The Murders on Kingfisher Hill

"Am I to give up and tell myself that you are a hopeless blunderer, or can we talk about murder now?"

Poirot invited the woman in question – the Woman with the Book and the Diamond Voice, the Statue, or La Bête ingénieuse, to use the various nicknames she had already earned – to tell her story. Even though he did not really want to hear it. But she clearly wanted to boast to him right here and now, in the freezing hackney carriage owned by Monsieur Bixby of the Kingfisher Transport Office on the way to the famous Kingfisher Hill, an estate of country mansions for the ultra-wealthy. At the very same moment, Inspector Catchpool sat just a few rows further back in the coach, next to the Woman with the Unfinished Face, who was scared to death. Originally, of course, he had been travelling in the seat next to Poirot, but unexpected circumstances forced them to swap seats with the ladies. Although the original purpose of the trip was to investigate the real culprit behind the murder of Richard Devonport's brother – a family Poirot and his young friend must infiltrate under false pretences – the renowned detective intends to ensure that everyone who deserves it is brought to justice. Justice must be done!

The fourth new Hercule Poirot mystery written by Sophie Hannah delivers an ingeniously constructed detective case full of unexpected twists and turns.

"I was gripped from the very beginning right through to the end. No dry patches, everything made sense, and while I managed to solve some of the riddles, I only suspected others. Some remained a complete mystery to me until the denouement. And that is exactly how a proper detective story should be. For me, this is the author's best Hercule Poirot yet." – reader review

"A combination of charm and wit, darkness and eccentricity, and utterly compelling. I was thrilled to see Poirot in such excellent hands." – Gillian Flynn, author of the bestseller Gone Girl

"Hannah does a magnificent job of channeling Christie's style. dazzling deductions, subtle clues, false leads, and superb prose. Lovers of classic mysteries can only hope that Hannah continues her take on the famous Belgian detective." – Publishers Weekly

She lowered her voice and said, "I committed murder myself."

"Please tell me that is not true," Poirot asked her. He would have liked to believe he had misheard her over the roar of the engine, but he knew exactly what she had said.

"It is absolutely true." She mouthed the words again: "I killed someone." Then she continued in her normal voice: "No one could stop me. I did it on purpose and I was determined to go through with it. And I have not regretted it since. I am glad I did it. There, now you know. What do you say to that?" She smiled coldly at him. – extract from the book