Hurting Distance (aka The Truth-Teller's Lie)

Naomi Jenkins is madly in love with her boyfriend Robert Haworth. (Emphasis on "mad.") However, Robert suffers from an unfortunate condition known as "marriage," so Naomi and Robert can only meet for three hours per week, in the same room at the same motel. But one week, Robert doesn't show up. Robert would never stand Naomi up, so she knows—knows!—something terrible has happened to Robert, and resolves to find out what.

Closed Casket

Once again, we have a Hercule Poirot novel written not by Agatha Christie herself, but the modern writer Sophie Hannah. Hannah's first Poirot book, The Monogram Murders, was well-written but over-plotted. How does her second Poirot story, Closed Casket, fare?

...Basically the same.

The Monogram Murders

The glorious return of Hercule Poirot... or is it? It might be a bit difficult to tell from the cover, but The Monogram Murders was written not by Agatha Christie, but by Sophie Hannah. Hannah received permission from the Christie estate to write a Hercule Poirot novel, making this the first “official” Poirot novel since Christie’s passing. Does Hannah’s entry live up to the Queen of Crime’s legacy? Eeeh. The book is fun and well-written, but feels a bit too much like it’s clever just for the sake of being clever.