Midweek Book Essay: Sophie Hannah's Hercule Poirot

 

 

i thought i'd written about Hanna's Poirot before.  Since i can't find where i might have done that, here's my impressions after the latest reading:

-  She writes REALLY GOOD stories.

- Maybe even as good as Christie.

 - But her Poirot, while an interesting charcter, simply is not THE Hercule Poirot.  i'm not sure why not; she seems to hit all the right personality notes, but still he comes off as a straw man.

-  Her sidekick character, Inspector Catchpool, has some interesting psychological issues i'd like to see her develop.

- i liked Monogram Murders better the second time around.  i wonder if i will be able to say the same about Closed Casket, when i get my hands on a copy again.  Initially, i don't think i liked it as well, in spite of the Irish setting.

-  i loved the way Hannah introduced a pair of side characters in The Mystery of the Three Quarters, whom i recognized as a couple from Christie's The Sittaford Mystery. 

- Maybe i should seek that earlier essay i mentioned, under the Managing Women one, or the comparison of my favorites to Christie's own.

- Two of Hannah's have a Really Sad Murderer. They;re almost the same character, or so it seems to me now.

-  Not necessarily a comment on Hannah's continuation stories, but i think Jill Paton Walsh has a better handle on her characters, Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane / Lady Peter   https://us.macmillan.com/series/lordpeterwimseyharrietvane/

- Despite her Poirot seeming a ghost or straw character, i want to continue reading her Poirot stories as she writes them.

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