This edition published 22nd March 2018 by haroer Collins.
From the cover of the book:
A flamboyant party host is murdered in full view of a roomful of bridge players…Mr Shaitana was famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he was a man of whom everybody was a little afraid. So, when he boasted to Poirot that he considered murder an art form, the detective had some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana’s private collection.
Indeed, what began as an absorbing evening of bridge was to turn into a more dangerous game altogether…
***********
Mr Shaitana is well known for the extravagant parties he throws, but Poirot is unsure about accepting an invitation to attend one of his gatherings, especially since Shaitana suggests this will be an opportunity to 'view' his very unusual private collection...
When the evening arrives, Poirot finds himself in the company of three eminent guests: the famous novelist, Mrs Ariadne Oliver; police detective, Superintendent Battle; and man of many secretive talents, Colonel Race. He has only met Battle before, through their crime related interests, but he is sure they are all upstanding members of society. As for the other four guests, the seemingly respectable Mrs Lorimer, Dr Roberts, Major Despard, and the reserved Miss Meredith, Poirot knows nothing at all about them, but he assumes they are the 'collection' his exotic host wished him to see...
After an excruciatingly uncomfortable dinner, during which Shaitana drops cryptic hints about the murders he believes his collection of murderers to have been involved in, the guests disperse into two groups and begin to play bridge - Poirot and his law abiding colleagues in one room, and the suspicious types in the other, where Shaitana watches over them from a comfy chair beside the fire. However, when the evening is over, and the guests reassemble, it appears that one of his pet murderers has engineered his demise at the business end of a bejewelled dagger. Which one could it have been?
Finding Shaitana's murderer falls to the lot of Superintendent Battle, but he does not have to solve this crime alone, as he has three very talented colleagues to aid him in the form of Poirot, Ariadne Oliver, and Colonel Race. They all play a part by either questioning the four suspects, and/or ferreting out clues to who killed the grubby little dealer in secrets, Shaitana, and the circumstances around the earlier crimes they may or may not have committed.
This twisty mystery takes you down a bevy of blind alleys of falsehoods, and dastardly deeds. I have not read this one before, and the text differs quite a bit from the David Suchet adaptation I have seen, which really kept me guessing - especially as the plot is much more sinister, and murderously complex. It is a hugely enjoyable, slow burn, ensemble piece of familiar Christie characters, as each of our wonderful sleuths bring their inimitable talents to bear in getting to the truth. However, ultimately the solution to the case lies in Poirot's 'little grey cell' logic around the suspects' recollection of Shaitana's swanky apartment, their recall of the gameplay of the rubbers of bridge they played, and the score cards left behind - and it proves to be a genius way to explore the 'psychologies' of murder!
This is my October pick for #ReadChristie2023 exploring stabbing as a method for murder, and I alternated between reading the text and listening to the excellent audio book read by my favourite, Hugh Fraser.
Cards on the Table is available to buy now in multiple formats.
About the author
No comments:
Post a Comment