Let's Read "After the Funeral" by Agatha Christie | Unpopular Opinion

Welcome to Unpopular Opinion where I'll be sharing my thoughts on a novel I've read. You could be for it or you could be against it.

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Today I want to talk about the this murder mystery novel that's been sitting on my TBR for years now. I was on a reading slump for a while--yes--and thank Agatha Christie I picked this up. Now back on the reading grind I am!

For context, I've never read any of the Hercule Poirot series or any of Agatha Christie's other works. After the Funeral is my first and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Prepostorous! Enjoyed a book like this? Indeed.

The opening scene turned me into a baffled lot. Lost and confused I was. There were so many characters introduced all at once, like kindergarteners released from their class, and like a nanny I was, searching which child I was in charge of bringing home. I appreciated the family tree at the beginning, quite generous of Christie to ease me into the story, but frankly wasn't enough to get me comfortable reading with the overwhelming details of each suspect--Yes, I knew they were suspects--it was a murder mystery novel after all.

It was too much information too early. Or so I thought.

And don't get me started with their names, made me feel like a foolish idiot who couldn't spell her own name. I could hardly remember the suspects the first time around, but the lawyer (whose name I shall not write down because I couldn't spell it) got to me. Eventually following his POV helped me settle into the unwelcoming family of the Abernethies. I owe it to this chap that I was pulled into the book.

It was a typical feud about the will, who will acquire what their rich brother, Richard Abernethie, had left behind after his sudden passing. Felt like a typical plot, it was. Until Cora Lansquenet, sister of the deceased, said the famous phrase; "But he was murdered, wasn't he?"

Now the plot kicked off without silly me even noticing it.

From there I devoured the pages like a hungry wolf, I was, I couldn't get enough. I have to know! I have to know! Even if I knew I shan't read more because I had to attend to my job early tomorrow.

All of the family members were liable for murder. Suspicious alibis and valid motives. Almost as if they had teamed up to get rid of poor old Richard. Little by little, I managed to learn about the suspects. Foolish me was so conflicted who to suspect, treating myself a detective of my own as I press closer to the end of the book.

The clues. It was right in front of me, yet I paid no heed until I was fed with the reveal! They weren't hidden, like buried corpses, nor were they forced down the throats of the readers. The details were fantastic. If I wasn't drawn into the descriptions, I wouldn't have noticed them.

Overall, surprised I was, with how much I admired this murder mystery novel. The ending, while partly I've made suspicions, I didn't have the precise idea as to how the murder was pulled off until the big reveal. It wasn't those unbelievable plot twists and meaningless motives that disappointed me, it wasn't, not at all. I dare say it was one of the best murder mysteries I've read!

As an effort of remembrance, I've pushed the Hercule Poirot series up my TBR. What a wonderful read this was, and hoping to read more from the Queen of Mystery.