Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (2008), Hardcover, 272 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: In Hercule Poirot's Christmas, the holidays are anything but merry when a family reunion is marred by murder�??and the notoriously fastidious investigator is quickly on the case. Christmas Eve, and the Lee family's reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed. When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man. . . .
User reviews
LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
For my husband and me, a long car trip means an audiobook mystery by Agatha Christie. My husband has become a big fan of her novels, especially those featuring Hercule Poirot. So on our Christmas trip to grandma’s, we plugged in Hercule Poirot’s Christmas for the whole family to enjoy. This
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book, previously published as Murder for Christmas and A Holiday for Murder, is a locked door mystery set on Christmas Eve at a family manor. Not all is as it seems and the many characters are hiding big secrets. As always the narration by Hugh Fraser is excellent, but the uncovering of the murderer was a bit far-fetched. My youngest son said that no one could have guessed just whodunit, and that was not a compliment to the author. So our whole family says to give a pass to this book. But, don’t let that discourage you from others by the Queen of Mystery. We are in the process of listening to another of her novels and are enjoying it immensely. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
No one can throw red herrings like Agatha Christie and this holiday-timed closed-room murder mystery is no exception but the method and motive for the crime ultimately were unsatisfying.
LibraryThing member BookAngel_a
A good solid Agatha Christie Poirot novel. I was caught completely off guard by the identity of the murderer, and it really made me think the whole way through.
LibraryThing member MusicMom41
This was an entertaining novel with several twists at the end and it pretty much fooled me completely. It was very satisfying because Dame Agatha played entirely fair—in retrospect you could see the clues she cleverly set out for the reader so you couldn’t cry “foul!”
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Bluff and double bluff in this Christie and she explores one of her favourite themes about how people are perceived as their jobs and not as people. The murderer is the last person you would expect. Very satisfying.
LibraryThing member babemuffin
Ooh... the suspense!! Who killed old Simeon Lee? He died in his room which was locked from the inside. There were signs of terrific struggles, furnitures overturned, broken vases on the floor, and most horrific of all 'blood was splashed all round'.
Was it the boring but loyal son? the prodigal son?
I love the description of the sceneries & characters. I was completely captured in the story
Was it the boring but loyal son? the prodigal son?
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the newfound foreigner grand-daughter? As always, Hercule Poirot with his little grey cells astounded all! Agatha Christie led me on a merry chase (on a tangent) which thew me completely off the scent.I love the description of the sceneries & characters. I was completely captured in the story
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LibraryThing member neverlistless
This was my first Christie in a while, and I think it satisfied my desire for a solid British mystery. The Lee family is home for Christmas and visiting their curmudgeonly old father, Simeon. He's a wealthy man who likes to see his family squabble. On Christmas Eve, Simeon calls his lawyer and
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mentions that he's ready to change his will. That night, he is brutally murdered in his bedroom. Luckily, Hercule Poirot is in town and begins his witty investigation into the family. People's stories are turned upside down and the story takes a great turn of direction near the end - one that you can almost see coming, but not completely. Good fun, 4 stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member guiltlessreader
The Christmas season is not the time for good cheer, in fact it is a murderous season. Simeon Lee's puzzling murder (a closed door, a wail from hell, lots of blood, and seemingly no means of escape for the murderer) puts each his family members under suspicion. Money? Power? Revenge? Who killed him
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... and how? Poirot comes in and gives us another surprising solution to the mystery. The clue: the character of the man murdered. Show Less
LibraryThing member callmejacx
I was not expecting this to end up as one of my favorites. My mind would keep flipping from one charater to another and back again thinking they had to have been the murderer. It was a good old mystery. One that I thoroughly enjoyed.
LibraryThing member smik
Christmas is the time for family gatherings, but, as Hercule Poirot points out to his host the Chief Constable, they are often fraught with tension.
And families now, families who have been separated throughout the year, assemble once more together. Now under these conditions, my friend, you must
........
I am pointing out to you that under these conditions - mental strain, physical malaise - it is highly probable thta dislikes that were before merely mild and disagreements that were trivial might suddently assume a more serious character.
Simeon Lee gathers his family around him for Christmas, including his black sheep of a son Harry, whom everyone had assumed (or hoped) was either dead or in gaol somewhere. His granddaughter Pilar, whose mother had died the previous year, turns up as does the son of his old mining partner in South Africa.
On Christmas Eve Simeon Lord signs his death warrant by telling his collected family that he is about to change his will.
"Your mother had the brains of a louse! And it seems to me that she transmitted those brains to her children!". He raised himself up suddenly. A red spot appeared on each cheek. His voice came high and shrill. "You're not worth a penny piece, any of you! I'm sick of you all! You are not men! You're weaklings - a set of nanmby-pamby weaklings. Pilar's worth any two of you put together! I'll swear to heaven I've got a better son somewhere in the world than any of you, even if you are born on the right side of the blanket. "
This is a locked room mystery. There are plenty of suspects. Simeon Lord is found with his throat cut on the other side of a door with the key on the inside.
I was struck right from the beginning with how Agatha Christie carefully describes the physical appearance of each of the characters. And indeed Poirot pays considerable attention to the portraits of each of the family members in the portrait gallery.
Several times the reader is given an update of the progress of the investigation, so we are given most of the information that Inspector Sugden, the police officer in charge of the case, has as well as Poirot's thinking. In the end though, of course, it is Poirot who comes up with the explanation.
A great read, particularly at this time of the year.
And families now, families who have been separated throughout the year, assemble once more together. Now under these conditions, my friend, you must
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admit that there will occur a great amount of strain. People who do not feel amiable are putting great pressure on themselves to appear amiable. There is at Christmas time a great deal of hypocrisy, honourable hypocrisy, hypocrisy undertaken pour le bon motif, c'est entendu, but nevertheless hypocrisy.........
I am pointing out to you that under these conditions - mental strain, physical malaise - it is highly probable thta dislikes that were before merely mild and disagreements that were trivial might suddently assume a more serious character.
Simeon Lee gathers his family around him for Christmas, including his black sheep of a son Harry, whom everyone had assumed (or hoped) was either dead or in gaol somewhere. His granddaughter Pilar, whose mother had died the previous year, turns up as does the son of his old mining partner in South Africa.
On Christmas Eve Simeon Lord signs his death warrant by telling his collected family that he is about to change his will.
"Your mother had the brains of a louse! And it seems to me that she transmitted those brains to her children!". He raised himself up suddenly. A red spot appeared on each cheek. His voice came high and shrill. "You're not worth a penny piece, any of you! I'm sick of you all! You are not men! You're weaklings - a set of nanmby-pamby weaklings. Pilar's worth any two of you put together! I'll swear to heaven I've got a better son somewhere in the world than any of you, even if you are born on the right side of the blanket. "
This is a locked room mystery. There are plenty of suspects. Simeon Lord is found with his throat cut on the other side of a door with the key on the inside.
I was struck right from the beginning with how Agatha Christie carefully describes the physical appearance of each of the characters. And indeed Poirot pays considerable attention to the portraits of each of the family members in the portrait gallery.
Several times the reader is given an update of the progress of the investigation, so we are given most of the information that Inspector Sugden, the police officer in charge of the case, has as well as Poirot's thinking. In the end though, of course, it is Poirot who comes up with the explanation.
A great read, particularly at this time of the year.
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LibraryThing member GTTexas
Another excellent Christie mystery, and just in time for Christmas!
LibraryThing member nmhale
What says Christmas better than a bloody closed-room mystery? This book's intentional contrast between a delicious holiday and some grursome subject matter certainly appealed to my darker sense of humor, but I made sure to read it in the summer, because I really do love the Christmas season.
The
That last jab seems to hit the mark even more forcefully than the old man intended, for that night he is found dead in his room. Everyone hears the awful scream and they run to help from various parts of the house, but the door is locked. By the time they force it open, Simeon Lee is dead. Blood is everywhere, splashed on the floor and walls and furniture, and the room is in disarray as if a great struggle has occurred. However, no one else is in the room with the corpse, and aside from the locked door, the only other exits are windows that are clearly locked and haven't been used in years.
Coincidentally, Hercules Poirot happens to be in the neighborhood, visiting an old friend who is the Chief Constable for the area. He is asked to consult on the affair, and as soon as Hercules Poirot is on the case it's as good as solved. Not only does he determine the murderer and the motive, he unearths a great many family secrets and explains the reasons for all the lies the suspects tell during the investigation.
I will never stop loving a cozy Agatha Christie mystery. This one had many elements that I appreciate: a cast of likely suspects with secrets, an isolated mansion, clues that all tie together no matter how random they seem at the outset, and the marvelous Poirot. I love this detective, who is undervalued by others but never tires of boasting about himself. Also, Christie mysteries are filled with great dialogue and intriguing characters, that carry these fast-paced stories and make me want to read without stopping from beginning to end. Descriptive passages are typically used for setting and character details; her books are not high literature, but they are great mysteries. I was surprised to discover that I had predicted the murderer in this book well before the ending; somewhere between halfway and three quarters through the book I was certain I knew who-did-it, and I was right. This doesn't usually happen for me, as I am often jumping between two or three choices until the big reveal. Was it easier than the others, or have I just read too many Christie novels? It doesn't matter, really, as I was still gripped by the story and read it as quickly as I could to discover if I was right. This is another fun Agatha Christie diversion that reminds me how engrossing reading a good book can be.
The
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story is identifiably a Christie novel: big family, countryside manor, many clues and suspects, and several twists and red herrings along the way to big reveal scene. The book centers around a rich family, full of tension and conflict, who are reuniting for the holiday season at the family mansion, at the request of the father and patriarch of the family, Simeon Lee. He's not a kind, doddering old man; on the contrary, he was a hot-blooded hellion in his younger days, and now that he is hampered by old age and bad health, he finds delight in tormenting his children and extended family. He plans on using the holiday as a pretext to gather everyone together again, even his prodigal son Harry who has been the black sheep of the family, and his granddaughter Pilar who is the only living relation of the daughter who ran off to marry a Spaniard. When everyone has assembled he takes delight in stirring the pot at every opportunity, and even arranges to have the whole family come up to his room just in time to hear him phone a request to his lawyer about changing the will.That last jab seems to hit the mark even more forcefully than the old man intended, for that night he is found dead in his room. Everyone hears the awful scream and they run to help from various parts of the house, but the door is locked. By the time they force it open, Simeon Lee is dead. Blood is everywhere, splashed on the floor and walls and furniture, and the room is in disarray as if a great struggle has occurred. However, no one else is in the room with the corpse, and aside from the locked door, the only other exits are windows that are clearly locked and haven't been used in years.
Coincidentally, Hercules Poirot happens to be in the neighborhood, visiting an old friend who is the Chief Constable for the area. He is asked to consult on the affair, and as soon as Hercules Poirot is on the case it's as good as solved. Not only does he determine the murderer and the motive, he unearths a great many family secrets and explains the reasons for all the lies the suspects tell during the investigation.
I will never stop loving a cozy Agatha Christie mystery. This one had many elements that I appreciate: a cast of likely suspects with secrets, an isolated mansion, clues that all tie together no matter how random they seem at the outset, and the marvelous Poirot. I love this detective, who is undervalued by others but never tires of boasting about himself. Also, Christie mysteries are filled with great dialogue and intriguing characters, that carry these fast-paced stories and make me want to read without stopping from beginning to end. Descriptive passages are typically used for setting and character details; her books are not high literature, but they are great mysteries. I was surprised to discover that I had predicted the murderer in this book well before the ending; somewhere between halfway and three quarters through the book I was certain I knew who-did-it, and I was right. This doesn't usually happen for me, as I am often jumping between two or three choices until the big reveal. Was it easier than the others, or have I just read too many Christie novels? It doesn't matter, really, as I was still gripped by the story and read it as quickly as I could to discover if I was right. This is another fun Agatha Christie diversion that reminds me how engrossing reading a good book can be.
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LibraryThing member nakmeister
Rich, old Mr Lee has invited all his family back for Christmas, some of whom have not been home for decades. They weren’t a particularly harmonious, indeed, many of them hated each other, but nevertheless they all went home for Christmas. It seemed to go all right for a while, but then Mr Lee was
As with all Agatha Christie books, this is a baffling mystery with very tightly written prose and very interesting characters. You suspect everyone, but can you guess who was the killer before Hercule Poirot? I think I wasn’t as keen on this as I was on Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, but then the murder went beyond clever into the realm of the extremely improbable. Still, the book was an enjoyable and intriguing read.
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brutally murdered in his own bedchamber. Everyone has a motive, but who killed him? The clues point first one way, then another, and then yet another, until almost all of them are suspects. Hercule Poirot was staying with a police chief constable friend of his, when the murder happens, and both of them go to the aid of the struggling detective inspector who was investigating…As with all Agatha Christie books, this is a baffling mystery with very tightly written prose and very interesting characters. You suspect everyone, but can you guess who was the killer before Hercule Poirot? I think I wasn’t as keen on this as I was on Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, but then the murder went beyond clever into the realm of the extremely improbable. Still, the book was an enjoyable and intriguing read.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
A rare family Christmas gathering in the home of wealthy invalid Simeon Lee ends in murder. Fortunately, Hercule Poirot is on hand to unofficially consult with the local police. Once again, Poirot's little gray cells are up to the task of identifying a murderer.
The country estate is a typical
The country estate is a typical
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Christie setting, but this isn't one of her best mysteries. I had read the book before, but it was so long ago that I didn't remember any of the details of the book or the identity of the murderer. Christie is usually a master at misdirecting the reader's attention from important facts and clues, but this time she didn't hide them as well as usual. The killer and motive were obvious to me well before Poirot explained the solution. I enjoyed the book, but it will never be one of my favorites, and it's not one I'll be in a hurry to re-read. Christie completists will want to read this one, but readers new to Christie should start elsewhere. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas opens with a gathering of the clan at the ancestral home in the English countryside for a family Christmas celebration. Except this is an Agatha Christie story, so bumps in the night and a bloodcurdling scream are more to be expected. Of course, Miss Christie delivers
The Lee family is not a close family. In fact some of the members are home for the first time in over 20 years. Gathered at the request of the aging patriarch, Simon, the various brothers and their wives are a simmering brew of resentment, greed and anger. Added to the mix is a half Spanish niece, a visitor from South Africa and various servants. It is no surprise that on Christmas Eve murder is on the menu.
Luckily for both the rural police and the readers, Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas with the District Police Superintendent and is on hand to help solve this locked room murder case. Doing what he does best, Poirot interviews the suspects and put the pieces together.
Although written as a contemporary piece at the time, Miss Christie has done a marvellous job of capturing a period in history so precisely that the reader is drawn back into that time. With a house full of interesting characters, lots of twists and turns and the anticipated scene where Poirot gathers the suspects and reveals the murderer, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is an entirely satisfying read.
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and the game is afoot!The Lee family is not a close family. In fact some of the members are home for the first time in over 20 years. Gathered at the request of the aging patriarch, Simon, the various brothers and their wives are a simmering brew of resentment, greed and anger. Added to the mix is a half Spanish niece, a visitor from South Africa and various servants. It is no surprise that on Christmas Eve murder is on the menu.
Luckily for both the rural police and the readers, Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas with the District Police Superintendent and is on hand to help solve this locked room murder case. Doing what he does best, Poirot interviews the suspects and put the pieces together.
Although written as a contemporary piece at the time, Miss Christie has done a marvellous job of capturing a period in history so precisely that the reader is drawn back into that time. With a house full of interesting characters, lots of twists and turns and the anticipated scene where Poirot gathers the suspects and reveals the murderer, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is an entirely satisfying read.
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LibraryThing member silversurfer
A humdinger of a Mystery! Keeps you guessing until the end and I really didn't guess who the murderer was at all.
Highly Recommended.
Highly Recommended.
LibraryThing member Betty30554
I tend to read Agatha's books a bit more carefully than I read most mysteries. The smallest clues are the most revealing, and every detail is important.
When I reached the end of [Hercule Poirot's Christmas], once again I was surprised (this is as close to a spoiler as you will get from me). And
While murder and holidays do not ideally go together, this is a "must read" for all mystery lovers.
When I reached the end of [Hercule Poirot's Christmas], once again I was surprised (this is as close to a spoiler as you will get from me). And
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yet, it made perfect sense. As I thought back, I could see there had been plenty of clues and telling details.While murder and holidays do not ideally go together, this is a "must read" for all mystery lovers.
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LibraryThing member leslie.98
I just finished re-reading this & found that even though I recalled who did it, I enjoyed it as much as I remembered. Christie did a wonderful job of placing all the necessary clues for the reader without making the solution obvious.
LibraryThing member RubyScarlett
Pretty good, though the characters are more forgettable than some of her other novels. The murderer is, once again, the least likely suspect - by far. I really enjoyed the end especially. Some interesting things said about Christmas too, far from any sentimentality, 'tis when people pretend to be
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nice to each other when really they don't speak the rest of the year for a reason. I like what Christie says, she's a lot less conservative than she's given credit for. Show Less
LibraryThing member Samar.Abd-Allah
Breathtaking, I remember that there were times I got really scared, and I rarely feel this while reading...
The murderer was so unexpected, well he's never expected in any of Agatha's books, but this one was very weird and unexpected, got me 2 gasp in denial...
one of ma very favorites of Agatha
The murderer was so unexpected, well he's never expected in any of Agatha's books, but this one was very weird and unexpected, got me 2 gasp in denial...
one of ma very favorites of Agatha
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Christie.. Show Less
LibraryThing member chevalierdulys
Another Poirot tale of mystery and gruesome killing. This one was like the previous where Poirot enters the fray at half the book to help the police.
It was a quick read that made me think hard on would be the killer. I figure it out that Pilar was not who we were told she was. But I never would
Poor characterization (comparing with Ten Little Niggers or Murder in the Orient Express) and it was hard to me to keep tracking who was who, or even trying to guessing who might be the killer because they were weak characters with the exception of Alfred, Harry, Stephen and Pilar.
It was a quick read that made me think hard on would be the killer. I figure it out that Pilar was not who we were told she was. But I never would
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figure it out who the killer was.Poor characterization (comparing with Ten Little Niggers or Murder in the Orient Express) and it was hard to me to keep tracking who was who, or even trying to guessing who might be the killer because they were weak characters with the exception of Alfred, Harry, Stephen and Pilar.
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LibraryThing member AmphipodGirl
I was thinking as I read this that I would rate it fairly low -- it kind of felt like Christie was going through the motions, oh look, another locked room mystery in a country house. But Poirot won me over with his summing up and Dame Agatha with her clever solution. Four stars, though three and a
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half would be more accurate. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bridgey
Hercule Poirot's Christmas ****
My second book in the Poirot series and also my second book by the author. I was a little worried about reading this one as I had seen the tv adaptation and knew the ending. Not the best introduction to a whodunit....
But I needn't have worried. As expected the writing
Most people are familiar with the traditional Poirot novel and this is no exception. A number of family members descend upon a mansion at the request of multi-millionaire Simeon Lee for Christmas. Simeon is a cruel man and in the past has upset all of his children, but now, crippled and old he appears to want to make amends.
When the old man is murdered, seemingly there is no way the killer could have left the room after committing the deed. The police are baffled, but luckily Poirot is in the neighbourhood and puts his little grey cells to work.
Well worth a read, whether you are new to the novels or not.
My second book in the Poirot series and also my second book by the author. I was a little worried about reading this one as I had seen the tv adaptation and knew the ending. Not the best introduction to a whodunit....
But I needn't have worried. As expected the writing
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was so good that it really didn't matter, and in a way helped, making me scour the text trying to see where the trail was left to lead me to the culprit.Most people are familiar with the traditional Poirot novel and this is no exception. A number of family members descend upon a mansion at the request of multi-millionaire Simeon Lee for Christmas. Simeon is a cruel man and in the past has upset all of his children, but now, crippled and old he appears to want to make amends.
When the old man is murdered, seemingly there is no way the killer could have left the room after committing the deed. The police are baffled, but luckily Poirot is in the neighbourhood and puts his little grey cells to work.
Well worth a read, whether you are new to the novels or not.
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LibraryThing member thornton37814
Simeon Lee's family comes in for Christmas, but it's not long before his body is discovered. It's definitely murder, and it definitely had to be someone who was in the house. The case belongs to Supt. Sugden, but Poirot just happens to be staying at Sugden's superior's home at the time of the
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murder so he takes a look at the evidence as well. The oldest son Alfred also urges Poirot to investigate as he is not certain of Sugden's ability. Poirot is convinced that the character of the deceased man is the key to this investigation. This mystery kept me guessing until the very end. I really did not see this ending coming. Great mystery, especially for a Christmas one. Although this is set around Christmas, it can be enjoyed anytime. Show Less
LibraryThing member MathMaverick
A great Christmas mystery with a fantastic ending. As will all of the Agatha Christie mystery's, the ending will not disappoint. This story ties together very nicely. Highly recommended for the Christmas season.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1938-12-19
Physical description
272 p.; 7.8 inches
ISBN
1579127894 / 9781579127893
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