Five Little Pigs

Star Read: ★★★☆☆

Summary: When a woman appears at Hercule Poirot's residence requesting that he investigate her father's murder from over sixteen years ago, the renowned detective is instantly intrigued. Tackling this abnormal case means he cannot rely on his usual approach of deducing from clues; instead, he must conduct interviews with all five suspects and identify the inconsistencies in their narratives of the incident. Employing this unconventional method begins to uncover startling secrets about the suspects, secrets they had hoped to keep hidden all those years ago.

Suggested age rating: 18+ based on language, sexual references, and minor violence.

Review: This novel does an excellent job of taking a different approach to solving a murder, which sets it apart from many other works in the genre. The author has crafted a narrative that not only engages readers but also challenges the conventional methods typically employed in murder mysteries. In addition to this approach, the innovative structure of the story is one of its standout features. By dedicating specific chapters to interviewing the suspects, the narrative allows readers to see into the minds and motives of each character. This technique not only enriches the storyline but also enhances the pacing, keeping readers actively engaged as they piece together the clues alongside the protagonist. Furthermore, while I appreciate the inventive approach to the narrative, I find myself leaning towards stories where the murder occurs in the present rather than relying on past events. This preference for present-day murders is based upon the use of clues, whereas this novel lacked that approach due to the murder being in the past. In conclusion, this novel represents a fresh overhaul of how traditional murder mysteries are conducted by offering a refreshing perspective that reinvigorates the genre. I sincerely hope to see more authors embrace such different approaches in their future works or go even further outside the box to continue to make unique and diverse perspectives.

Language: 19 da**, 11 he**, 1 pri**, 1 a**, and 8 uses of the Lord's name in vain.

Indecency/Sex: A woman is described as attractive, a man is having an affair with a woman half his age, and a woman is called a hussy. Mention of a man being a womanizer, a man enjoying the lusts of the flesh, bigamy, a woman walking out of a man's bedroom (implied sex), and a woman getting around sexually. Discussion of a woman being married and divorced several times, a character wearing minimal clothing, a girl going to bathe, a man wanting to make love to a woman, and a woman's breasts (not sexual). Queer is said as odd.

Violence and Gore: Mention of a character being murdered, knifed, and shot. Discussion of suicide, flogging a dead horse, and a character wanting someone hanged and murdered with a hatchet. A character is said to have hit a child and permanently disfigured them.

Frightening Scenes: None present.

Substance Abuse: Characters smoke and drink alcohol. A character is poisoned. Sedatives and drugs are present.

Spiritual Content: A character is said to be the devil. Mention of magic, ghouls, God, ghosts, and a seance. Hell is brought up.

Genres: Fiction, murder mystery, mystery, detective, adult.