Part of Hercule Poirot, book 0.16
First published 2012
Prince Paul of Maurania turns to Hercule Poirot with an urgent plea. His fiancé, the celebrated dancer Valerie Saintclair, has become entangled in a murder case that has left her deeply shaken. Henry Reedburn lies dead, and somehow Valerie appears connected to his killing. The only witnesses to the crime are a family of four who were engaged in an evening of bridge in their home. Their card game was interrupted when Valerie stumbled through their open window, crying out about murder. Poirot must untangle the web of circumstances that link the famous performer to Reedburn's death. The detective faces the challenge of determining what really happened while protecting the reputation and wellbeing of the prince's beloved. The case tests Poirot's ability to separate appearance from reality when social standing and personal relationships complicate the search for truth.
Genres: 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, detective, mystery-thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, social-class-conflict, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Maurania
Period: 20th-century
30 pages · Kindle Edition · William Morrow Paperbacks