This edition published 22nd March 2018 by Harper Collins.
From the cover of the book:
An elderly spinster has been poisoned in her country home…Everyone blamed Emily’s accident on a rubber ball left on the stairs by her frisky terrier. But the more she thought about her fall, the more convinced she became that one of her relatives was trying to kill her.
On April 17th she wrote her suspicions in a letter to Hercule Poirot.
Mysteriously he didn’t receive the letter until June 28th… by which time Emily was already dead…
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One summer morning, Hercule Poirot receives a confusing letter from an elderly lady about an incident in which her dog, Bob, apparently left his ball on the stairs, causing her to fall. Emily Arundell is sure that Bob is innocent of the crime laid at his fluffy feet, and she is suspicious that someone means her harm. Poirot's interest is piqued, because the letter was written some weeks ago on April 17th, but it has taken until 28th June to reach him. He sets off to solve the mystery of the delayed delivery, in the company of his faithful sidekick Capt. Hastings. However, when they arrive at Little Green House in Market Basing, they discover that Miss Arundell is now dead, apparently from natural causes.
Something seems amiss to Poirot's famous detective senses. He suspects that Miss Arundell's nearest and dearest might have had a hand in her demise, which is also suggested by her unexpected decision to disinherit her family just before she died. Can he get to the bottom of the mystery of a death that no one considers a murder - and clear Bob's name at the same time?
This is one of those lovely Christie mysteries that has Poirot casting a fresh eye on the circumstances surround a death which, at first sight, seems unremarkable. His mode d'operation is deliciously cunning as he finagles his way into the homes of the late heiresses' family, friends, neighbours, doctor, solicitor - and the companion who has unexpectedly benefitted from her death at the expense of two very disgruntled nieces and a nephew - by employing a variety of cover stories to explain his presence on their doorsteps. It soon becomes clear that Emily Arundell's close family were more keen on her fortune than the old lady herself; that nobody approves of the foreign husband of one of the nieces; that the companion, and the daft neighbours, are convinced spirits had a hand in the affair; and that the delightful Bob is innocent of all charges.
The story twists in classic Christie style, turning on the seemingly unimportant clues sprinkled throughout as we get to know what motivates the shady characters around Emily Arundell. Poirot's little grey cells get a workout proving that a murderer lurks among them, especially since the solution is devilishly complicated, but by the time we reach the end of the story he is, of course, able to reveal the truth.
There is so much humour in this story, despite the fact that it is hatred that leads to the murderous machinations. My favourite comic bits come, as is often the case, from dear old Capt Hastings. He is particularly shocked by Poirot's frequent bending of the truth to pull the wool over the eyes of the suspects, and the listening at key holes his Belgian friend engages in, which offend his upright sensibilities. Bless! He also develops a lovely relationship with the adorable Bob, which results in him adopting the wee beastie at the end of the story. Ah, Hastings, you softie.
This is one of my firm favourites. It is also my September choice for #ReadChristie2023, exploring hatred as a motive for murder. As usual, I alternated between reading the text and listening to the excellent audio book, which is fittingly narrated by Hastings himself, Hugh Fraser.
Dumb Witness is available to buy now in multiple formats.
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