The Hollow by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Hollow is the 26th-book in Agatha Christie’s iconic Hercule Poirot series.
I’ll be honest, I hadn’t heard of this one when I discovered it while browsing the shelves at B&N a couple weeks ago. It actually caught my eye because I had never heard of it.
I plucked it off the shelf to find out and immediately fell in love with this cover. I had to have it. A few hours later, I cracked it open on my 2.5-hour ferry ride home.
I was immediately pulled into the story, which follows a colorful cast of characters that Lucy Angkatell, the quirkiest amongst them, has invited to her country house for a holiday weekend.
As it happens, Hercule Poirot is one of the Angkatell’s neighbors, in that he has a country house nearly abutting their property.
Knowing the infamous detective is due to be at his house that weekend, Lucy invites him to dine with them all. His presence should be quite entertaining.
Unfortunately, just as Poirot is arriving for lunch at the Angkatell estate at the appointed time, one of the other guests is discovered shot dead by the pool.
At first, Poirot suspects it is some sort of cruel joke intended for him. He believes they’re acting, but those suspicions are quickly put to rest upon closer examination of the body with copious amount of blood dripping into the pool.
The corpse’s spouse is standing there, holding a revolver, but it can’t be that simple, can it?
Thus, an investigation begins, involving both Poirot and local law officer. This was a fun closed-circle mystery that kept me guessing. It also made me quite sad at the end.
What’s that all about, Agatha?!
I enjoyed that we had a full, unlikable cast of characters to choose from as suspects and each one of them had motive. That’s always the best kind, isn’t it?
And of course we have Poirot there, just slaying, as usual. He’s so beyond other’s deductive skills, but never rubs that in their faces. We love a confident, yet humble man.
I’m surprised, upon reflection, that I’ve never heard of this one. It was so good. I would definitely recommend this to all Christie fans, if you, like me, never had this on your radar. It’s well worth the read.
It had been a while since I had picked up a Christie, a few months at least, and this has reinvigorated my love for her works. I ordered two more today, in fact. I can’t wait to get to them!