Usual Warning: Plot being revealed to some extent in this review. Readers are requested to proceed with that in mind. The climax is not revealed of course?.
Plot:
A chronically ill Hercule Poirot, on a wheel chair, meets his favourite Capt. Hastings at a tourist place, in what he expects to be his last meeting with his dear Capt. Hastings. There are several guests present at the hotel, including Captain?s own daughter. During the course of discussion, Poirot tells that amongst them, is present, a killer, who is the most perfect murderer that Poirot has seen in his life. This person is so perfect, that no court of law can convict him.
As expected, a couple of killings take place at the hotel and the suspects are multifold. Poirot tells that he knows who the killer is, but won?t reveal it as there are not evidences to convict.
Soon, one more murder happens of a frail old man, which was followed by the killing of the great Hercule Poirot, which looked more like a suicide.
Now Hastings has to find who the killer is all by himself and avange his friend?s death. The only clue he has is Poirot?s indication towards Shakespear?s ?Othello?.
The Questions:
The murders seem to have been committed by different people. Can there be any one person behind all of these?
Poirot told it was a perfect murderer. What did he mean by that?
What is the indication towards Othello?
as per the testimony of Poirot?s driver, Poirot was recovering. Then why did he lie to Hastings?
These questions are to be answered by Hastings without the support of Poirot to do justice to his killer.
Trivia:
During World War ?2, agatha Christie never expected to survive the carpet bombing of London. She did not want anyone to use the characters of Poirot and Miss Marple after her death. Hence, she wrote two novels, where these two were killed and these were to be released in case of her death.
These were ultimately released in 1970s, after she died. That?s why in this novel, we find references to her earlier works only.
My Review:
Truly spectacular.
How a perfect murder can happen and how it can be done by one person was detailed by her extremely good. In fact, this ace, she kept on hidden below her sleeves to be released after her death. Once again, she was able to deceive the readers completely.
For any Agatha Christie Fan, this is a MUST READ.