Rather standard Agatha Christie, but it is a compelling mystery, and a quick read. None of her standard detectives are present, but Poirot is mentioned by the inspector involved in the case, almost as if invoking his name led him to the solution. Unlike many of her works, the murder victim is likable; the obvious motive would be wealth. In the end, that wasn't the motive, and she does give you a number of clues that can help you identify the killer, but most of them can point to multiple people. It is one of the few of her books where I did not identify the correct killer before the reveal. ( )

Another mystery with a surprise murderer. No, Hercule Poirot does not enter this case, but Superintendent Battle channels Poirot’s psychological reasons to find the correct murderer. An old, invalid woman invites friends and relatives to her house for a month in September. An old barrister, Mr. Treves, attends the event, but dies soon from his bad heart. He had to walk up the stairs as the chair lift was not working. No one thinks anything foul has happened. Not long after this, the old lady, Lady Tressilian’s life ends in a brutal murder. The first clues point to her heir, Nevile Strange. But what is his motive, as he does not need Lady Tressilian’s money or home. Battle and the local police search for clues and the killer, but an unlikely man, Angus MacWhirter, assists in bringing justice for the murders. Again, a brilliant story of revenge is a dish better served cold. ( )

Bastante normalito, trama muy muy justita ( )

«Me gustan las buenas historias de detectives, ¡pero estas siempre comienzan en el lugar equivocado! Comienzan con el asesinato. Pero el asesinato es el final. La historia empieza mucho antes de eso.» Así hablaba el eminente criminólogo Treves. Y tales palabras nunca han sido más justas, cuando se trata del psicópata asesino que acecha en el tranquilo poblado a orillas del río Tern. ¿A quién pretende matar? ¿Cuáles son sus motivos? Y por último ¿cómo y cuándo llegará al punto del asesinato, el punto cero? En esta ingeniosa obra de Agatha Christie, el misterio se centra en la patológica mente que planea el crimen, mientras un grupo de amigos pasan un agradable fin de semana juntos, sin ser conscientes de que se trata del último de sus vidas...

Satisfying murder but the solve is excessively convenient, even for Christie. ( )