tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post9060065341653833202..comments2024-03-29T02:43:11.575-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Sophie Hannah writes a Golden Age Hercule Poirot for today's avid fansJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-58462621990653552112014-09-27T04:17:44.336-04:002014-09-27T04:17:44.336-04:00Hi Deborah,
Really hope you enjoy Monogram Murder...Hi Deborah,<br /><br />Really hope you enjoy Monogram Murders! Meanwhile, the lovely Morrow crew have put a copy of your latest in the post to me - can't wait to read it!<br />Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72979846791514766622014-09-26T23:12:37.363-04:002014-09-26T23:12:37.363-04:00Hi Sophie! So sorry to be late to the party--was t...Hi Sophie! So sorry to be late to the party--was traveling on book tour and this is the first chance I've had log in. I know it's "tomorrow" in the UK, but just wanted to say congrats, and that it was all I could do resist taking a copy of The Monogram Murders home in my suitcase tonight. I've promised it to myself the first of next week, when I'll be in one place for a few days. Can't wait to read it, and so lovely to have you on JRW!Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-1872388595086424442014-09-26T15:22:14.177-04:002014-09-26T15:22:14.177-04:00Kathy - I hope you enjoy The Monogram Murders! I m...Kathy - I hope you enjoy The Monogram Murders! I must admit that I, like Poirot, am obsessive- compulsive about tidiness. I like everything to be meticulously neat, and can't work unless the whole house is in order. So I kind of identify with Poirot in that respect!Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2786008336146768772014-09-26T15:06:22.688-04:002014-09-26T15:06:22.688-04:00Excuse me while I kick myself for not having gotte...Excuse me while I kick myself for not having gotten to Sophie Hannah yet. I will correct that egregious error in the very near future. The Monogram Murders is going to be my next book purchase, and after that, well, I plan on catching up on your books, Hannah. Thanks Hallie for bringing Sophie here so that I can admonish myself into reading this wonderful author.<br /><br />Sophie, I think you very smart for introducing a new narrator in Edward Catchpool. I'm sure I will love this character, as Kristopher has never steered me wrong. I can't wait to read this book and review it, too.<br /><br />One of my favorite aspects of Poirot is his fastidiousness with food, as he treats food with the care of a meaningful event, not just a means of sustenance. Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-62297263590747378132014-09-26T13:27:58.179-04:002014-09-26T13:27:58.179-04:00Hallie - I didn't take an official oath, but I...Hallie - I didn't take an official oath, but I certainly tried to abide by all the proper rules of the traditional detective novel! All the clues Poirot saw were there for the reader to see!<br /><br />Lisa - the timing was interesting. I think the estate felt that this was a good time to have a new frontlist title that would direct attention towards the backlist, to try to ensure that new generations of readers would discover Christie. These days teenagers have so many entertainment options (Xbox, Nintendo, etc) and it's very difficult to get enough media attention for brilliant older books when frontlist takes up so much of the available media space. So this seemed a good time to say, 'Hey - Agatha Christie is as brilliant as ever', and a new book that was an homage as well as a book in its own right seemed the perfect way to do that.<br /><br />I wasn't competing with any other writers, no, but I did meet the estate/family and 'pitch' my story idea! They liked it and the rest is (very recent) history!<br /><br />Pat D - no, no Hastings! My book is narrated by a new character - Edward Catchpool, Scotland Yard policeman. He's the first person narrator. I thought that was an authentic and sensible way to deal with the fact that my writing style will inevitably be slightly different from Agatha's!Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30987643764940543372014-09-26T13:09:05.473-04:002014-09-26T13:09:05.473-04:00Is Captain Hastings involved in this mystery? I th...Is Captain Hastings involved in this mystery? I think of Poirot with his little mustache hairnet, ready for bed with a tisane to drink. Fussy, prim, and proper. but very, very moral. Good luck Sophie. I hope the estate allows more stories.Pat Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72498654216003872232014-09-26T12:55:43.458-04:002014-09-26T12:55:43.458-04:00I was excited when I learned you were writing a Po...I was excited when I learned you were writing a Poirot mystery, Sophie. This was awhile back, so I'm extra-excited to see the novel is here! Yay!<br /><br />I'm curious about why the Agatha Christie estate (?) decided that now was the time to publish a new Poirot. How did this all come about? And did you have to "interview" (so to speak) for the position? <br /><br />Kristopher -- I'll check out your review!Lisa Alberhttp://www.lisaalber.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-64595384020042815752014-09-26T12:31:26.347-04:002014-09-26T12:31:26.347-04:00Sophie, you sound so relaxed about the whole thing...Sophie, you sound so relaxed about the whole thing. "The only risk was that I'd write a not-good book" Yikes.<br /><br />Did you take the "oath" of the Detection club? Promising promise that your detectives would "well and truly detect the crimes presented to them" without reliance on "divine revelation, feminine intuition, mumbo-jumbo, jiggery-pokery, coincidence, or act of God?"Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-37233388056761724532014-09-26T12:25:43.957-04:002014-09-26T12:25:43.957-04:00PK: You made me wonder which of Dame Agatha's ...PK: You made me wonder which of Dame Agatha's oeuvre I started with... I know I was in high school and it was a paperback my mother had by her bed, red cover. I was not immediately captivated. Wasn't until I was out of college that I went back an got well and truly hooked on Miss Marple, and when ran out of those started on Poirot.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-48411906767489415542014-09-26T11:29:47.111-04:002014-09-26T11:29:47.111-04:00I grew up reading the usual Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/...I grew up reading the usual Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/Trixie Belden, but later ventured to other genres. While babysitting one night as a high schooler, I was looking for something to read from the family's bookshelves (and I'd already read their copy of WIFEY by Judy Bloom), I read CURTAIN and was hooked on mysteries (again). So I started at the "end". PK the Bookeemonsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03478996122841311684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-9670086909754989882014-09-26T11:21:43.444-04:002014-09-26T11:21:43.444-04:00Susan - thank you! Hope you enjoy the book if you ...Susan - thank you! Hope you enjoy the book if you do read it!<br /><br />Hank - re bravery, I am not a particularly brave person, but the reason I was brave enough to do this is that I didn't think there was any risk to Agatha and Poirot. They're fine/legendary/famous/amazing, and nothing I could possibly do from the position of loving them both could harm them. The only risk was that I'd write a not-good book - but so what? I'd have done my best - and I prefer to make decisions based on hope rather than fear.<br /><br />I will be back later, everybody! Great chatting to you all!Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-64233365607978283332014-09-26T11:18:35.510-04:002014-09-26T11:18:35.510-04:00Hi Kris
My suitcase turned up!! Sorry, that's...Hi Kris<br /><br />My suitcase turned up!! Sorry, that's totally irrelevant. But anyway...Am so glad you liked Monogram Murders, and also that you liked Catchpool. I love him - and one of the most interesting things about this whole process is the reaction to Catchpool. Some people think he's dim and wet, and others think he's clever and promising, but just not quite as brilliant as Poirot. Some think he's sympathetically full of self doubt and others think he's too useless to be a convincing detective at all! All of which disagreement makes me think that he's probably the most interesting character in the book, which is very much what I wanted him to be. If I were to write another one, I would certainly like to use his voice again!Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8406962503608018602014-09-26T11:16:23.431-04:002014-09-26T11:16:23.431-04:00Mary - perhaps weirdly, I actually like it when pe...Mary - perhaps weirdly, I actually like it when people say they are apprehensive/suspicious at first. That proves to me that people care about Poirot and won't accept any old nonsense. So it's those people who, in a way, I am most keen to have as readers - so that I can then see if I've lived up to their high expectations.<br /><br />I would have been *so* suspicious and worried if I'd heard someone else was doing this. I was a bit worried, to be honest, when I heard I was doing it! But in the end I thought that nothing could go too badly wrong as long as I remained true to all of Agatha's priorities/creative decisions.Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14189392510083567142014-09-26T11:13:07.554-04:002014-09-26T11:13:07.554-04:00Hi Lucy - thank you! It was originally my agent...Hi Lucy - thank you! It was originally my agent's idea that I should write this book. He suggested to Harper Collins that, since I was an obsessive Agatha fan, they ought to ask me to write a Poirot continuation novel! I'm SO glad he did, as it would never have occurred to me in a million years!Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20530030643344945192014-09-26T11:11:38.809-04:002014-09-26T11:11:38.809-04:00Joan - It's not my place to plan anything with...Joan - It's not my place to plan anything with regard to Poirot - I briefly eloped with him, tis true, but it's up to the Agatha Christie estate to decide whether they want more Poirot adventures. I guess we'll all have to wait and see!Sophie Hannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11882861352794251582014-09-26T09:50:00.430-04:002014-09-26T09:50:00.430-04:00Oh,I hear him, too!
And I think that's so bri...Oh,I hear him, too!<br /><br />And I think that's so brilliant about the overt plot. We were watching a Miss Marple on Masterpiece last night, and that was apparent. It's fine--and expected--that at some point, the narrator will simply tell the story.<br /><br />And that at the end, there'll be some sort of elaborate explanation of the clues and motivations and reasoning--which we never completely get to know how the sleuth discovered.<br /><br />But we don't care. (And Kristopher, cannot wait!)<br /><br />Lots of discussion this week here about Bravery--and Sophie, I think you are so brave to do this! And hurray!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-64055492696748982082014-09-26T08:47:09.175-04:002014-09-26T08:47:09.175-04:00Welcome, Sophie! And Kristopher, can't wait fo...Welcome, Sophie! And Kristopher, can't wait for your review! (And then I'll be off to the bookstore!)Susan Elia MacNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00349842866995778987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-13070016669571939092014-09-26T08:41:24.665-04:002014-09-26T08:41:24.665-04:00Ah, such a great Friday treat to see Sophie Hannah...Ah, such a great Friday treat to see Sophie Hannah here at JRW's. <br /><br />Having just finished The Monogram Murders, I can tell everyone here that this is a MUST READ. My blog review will run next week, but until then, get yourselves to the bookstore.<br /><br />I had the great pleasure of having drinks with Sophie after her event at the Fall For the Book festival in Virginia last week. So many of my questions were answered then. <br /><br />But I do want to ask a bit about Catchpool, Poirot's Scotland Yard contact and the narrator of The Monogram Murders. He is a great new character in the canon and I wondered "if you were" to write another Poirot novel, do you think you would use Catchpool again? His voice is great (and I even loved the section of the novel where he separated from Poirot).<br /><br />Thanks again for stopping by JRW's and thanks to Hallie for making that happen. <br /><br />Can't wait for the new standalone!Kristopherhttp://www.bolobooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-57989977864969620682014-09-26T08:35:01.336-04:002014-09-26T08:35:01.336-04:00Yes, too many clues. Like his predecessor who noti...Yes, too many clues. Like his predecessor who noticed the dog that should have barked in the night...but did not.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-90649498861324800622014-09-26T08:28:31.600-04:002014-09-26T08:28:31.600-04:00I adore Poirot - he was, perhaps, my first fiction...I adore Poirot - he was, perhaps, my first fiction "crush" if I can use that word. My favorite line? I can't say, but I think my favorite story is Murder on the Orient Express. There's a line in there where Poirot is exclaiming over too many clues. Classic.<br /><br />I will admit that I was a little apprehensive when I heard there was going to be a "new" Poirot, but it sounds like I can safely read about my favorite Belgian detective without worry. Yay!<br /><br />Sophie, my question is the same as Lucy/Roberta's - how did you end up writing this story? I'd imagine the honor and responsibility must be profound.Liz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74463704156570171982014-09-26T07:25:40.239-04:002014-09-26T07:25:40.239-04:00So exciting to have Sophie here-thanks for coming ...So exciting to have Sophie here-thanks for coming (and for getting her over Hallie!)<br /><br />How did you end up writing the Poirot story Sophie? what an honor to carry on this tradition!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-23258472755768426162014-09-26T06:19:03.957-04:002014-09-26T06:19:03.957-04:00Yes, David Suchet is the perhaps the quintessentia...Yes, David Suchet is the perhaps the quintessential Poirot . . .<br />It's rather difficult to pick one "favorite thing" but I'm going with "Sometimes I think anonymous telephone calls are the only ones worth taking."<br /><br />I'm looking forward to reading The Monogram Murders and I'm definitely hoping Sophie is planning more Poirot stories . . . Joan Emersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06810313925049108163noreply@blogger.com