Written by Agatha Christie
SUMMARY:
First published in 1975, this 280-page Pocket Books paperback was released the following year. Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s legendary exploits come full circle, as this series finale is a sequel to his first novel: 1920’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Curtain’s nebulous time frame is set roughly 25-30 years later (in post-World War II England). A widowed Capt. Arthur Hastings poignantly narrates Poirot’s last case deploying his indomitable ‘little grey cells.’
Residing at a dilapidated Styles Court, a sickly Poirot summons his best friend, Hastings, to go ‘hunting’ with him one final time. The elderly Belgian sleuth reveals to his former associate that an elusive culprit dubbed ‘X’ has committed at least five murders. Refusing to divulge the killer’s name, Poirot enigmatically warns that ‘X’ is lurking among them.
As Styles is now a summer holiday retreat, the current guests include: Dr. and Mrs. John & Barbara Franklin; the Franklins’ Nurse Craven; Sir William Boyd-Carrington; Major Allerton; Stephen Norton; Elizabeth Cole; Poirot’s new valet, Curtiss; and Hastings’ adult daughter, Judith. A doddering Col. and Mrs. George & Daisy Luttrell are their hosts.
Distracted by his own personal conflict, Hastings gradually realizes that this invisible ‘X’ isn’t settling for just one more victim. Could Poirot himself be ‘X’’s ultimate target? It’s up to a baffled Hastings to decipher the shocking truth in time.
Note: Christie wrote Curtain during World War II, but she kept it locked up for over thirty years.
REVIEW:
While this ingenious mystery isn’t necessarily Agatha Christie’s finest effort, it still far surpasses her mediocre last few novels. More so, the title’s clever double-meaning signifies the classic style of mystery that Christie imbues Poirot’s final case. Considering how their long-established personalities are plausibly expanded, long-time fans of the Poirot/Hastings dynamic won’t likely be disappointed. Hastings, in particular, has never been better. The same even applies to his off-screen spouse’s posthumous role, as readers at last get a better sense of his decades-long marriage. Further, as the Poirot novels are generally self-contained, sporadic references to some of Poirot & Hastings’ previous cases (i.e. Murder on the Links; The Mysterious Affair at Styles; etc.) subtly adds another element of finality.
As with And Then There Were None, Christie’s postscript spells out everything, so every peripheral detail finally makes sense. In that regard, all the clues really are fair game. Completing this jigsaw puzzle, some classic literary allusions by Christie enhance the ‘big reveal’ dynamite. Bittersweet in a number of ways, Curtain remains the gold standard for literary mystery series finales. Even for non-fans, it’s a high-caliber read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
