First published in 1936, this is one of Christie's Hercule Poirot books. I've loved the Agatha Christie stories from the first time I read one as a teenager.
I enjoyed Cards on the Table quite a bit, especially as I thought I had already read it, but it turned out it was one I had never read. I think when I saw the title I had confused it with another of the Christie stories which featured a game of cards, The King of Clubs, a short story in The Underdog and other Stories.
In this story, Mr. Shaitana, an acquaintance of Poirot's, invites him to a dinner party. Mrs. Ariadne Oliver, well-known author of detective novels, Superintendent Battle of Scotland Yard, and Colonel Race, who's job is hush-hush are also invited, along with Major Despard, Mrs. Lorimer, Dr. Roberts, and Miss Anne Meredith.
While the guests are playing bridge in two different rooms, someone is murdered. It turns out that Mr. Shaitana, a vain man who liked to display a Mephistophelian attitude to life, had collected four"sleuthes" for his dinner party. He also included four people he suspected to be "murderers". It appears that at least in one case, he was correct in his suspicions.
The four sleuths co-operate as they try to determine which of the four suspected murderers had done the deed. The investigation discovers the deaths that the "murderers" had been involved in, which Shaitana believed to be murders.
I was involved in the mystery throughout the book, and was couldn't seem to decide which was the real murderer. The ending was a surprise to me, and I enjoyed this book immensely.
This is part of my Vintage Mystery BINGO challenge--Golden--E--A book with a detective team.
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