Resumo de The Curtain - Agatha Christie

Folowing Cinderella's death, Hastings returns to England from Argentina a broken man. He has left his ranch to his eldest son, the other children are also managing without him and he is feeling old and worthless. A year later he still has not got his own home in England - and even contact with his old friend Poirot has become very infrequent. Unexpectedly, he receives a letter from Poirot from an unusual address - Styles Farm in Essex, the location of the first Poirot novel, The Missing Link. Poirot informs Hastings that the building is now being used as a guest house, run by an old Colonel and his wife, and that, towards the end of his natural life, Poirot wanted to return once more to the site of his most outstanding success.
In addition, a good friend of the old Colonel is the employer of Hasting's youngest daughter, Judith, and this Dr Franklin was also currently staying at the farm, together with his wife and Judith. Hence, Poirot was wondering if Hastings did not want to pay them a visit. Thus, Hastings makes the trip to Styles for the second time in his life. Soon after his arrival Poirot tells him about the real reason for his visit - amongst the current residents at the house is the most dangerous criminal Poirot has ever encountered in his career, and he is therefore here to put him behind bars. Yet, Poirot has grown old. Arthritis has crippled and confined him to a wheelchair. He is also suffering from a heart disease that could bring his life to an end any minute.
Thus, Hastings must help him in his task and do everything Poirot is no longer capable of. Nevertheless, Poirot refuses to name the criminal. He only shows Hastings reports of five murders, all in different locations, at different times, with victims of different ages, origins, education and financial positions, all committed in different ways.
The five cases only have one thing in common: There was always someone who would have had a good motive for the crime and who even confessed to it. Poirot, however, maintains that all five crimes were the work of one single perpetrator, who is now lodging at Styles. Hastings is doubting Poirots wits, there does not seem to be any connection between the cases. But soon Styles, too, is the site of mysterious events.
The Colonel's wife is shot following a vicious arguement and her husband is instantly the main suspect. Fortunately, she only incurs minor injuries. Next, even Hastings is beginning to plan a murder, when a local heartbreaker is targetting his daughter Judith. However, he falls asleep before he can put his plan into action.
Finally, Dr Franklin's wife is found poisoned with a potion that her husband uses for his research. Thanks to Poirots statement, though, her death is instantly being interpreted as suicide. In the end, things come to a head and Hastings eventually has to say his last good-byes to his old friend. Yet, Poirot makes the impossible possible and solves postmortem, as it has been announced a long time ago, the circumstances of his own death.

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