04. Agatha Christie's Peril at End House Graphic Novel

Peril at End House adapted by Didier Quella-Guyot. Illustrated by Thierry Jollet. Translated from the French by David Brawn. (Canada) - (US)
The Agatha Christie Adventures

Pages: 48
Ages: Adult (but YA crossover)
Finished: Jan. 5, 2011
First Published: 2009 France, Oct. 25, 2010 (UK, CAN)
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: graphic novel, mystery
Rating: 4.5/5


First sentence:

June 1930. St Loo on the Coast of Cornwall ...
"Aaaggghhh!!!"

Acquired: Received a review copy from Harper Collins Canada.

Reason for Reading: I love this series of graphic novels. I've read all Christie's mysteries but so long ago that, except for the most popular titles, I barely remember the plots, much less whodunit.

Peril at End House is classic Christie! Apparently someone is trying to kill a young woman who vacations in her ancestral, but quickly running down, home nearby where Poirot and Hastings are vacationing in Cornwall. He meets her upon the fourth attempt and takes charge of the lady's well-being, promising to find out who would want to kill this kind and not very monied woman. Suspects are narrowed down to a small group of close friends she has in Cornwall plus a couple who staffs the house. Twists and turns abound making this case one that Poirot himself almost can't solve until the last hour and the shocking reveal at the end is typical of Christie's master of the craft.

I love these books. They are so huge, like picture books, that they are so fun to read slowly and enjoy the French type art. Jollet has used his own imaginings of Poirot, staying close to the bookish description of him rather than the one we are used to seeing on TV, though he is immediately recognisable his appearance is more manly than dandy. Of course it has been too long for me to compare the graphic to the original but the story runs very smoothly. There is a brief mention of drugs that casts a cloud over certain parties that I think may have been a bigger issue in the original book as it seems superfluous to the plot in the GN. Otherwise, a great rendition of one of Christie's classics.

PS - I can't believe I got a 'Q' author for the A-Z challenge so early in the year!