Book Review: Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Dumb Witness a.k.a. Poirot Loses a Client
by Agatha Christie

One of many Poirot novels, but one of few with Captain Hastings as well. Personally I enjoy the stories with Captain Hastings more than those without, and this was no different. He actually is the narrator in this novel which was particularly fun. The story is of an older woman who has a considerable amount of money with nieces and nephews who’d love to have some of it and may even go so far as murder to get some inheritance early. As it happens during the Easter holiday when they are all in the house, the old woman ‘accidentally’ falls down the stairs, but is mostly unharmed; however, she gets suspicious and semi-secretly changes her will so all the inheritance goes to her nurse companion, but she also writes to Poirot for help. When she dies a few weeks later due to ‘natural causes’ and the the family hears that none of them are getting any inheritance, they aren’t exactly happy. It’s not until this point that Poirot receives the letter, by curious circumstances, but he is then on the case. I found this one quite entertaining and would highly recommend it to mystery readers or those looking for a particularly interesting plot and characters (including Bob the dog, who was inspired by Christie’s own dog).

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Nemesis, also by Agatha Christie, but featuring Miss Marple, is similar to this one in that the sleuth receives a letter for help from someone who’s already passed away and they need to solve the case with very little information to go on.]

[ official Dumb Witness page on the official Agatha Christie web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Library

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