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The Murder on the Links (Hercule Poirot, #2)

Agatha Christie

Start date: February 1, 2018

Finish date: February 28, 2018

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: A buddy read of the second Hercule Poirot book.
[close] A buddy read of the second Hercule Poirot book.

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What Members Thought

Feb 12, 2008 Nancy Oakes rated it liked it

Shelves: crime-fiction-uk, classic-mystery-fiction, crime-fiction

this one's a 3.5 -- average

It is SO hard for me to read these books and not picture David Suchet as Poirot. While the man is perfect in the role, I hear his voice in my head while I'm reading. Actually, now that I think about it, I can hear the voice of Captain Hastings (played by Hugh Fraser). Going all sidetracky here, I've seen Hugh Fraser in some other British dramas on PBS, and have had to remember he's not playing Hastings in whatever the show is. But...okay, moving right along...

In this this one's a 3.5 -- average

It is SO hard for me to read these books and not picture David Suchet as Poirot. While the man is perfect in the role, I hear his voice in my head while I'm reading. Actually, now that I think about it, I can hear the voice of Captain Hastings (played by Hugh Fraser). Going all sidetracky here, I've seen Hugh Fraser in some other British dramas on PBS, and have had to remember he's not playing Hastings in whatever the show is. But...okay, moving right along...

In this episode, we find the friendly little Belgian detective spending his time rescuing cats and he's fed up. Along comes a letter from one M. Renaud in France, asking for Poirot's help because his life is in danger. Off rush Poirot and his friend and erstwhile sidekick, Captain Hastings. But it's too late...when they arrive at Renaud's villa, Renaud is already dead. While Poirot has no official standing there, he is allowed to help the police, and they'll need it: there are a number of suspects from which to choose. With his usual energy, Poirot has to work fast to prevent the wrong person from going to the guillotine.

This is installment #2 in the Poirot series, and it's easy to see that neither Poirot nor Hastings are in their fully developed selves yet. It's not one of her best but on the other hand, it's still early in the series. Originally written in 1923, the language is a bit stilted at times, and Poirot is a bit more long-winded than he will turn out to be later. A lot of this novel is based on coincidence, but you can sort of overlook it because it's interesting to see how Poirot uses zee little grey cells. However, a couple of plot twists will keep you guessing right up until the end so it's a good enough mystery and will keep readers turning pages.

Recommended definitely for Christie (and Poirot) fans; readers of golden-age mysteries will enjoy this and readers of British mysteries in general will probably have fun with it. Overall...an average story from a great writer. ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Tracey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

I can't stand Arthur Hastings. I never loved fussy Poirot with his mustache and his LGC's, so I fully expected to be annoyed by him – but by the end of this book I was longing to slip into an alternate universe in which Hastings became the next murder victim. I assume he's supposed to be an ass (see what I did there?), but good grief, he's an overachiever.

Case in point: "Now I am old-fashioned. A woman, I consider, should be womanly. I have no patience with the modern neurotic girl who jazzes f I can't stand Arthur Hastings. I never loved fussy Poirot with his mustache and his LGC's, so I fully expected to be annoyed by him – but by the end of this book I was longing to slip into an alternate universe in which Hastings became the next murder victim. I assume he's supposed to be an ass (see what I did there?), but good grief, he's an overachiever.

Case in point: "Now I am old-fashioned. A woman, I consider, should be womanly. I have no patience with the modern neurotic girl who jazzes from morning till night, smokes like a chimney, and uses language which would make a Billingsgate fishwoman blush!" My ladylike response to this in a Kindle note was "Bite me, Hastings."

Also, anyone who can say "My blood literally froze at the sight" - twice - instantaneously loses any lingering respect I might have had. Literally.

There are just a number of oddities in the writing, which I didn't expect from Christie. Like: "'One can see by his face that he was stabbed in the back,' remarked Poirot." That still makes me smile. Honestly, the whole bent of the mystery just seemed silly, and had me making snide or incredulous notes throughout. In the end, Poirot was so arrogant, and Hastings such a moron, and the plot so ludicrous I was left feeling like I was reading some pastiche instead of the genuine Christie.

Something interesting that did pop up:

I believe that a well-known anecdote exists to the effect that a young writer, determined to make the commencement of his story forcible and original enough to catch and rivet the attention of the most blasé of editors, penned the following sentence: '"Hell!" said the Duchess.'

- I assumed that was a reference to Lord Peter; the very first line of his very first appearance is '"Oh, damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus.' But there actually is a book by Michael Arlen – called, in fact, "Hell!" Said the Duchess. I wonder, though: "Hell" came out in 1934, and Whose Body? In 1923 – was "hell" a response to Peter's "Damn!"? ...more

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Feb 10, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series, british, mysteries-thrillers-espionage, fiction, 2017read, reviewed, fiction-1920s

Hercule Poirot receives a letter from French tycoon Monsieur Paul Renauld begging him to come to his Villa Genevieve in Merlinville-sur-Mer on the north coast of France as he fears his life is in danger. When Poirot and Hastings arrive at his French Villa, they find Renauld has been murdered - stabbed in the back - and left in an open pit on the golf course adjoining his property. Poirot stays to investigate. However, he has some competition from the arrogant and famous Monsieur Giraud of the Sû ...more

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Sep 11, 2018 Carol Evans rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

In The Murder on the Links, Poirot receives a letter calling him to the aid of a millionaire in France, frightened for his life because of a ‘secret’ he possesses. Poirot, with Hastings, immediately leave England, only to find on arrival that Monsieur Renauld has already been killed and his body found on the golf course next door. The plot is pretty convoluted. As you can see from the blurb, there are two murders, not necessarily committed by the same killer, but maybe they were. We’ve got lover ...more

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Jan 24, 2020 Anna Adams rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christie

Really enjoyed this one. Thought early on that I knew who done it, and then thought I must be wrong. I wasn't, but I enjoyed getting to the truth! ...more

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Dec 03, 2015 Tom rated it did not like it

I listened to the audiobook. So most of the book takes place in France. Poirot is Belgian and speaks French. When he speaks to a French police detective they speak in English, which is the language in which Christie wrote. But the narrator of the audiobook gives their English a thick French accent, which is really silly and annoying because they are probably are speaking in French. Yeah, when Poirot speaks to his English buddy, the narrator of the book, he speaks in his simpering French accent. ...more

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Mar 04, 2009 Laura Anne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, france

2025 Series Re-read: I very much enjoyed this puzzle and plot. I only wish we saw more of a certain character to make the love story plausible. (view spoiler) ...more

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