Sophie Hannah Archives

Book review: The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah

October 5, 20252 min read

The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah is the latest release in the reimagined world of Hercule Poirot – made famous of course by Agatha Christie… who killed him off in Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case. As a result these are set earlier in his career and here he’s partnering with Inspector Edward Catchpool. Incidentally I did wonder if Hannah has to scour Christie’s novels to make sure Dame Agatha hadn’t already had Poirot on a case on NYE 1932/22 or in another location that would preclude him being on a Greek Island as 1933 dawned.

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Book review: No One Would Do What The Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah

June 23, 20253 min read

No One Would Do What The Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah is a hard book to review. Firstly it’s a book within a book. A cop purportedly finds a box containing a manuscript. It was out of order he tells his boss, but he puts it together and discovers it’s about a recent tragedy in the community. One the cop and his boss thought was resolved. However, the manuscript raises a number of questions.

At its most simple, it’s about two neighbouring families – the Lamberts and the Gaveys. Not even warring families, though we learn the daughters didn’t get along. It kicks off with a police officer knocking on the door of the Lamberts following an accusation that the Lamberts’s dog – Champ – has bitten the Gavey’s daughter (Tess).

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Book review: The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah

August 20, 20202 min read

I’ve talked before about discovering Agatha Christie in my teens. I snapped up faded copies of her books from second hand stores when home from University and devoured them. They’re books I’ve kept and—when I had hour-long* baths—were the perfect bath-reading fodder as I could easily read the exploits of Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot in a sitting.

I was excited when it was announced that Sophie Hannah would be reviving Poirot. The Killings at Kingfisher Hill is the fourth book following Poirot’s resurrection. I commented in my review of Closed Casket that Hannah has a different style to Christie… the books are much longer, the crimes more complex and Poirot feels more verbose but it’s wonderful to be reunited.

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Book review: Haven’t They Grown by Sophie Hannah

January 30, 20202 min read

What I really liked about this book by Sophie Hannah is that though the lead character Beth sees something completely impossible, she’s conscious of its improbability and considers alternatives despite being sure she’s not mistaken. And of course, given my logic-loving ways…. I also liked that Hannah steers clear of the fantastic and (eventually) the inexplicable as we unpick the mystery.

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Book review: Did You See Melody by Sophie Hannah

August 22, 20173 min read

This latest release by Sophie Hannah reminded me of my cozy fiction days. In many ways, our lead character Cara and another resort guest (Tarin) are Miss Marplesque characters. Though perhaps more like Agatha Raisin. Or Phrynne Fisher (‘Lady Detective’).

I must admit, I was rather taken with Tarin (and Zellie) Fry in particular, and wouldn’t mind meeting them again. I suspect Cara’s story is done, but Tarin would hold some allure for future books in a series. (Akin perhaps to Mary Higgins Clark’s lottery winners, Alvirah and Willy Meehan, who often feature – even in secondary roles – in her novels.)

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Book review: Closed Casket by Sophie Hannah

September 15, 20162 min read

I need to confess that I had no idea Sophie Hannah had revitalised Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective and his little grey cells until this book appeared on a listing. It was only then I discovered Hannah had previously released The Monogram Murders, featuring Hercule Poirot, in 2014 – almost 40 years after the passing of Dame Agatha.

I adore Agatha Christie. I’ve read all of her books a million times. At least. Once upon a time I used to call them my bath books as I could read a novel in the bath in an hour. (Which was before I sat in the bath for hours on end reading!)

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Book review: The Narrow Bed by Sophie Hannah

February 18, 20162 min read

British author and poet Sophie Hannah is hugely popular. Indeed her work’s won a myriad of awards and been adapted for television. And she’s prolific, writing crime fiction, psychological suspense, children’s literature and poetry.

I’m a relative newcomer to her work, having (only) read her standalone thriller, A Game for all the Family and the predecessor to her latest release, The Narrow Bed. And I have to admit… I’m still a little undecided about the extent of my own thrall….

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