The Mystery of Three Quarters

Detective Hercule Poirot faces an unusual case when four people receive letters, supposedly from him, accusing each of them of murdering Barnabas Pandy - an elderly businessman who died in his bathtub. The famous detective has written no such letters and knows nothing of Pandy's death. With Scotland Yard's Edward Catchpool, Poirot investigates why these specific individuals were targeted and how three of them connect to the deceased, while one appears to have no connection at all. The investigation leads them through the complex web of Pandy's family relationships and buried secrets. The Mystery of Three Quarters, Sophie Hannah's third authorized continuation of Agatha Christie's beloved character, explores themes of revenge, perception, and the ways people's past actions continue to influence the present.

Readers find this Hercule Poirot continuation novel entertaining but not at the level of Christie's original works. Many note it succeeds better than Hannah's previous Poirot books, with a unique premise and satisfying mystery elements. Readers appreciated: - Complex, well-crafted puzzle - Faithful portrayal of Poirot's mannerisms - Original plot device of false accusation letters - Strong period atmosphere Common criticisms: - Too much focus on secondary characters - Slower pacing than Christie's works - Over-complicated resolution - Excessive length at 368 pages Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (300+ ratings) One frequent Amazon reviewer noted: "The mystery itself is clever but takes too long to unfold." A Goodreads reviewer commented: "Hannah captures Poirot's voice well, but the story would benefit from tighter editing."

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🔍 Sophie Hannah was personally selected by Agatha Christie's estate to continue writing Hercule Poirot novels, making her the first author authorized to write new Poirot stories since Christie's death 📚 "The Mystery of Three Quarters" (2018) is Hannah's third Poirot novel, following "The Monogram Murders" (2014) and "Closed Casket" (2016) 🎭 The book's plot device of false letters from Poirot pays homage to Christie's own "The ABC Murders," where letters are similarly used to manipulate the detective 💫 Sophie Hannah is an accomplished poet and crime fiction author who has published eight collections of poetry and numerous psychological thrillers before taking on the Poirot series 🏆 The novel introduces Inspector Edward Catchpool as Poirot's new assistant, deliberately creating a different character from Christie's Captain Hastings to avoid direct comparison