Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
SYNoPSIS
Poirot and Hastings are back at Styles Court, now a guest house - they are old men with Poirot confined to a wheel chair and Hastings now a widow. When Poirot confides to Hastings that one of their fellow guests is a serial killer one might be forgiven for thinking the old detective is finally loosing the powers of his little grey cells but sure enough Poirot is still constantly in the habit of being right...
poirot
This is the final Poirot novel but we see him happily reunited in this novel with his old friend Hastings whom he last appeared with in Dumb Witness, over 35 years ago!
when to read
Just like the first novel 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' it is set in the English summer time - a time of iced tea, pimms, and strawberries with ice-cream.
murder mystery
Murder mystery - country house killing.
england
We return to 'Styles Court' in Essex for the last Poirot novel - book ending his appearances by repeating the setting.
Publishing info
Although written over fourty years earlier, this novel was not published until 1975. It is the 65th mystery novel written by Agatha Christie.
overall rating
5/5
On Screen
Watching Agatha Christie
Curtain by Agatha Christie was filmed as part of the ITV feature length episodes and is Season 13 episode 5 starring David Suchet.
Character List
| Captain Arthur Hastings | Poirot’s friend, father of Judith |
| Curtis | Poirot’s new valet |
| Dr John Franklin | A research chemist |
| Barbara Franklin | Dr Franklin’s invalid wife |
| Judith Hastings | Captain Hasting’s daughter and lab assistant to Dr Franklin |
| Nurse Craven | Barbara Franklin’s nurse |
| Sir William Boyd Carrington | Governor of a province in India |
| Colonel Toby Lutteral | Owner of Styles |
| Mrs Daisy Lutteral | Colonel Toby’s wife and Mistress of Styles |
| Major Allerton | Guest staying at Styles Court, he has a reputation for seducing women despite being married |
| Elizabeth Cole | Guest at styles and sister of Margaret Litchfield who killed their parents and then died while detained in Broadmoor. |
| Stephen Norton | Guest staying at Style Court, a quiet man who enjoys bird watching |
| Georges | Hercule Poirot’s old valet |
| Margaret Litchfield | Deceased sister of Elizabeth Cole who is a guest staying at Styles. |
| Freda Clay | Killed her Aunt, an example case given by Poirot of Xs involvement in previous murders |
SPOILERS BELOW!
Barbara Franklin although intended deaths include: Dr Franklin, Daisy Lutteral and Major Allerton
Barbara Franklin died by her own hand after her attempt to murder her husband fails.
The real murderer is Stephen Norton who influences others to kill. That is why Poirot kills Stephen.
Stephen Norton is a sociopath who enjoys other’s suffering. He induces people to murder and leads Hasting and Colonel Lutteral both to make a would-be attempt. He then looks to implicate Judith and Dr Franklin in the death of Mrs Franklin.
Poirot shoos Norton
Toby Lutteral tries to shoot his wife, Hastings attempts to poison Allerton. Barbara Franklin uses poison – physostigmine sulphate.
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