I’ve been reading Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot series in publication order (currently on book 15), and until now it’s been a fantastic journey. Even the less impressive ones (The Big Four, for example) still had something enjoyable going on, whether it was the experimental tone or just Poirot being Poirot.
But Murder in Mesopotamia? Man, that one was rough. It felt like a slog from the start. There are way too many characters introduced way too quickly, and the narrator—a nurse—just didn’t click with me. I admire Christie’s ability to write from different perspectives, but this narrator lacked the charm of Hastings, who usually brings warmth and some levity to the storytelling. Instead, the nurse’s voice felt kind of flat, and it made the already-dry setting of an archaeological dig feel even duller. Which is a shame! That setting should’ve been exciting.
It also takes 13 chapters to finally get Poirot on the scene. I kept flipping pages like, “Where is he??” Once he does show up, the story definitely picks up, but even then it leads to a climax that, without spoiling anything, just felt too ridiculous to take seriously. I love a good twist, but this one stretched my suspension of disbelief a little too far.
That said, I’m not deterred. I cracked open Cards on the Table last night and nearly finished it in one sitting—it’s that good. So here’s hoping Mesopotamia was just a bump in the road.
Has anyone else found this one disappointing, or am I in the minority here?
by samx3i
1 Comment
The Big Four is the worst of the Poirots. A real clunker!
As for MiM, Agatha Christie loved her time in archaeology digs and perhaps this clouded her perception of what would be of interest to readers.