Appointment With Death

"Appointment with Death" is a detective novel written by Agatha Christie, featuring her famous detective, Hercule Poirot. The story is set in the Middle East, specifically in Jerusalem, where a wealthy and tyrannical American woman named Mrs. Boynton is on a tour with her family. Her family members include her stepchildren and her youngest daughter, Jinny. The family is dysfunctional, and the stepchildren are all afraid of their stepmother, who has a habit of psychologically tormenting them.

During their trip, Mrs. Boynton is found dead, and it's discovered that she was murdered by a lethal injection of digitalis. Hercule Poirot is in Jerusalem on holiday and gets involved in the investigation at the request of his friend, Colonel Carbury, who is the head of the local police. Poirot is faced with the task of sifting through the complex web of family relationships and secrets to identify the murderer.

As Poirot investigates, he uncovers various secrets about the family members, including that one of them is deeply in debt, and another one has a history of mental illness. There are also indications of a romantic relationship between one of the stepsons and his stepsister, as well as a possible love triangle involving Jinny and two men on the tour.

As the investigation progresses, there is a second murder, and the tension among the family members escalates. Poirot finally gathers everyone together and reveals the identity of the killer. The culprit is someone who was not on anyone's radar, and the motive for the murder was unexpected.

"Appointment with Death" is a classic Agatha Christie mystery, full of twists and turns, and it keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The Middle Eastern setting adds an exotic flavor to the story, and the dysfunctional family dynamics make for interesting characters and motives. Hercule Poirot is at his best in this book, using his keen observation skills and sharp mind to solve the case. Overall, it's a must-read for fans of Agatha Christie and the mystery genre.