Out of 5 mustachesOut of 5 mustaches
Our story begins with the family returning to Enderby Hall. They had just attended the funeral of their older brother Richard Abernethie. Kind of strange for him to die, considering he recently had a doctor's visit and his health was a-o.k. They have a luncheon put on by the old butler Lanscombe. Next, the reading of the will. Everything divided equally (though Richard's brother, Timothy, demands more). Through the reading of the will, the lawyer and friend Mr. Entwhistle feels that his friend's death is sudden and premature. Richard's sister Cora seems to read Mr. Entwhistle's mind and comments: "But he was murdered, wasn't he?"
All are shocked and horrified that such a thing is suggested. Murder? Surely not! All return home but Maude, Timothy's wife--she stays at Enderby. The next day, before Mr. Entwhistle gets a chance to speak more with Cora, she is found in her bed disfigured and cut up with eight blows of a hatchet. Also, the house was thrashed, apparently an attempted robbery. Who would have wanted to kill Cora--unless she had valid suspicions that her brother Richard was murdered? And so, Mr. Entwhistle goes to his dear friend Poirot to solve this crime.
Was it Timothy, bitter that he is an invalid and doesn't have much money? What about George--the nephew--who loses on horseracing bets? What about Susan, the niece? Who would do such a thing like poison Miss Gilchrist? Where was Maude hiding when Cora got a hatchet in her noggin? And who is this mysterious Alexander Guthrie, an "art collector" who visited Cora? What significance does wax flowers have? Why did Helen, Richard's favorite sister-in-law get knocked out on the head? And Gregory--why does he keep lying?
A lot of questions. These, too, were Poirot's until a very fortuitous conversation came to his ears. Poirot has always said that killers love to talk, and talk so much that they give themselves away. They just can't help it! That helped our sleuth separate the truth from the lies, or even the red herrings. Was Richard Abernethie murdered? You'll have to find out for yourself!