Written by Agatha Christie
SUMMARY:
First published in 1953 in both the United States and the United Kingdom, this 286-page William Morrow paperback reprint was released in 2014.
After the sudden passing of elderly English millionaire, Richard Abernethie, a will reading is held by his trusted family attorney, Mr. Entwhistle. Invited to the posh family mansion, Enderby Hall, are Richard’s surviving heirs, including his adult nieces and nephews; two sisters-in-law; and his youngest sister: the eccentric and middle-aged Cora Lansquenet. Routine revelations by Entwhistle of Richard’s will inexplicably spurn Cora to opine that: one, that Richard was murdered; and two, that his homicide has been discreetly hushed up.
Perturbed to varying degrees by Cora’s outlandish comments, Entwhistle and the various Abernethie family members go their separate ways in returning home. Yet, the shockingly savage homicide of the reclusive Cora within forty-eight hours prompts Entwhistle to consult London’s premier sleuth: Hercule Poirot. The Belgian private detective’s arsenal of ‘little grey cells’ must then determine how Richard’s seemingly natural demise correlates to that of his brutally murdered sister. More so, the subsequent attempted poisoning of Cora’s best friend and live-in companion, Miss Gilchrist, adds further sinister complications.
The truth may ultimately rest with one family heir, who had vaguely sensed something awry when Cora had blurted out her conspiracy theory at the will reading. That is, if the desperate culprit doesn’t eliminate this potential witness first to ensure the success of a shrewdly constructed crime.
Note: This title has been released in multiple formats, including digitally and audiobook.
REVIEW:
For a cozy mystery, After The Funeral is more complex and slightly better than average within the genre – as far as ensuring readers a good night’s sleep. If compared to the Hercule Poirot franchise’s upper echelon, however, one merely gets an unremarkable whodunnit.
In part, Agatha Christie’s intriguing premise becomes bogged down by a confusing overload of Abernethie family suspects, not to mention a somewhat languid pace. Though some engaging characters emerge (i.e. Entwhistle, Susan Banks, and Helen Abernethie), none shine brightly enough to surpass the ordinary ‘screen time’ that Christie has allotted them. It’s ironic that the welcome plausibility (and shades of ambiguity) After The Funeral’s guest characters imbue this storyline with doesn’t inspire a more meaningful enigma for Poirot to decipher.
Poirot’s own waning star power is problematic, too. Frankly, his low-key sleuthing makes one wonder about the supplemental efforts by Entwhistle, Inspector Morton, and a few of the Abernethies. For instance, might After The Funeral have been a better whodunnit without involving Poirot, i.e. along the lines of Crooked House or Ordeal By Innocence? With minimal tweaking (such as Inspector Morton and Entwhistle splitting Poirot’s contributions), a character like Susan Banks might have been an excellent addition to Christie’s collection of amateur sleuths.
Removing Poirot altogether, unfortunately, doesn’t fix the novel’s biggest weakness. Specifically, After The Funeral lacks exhilarating moments of suspense or unique plot twists that will reverberate with readers afterwards. That’s really the prime reason why this Poirot caper is all too easy to forget by mystery buffs.
The flip side is Christie still concocts a readable plot that diligently pecks away at self-involved aspects of human nature (i.e. greed) that any number of cozy mysteries so often explore. Hence, this subdued Poirot whodunnit is best found at the library or a discount book sale.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
This edition starts with a page-length Christie biography. Sophie Hannah (who currently writes new entries in the Poirot franchise) pens a brief introduction. Specifically, she teases this storyline’s ‘nontransferable motive,’ where only its culprit would commit the murder for a specific reason.
Of more practical benefit (preceding Chapter One) is a brief Abernethie family tree establishing the surviving family members by name and relationship.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5½ Stars
