Third Girl

by Agatha Christie Book 35 in the Hercule Poirot series.

First published 1966

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A young woman named Norma Restarick visits Poirot, says that she may have committed a murder and leaves after deciding he is too old to help. Poirot and Ariadne Oliver search through Norma’s shared London flat, her divided family and the counterculture surrounding her friends.

The investigation reflects the generational unease of 1960s Britain, where clothing, drugs and new forms of independence can confuse older observers without necessarily explaining violence. Poirot must determine whether Norma’s unstable memories are evidence of guilt, illness or deliberate manipulation by someone who benefits from her uncertainty.