51MI0zLaJeLSynopsis: “As instructed, stenographer Sheila Webb let herself into the house at 19 Wilbraham Crescent. It was then that she made a grisly discovery: the body of a dead man sprawled across the living-room floor.

What intrigued Poirot about the case was the time factor. Although in a state of shock, Sheila clearly remembered having heard a cuckoo clock strike 3.00. Yet, the four other clocks in the living room all showed the time as 4.13. Even more strange: only one of these clocks belonged to the owner of the house.”

 

My Review

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was a very good mystery even though Poirot doesn’t appear in it much, and when he does he’s quite grumpy, not his usual self at all. Also there’s no sign of Hastings as he’s still in South America.

Part of the book is told by Colin Lamb who was in the area for another reason. He gets involved by accident and works alongside Inspector Hardcastle, as they know each other very well.

I loved the mystery and worked out some of it, but didn’t have a clue about the  whodunnit.

This book was published in 1963 so it’s one of Agatha Christie’s later books. I could tell it was set in a different era as there was mention of the Common Market (aka the EEC) a phrase I’ve not heard for a long time. Also whilst looking for a helpful neighbour Colin Lamb laments that all the elderly ladies are now living in nursing homes, and no longer sitting at home noticing all the goings on outside their windows, so no Miss Marple type characters around to help.

Highly recommended if you enjoy cosy mysteries.