One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: A Hercule Poirot Mystery

Hercule Poirot #23

by Agatha Christie

The dentist was found with a blackened hole below his right temple. A gun lay on the floor near his right hand. What reason would an amiable dentist like Dr. Morely have for committing suicide? He didn't have emotional difficulties, money problems, or love troubles. What he did have was an appointment with Hercule Poirot, who is not persuaded by the suicide story and has therefore taken it upon himself to question the good doctor's patients, partners, and friends. All he's come up with is the numbing fear that Dr. Morely wasn't an unlikely victim at all . . . nor the first. Later, one of Dr. Morely's patients is found dead from a lethal dose of local anesthetic. According to some, it's a clear case of murder and suicide. But why would a dentist commit a crime in the middle of a busy day of appointments? A shoe buckle holds the key to the mystery. Now — in the words of the rhyme — can Poirot pick up the sticks and lay them straight?

Genres: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Fiction, Crime, Classics, Detective, Audiobook

286 pages, Library Binding

First published November 11, 1940

About the author

Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.

This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.

Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)

Reviews

[İntellecta · Rating 2 out of 5]

A confusing story that gets more and more complicated until the end. The characters remain pale and the story is simple and unbelievable. Mediocre crime thriller. Even if it is very exciting, the story somehow can not really inspire me. This is not the best of Agatha Christie.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dentist commits suicide after accidentally giving a fatal dose of drugs to one of his patients, only a few hours after filling Poirot's cavities.
Is that really what happened?
The little detective isn't convinced.



Christie liked to use children's nursery rhymes to give a bit of menace to some of her stories. It works especially well in this one because the clue that keeps Poirot on the right trail is a shoe buckle that catches his attention early on in the case.



What looks to be a simple suicide turns into a not-so-simple murder case that twists and turns its way around blackmailers, bigamists, disenfranchised & potentially violent political activists, and secret agents.
Nothing is what it seems, and I was (happily) kept guessing right up till the end.



The Queen of Mystery spins another good yarn that any fan of hers will love.
Recommended.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hercule Poirot, book #23 sees Poirot unconvinced of the cut and dried assertion by Inspector Japp of a suicide at the dentist, and as a result uncovers a multi-layered conspiracy and something more deadly! Great case. 7 out of 12

2013 read

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I confused myself a bit with this one because I switched from audiobook to ebook at about 65% (turns out that the library does occasionally want their audiobooks back), and for some reason this made me instantly forget who all of the characters were and what their relationships were to each other. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyway, this is a solid but not particularly memorable Hercule Poirot novel. There are the usual rich people behaving badly and murdery bits, and of course Poirot is the only person brilliant enough to solve the case (which isn't much of a surprise considering Inspector Japp is in charge). I did especially enjoy the bits involving Poirot's trip to the dentist — who knew that the great detective was scared of such things? I also actually suspected the murderer a time or two (which so rarely happens with Christie novels!), but I still had no idea of the “why” until Poirot's big reveal.

Do expect a fair amount of whining about kids these days wanting a more modern government. Some things never change, yeah?

And, as always, Hugh Fraser does a fantastic job as audiobook narrator, at least for the first 65%. For all I know he reads the rest of it in pirate speak, although previous experience tells me that this is unlikely.

3.8 stars, rounded up.

[Issa Deerbany · Rating 4 out of 5]

هل يمكن ان يكون الحل في ابزيم الحذاء

رااائعة هذه العقليه البوليسية لاجاثا كريستي

[Flo Camus · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.0⭐] 𝙇𝙖 𝙢𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙖 𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖 es una novela de misterio escrita por Agatha Christie y publicada en 1940. La trama comienza con una visita de rutina de Hércules Poirot a su dentista, el Dr. Morley, pero pronto se convierte en un caso complicado cuando el dentista es encontrado muerto, aparentemente por un suicidio. 


Siento que esta es la historia más enredada de Agatha Christie (me costó un poco más comprender la resolución), pero también es la más divertida. El caso está lleno de giros y pistas que no dejan de sorprender y, aunque di con el asesino antes del final, debo admitir que me emocionó mucho más el último capítulo que descubrir quién era el culpable. No me esperaba ese plot twist, lo cual me dejó bastante impresionada.
Algo que me gustó especialmente fue ver a Poirot más humano. Saber que le tiene miedo al dentista y verlo vulnerable, aunque sea en este pequeño detalle, le dio una dimensión distinta a su personaje. Me gusta esa vulnerabilidad que lo hace más cercano. Y como siempre, sus diálogos son un deleite. Un fragmento que resalta es este intercambio con Mister Raikes:

"-Ya veo, Mister Raikes, que es usted un idealista —repuso Poirot, mientras suspiraba y se levantaba de su asiento.
—¿Y qué si lo soy?
-Demasiado idealista para preocuparse por la muerte de un dentista.
Mister Raikes dijo, resentido:
-¿Qué importa que muera un miserable dentista?
-A usted no le importa. A mí, sí. Esta es la diferencia que hay entre nosotros."

Este diálogo me parece un ejemplo claro de lo que hace único a Poirot. A pesar de ser un detective lógico y calculador, nunca pierde su humanidad y siempre se preocupa por el valor de la vida humana, incluso cuando se trata de una persona como el dentista. Es una de esas frases que demuestra por qué me encanta este personaje. No solo resuelve crímenes, también defiende principios y valores. Además, ese toque reflexivo tan característico de Poirot hace que incluso los momentos más tensos se disfruten.

En cuanto al desarrollo de la trama, hay momentos donde la resolución parecía estar fuera de mi alcance y esa es una de las cosas que más me gusta de Christie: siempre logra sorprenderme. Si bien me resultó un poco más difícil de seguir que otras de sus novelas, me mantuvo intrigada hasta el final.


Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝙇𝙖 𝙢𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙖 𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖 es una novela muy atrapante y que logra demostrar el talento de Agatha Christie para crear tramas complejas y personajes fascinantes. Si bien me resultó algo más difícil de seguir y entender en comparación con otros libros de la autora, es, sin duda, una historia que vale la pena leer.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, was it the fact I'd been in a bit of a slump or was it just the true magic that is an Agatha Christie book that I have given this 5 big shiny stars ? Well who knows, maybe another read some years down the line will given me a better opinion, but for now it was 5 stars.

A great story with Poirot involved from start to finish (which is a big plus point), brilliantly written with many a red-herring chucked into the mix and with an exquisite twist and denouement.

Commencing with Poirot's regular 6 monthly visit to the dentist (funny that I went for a check-up today as well 😳) , moving swiftly through a brace of murders in various environments, invites to country houses, heart to hearts with Japp, meetings with high financiers and discussions with retired "civil servants" (nudge nudge), this book just races along carrying you with it. This was just what I needed to reinvigorate me in time for Christmas, and to get my reading challenge back on track

I must admit I did not remember much about this story except the dentist scene at the start, so that is always a bonus in this Poirot challenge. I know some of my fellow Poirot challengers are watching the Suchet episodes after they've read the story, I quite like the sound of that, so maybe I should try that myself. We'll see with Christmas coming, maybe it'd be a good time to catch up.

[Gabriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Directo a mi corta lista negra de libros que fueron un NO rotundo con Christie.

Hay que ser sincero, no es el libro, soy yo. Sin embargo, considero personalmente que aunque el libro no me gustó es de los casos más flojillos de Poirot. Igual, vamos a dejarlo en que no fue para mí porque tiene todas las cosas que no me gustan en un caso de Christie.

Primero, Poirot se la pasó corriendo de un escenario a otro y me puso loco con tanta entrevista e interrogatorio a tanta gente de la cual no pude saber casi nada porque falta caracterización y como mínimo apenas pude grabarme sus nombres. Ese sería el segundo punto, la gran cantidad de personajes que desfilan por la historia.

Y tercero, que no me gusta el tema ni el enfoque que se le da. Aunque entiendo que es por el contexto en el que se sitúa pero eso, que me sobran esos tintes políticos donde está envuelto el espionaje, con ideologías de izquierda y derecha, fascistas, comunistas, etcétera, etcétera.

Solo me ha gustado la última parte, cuando se desenvuelve el asunto ya que no dejó de sentir que están muy bien cuidados los detalles y construido al pelillos cada centímetro. Además de que se agradece ver un Poirot más serio y diferente al de siempre, más acorde al contexto en el que se desarrolla y que permite ver un poco más de su tridimensionalidad.

[carol. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one where Hercule visits the dentist--mon Dieu!--and when Inspector Japp calls him the next day, learns that he was among the last patients the dentist ever had.

This must have been a later Poirot. There is no Hastings, and Poirot must go hither and yon to talk with different people. He becomes more puzzled when another patient is killed, and another goes missing.. The writing feels more streamlined than many of her other Poirot books, notably Evil Under the Sun. Thematically, there are echoes of that too big to fail ego that comes with social prominence

What does the nursery rhyme have to do with it? Another patient's patent leather shoe! That's it! Christie did much better with the Nursery Rhyme murders.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this were the first Christie I had read instead of the 22nd consecutive Poirot novel I might love this more than I do. I eventually warmed to it quite a bit, but I am also developing powers of discrimination. It feels true to form. Nothing all that memorable compared to the best of her works, the crème de la crème, but this one is solid, impressive in its own right. Does this sound like snobbery? I dunno. Christie is very good even at her averagest.

This one features Dr. Morley, a grumpy dentist, who is one of three people who all die in short order, including Miss Sainsbury Seale and Mr. Amberiotis. Scotland Yard pronounces Morley’s death a suicide, presumably remorseful after he discovers he has accidentally poisoned Amberiotis. Seale’s death they discover later, though she almost immediately had gone missing. No relationship to Morley, Inspector Japp figures. But what does our bourgeois Belgian detective think about it? Ah, mais oui, it is but of course the murder and we must use our little grey cells to rationally piece this puzzle together!

One interesting feature of the series is that when Christie wrote the first one Poirot was already retired, he was pretty old, but since the series became an international sensation, she had to continue, for literally decades. How to account for his aging? In one sense she just ignores it, though in this one she actually has him admit that he feels his age. Only for a moment, though, then he’s just the same! I have no idea how Christie will handle this in the coming decades! Will he at least get a cane or wheelchair?

Another interesting feature of the series as it emerges now, in 1940 when this book is published, is that there is a war on! How do we account for it? Christie is an admittedly escapist mystery writer, and not political in any obvious way. She writes cleverly amusing entertainments! The only reference to complicated political events at all in this book is in the form of diplomat Alistair Blunt, who is one of the Good Politicians, fighting for Right and Democracy against fascism. But Blunt makes ethical errors, too; how to do we square these things? (Read to find out).

Other than that there is an array of possible suspects, the plot resolved in a way that I never figured out, of course, for which I admire her, though I also feel the need to read something grittier! I'll say 3.5 but round down for a little weariness with my assumed task of reading ALL of them. Not her fault.

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hercule Poirot may be the greatest detective in the world, but there’s someone even he fears: his dentist. In the real world, Poirot considers himself every person’s superior. But at the dentist’s office, he admits he is nothing but a coward.

After his scary dental visit, Poirot is made aware that his dentist apparently committed suicide not long after Poirot left. But Poirot knows something fishy is going on, and he’s determined to figure out what really happened.


I can definitely relate to Poirot in terms of his fear for the dentist. I could write a horror story about a dentist without even making anything up. Similar to another Agatha Christie classic, she also weaves a nursery rhyme into the mystery plot. The mystery plot is solid, though more political than you’d expect at first sight.


It is a story where Poirot, who’s usually very vain and confident in his own abilities, begins to question himself and is aware of his own flaws. We can already see this in the very beginning when inspector Japp asks Poirot if he noticed anything while he was at the dentist. Poirot admits to being so scared at the time that even he wouldn’t trust his otherwise pristine observation skills. But later on in the story, he even admits to himself that he’s getting old.


It’s a solid Poirot mystery. While the use of a nursery rhyme might seem reminiscent of And Then There Were None, this story actually reminds me more of Agatha Christie’s spy thrillers.

[Simona B · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Japp said curiously: “What are you trying to do–make the thing more difficult?”
[Poirot:] “Exactly that.”

Ok, so the first victim is a dentist and my dad is a dentist... I was upset. But it was also funny because we joked about it for at least an hour.
The solution was absolutely perfect, and when I enjoy the solution I retroactively enjoy the whole book even more (bottom line: I'm a weird girl. But of course you knew that already). The central part of the story -basically, the investigation- was a bit slow, I admit it, but the finale made it up for that, as far as I'm concerned.
Moreover, One, Two, Buckle My Shoe is a Poirot book. And if you're me, you really can't not like a Poirot book.

[Mai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hollow (2.5 ⭐️)

I’m honestly not sure how to feel about this one. The political touch and the boldness of the central theme were definitely risky and daring, which I appreciated. The storyline itself was decent, and I liked how Christie tied certain threads together at the end.

That said, something was missing. I felt detached from the characters; they seemed more like random figures with loosely connected stories than people with depth or proper backstories. Even though Christie worked to link them later on, it never fully clicked for me.

The execution fell short on several levels, and the motive behind the murder struck me as almost ludicrous. Add to that the double marriage subplot, which was hard to reconcile with the way the man was simultaneously framed as one of the most honest and admirable people in the story—it just didn’t align.

Overall, I could see the premise and the vision, but the delivery didn’t land as strongly as it could have.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hercule Poirot does not like to admit that he has any faults, but even he must concede that he does have a slight fear of the dentist. Even with his fear, he finds Dr. Morley a capable man and will stick with him… that is until Morley apparently commits suicide shortly after his appointment with Poirot. It makes no sense though as Morely would have had to do this between patients, and showed no signs of any problems that would cause him to take such actions. No, everything about the man’s psychology says he would not do this, and thus Poirot finds himself with another case (and most annoyingly, without a client paying him).

This is the 23rd Poirot book and the first one Christie published in the 40s. Again, I can’t help but chuckle whenever it is noted that Poirot is getting to0 old, given that Christie kept writing the character until her death (the last book was published in 1975). The 40s stand, in my opinion, as the really underrated decade for Poirot with some of the better cases upcoming (Evil Under the Sun and Five Little Pigs), but this is not one of them. Honestly, this one is a bit of an oddity. It was clear that Christie wanted to mix things up a bit, and there’s elements of a spy novel and political intrigue added to it . There’s also some very funny (in my opinion at least) discussions on whether or not there exists super criminal masterminds, which having read The Big Four, makes me think Christie is trying to find a way to both allow that novel into Poirot’s world and ignore it.

The case is rather disappointing. I solved most of the big aspects fairly early into it, and rather than feeling clever, I kept feeling like I’ve seen it done before (though for the life of me, I can’t remember where). I also was not a fan of the motive… but the book does regain a star due to the conversation Poirot has with the murderer in which they discuss the motive. Poirot is truly given one of his finest moments of dialogue here, in which he explains his own issues with the case.

All in all, this is a pretty standard Christie novel, but one with an excellent ending… not in terms of the case itself, but in how Poirot deals with it. This is an oddity, because as much as I love Christie, her characters often come off as wooden. Here I felt that there was a moral dilemma, and it was better handled than in any of her past books. Perhaps if this would have been one of my early Poirot novels, I would have liked it more.

3/5 stars and a recommendation to fans and perhaps newcomers as well.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t grow up on a healthy dose of Agatha Christie. My poison were Austen (so cliched! But apparently childhood me wasn’t too heavy on originality) and Sidney Sheldon. I loved Sheldon’s insane roundabout, amazing adventures with exotic and hardly-believable characters. My favourite was Tracy Whitney- the international thief who pulls off the most incredible heists, sometimes with a poodle, sometimes with a mud mask. I loved them so much that that even now when friends tell me that they have never (Never? Never?? ) read him, I shove a copy into their hands while eliciting ardent promises from them that would give it a chance. Then, my strategy backfired on me, and I ended up with a copy of ‘One, Two, Buckle my shoe’ shoved into my hands.

It is incredible how some amazing discoveries are made on a chance. As soon as I began reading this, I was transported into what seemed like a set for one of those old, black and white British dramas. There was a poignant feeling that piggybacked throughout my reading of this.

The story has an incredible structure. The beginning of every chapter is marked with the lines from the rhyme ‘One, Two, Buckle my shoe’ and in every chapter events are lined up so allusion to the lines turn up in a critical juncture of the story. The domino effect starts from the glimpse of a distinctive shoe that peeks mysteriously out from a car and the buckle is wrenched off and tumbles onto the street. How is that for an entrance!

The dentist’s chair inspires fear. One of the most vulnerable positions a person can find himself/herself is with your mouth open in a lockjaw with a scary miner in a white apron sticking sharp tools and poking around your cavities while all you can do is close your eyes and pray that it is going to be over by the time you open them. Christie uses this fear to establish the character of the doctor. He appears to be a grumbling old man at first, and then is introduced as the best doctor money can buy and is then quite suddenly, with no preamble, he is found dead in his office. Obviously the police think that it is a suicide and of course Poirot sniffs foul play.

My friend tells me this is not one of Poirot’s best, but I liked it! It fit in good with chocolates and my cats and a tome of blankets. It definitely doesn’t qualify as edge-of-the-seat material, but it’s a good companion on a cold day.

[Jay Schutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one from Dame Aggie where the ending comes from out in left field. So what else is new.

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. As always, Agatha Christie's writing is easy and enjoyable, and I loved the twists throughout. A great read.

[mark monday · Rating 2 out of 5]

Choose Your Own Adventure!

You Are Special, Perfect You. Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? You Must Remember This: The Song Is You, I See You Everywhere, As Long as I Live, Just for You, Crazy For You, You, You, You. I Love You, More Than You Know. You Are Special, Little One

You Don't Love Me Yet. Say You Love Me, Say You Need Me! You Belong To Me; You Are Mine. You Can't Win.

Don't Look Behind You, If You Could See Me Now, I Will Wait for You: Eternal Bliss, Just For You. I'm Coming to Get You.

And Then You Die....You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense.

Catch Me If You Can.

If You Can't Catch Me, choose THIS PATH!

If No One Belongs Here More Than You, choose THIS PATH!

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to women’s history month 2025. This year is going to look a little different. I still have a number of books by women authors that I hope to get through this year, but it is not going to be exclusively women authors. We live in an era where thankfully women no longer have to write under pseudonyms to get published although some still do. We also live in a time where women are educated and their level of writing is stronger than ever. Because I live where women can now freely express themselves by writing or other platforms, I do not feel the personal need to only read women this month. The women authors I do read I will highlight, and if it’s a nonfiction book I will highlight the subject’s achievements. I also have other projects in real life and in my reading life. I shouldn’t have to address them here, but one is the plethora of baseball books that get published in March and April in time for the new season. As a moderator of a baseball book club, I attempt to read as many of these as possible in order to pass the titles on as recommendations to the group. You guessed it: most of these titles are written by men. There are two titles written by women that are due to be published later this month, and I am excited about those. As a sports fan, it is something I accept in my lifelong quest to keep stats as close to a 50/50 women/men clip as possible, and sometimes this just isn’t always feasible.

Without further tangential thought and discussion, it wouldn’t be women’s history month without the Queen of Crime. She paved the way for many of the detective, mystery, and thriller writers that we read today, including my personal favorite Louise Penny. Last year I attempted the Read Christie challenge for the first time but used it as an impetus to read one book a month to fill in the gaps from her body of work that I haven’t read yet. I got to 11 out of 12 months and then ended the year strong with a memoir by Hercule Poirot himself, David Suchet, who acted in the role of Poirot on A&E for twenty five years. By the end of the year, I did not want to commit to another year of Read Christie, but Suchet whetted my appetite for more Poirot. Rather than commit to one book a month, I decided to continue filling in the full length Poirot cases that I hadn’t gotten to yet. This isn’t much of a commitment because the little Belgian sleuth has always been one of my favorite personas, and it allows me to relax on the couch with a mystery once a month. I call this a win-win situation. It is only the first weekend of March, and I have already completed my second case. Something tells me that I might read more than the six books that I previously committed to. He is Poirot after all.

Our case begins as Poirot visits the dentist. Hands up if it is not your favorite appointment of the year. Mine either, but that’s because I go four times a year due to my genetics that I will not delve into. Henry Morley is as known as a dentist as Poirot is as a detective. His patients include the top names in many fields throughout Britain including the Prime Minister, head of banking, and Poirot. In the waiting room, Poirot encounters a man who looks like he could commit murder. Poirot does not go looking for murder cases but somehow they always find him. Sure enough, a few hours later Inspector Japp telephones Poirot to tell him that Dr Morley has committed suicide. He does not seem the type, and before he arrives back at the office to assist Japp with the case, Poirot suspects murder. Japp would love for it to be a simple case of suicide because then Scotland Yard would not have another case on its hands. Poirot knows, and he is rarely wrong. The dentist was an even keeled person, and too many people were involved for this to be a simple black and white case. Poirot acknowledges that every person in the building - patients, employees, and house staff need to be interviewed. As he suspected, this is not a case that is as simple as black and white.

As with many cases, two additional people are murdered. Poirot warns people throughout his interviews that they may be in grave danger. This case takes place later in Christie’s career. In these post war years, a conservative government rules England along with an equally conservative bank. When England is governed along those lines, Poirot notes that all seems to be well. A younger group of people are not as convinced that all is well in England. The symbol of the old guard is the banking head Alistair Bunk who has shrewdly invested both his and the nation’s money. Young people would like a new party in place and stage attempts on Bunk’s life on more than one occasion. He is also a patient of the late Dr Morley and knows Poirot through the dentist, hiring him to unravel this case. The opposition is not too happy with this partnership and leave crumbs to try to trip up Poirot, who doesn’t take the bait. Christie also includes usual motifs such as actors in disguise, which come up in many of Poirot’s cases. He notes that none of these current actresses rate the same as the esteemed Vera Rossakoff, the one love of Poirot’s life, who has been noted that he would give up detecting for life with her. Many spies have a love like this, but Poirot has noted that he might be getting old or at least wistful, and, yet, after this case Christie wrote nineteen more featuring the Belgian sleuth. They were her money makers but even with her quality writing, even the best need to pause for thought.

As usual Poirot figured out everything before Insoector Japp, who is left scratching his head. Christie has Poirot reveal everything at the big finish, withholding key information until then so that the reader cannot possibly know whodunit until the end. The only cases where i know ahead of time are rereads, and that is after having reading more than half of Poirot’s cases for many years. This had all the elements of a classic Poirot case even though it came later in the series, including Dame Christie’s opinions on the current state of British affairs. The next time you read a mystery or thriller, whether it is authored by a man or woman, try to think of elements in the narrative that can be traced back to the Queen of Crime. I compare and contrast Inspector Gamache with Poirot all the time and am convinced that he is a descendent, or at least the perfect literary one. My women’s history month might be different this year but as much as things change, they also stay the same. One of them is reading the Queen of Crime on a weekend afternoon and spending time with my favorite Belgian sleuth. That will never get old mon amis.

4 stars

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very confusing plot.

[Ivan Skyba · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Таємниця відірваної пряжки" Аґати Крісті - це, поки, найпотужніший роман авторки з серії розслідувань бельгійського яйцеголового, прочитаних мною.

Тут бабуся Аґата просто неперевершено косить в шпигунський детектив з купою невідомих і мінімальною кількістю сталих. Майстерно вплетені окремі історичні подробиці з життя передвоєнної імперії, які відволікають та грають фарбами.

Також я впевнено можу сказати - тут Пуаро мене вже не бісив. Чому? Бо я не відчував від нього смороду самовпевненості - він здався мені вже не таким індюком, сумнівів було купа, а здогадок, не відповідей, а саме спроб закинути вудочку - вагон і маленька кравчучка.

Також, як це не дивно, в книзі не виявилось кінцівки аля - "я знаю, що вам ніфіга не зрозуміло, але я Пуаро, я все знаю і зараз розкажу". Здогадатися, що тут не так - цілком реально. Достатньо просто уважно читати і відмічати всі деталі. Коли перед очима буде палітра свідчень - я впевнений, що скласти все можна.

Я так не робив, бо читав то на обіді, то в метро. Але у інших є шанс.

"Таємниця відірваної пряжки" Аґати Крісті ставлю "відмінно" - приємно здивувала книга, сподобалась атмосфера, події та кінцівка.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nervous about visiting the dentist, Poirot is relived that he won’t need another check-up for at least 6 months.
So when Inspector Japp later pays Poirot a visit and informs him that he’s dentist Morley has been found dead by a shot through the head, Poirot finds himself at the surgery for the second time that day.

When another of the patients who also had visited the practice that day is found dead with an overdose of anaesthetic, it looks increasingly likely that Morley committed suicide.
But Poirot isn’t so sure...

Another great mysteries by Christie, this is one of the most complex cases that Poirot has to solve.
The various twists as things don’t appear as they seem certainly kept me hooked!
I loved the various clues that Christie sprinkled throughout, it’s so clever the way she was able to tie everything together!

[Zoe Artemis Spencer Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not that impressive, but stil very, very clever.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a long library wait for this book! The previous borrower hung onto it for several weeks past the due date. I had begun to fear it had been ingested by a dog or dipped in the bath or some other mishap!

It always amazes me when people keep Christie books overdue—I always find them quick reads, easily consumed over a day, two if my schedule is hectic. I was intrigued by this title, referencing a rhyme that I learned as a child. And Christie did indeed structure the story around the rhyme, quite ingeniously I thought. Unfortunately, that rendered the tale a little bit stiff and less engaging than some of her more free-form novels. But, as usual, she fooled me regarding the identity of the perpetrator. Unlike some other Poirot stories, where the detective is willing to let the murderer go free, Poirot feels it necessary to turn this one over to the authorities. Take that for killing his dentist!

I was also interested to see Poirot remember fondly a certain aristocratic Russian woman from his past. Who knew that Poirot had an Irene-Adler-like figure in his life! I have often speculated about why Christie made him such a confirmed bachelor. Perhaps the great detectives like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot cannot divide their attentions between crime and romance, but that is sad for them.

So, I made it just under the wire, getting the January Christie done just before month's end. The February book is already waiting for me at the library, so no drama next month.

[Lefthandedbibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me, although this time I tried the audio version...somehow the story felt a bit outlandish to me, it was all going well but revelations at the end felt a bit too contrived...a little improbable. IDK, wasn't that impressed the second time around.

[Repellent Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Siempre es un placer sumergirme en un nuevo caso de Christie, ya sea de Poirot, como es el caso, de Miss Marple o de cualquier otro. Aunque hay niveles diferentes dentro de sus libros, y La muerte visita al dentista se ha quedado entre los "menos buenos".

Poirot va al dentista para hacer su revisión semestral, y poco tiempo después el dentista aparecerá muerto. Con esta premisa de las más interesantes, a priori, comienza la novela. Me gustó ver ese aspecto inseguro y más humano de Poirot teniendo miedo de ir al dentista. Algo comprensible.

Pero nuevamente me encuentro con un final que era imposible descubrir, y no me gusta tanto cuando Agatha es tramposa y juega a que solo ella sepa el final. Me gusta más cuando es como un juego y las cartas y las pistas están sobre la mesa y cualquiera puede hacer su apuesta. Pero bueno, se lo perdono porque la disfruto siempre mucho.

[Phantasmagoric · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Status: more in love with Hercule Poirot & more in love with details..
Shelved as: Favs Mystery Novels💓

That was actually a great book!!

I really give it to Agatha this time; too, as well as to Poirot lol
*بُوارو الذي تقرْيباٌ لا يُحِبُّه أحد*

The importance that was given to details in this book, was incredible.. It's in fact the thread that led Mr Poirot to the identity of the killer.

This time too, I tried to follow Poirot's way in solving crimes lol, I kinda made my own guess on who the killer might be & tbh I was pretty close.

I started my reading challenge with a work of Agatha Christie & finished it with a work of hers too xD
I might add other books to my challenge later,
but for now I have actually accomplished my goal of reading for this year wohoo !!

20/20 <3

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

“He is no longer the wolf,” thought Poirot. “No, he has put on the sheep’s clothing. But underneath? I wonder….”

As I started reading this book I was not sure if it would be as enjoyable as many of the other Poirot stories I have read ... The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The A.B.C. Murders, etc. It seemed to have an espionage bent but regardless Dame Agatha does not disappoint.

The story opens with Hercule Poirot doing what many of us dread. Going to the dentist. While in the waiting room he is not in the happiest of moods. He even imagines that one of the other patients in the waiting room looks like a murderer. When he leaves the dentist, Mr. Morley (I notice Agatha Christie does not use the title "Dr.", his mood has improved and he reflects the patient he saw earlier was not a murderer but simply must have a toothache.

“No, my friend, I am not drunk. I have just been to the dentist, and need not return for another six months! Is it not the most beautiful thought?"

A few hours later Poirot receives a call from his friend, Inspector Japp. Mr. Morley is dead. He has been shot. Can Poirot come to Morley's office? Japp and Poirot investigate the scene of the death. They interview Morley's staff and the patients he saw that day. The authorities believe Morley committed suicide. Poirot is not convinced. Other deaths soon follow. Where the authorities see suicide and accidents Poirot sees murder:

“Japp said curiously: “What are you trying to do–make the thing more difficult?”
[Poirot:] “Exactly that.”

While this may not have been my favorite Poirot story it was still highly enjoyable. There is nothing like sitting down with a Agatha Christie mystery and trying to figure out who the murderer is. Usually I am surprised ... as I was with this story. The ending was unexpected and neatly explained the connection between the murders. She shows why she is the "Queen of Mystery".

[Veronique · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Very good Poirot story. I can just imagine Agatha going to the dentist and seeing everyone around her cringing just at the thought of what is coming next, and thinking "this is the perfect place" and 'what if...?" The result is a fiendish murder, brilliantly choreographed. She also turned certain aspects around to great effect.

Once more, Christie used nursery rhymes as inspiration and it seems, to structure her story too. Such a weird idea and yet it works extremely well.

One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Knock at the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight:
Nine, ten,
A big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids a-waiting
Nineteen, twenty,
My plate's empty.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't hate going to the dentist, at least, not like Poirot does. And that's where this book's murder takes place. Poirot follows a variety of clues and misdirections surrounding the death of his dentist, Mr. Morley. There are numerous conflicting details, and Poirot being Poirot, eventually finds his way through all the mess to the baddie. Who turned out to be someone I wasn't expecting. I like it when Christie surprises me.