book review on 'Closed Casket' by Sophie Hannah

Hey there! Hope you’re all doing well. a few weeks ago, I issued a book from our school library– closed casket. I originally thought it was an Agatha Cristie work but quickly found out that it was actually penned by a British author Sophie Hannah. (I’ve only ever heard of Agatha Cristie, never read any of her works. Hence the misunderstanding.) anyway, here is my book review for the same.

Synopsis:

What I intend to say to you will come as a shock . . .’

Lady Athelinda Playford has planned a house party at her mansion in Clonakilty, County Cork, but it is no ordinary gathering. As guests arrive, Lady Playford summons her lawyer to make an urgent change to her will – one she intends to announce at dinner that night. She has decided to cut off her two children without a penny and leave her fortune to someone who has only weeks to live . . .

Among Lady Playford’s guests are two men she has never met – the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited . . . until Poirot starts to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murderer to strike. But why does she seem so determined to provoke, in the presence of a possible killer?

When the crime is committed in spite of Poirot’s best efforts to stop it, and the victim is not who he expected it to be, will he be able to find the culprit and solve the mystery?

Opening line: Michael Gathercole stared at the closed door in front of him and tried to persuade himself that now was the moment to knock, as the aged grandfather clock in the hall downstairs stuttered its announcement of the hour.”

So! I’m a huge fan of thrillers and murder mysteries; I love to read the story and try to work out the plots as I go (brownie points if I fail), however, this book was unlike most mysteries I have conventionally read till now. The dialogue was very eloquent and articulate if not a bit artificial sounding, and the setting was staged in a nostalgic childhood-story-like manner. The mansion, limited residents, the presence of an eminent and skilled detective, and the whole cozy-storybook-game-like vibe I got while reading it really supplied to the reading experience.

The characters were cliches but endearing nevertheless, I found Claudia’s character such a fresh breath of air from the general female prototypes used in narratives, that I was almost willing to overlook the indignation and iciness her persona represented.

But there were a lot of instances that I believe could have benefited from some changes. For example, Poirot’s character was needlessly secretive to even his partner– Edward Catchpool who Is also the narrator, in many parts of the story, which made it frustrating. The reasoning behind many key clues were senseless and fathomless, including lady Anthelina’s explanation and psychological reasoning for her actions that we are revealed later in the story. It seemed like in her quest to add mystery to the plot and climax for the grand reveal, the author ended up just making it exasperating for the reader.

For me, it was more like storybook video game in the starting of the tale, filled with exchanges with the servants, the family members, then the unlocked new characters, a few clues dropped here and there, a few incidents which eventually led to the fateful murder. After which, it started to seem more like a novel. (this isn’t criticism, just an opinion).

However, if you’re looking for a plot filled and fast paced mystery, then I don’t believe this will be the right book for you. Unlike most modern thrillers and crime novels, this doesn’t have any sudden major plot revelations. Let me use a metaphor in this way– let there be a glass of water and let the ink be symbolic for startling revelations in the story. In this book, I found it to be more like the ink was dripped into the water in little drops at medium intervals rather than a gush of ink suddenly being poured.  Still, there were two instances of unpredicted plot twists that I found in the latter half of the novel. (when the identity of iris and her relation to joseph scotcher was revealed, and when the murderer (and their accomplice) was revealed.)

In conclusion, I would like to comment that this was a pleasant read. Not anything overly extraordinary but still good (I have a bit of bias towards past paced and plotty thrillers and mysteries). I especially loved the old-nostalgic-rustic vibe and I believe that the 10-year-old me would have DEVOURED this book if I had gotten to read it then.

My love for mysteries will be forever unyielding and this novel will be no exception :)

I sincerely thank you for reading my ramblings as an excuse for a book review, and hope that you will stick around while I brainstorm about my next idea for the blog.

Love

Danika

 

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