Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (The Christie Collection)

The book I received, is completely different from the photo shown that has an apothecary bottle on the front. Please handle that for future customers.

I have read all of the Poirot stories, and this is by far my favorite. Not only is it the perfect second bookend to the Poirot series (since the first Poirot story also took place at Styles), it is also the most intricate and brilliant of the Poirot stories. I have read Agatha Christie all of my life. I am usually able to pick up on some of her clues and figure out who the murderer might be. I confess, with this one, I could not. I loved re-reading it to discover the clues I had missed. The concept of the murderer who is brilliant enough to manipulate others into doing the job for him is extremely interesting. I wonder if Agatha Christie decided to kill off Poirot because she knew she could never write anything better than this. I believe this is the best of the best. I'm off to read it yet again.

In this last look at Hercule Poirot we see him and his friend Hastings at Styles where we were first introduced to this incredible Belgian. Only Agatha Christie would think to bring an end to her hero in this way. This is the ultimate crime and the ultimate murderer. Talk about going out with a bang! The whole book is one big deceit, and Poirot is the biggest deceiver of all. It's certainly a shocker. I have read all of the Poirot books, and this book happens to be the last one of these stories that I've read. I think that's fitting. I never could bring myself to read it before because I couldn't bear that it was the last of the little Belgian detective. But one thing about Poirot books, and this one is no exception, it can certatinly be read and enjoyed again. They are all complex enough that certain things are missed in the first reading. Ms. Christie was an absolute marvel!

Curtain: Poirot's last casePoirot's last case was written by Agatha Christie (1891-1976) in the 1940's. She's one of the worlds most read criminal authors, known as the queen of crime. She's written lots of detective stories and she's also used another name Mary Westmacott, under which she wrote six romantic novels.Poirot's last case takeS place at a small hotel called Styles, out In the countryside of England not too far away from London among people from the upper middle-class. Captain Hastings receives a letter from an old friend Hercules Poirot, a detective who has worked together with Hastings many times earlier. In the letter he urges Hasting to come to the hotel where they once met for the first time the Styles, because there is to be a murder. Lot's of things happen during the time when they try to solve the murder. All the people living at the hotel for the moment are somewhat involved in the matter of the murder. Hercules Poirot is a person that you never really get hold of during the story. He's described as a crippled old man and, even though he's old and can not walk, he still has his brain working. He's much more on the ball then you first think.Captain Hasting is a man that really appreciates seeing his old friend again but gets really confused sometimes and also he does believe in what every person says. I never get the feeling that he dislikes people, only one because he dislikes that mans manors. He seems to be quite naive and very trusting as his friend describes him. Other people are The Franklins, The Luttrells who are the owners of the hotel, Mr. Norton, Judith the captain's daughter, Boyd Carrington and Miss Cole. All are living at the hotel for one or another reason.The story is well written. You quickly get in to it but it's not that you can say what's going to happen. After half the book you will go on reading until the end because you want to know who the murderer is. That's where Agatha Christie shows what a good writer she is. She leaves you clues but it's only that we think we know who has done it, which in the end turns out to be completely wrong. The language she uses is fairly easy to understand. There are some words I did not know such as scientific words and some descriptive words. But the book is easy to read. The chapters are divided up well and you don't lose the line through out the story.I liked this book, it caught my interest quickly which for me is important. And it's an exciting story that holds your interest until the end. This was the first novel I read by Agatha Christie but I'll indeed read more of her. I would recommend her.

Set in the hotel of Styles Court in Styles, Essex, Agatha Christie's Curtain is a murder mystery that seemed to never be figured out. The main character, Arthur Hastings, is a detective who wanted to stay in a peaceful hotel(Styles), but discovers it is everything but peaceful. Hastings, as hercule Poirot would say is,"too nice." He has many struggles with this case but that is where Hercule Poirot comes in. The other main character, Hercule Poirot, coiuld be described as the one who kmnows all. He is the one who knows who the killer is but refuses to tell. He wants Hastings to discover it by himself. Poirot helps Hastings yo open his mind to solving mysteries. In one scene Poirot tells Hastings to open his mind. He staes,"Your personality is too nice to be a detective." With this being said he has to amke a decision whether to continue the case and to see who the muredere is or quit. If he does not continue, who will? This book shows the struggle a detective has and what she/he must go through. It keeps you on the edge of you seat. If you like murder mysteries I would definitely read this book. I would say this book is for eighth graders to twelfth graders. Any younger and they might not understand it. The book gets involoved and though you have to stay focused it will definitely keep you interested.

If you don't already know it, this is Poirot's last case.I came across this book after I had read MANY other Poirot's cases and I was familiar with the surroundings. Lady Agatha takes us back to Styles Court, where we first met the little Belgian man with the egg shaped head. And so, the circle is closed.This is, in my opinion, the most mature of Christie's stories. Poirot faces the ultimate assassin: an individual capable of the perfect crime. He understands his methods, but also finds it impossible to intervene. And so he takes the matter on to his own hands, although knowing that no crime can go unpunished.Maybe the essence of the book is in the last few lines, hidden by a mark on a man's forehead. Don't miss it.