Little grey cells return! Hercule Poirot to be brought back to life in new novel

Detective Hercule Poirot is set to make a triumphant return in a new thriller - almost four decades after he last featured in an Agatha Christie novel, the Daily Mail reports.

The Monogram Murders is to be written by poet and crime novelist Sophie Hannah and is set for release on September 8.

The publication comes almost 39 years after the last Poirot novel Curtain - which was published in September 1975.

The detective, who was famous for his reliance on his 'the little grey cells' for solving crimes, was killed off in the book - but Ms Hannah is said to be avoiding this creative set-back by setting her story early in Poirot's career.

The Monogram Murders will be told from the perspective of a new character - a policeman - who knows Poirot and asks for his involvement in the case.

Other famous Christie characters will make cameo appearances in the book - which will be published in 29 languages in 50 countries.

The novelist has today said writing the book, which comes four decades after Agatha Christie's last novel Sleeping, was a great honour.

She added she had read scores of Chrisitie's previous works in preparation for the book.

Sophie Hannah said: 'As a huge fan of Agatha Christie, it has been an extraordinary experience revisiting all of her magnificent novels and creating a Poirot mystery of my own. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be part of this story.'

Ms Hannah says she was asked to write the book after a lunch with her editor - who knew Christie's publishers HarperCollins were taking on contemporary novelists to re-write other classic novels.

In an interview with the Western Daily Press, she said: 'My agent knew that HarperCollins was Agatha Christie's publisher and suggested that if they were doing that sort of thing, they should get Sophie Hannah to write an Agatha Christie novel'.

Ms Hannah then met with the author's family - who have since backed the project.

Speaking about meeting Christie's family, she said: 'Well, actually when I met them, I didn't think it was going to happen, so I wasn't that daunted.

'I felt daunted when they liked it and thought, "Yikes! Now I actually have to do this!"'

Christie's grandson Matthew Prichard said: 'Agatha Christie would have been really honored at the thought of so many people around the world enjoying a new Poirot story and I am certain that all those who read Sophie Hannah’s novel will be reminded of the ingenious character my grandmother created.'

Hilary Strong, MD, Acorn Productions, which manages the rights to the Agatha Christie estate added: 'As we continue to build the Christie brand globally we are delighted to be working with HarperCollins and our publishing partners around the world to make this a truly memorable publishing event.'

Belgium Poirot is one of the most famous literary detectives in history - appearing in 33 novels, over 50 short stories and two plays between 1920 and 1975.

He is also one of Christie's most famous and loved characters - appearing in numerous screen adaptations, portrayed by several well-respected actors.

David Suchet is perhaps the most famous example - playing the detective in television series Agatha Christie's Poirot between 1989 and 2013.

Born in Manchester, Ms Hannah lives in Cambridge with her husband and two children.

She was a Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge and a junior research fellow in Oxford.

She is best know for her eight crime novels - some of which have been adapted for television.

Her 2008 novel The Point of Rescue, for example, was transformed into two-part drama Case Sensitive - shown on ITV.

Her novel Kind of Cruel was shortlisted for the Specsavers National Book Awards Crime Thriller of the Year in 2013.

She is also expected to publish another novel this year calling The Telling Error.





Novelist and Poirot fan Sophie Hannah ) said writing the book was 'extraordinary'. Her novel Kind Of Cruel was nominated for Crime Thriller of the Year in 2013