A new Poirot movie is recently on our screens: Murder on the orient express, a famous adaptation of Agatha Christie’s book, again and again.
Christie is a most loved author, the creator of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. All of her books have been reprinted and sold over 2 billion copies in various languages. Murder on the orient express was adapted for TV and movie many times, with some great actors portraying Poirot. While this time it is Kenneth Branagh’s time for Poirot I personally favoured David Suchet, a Poirot in action for 25 years. But I did like Kenneth Branagh playing as the detective Wallander in the TV series UK version, adapted from the books by Henning Mankell.
The famous crime writer Sophie Hannah has created many characters with more than a dozen books up her sleeve already, she’s been approached by Christie Estate, the grandson and great grandson of the crime queen, to re create Poirot. Therefore, Poirot has come back again.
Hannah has already written two: The monogram murders (2014) and Closed casket (2016). They are both enjoyable to read and it is interesting to see a revived Poirot.
The monogram murders has the plots of ‘Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London, a diabolically clever puzzle that can only be solved by the talented Belgian detective and his little grey cells. Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified, but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done. Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London hotel have been murdered, and a cufflink has been placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim.’
Closed casket writes ‘Lady Athelinda Playford — one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors — springs a surprise on the lawyer entrusted with her will. As guests arrive for a party at her Irish mansion, Lady Playford has decided to cut off her two children without a penny . . . and leave her vast fortune to someone else: an invalid who has only weeks to live. Among Lady Playford’s visitors are two strangers: the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited — until Poirot begins to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murder. But why does she seem so determined to provoke a killer? And why — when the crime is committed despite Poirot’s best efforts to stop it — does the identity of the victim make no sense at all?’
Sophie Hannah tells The Guardian about her creation and the new Poirot movie ‘My Poirot novels are my love letters to my favourite writer and inspiration, the queen of crime. And, since 2014, I’ve received hundreds of emails from Christie and Poirot fans worldwide, saying, “Thank you for bringing him back”. These are the words I wanted to say after the movie premiere: Thank you, Kenneth Branagh, for bringing Poirot back.’