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Lord Edgware Dies (Hercule Poirot, #9)

Agatha Christie

Start date: November 1, 2018

Finish date: November 30, 2018

Discussion: Archive: Poirot Buddy Reads

Why we're reading this: The latest in our Poirot buddy reads.
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What Members Thought

Oct 19, 2018 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

American actress, Jane Wilkinson, Lady Edgware, approaches Poirot, asking him to help her obtain a divorce from her cold, estranged husband. However, when Poirot, and Hastings, go to see Lord Edgware, he seems to have no issue with divorcing her. It seems that Jane Wilkinson, after all, will have her freedom and then the probable becomes the definite, when Lord Edgware is found dead.

This is not my favourite Poirot novel, although it is always delightful to have Hastings and Japp both involved i ...more

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Dec 19, 2020 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, vintage-mystery, bought-2014, british-mystery, mount-tbr-2020, agatha-christie

While Poirot and Hastings are attending a performance of the impressionist, Carlotta Adams, the renowned actress Jane Wilkinson (aka Lady Edgware) approaches Poirot. It seems the lady would like very much to divorce her current husband so she can marry the wealthy Duke of Merton (and move even further up the social ladder). Ms. Wilkinson is used to getting her way and can't stand the fact that her husband is being so obstructive and refusing to grant the divorce. In fact, if Monsieur Poirot cann While Poirot and Hastings are attending a performance of the impressionist, Carlotta Adams, the renowned actress Jane Wilkinson (aka Lady Edgware) approaches Poirot. It seems the lady would like very much to divorce her current husband so she can marry the wealthy Duke of Merton (and move even further up the social ladder). Ms. Wilkinson is used to getting her way and can't stand the fact that her husband is being so obstructive and refusing to grant the divorce. In fact, if Monsieur Poirot cannot convince him to divorce her, then she'll just have to jump in a taxi, drive up to the house, and kill him.

Despite the fact that Poirot does not usually dabble in divorce cases of any sort, he is intrigued and surprises Hastings by agreeing to visit Lord Edgware. But they both get a bit of a shock when Edgware declares that he can't understand what they're talking about--he's written to his wife telling her quite plainly that she's welcome to her divorce. Poirot senses that there is something peculiar going on even after he tells the delighted actress that all should be smooth sailing in the divorce department. He's proved right the next day when Inspector Japp tells him that Lord Edware has been murdered and both the butler and secretary declare that Lady Edgware did it.

It appears that a woman announcing herself as Lady Edgware arrived at the house, went into the library to speak with her husband, and left. Lord Edgware was discovered the next morning stabbed to death. Japp isn't worried about the case at all except for one small fact--he's been told that Poirot visited the dead man the day before his death and Japp wants to know just what's up. Well, he's a bit deflated to hear that Lady Edware's motive isn't nearly as strong--after all, she was going to get her divorce. But--still you can't deny the evidence of witnesses, now can you?

But then...he finds out that there's a roomful of witnesses prepared to swear that Jane Wilkinson spent the evening at a dinner party held at the home of Sir Montagu Corner. She never left the dinner table once except when she was briefly called to the phone for what seems to have been a prank phone call. So other suspects must be found. Lord Edware wasn't a particularly nice man--his daughter admits to hating him; he had thrown his nephew (and now the new Lord Edware) out of the house and cut off his allowance; and the butler and a sum of money recently withdrawn by the lord have now disappeared.

Poirot suddenly remembers Carlotta Adams and her very successful impersonation of Jane Wilkinson and becomes worried for her safety. He and Hastings rush to her rooming house, but are too late. Carlotta Adams is also dead from an apparent overdose of veronal. Somebody got Carlotta to impersonate Lady Edgware--but who? And whose hand held the knife that killed Lady Edware's husband? Poirot poses five questions that must be answered before he'll be able to identify the killer and he almost forgets about them when it looks like he finds the culprit by another means. Japp is happy with the initial solution, but Poirot is not and he goes back to his five questions once more.

This is a fine use of one of Dame Agatha's favorite ploys--impersonation. And getting to the bottom of who plotted the impersonation and to just what use it is put is the whole point and the fun of the thing. Of course, I've read this one before and have seen the Suchet version of it more recently, so I really wasn't fooled by the red herrings and distractions that Christie puts in the reader's way, but it was still enjoyable to watch her try. Christie is one of my many comfort reads and I am having a very good time working my way through her work (more or less in publication order).

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. ...more

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Mar 01, 2019 Kavita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: golden-age-mystery, uk, mystery

Lord Edgware dies. Yeah, not a spoiler, that! Only thing is that his estranged wife, Jane Wilkinson, has been threatening to murder him in everyone's hearing, including Poirot's. But the woman has an airtight alibi. And when the hard-up nephew's suspicious antics come out, it appears as if a good suspect is readily available. But Poirot is not easily satisfied. When a second murder takes place, the case becomes more complicated than poor Japp could handle.

I love this book. The layers and red her ...more

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Mar 12, 2021 Grisette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-kind-of-detective-thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2012 Amy rated it liked it

I love all of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple books but Hercule Poirot is not clicking with me. The Hastings character bothers me too - what is his point in all this. As far as I can tell he follows Poirot around and looks stupid. If someone can explain why I should love Poirot I would appreciate it. ...more

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May 08, 2016 Christine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller-suspense, british-literature, author-agatha-christie, read-in-2016, golden-oldie, rlftci2016

This was the best Hercule Poirot book I've read so far.

AC kept me guessing until the end, there were so many twists and turns, I loved it. ((view spoiler) ...more

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