REVIEW - The Hollow

 The Hollow
Author: Agatha Christie

This Poirot mystery was first serialized in magazines in the US and UK in 1946. It was published in novel form that same year. It also appeared under the title Murder After Hours in 1954 (Dell books).

I read my old paperback copy from 1986 and listened to an audio book version (HarperAudio, 2012, narrated by Hugh Fraser, 7 hrs 15 minutes).  

This is my first reading of this book. I've had the old paperback on my Christie shelf for years, but never got around to actually reading the story.  

 This story is truly classic Christie. A gathering at a country house. People with secrets. And, one of the party ends up dead. Luckily, Hercule Poirot is there to investigate. You would think Poirot would start turning down invitations to country weekends with upper crusties....they always bump someone off and expect him to clean up the mess! He can't even go on vacation or take some time away from the city without someone being killed! 

 I had to sit and think over the ending of this book. Agatha Christie was just a genius when it comes to weaving a great mystery. I did not see the end coming. So interesting, creative and different! Overall, this was a very enjoyable Poirot investigation!  

Adaptations: 

Stage Play: Agatha Christie adapted The Hollow into a play in 1951, but removed Poirot from the story. The play was highly successful. The script is included in a collection of Christie's plays -- The Mousetrap and Other Plays. I will review the book at a later date. :) 

Kiken na onnatachi - Japanese film adaptation from 1985.  

Agatha Christie's Poirot: The long-running television series with David Suchet as Poirot did an episode based on the book in Season 9 (Episode 4). Minor character changes were made, but otherwise the episode follows the book pretty closely. Very well done! 

Le Grand Alibi - French movie released in 2008. I tried to find this movie, but it was just not available for me. I desperately need a VPN. Amazon has it, but it has the dreaded "not available in your region" message for me. 

Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie: This French television show adapted this story in 2021. The setting is moved to France. The characters are all changed, and the time period is the 1970s. I found this episode on Kanopy. The season is titled Agatha Christie's Criminal Games - The 1970s in the US. And, thankfully it is subtitled in English! Interesting changes in the plot. The doctor is a plastic surgeon. Enjoyable episode with lots of comedy elements added. The 1970s vibe was an interesting addition. But, the story is so fundamentally changed that it really isn't the same story anymore. Still an enjoyable watch! 

Moving on! Old, damaged paperback sent to the recycle bin. Next up in my Christie reading journey is The Labors of Hercules, a short story collection!