Christie's "Hercule Poirot" series revived--

Agatha Christie
(photo from Google.com)

To gain new life, an agreeable family estate may give permission for a new author to write new books about a character created by a deceased family member.  Apparently in the world of fiction, it makes no sense to permanently kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.  And that is the case for crime legend writer Agatha Christie.  Her brilliant retired detective Hercule Poirot is resurrected from the 1970's to return in print last year in The Monogram Murders.   The book is the March book club selection.

The new writer of the detective series is now Sophie Hannah and our library's online catalog features the following under Author Notes & Sketches (about her): Sophie Hannah was born in 1971 in Manchester, England. She is a bestselling, award-winning poet. Hannah went to the University of Manchester and published her first book of poems, The Hero and the Girl Next Door, at the age of 24. In 2004 she won first prize in the Daphne Du Maurier Festival Short Story Competition for her psychological suspense story, The Octopus Nest. Hannah was recently chosen by Agatha Christie's estate to resurrect her beloved detective, Hercule Poirot. Her subsequent novel, The Monogram Murders, was published in 2014. (Bowker Author Biography)

Sophie Hannah
(photo from Google.com)

Now, clearly the name recognition has to go the writer that the greater public knows so Agatha Christie's name covers the new mystery book cover in the same font you'd find on the official website of Ms. Christie.  Ms. Hannah is the new work horse for series and she'll be bound to be quite busy--with her writings and about "Poirot" for the foreseeable future.   

Writing a good mystery...!

Following a recent book club, one attendee asked me if perhaps it seems our group is more harsh in our criticism of books than others. This came after another book discussion of book which took its share of lumps courtesy of our pointed opinions.

Sometimes I think we stick it rather hard with our critiques of the monthly mysteries but there is no true reason to meet and to gloss over a disappointing read. And we should share our opinions, some might have a completely different take on a book or an issue in it and the group as a whole benefits from that insight.

So, to get back to the question, I said I can't compare this book club to others as I only attend the one. However, another person who heard the question said she attends two other book clubs and remarked that "no" our book club is not any more harsher than those in critiques and comments.

Some common complaints include a mystery book with a minor mystery theme, a story which has trouble with continuality within the novel (or a book series), and a disappointing sense of atmosphere in the story whereas the novel could appear to take place anywhere and not where its set.

Of course there are formulas to making a successful mystery story and those formulas get slifted to degrees to mix it up and to keep things fresh. Mystery fiction can have the most unlikeliest of detectives and stories taking place half way around the world--the readers just want a worthy (if not just reasonable) and worthwhile effort for their reading investment.

So what is said at your book club?