From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives

Five Little Pigs
by
Start date
January 1, 2020
Finish date
January 31, 2020
Discussion
Archive: Poirot Buddy Reads
Why we're reading this
Next in our continuing series of Poirot buddy reads in order.

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last updated Dec 27, 2020 08:20AM
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last updated Feb 05, 2021 06:12PM
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What Members Thought

Robin
Jan 16, 2012 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: mystery, re-read
3.5 Stars. Not one of my favorite Christie mysteries starring Hercule Poirot, but still really good.

(Note: I gather that some editions were published with the title "Five Little Pigs", but my copy is "Murder in Retrospect", which I think more accurately describes the story.)

Poirot is intrigued to investigate a murder which occurred 16 years previously. Carla Lamarchant knows her mother did not kill her father, though she was tried and convicted of the crime. So who did? Poirot convinces the othe
...more
Susan in NC
Jan 03, 2020 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
4.5 stars for a new-to-me Poirot, beautifully narrated by Hugh Fraser.

This was a fascinating premise - Poirot is visited by a young woman with an interesting case. Her mother, Caroline, was accused of poisoning her father, Amyas Crale, a famous artist, 16 years ago. Her mother has since died - she was convicted, but the jury recommended mercy, so she avoided hanging. She left behind a letter to her young daughter protesting her innocence; the young woman now wants to marry, but her fiancé is con
...more
Bronwyn
When both All About Agatha and Shedunnit rank this Christie so highly, you have to finally read it. It definitely lived up to the praise. It’s really tightly done, nothing is wasted. I loved that the crime was so long in the past. Poirot was so good here, doing what he does best. The ending was a bit underwhelming, but that’s it.
Nanosynergy
Sixteen years earlier, Caroline Crale was tried and convicted of poisoning her husband. Caroline's young daughter is sent out of the area to live with another family and her name is changed. However, before her death, Caroline sent a letter to her daughter from prison stating she is innocent. The now adult daughter, wanting the truth, asks Poirot to investigate. Although it is sixteen years later and her mother is dead, all the others involved are still living. Poirot agrees to investigate, inte ...more
Marcella
"Oh yes, I know. That’s always the excuse nowadays. An artist! An excuse for every kind of loose living, for drunkenness, for brawling, for infidelity."

"Can we separate the art from the artist?" as a debate has clearly been around since at least the 1940s.
...more
Laura Anne
May 01, 2013 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Even though the book is built around five people telling the same story over and over again, Christie's gift for bestowing each character with a unique voice ensures the story never becomes tedious. ...more
Jenn Estepp
Nov 04, 2007 rated it liked it
Robin
Aug 13, 2008 rated it really liked it
Becky
Jan 17, 2011 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Marianne
Jun 11, 2011 rated it it was amazing
Peggy
Apr 24, 2012 rated it it was ok
Louise Culmer
Aug 06, 2015 rated it liked it
Christine
Dec 06, 2015 rated it liked it
Sarah
Aug 02, 2016 rated it it was ok
Michelle
Jun 10, 2017 rated it really liked it
Tracey
Feb 10, 2018 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: audio, mystery
Seth
Jul 07, 2018 rated it it was amazing
Jan C
Aug 06, 2018 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: tbr-kindle
Lis
May 31, 2019 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: mystery-thriller
Judy
Jan 15, 2020 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Karigan
Dec 22, 2020 marked it as to-read
Tamara
Jul 05, 2022 rated it really liked it
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