Golden Age of Detective Fiction

In The Monogram Murders, Sophie Hannah takes on the daunting task of continuing the legacy of Agatha Christie’s beloved Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. The book is the first in a series of authorized Poirot novels written by Hannah, following a long hiatus since Christie died in 1976. With Hercule Poirot’s enigmatic mind and sharp observational skills so ingrained in detective fiction, Sophie Hannah’s attempt to capture the essence of this iconic character is both ambitious and a bit polarizing. Here’s a look at how The Monogram Murders fares as a Poirot continuation and as a mystery novel in its own right.

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The Plot

The story begins with Poirot, harbored from a storm in an abandoned, forgotten eatery. The storm, a classic element in mystery novels, sets the tone for the impending danger and adds a layer of suspense to the narrative. A mysterious young woman, frantic with fear, approaches him. With my halting and starting again, she pleads with Poirot to protect her life. She believes that someone will kill her soon, but before Poirot unravels the convoluted tale, she flees.

On the same evening of his strange encounter with the frantic young woman, Poirot learns of the slayings of three people at a small hotel in London. Each victim has an enigmatic calling card- monogrammed cufflinks near or on the body. As Poirot learns more about the victims, he is reminded of the scared young woman, and he desperately wants to find her before she becomes a victim as well.

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The Review

One of the biggest challenges for any writer inheriting a literary icon like Poirot is doing justice to the character. Sophie Hannah is undeniably skilled, but does she succeed in capturing the essence of Hercule Poirot? The short answer is mostly.

Hannah’s Poirot is the same detective from Christie’s novels — his fastidiousness, obsession with order, love of good food, and somewhat theatrical mannerisms are all present. His thoughts are presented with a touch of vanity and an almost mystical sense of certainty, qualities that made him so compelling in the original series. However, some readers may find that the Poirot here lacks the depth and charm that Christie infused into the character. While he remains fascinating, his personality feels slightly more one-dimensional compared to the nuanced and often endearing Poirot Christie created.

As a sidekick, Inspector Catchpoole, a stolid and unimaginative young officer, looks to Poirot as a mentor and guru. However, Hannah’s decision to make the other half of the Poirot double act a police officer means the book runs more along police procedural lines. Poirot, a drawing room detective who works best situated amongst the aristocracy in manor homes and luxury cruises- has lost the art of interrogation through conversation. Poirot’s methods and general countenance chafe against the pedantic methodology required in a police procedural. There’s a reason why Poirot never teamed up with the various police inspectors but ran parallel investigations with a more intimate approach to grilling suspects.

In the original stories, Poirot’s interactions were often laced with subtle humor or genuine fondness for those around him, a somewhat less present quality in The Monogram Murders, without a Hastings-like character whose penchant for missing a trick or thoroughly pursuing a wrong tack- especially for a lovely young woman is thoroughly missed. In this rather over-serious interpretation of Poirot, we get none of the cat-in-the-cream delights that Christie sprinkled into the investigations to remind the audience that Poirot is a man who can take and make a joke.

Writing Style & Pacing

Sophie Hannah’s writing style is undoubtedly competent, with a clear nod that relies too heavily on formal language and tone. The novel’s setting, which takes place in the 1920s, adds to the atmosphere of an old-fashioned British murder mystery. The pacing is methodical, giving readers ample time to follow Poirot’s thought processes as he gathers clues and sifts through red herrings, keeping them engaged in the investigation.

The Monogram Murders occasionally struggles with pacing issues, particularly in the middle chapters. There are moments where the narrative feels bogged down by excessive exposition and repetitive dialogue, making the story seem longer than it needs to be. The novel’s slow-burn nature will appeal to fans of the more deliberate pace of classic crime novels. Still, those who are used to the rapid-fire twists and snappy dialogue of modern thrillers may find the pacing a bit sluggish, especially when compared to the sparse, simple prose of Christie at her best.

The Mystery: A Classic Puzzle

As for the mystery itself, The Monogram Murders delivers a solid, if not groundbreaking, plot. The case is intriguing and filled with clever clues, but there are times when it veers into overly complicated territory. At its heart, though, the book presents a classic puzzle — multiple victims, hidden motives, and a complex web of relationships — a nostalgic nod to Christie’s work. The revelation of the murderer comes with the obligatory Poirot flourish and a final act of deductive brilliance that ties the entire mystery together.

However, some readers might find that the “twist” feels less surprising than it should be. Despite being a well-constructed mystery, the book doesn’t quite achieve the same shock or satisfaction that Christie’s best works are known for.

The Monogram Murders feels heavy with its languid writing style of long paragraphs and broody iteration of Poirot. There’s less of an emphasis on writing a mystery that is so entertaining that the reader sort of gets lulled into a sense of enjoyment with its pleasant conversation and thorny characters that they are swept away in the story so much that the reader might not be able to catch all the clues. Christie is the master of hiding clues in plain sight, with motives and resentments couched in everyday conversation and most of the fun as the reader tries to catch the clues. Sophie Hannah’s Poirot and the mystery he is solving isn’t written for the reader to enjoy solving- but instead, The Monogram Murders suffers from trying to be a mystery worthy of being solved by Hercule Poirot. Instead of taking up the mantle of this iconic character and series, Sophie Hannah seems to need help with its weight.

Final Thoughts

The Monogram Murders has an engaging premise, if flawed, continuation of the Poirot legacy. Sophie Hannah’s interpretation of Hercule Poirot may leave some fans wishing for more of the original’s charm and subtlety. The mystery is a classic whodunit, with a few convoluted moments that might test the patience of readers accustomed to tighter, faster-paced thrillers.

The Monogram Murders may not match the high standard set by Christie’s original novels, but it’s a worthwhile read for fans of Poirot and lovers of traditional detective fiction. Since it’s the first book in an ongoing new interpretation, I am optimistic that Hannah will settle into the series and write impressive golden age-style mysteries for a modern audience. I wonder how she will continue the series. I recommend The Monogram Murders because the puzzle is not just intriguing, but also challenging, and it kept my little gray cells working overtime despite any other objections.