Gregor

A good read for gaining perspective on the modern Western diet. Whilst I do not agree with all of the author's suggestions, such as including alcohol in your diet, most of the advice is good, common sense which is sorely lacking in today's landscape.

This novelisation was my first experience of Black Coffee, having never read or seen the original play by Agatha Christie. The tone is spot on throughout, however the plot itself felt middling compared to earlier Poirot stories. A strong ending is enough to lift this whodunnit a little higher in my estimation but it is not a top-tier Poirot mystery for me.

Not the strongest Poirot adventure, but still an enjoyable read. I found there to be a few too many characters, many lacking in development to the point of being easily forgotten. Furthermore, the victim is not particularly sympathetic which makes this less of a page-turner. On a more positive note, the setting of a train is an excellent backdrop for a murder mystery and there is some intrigue around different compartments and who left the train at what time. All in all, a weak Poirot novel but still one I am glad to have read.

A change in style from previous Poirot adventures, but not a good one in my eyes. This book feels very disjointed, which is not a surprise when you discover that it was originally twelve distinct short stories that were later cobbled together to form one novel. The grander scale is an interesting change of pace, and Poirot's fallibility is appreciated, but that is not enough to warrant a high rating for a novel that even Christie herself thought was poor.

A classic for good reason, although it probably would have had more impact had I read it at a younger age. The novel is certainly of its time, with its racial epithets and unflattering depictions of Native Americans, but it is nonetheless a charming picaresque novel and I can see why it has endured.