie managed to come up with a clever plot that goes well outside the mystery genre's cliches. It's no wonder she's still considered one of the best mystery writers of all time.
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