Pubblicato in Italia con il titolo di Carte in tavola. Uno strano invito a cena, un omicidio, e quattro sospettati in uno romanzo pieno di colpi di scena per il detective Hercule Poirot.
In the introduction to the book, the author announces that this was one of Hercule Poirot’s favourite cases, while his friend Captain Hastings considered it very dull and it’s up to the reader to make up their own mind.
During an art exhibition, the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot meets collector Mr. Shaitana who invites him to a dinner party to see his private collection. But what does he collect? Mr. Shaitana collects criminals who have evaded justice and so, among his guests, there are four people who the host believes to be murderers, but also a secret service man, a Superintendent from Scotland Yard, and a mystery writer. The guests are split into two groups to play bridge, while Mr. Shaitana relaxes in front of the fire and, when the game breaks, they find him dead, murdered. Who, among the guests, is the killer? That’s what Hercule Poirot is going to find out.
I am back to reading the Hercule Poirot novels, after a hiatus while I was discovering the Miss Marple stories, and I missed his little brain cells and his quick wit. This is a fast read with quite a few twists and though this is not my favourite novel featuring the famous detective, it is one that I still quite enjoyed.
