It’s December 1931, several weeks before Christmas, and Hercule Poirot and his friend, Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard, are planning to spend their Christmas together and debating turkey or duck for lunch when a surprise visitor arrives with a problem she is certain only Hercule Poirot can solve.

Back in September, Stanley Niven, a man everyone describes as perpetually happy, with no enemies in the world, was murdered in a local hospital. The police have gotten nowhere, and a woman by the name of Vivienne Laurier is certain that her husband, Arnold, will be the next victim. Arnold is terminally ill with a rare cancer and has decided he would prefer not to die in his home, and plans to transfer to the hospital immediately after Christmas. Vivienne insists that if Arnold goes to the hospital he will be murdered and that he must stay home. To help soothe her concerns, her dear friend, Cynthia, suggests bringing in Hercule Poirot to catch the murderer before Arnold moves to the hospital.

Catchpool is not at all interested in going to Norfolk for the holidays, but Poirot insures him they will solve the murder in a matter of days and be home before Christmas lunch. Poirot himself is none too happy to be going to a chilly English country house, but for some reason this murder has captured his interest.

The house is worse than expected, drafty and understaffed and apparently in danger of falling into the sea within a couple of years. The food is grey and cold when it reaches the table because it is prepared by a woman who resents being treated as household help when she is in reality an in-law of the Laurier’s. The family is said to have a great deal of money, but Arnold Laurier is exceptionally frugal because he wants to leave the money to his sons. However, what interests Poirot is the underlying and sometimes overt hostility that exists between the residents of the house. Fairly quickly, Poirot agrees with Vivienne Laurier, that indeed her husband may be in danger.

My Thoughts

This book was amazing!

The mystery absolutely had the complexity that I expect from an Agatha Christie. There were clues, motives, red herrings, and twists and turns in abundance alongside a nicely sized suspect pool. The solution was plausible, well-explained, and left no loose ends. I hadn’t been able to establish out who, how or why, so this book kept me guessing. Sophie Hannah nailed it! It was mystery perfection.

It is now Hannah’s fifth book with Poirot and she has thoroughly captured his mannerisms and speech patterns. I confess that I don’t love Catchpool as a replacement for Hastings, but that’s nitpicking. He is a perfect companion for Poirot and perhaps has slightly better grey cells than poor Capt. Hastings.

It had just enough Christmas detail to make it feel like it was Christmas time, but it was restrained, not over the top, and entirely appropriate to Poirot. Catchpool’s decoration of the trees to elicit information from the families was quite clever.

What Else I Liked

At the end of the book, Poirot and Catchpool debate which of them was right about the motive for the murder. It was a cute little exchange and the last line of the book was pure Poirot.

Poirot’s interactions with the inept Inspector Mackle were exceptionally funny. They also resulted in my favorite lines of the book. After dealing with Mackle for an entire morning, Poirot said to Catchpool, “Proximity to a dull mind removes the lustre from even the brightest intellect. The little grey cells of Hercule Poirot must be protected.”

If somebody gave me this book and told me it was written by Christie, I would be 95% convinced. The mystery, the setting, the dialogue and the characters could easily have been written by the Queen of Crime herself.

What I Didn't Like

There was a bit more personal information from Catchpool than I really needed. I just need him there as someone to pass information back and forth with Poirot. I don’t need to know any more about him than that. Agatha Christie never really worried about character growth. She was all about the puzzle. The only real background about characters necessary for me is the information that leads to solving the crime or information that provides misdirection. That said, it did provide a wee bit of humor.

I love Hercule Poirot but I hadn't read Hannah's version of him before. She writes him well and Edward Catchpool is (to me) another version of Hastings with a bit of humor injected into the novel. I appreciated his description of decorating the trees at Frellingsloe and gathering information that way - apparently people are picky about the way Christmas trees are decorated! I also liked that Catchpool's mother is the reason why Edward and Poirot go to Norfolk so close to Christmas (although both men are hoping to solve the crime before the day itself).

A big reason why I enjoy Agatha Christie's books is because usually all the clues are there as you read, and part of the difficulty/fun is determining what's important and what's not (people hide a lot but not all is relevant to whodunnit). In this book, the solution/murderer hinges on a name that the reader doesn't know, so when there's a Big Reveal to the characters, I was left going, huh? I scanned back to make sure I hadn't missed something but it would have been better had that been introduced before, I think it would have had more impact.

Most things are tied up quite nicely, and I can see why Hannah was authorized by the Christie estate to continue the Poirot legacy (or as Mackle say,s, "Prarrow" haha).

Hercule Poirot and Inspector Catchpool work together to solve a murder that has taken place in a hospital. It is a week before Christmas and Poirot wants the case solved so that he can go back home. Unfortunately this is not that easy. Catchpool's mother invites Poirot to spend time at her crumbling mansion while they solve it.

Soon, someone else has to go into the hospital and is afraid to do so until the mystery is solved.

I enjoyed the mystery, the setting and the seasonal atmosphere. A good read

"Silent Night" is a mystery set in 1931 in England. It's the 5th book in the series but the first I've read. It works as a standalone. A Scotland Yard Inspector, Edward Catchpool, takes the place of Hastings and is a competent helper as well as the one who writes about Poirot's cases. Poirot had him gather clues, either giving specific instructions or leaving him to casually pick up information for him, while Poirot asked questions elsewhere. The author has clearly read Agatha Christie's Poirot and even quoted lines from those books. This Poirot was close enough to the original to be acceptable.

This was a clue-based, puzzle mystery which held together logically despite the many twists and plentitude of information (not all of it relevant). As it turned out, Poirot and I grabbed the same clue given at the beginning so it was a matter of my seeing if my suspect could have done it and not getting distracted by others who had a motive. The main characters were engaging. The other characters were quirky and full of family drama. There were only a few uses of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this to fans of complex puzzle mysteries.

It's so exciting to be able to read a new Hercule Poirot book! Sophie Hannah does such a great job writing this series in a way that's similar to Agatha Christie. I loved the mystery in this one and I had no idea who the killer was and how everything would all tie together. It was fun that it took place at Christmas time, and I enjoyed seeing the interesting relationship Catchpool had with his mother. She was quite the woman! Silent Night is a wonderful addition to the series and a fitting homage to Ms. Christie. I hope this series continues as it is such a delight to read new Poirot adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

This is the fifth installment in Sophie Hannah’s Poirot series and in many ways - this one feels most true to Agatha Christie’s style of mystery. There is a seemingly impossible murder at the center of it. A cast of unlikable characters who all have their own motivations and several twists and turns. And when the mystery is solved, it make a lot of sense and the reader and feel all the puzzle pieces were there from the beginning.

As for plot: Poirot and Catchpool are summoned to a country house for Christmas by an unlikely person. When they arrive, they investigate a murder that happened several months ago that is loosely connected to the Laurier family - a wealthy family with many resentments and secrets. Wishing to return to London in time for the Christmas holiday, Poirot and Catchpool race against time to solve the mystery.

For the most part, I enjoyed this novel. I was definitely interested in the mystery and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Poirot and Catchpool again. I have to say that Catchpool has really grown on me since the first novel. I also appreciated that in some ways this story is very closely like Hercule Poirot’s Christmas but instead of an mean spirited character being the victim, one that everyone loves and was generally jolly is the victim.

I have a few minor gripes with the story. There is a plot-line about siblings that never truly gets resolved in a meaningful way. There’s a mystery to it but the questions about it - which even Poirot ponders - are not satisfyingly answered. There were a few stray narratives that seem to be about character development but did very little to advance the plot.

While is not my favorite in the series - for me nothing will top Monogram Murders - it’s an solid addition to Hannah’s Poirot series.

Thank you to William Morrow and Company and Netgalley for this ARC. This review is a reflection of my own opinions and reflections.

This was a fun and exciting new Poirot mystery. Read just like all of Agatha Christie’s work. This was my first book by Sophie Hannah and I throughly enjoyed it! Even though it says book #5 in series, it is not part of a series and can be read out of order. Can’t wait to go pick up the other books by Sophie Hannah. Thank you Sophie Hannah, NetGalley and William Morrow for this arc!

I’ve been hit or miss with the Sophie Hannah Poirot/Catchpool series. I enjoy Hannah’s writing but I have found past entries in the series to be muddied with a convoluted plot and way too many characters. I found a bit of both in this newest, but there was something about this story that kept me reading. I have come to appreciate the relationship between Poirot and Catchpool, and in this instance, Catchpool’s overbearing mother adds an interesting and maddening wrinkle. The end result of this twisty mystery takes some careful reading to keep everything straight, but fans will enjoy it.

“Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night” is a Christmastime Mystery showcasing Poirot and his accomplice, Inspector Catchpool, as they travel to a countryside manor to investigate a recent murder at a hospital. And of course - prevent more deaths from occurring.
I am so glad that Sophie Hannah is bringing Hercule Poirot’s charming character back to life. This story is mysterious, filled with twists and suspicious family dynamics. I recommend this for anyone who likes classic mysteries, Agatha Christie, and of course - Hercule Poirot.

For those who want a little hint to the mystery-
For the first murder, no one is a suspect and no one knows the victim at all. For the second murder, everyone has a possible motive for wanting the victim dead. Read to find out how Hercule Poirot uncovers the same murderer for both of these mysteries!

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you Sophie Hannah for giving us new Hercule Poirot stories to enjoy! I have read all of the these and they are all very good. It is no mean feat to step into the shows of the master of the genre but she does this well. Agatha Christie was my favorite author from my youth and it is wonderful to see Poirot in action again.

In this story, Poirot and Catchpool are bullied into a trip to the sea by Catchpool’s mom during the Christmas season to help solve a murder. Although they would prefer to stay in London, Poirot is intrigued and they go. At the eccentric mansion, Frelly, they meet the Laurier family. The patriarch is deathly ill but determined to solve a crime in his town. Poirot is his idol and he is thrilled for the visit. Why would someone kill Niven, a popular man from the village?

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a much anticipated ARC of this novel which I enjoyed from start to finish. Please keep them coming!

Hercule Poirot's Silent Night is an unusual story. Hercules lives at the Whitehouse Mansions Apartments in London with his valet George. He has a houseguest Edward Catchpool who works at Scotland Yard and is on a three week vacation. His valet George comes in and tells him a Enid Surtees has come to see him. When he sees her it turns out to be Edward's mother, Cynthia Catchpool who Edward seems to try to avoid seeing. She is staying at Frellingsloe House and wants them to come for Christmas and also to help solve the murder of Stanley Niven who was killed while at St. Walston Cottage Hospital on Ward 6. He was in the room next to the room that Arnold Lauriers will be staying in after the first of the year. He has dying of cancer.

Hercule finally agrees to come to Frellingsloe House. The household consists of Arnold and his wife. Vivianne, their sons, Jonathan and Douglas. They are married to sister's Janet and Madeline who hate each other. Their parents, Enid and Terane who are employed as cook and gardner. Two lodgers, Dr. Robert Osgood and curate, Felix Rowcliffe, Dr. Osgood tells Poirot that Vivianne is afraid that if Arnold goes to the hospital that he will also die.

This is where the reader goes on an adventure that is too much to put on paper that I will let the reader enjoy to the surprising end.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins PUblishers for this ARC.

Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah
This is the fifth of Sophie Hannah’s Poirot mysteries. Agatha Christie’s family has posthumously granted her permission to continue her series. Her new sidekick for the Belgian detective is Inspector Catchpool of Scotland Yard. These are fun novels that I enjoy almost as much as Christie’s own books.
Poirot and Catchpool are looking forward to a wonderful dinner and a peaceful holiday. However, they are summoned to the Norfolk coast, by Catchpool’s mother, to solve the mysterious murder of a private hospital patient. She has conspired with her friends at the crumbling coastal mansion, Frellingsloe House. The terminally ill master of Frelly has expressed that his final wish is to solve this murder with his idol, Hercule Poirot.
I enjoyed this new Poirot mystery immensely. Thanks so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC and the opportunity to review Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah.
5 Stars…Pub. Date: October 23, 2023

🤩 Many thanks to @williammorrowbooks @netgalley and @sophiehannahwriter for this advanced copy of the book!
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I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and love Hercule Poirot stories! I also watch the shows on Brit Box. I was very excited to get an advanced copy of this book. It did not disappoint. The atmosphere is set: Fall bleeds into winter, and the suspects gather at a mansion hoping to have famous Hercule Poirot and his trusty companion Edward solve a murder case. I loved how the author set the scene and introduced all the characters/suspects to us. She did a great job fleshing out the various personalities and their relationships. As the plot thickens and the case starts to unfold, I am intrigued by how Hercule could read each person’s body language and hear what is not being said. That’s why he’s so good at cracking the cases! The whodunit element is always my favorite, and when the murderer was revealed at the end, followed by the explanation as to how he discovered that person to be the murderer, I clapped. I loved this story. It kept me engaged from cover to cover.

Sophie Hannah continues her work of writing Hercule Poirot mysteries, a daunting task for anyone familiar with Agatha Christie’s originals. One clever thing is Poirot has a different English sidekick. Now, he’s assisted by Inspector Catchpool, who provides the perspective. When Catchpool’s challenging mother descends on Poirot and Catchpool just before Christmas with an unstoppable determination that they join her on the Norfolk coast to solve a death mystery before another one might occur, neither Catchpool or Poirot are thrilled but undertake the trip regardless. They insist they’ll be back in London before Christmas day but who knows when circumstances will interfere. The cast of characters is strong. and the storyline is intriguing. Ms. Hannah is adept at channeling both Catchpool and Poirot. Another good entry in this new Poirot world.

As a really big Agatha Christie fan (with a particular love for Hercule Poirot) I've read all of the Sophie Hannah Poirot novels as soon as they've come out. They are well-written, well-plotted, and Hannah obviously knows how Poirot should sound, and act, and detect. That said, I always feel a little empty after I've finished reading. I can't put my finger on why this is - these are very good mysteries!

I think that there's a reason that Agatha Christie's books are still popular today and why she still has such a devoted following. She brought something special to her books that can't be replicated, and any continuation novel will always just be pastiche.

The bottom line is that this is a novel that is worth reading, particularly for readers who are not heavily invested in the character of Poirot. It's not Agatha Christie, though.

I enjoy Sophie Hannah's Poirot books as I'm always happy to see more Poirot content in the world. She does a good job with continuing Christie's legacy and breathing new life into the series. I actually liked Silent Night better than any of Hannah's previous takes on Poirot. I liked that it was a countryhouse mystery, which really harkened back to the original Poirot stories.

However, I thought that the descriptions and extraneous conversations were a little overdone and drawn out. For example, Catchpool spends several pages thinking over something that ultimately doesn't impact the story at all, and some of the descriptors just take too long to get through. As a result, it feels like it takes forever to get to the mystery and it takes away from the impact of the story.

Hercule Poirot and friend Inspector Catchpool are preparing to enjoy a quiet Christmas season when Poirot is faced with what may be his fiercest adversary yet....Catchpool's mother! When a man is mysteriously killed in his hospital room, and the ailing patriarch of a wealthy family desires to solve the murder himself, Cynthia Catchpool encroaches on Poirot's and Catchpool's holiday, insisting they come to the Norfolk coast to help solve the murder and spend Christmas together. Begrudgingly, they accompany Mrs. Catchpool to the crumbling manor where they encounter a bickering family, curmudgeonly servants and numerous secrets and lies. Will the famous sleuth be able to solve the murder before any others are committed?
I have enjoyed all of Sophie Hannah's Poirot mysteries, but this was arguably her most enjoyable one yet. It was filled with more whimsy than the previous ones, and an intriguing plot that kept me hooked throughout. The story had numerous viable suspects, clues and red herrings, perfectly placed in order to keep the narrative flowing. I was absolutely sure I had picked up on several subtle references leading me to believe I had figured out the plot early on, and though several times there seemed to be supporting elements later in the book, in the end, I was absolutely wrong and would never have guessed the true killer and motive (though my suspicions would have made for a fairly exciting solution). The final confession by the killer was a bit over-done, but otherwise this was a great mystery worthy of Dame Agatha herself.

Reading an Agatha Christie novel before it is published sounded like the impossible come true. I was beyond excited to do that.

Of course, it’s not really an Agatha Christie novel, despite the loopy signature on the cover, and Sophie Hannah doesn’t try to make it that. But she just might have captured Poirot perfectly (I’m not exaggerating). Once I got my expectations in the right place, I loved this book.

Our narrator is not Captain Hastings, because Hannah does not mimic Christie’s voice. Instead, Inspector Edward Catchpool assists Poirot’s investigation. Catchpool and Poirot are compelled to visit the seaside at Christmastime. A joyful patient at a local hospital has been bashed over the head with a vase. Another, coincidentally (or not), joyful man is expected to be murdered next. Catchpool and Poirot have a host of awkward family ties to puzzle through in order to identify the killer.

Poirot’s unique approach brings some great situational comedy. Christie’s novels were remarkably fast-paced for their time. This one is not. But it’s worth spending the extra time in each scene.

I read all of Agatha Christie's mystery novels, and I really wanted to like this series. I just don't fel like it truly captures Hercules Poirot, and I prefer Hastings and Aridane Oliver to the sidekick in this series.

2.5 stars

Although I have read many of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot books, this is my first book by Sophie Hannah. I found myself trying to critique the writing, seeing if this Hercule is accurate, but at some point I fell into the story. I almost forgot it wasn't Agatha Christie herself who wrote it.

I enjoyed learning more and more information from all of the suspects. It was quite a thorough investigation. It was quite a challenge figuring out who the killer was. Hercule is a genius, and I enjoyed hearing his classic "explain to the class" method at the end of the book.

I would recommend this book for people who enjoy Agatha Christie novels, whodunnits, and crime solving in general.