“Closed Casket” - Sophie Hannah

 (New Poirot book 2)

⚰️ Oooooo! This novel has my favorite whodunit set up: murder at an English country estate. Bonus: Hannah includes a floor plan of the mansion. It’s all very Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the candlestick. The primary suspects were all residents at the manor that fateful weekend. Several have a very good motive. It’s up to Poirot to see through the smoke screens and divine the truth.

⚰️ Edward Catchpool is once again, our narrator. Along with Poirot, Catchpool has been invited by Lady Playford (whom neither knows personally) to join her as a guest for a weekend at her fabled country estate. She has a surprising announcement to make, which just might be connected to the presence of the great Poirot and somewhat hapless Catchpool at her home.

⚰️ In Doro and Claudia, Hannah has created two absolutely loathsome women. Both let loose barrages of vitriol, accusations, and complaints about their “wretched” lot. Claudia speaks without remorse, while Doro feigns remorse yet carries on with her rage-fueled whining. I think the creation of such alarming characters helps stir up the plot for the reader as we try to guess and eliminate suspects.