Curtain by Agatha Christie

Curtain, written during World War II and published 30 years later, in 1975 during the fag end of Agatha Christie’s life is one of Agatha Christie’s detective novel, renowned for the fact that this novel features Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings, two of Agatha Christie’s renowned detectives in their final appearances.

Hercule Poirot is featured as crippled with arthritis and the plot starts with him reuniting with his old companion Captain Hastings, who is now a widower. They receive a letter from Styles Court, the place where they solved their first murder together, and set out to solve a murder mystery. Poiroit however identifies a seemingly harmless guest as a dangerous serial killer and people start doubting the capability of his once renowned ‘little grey cells’, and Poirot has to work against time, putting not just his reputation, but also his life at risk to unmask the killer.

The Curtain is one of Agatha Christie’s last novels, but nevertheless delivers a clever and interesting plot. The characterization remains pallid as it is with a typical Agatha Christie novel. The book is widely renowned not for the plot but for Poirot’s exit, and in the words of critics “an unputdownable swansong” not just for Poirot but for Agatha Christie herself.