The Belgian Detective Sees It Through

Hercule Poirot's Christmas, Agatha Christie

Simeon Lee has a fiendish plan for Christmas: invite all his family, including his estranged sons, to a family reunion. Already home caring for him is his stolid son Alfred and his wife Lydia. Visiting will be George (the cheap one) with his spendthrift wife Magdalene, the artistic David and his wife Hilda who hopes seeing his father will destroy his demons, and his granddaughter Pilar (child of his deceased daughter). Also visiting is Stephen Farr, son of his old partner in his diamond mines day. Simone plans to torment his children with talk about changing his will—but before he can plot any further, he's murdered in a welter of blood in...guess what...a locked room.

Luckily Hercule Poirot is staying nearby with his friend Colonel Johnson (and despairing the lack of central heating). They soon determine that, despite what George keeps wittering about "lunatics" entering the house to kill his father, the culprit must be homegrown. But everyone has a reason for hating Simeon Lee, so the suspects are unlimited.

I know Christie's reputation, and this one doesn't disappoint. The guests don't even get a chance to see the Christmas decorations before the dirty deed is done (not that dad doesn't really deserve it). I had several suspects...and never guessed the real one!

Not much Yuletide cheer, but a nice solid mystery.