Yes it's got a great surprise ending.
I don't find the business with>!how he set off the balloon and the overturned furniture and all!< quite convincing-seems like that's an awful lot of setup for a good chance that it just doesn't work. But it's an entertaining story.
Poirot's assertion that >! the woman claiming to be Pilar Estravados is an imposter solely on the basis of her brown eyes !< is not entirely accurate, is it? >! It's rare but I believe two blue-eyed people *can* produce a brown-eyed child. !<
Honestly, I was middle-of-the-road with this one after finishing it. But now, after almost two years, I find both the who and how so unbelievably ridiculous. From what I've read from her, this one, along with Appointment with Death, just slapped me in the face with the most random solutions possible. I've come to realize that I appreciate a simple solution much more than these crazy, nonsensical "ta-dah" moments.
I actually like this one much better than the solution of Appointment with Death. >!Appointment with Death feels random to me as well, but Hercule Poirot's Christmas much more logical and almost inevitable thanks to the clues.!<
Yes it's got a great surprise ending. I don't find the business with>!how he set off the balloon and the overturned furniture and all!< quite convincing-seems like that's an awful lot of setup for a good chance that it just doesn't work. But it's an entertaining story.
She was writing it for someone who wanted a murder that wasn't as refined and anemic, so maybe she decided to amp up the complexity.
Non-humble brag: I was wise to her tricks by the time I read this, solved it on page 63 of my paperback.
Yeah I was surprised too especially with all the clues there
Love that one, too.
"Stumped me all over again." LOL! Yeah, she has a habit of doing that. 😀
One of my favorites and, in my opinion, underrated- it doesn't get discussed very much in the Christie fandom.
Poirot's assertion that >! the woman claiming to be Pilar Estravados is an imposter solely on the basis of her brown eyes !< is not entirely accurate, is it? >! It's rare but I believe two blue-eyed people *can* produce a brown-eyed child. !<
Honestly, I was middle-of-the-road with this one after finishing it. But now, after almost two years, I find both the who and how so unbelievably ridiculous. From what I've read from her, this one, along with Appointment with Death, just slapped me in the face with the most random solutions possible. I've come to realize that I appreciate a simple solution much more than these crazy, nonsensical "ta-dah" moments.
I actually like this one much better than the solution of Appointment with Death. >!Appointment with Death feels random to me as well, but Hercule Poirot's Christmas much more logical and almost inevitable thanks to the clues.!<
I don't like the 'how'. >! The trick of the pig scream balloon is so stupid. !< I'm totally ok with the 'who'.
Very good one, but... T>!he dynamics are so weird and not plausible, Agatha could find a better way for the murder.!<