The concluding part of Agatha Christie mystery The ABC Murders had been eagerly awaited by fans on Friday 28th December, and it’s fair to say the final episode didn’t disappoint those who’d been enjoying the series so far.

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After chasing him round the country, Poirot (John Malkovich) and Crome (Rupert Grint) seemed to have finally tracked down serial killer ABC (Eamon Farren) – but the Belgian sleuth wasn’t so sure they had the right man, eventually working out that Franklin Clarke (Andrew Buchan) was the real killer, using alphabetical murders to hide the death of his brother.

Frankly, the whole thing was pretty tense, with fans breathing a sigh of relief when it was concluded and taking to Twitter to express their admiration of screenwriter Sarah Phelps’ work.

Many also took the time to defend the series against accusations that it was too dark or removed from the core of the Christie story, or slating John Malkovich’s turn as Poirot, which some viewers had suggested couldn’t hold a candle to Davd Suchet’s iconic take on the role.

One such defender was Phelps herself, who responded directly to many criticisms after the episode aired.

Because of course, not everybody had loved the series, citing various reasons for their dislike of the new adaptation – though for many, the new revelation that Poirot had been a priest in Belgium, not a policeman, was a step too far.

For now, anyway, Malkovich is hanging up his hat as Poirot, but who knows? After the new Agatha Christies already planned for 2019, he may be persuaded to return – and he can divide audiences all over again. Chin-chin.

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The ABC Murders is available to view on BBC iPlayer

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