Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

by Carol1 Comment
I shouldn't actually like Cat Among the Pigeons. Spies and political intrigue are not usually my favorites, especially when it comes to a Christie novel, but this one is fun. Our set up is that during the revolution in a small Middle Eastern country, the king gave some jewels to his best friend to sneak out of the country. Those very valuable jewels end up at a girls' school in England, leading to a couple of murders and a kidnapping. Poirot doesn't show up until maybe two-thirds of the way into this one. The reader knows where the jewels are hidden but not who is after them or who the murderer is. A fun amateur sleuth puts together some of the pieces and heads off to London to ask for Poirot's help. This was a reread for me and I did remember a couple of the twists, but that doesn't make it less fun. This time I listened to the audio...
Read More
Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

by Carol1 Comment
This is at least the third or fourth time I've read Hallowe'en Party. Christie books are my comfort reads and this one is perfect for October. A girl is drowned in the apple bobbing bucket at a Halloween party after declaring that she once saw a murder. Ariadne Oliver, a guest at the party, turns to Poirot for help. Poirot begins with the question of what murder the girl could have witnessed, and turns up several potential cases. The plot moved along at a good pace and there were several turns. I knew the who the killer was, but it was fun getting there. I love the dialogue between Ariadne and Poirot....
Read More
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

by CarolNo Comments
We all know I love Agatha Christie and Poirot has always been my favorite of her detectives, but I can't really pick a favorite when it comes to the stories. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe is not it, although it's a good one. A dentist dies of a gunshot wound in the middle of the day and it is believed to be a case of suicide by everyone, except Hercule Poirot who was a patient of his and had visited him the very same day. It's nice to have Poirot in at the very beginning, noticing potential suspects even before the crime is committed. As usual, Poirot observes and suspects far more than the police and doesn't take anyone's word as gospel. The mystery is solid with a nice mix of family drama and international tension - this was originally published mid- WW2. The characters themselves are a bit forgettable though. And, as always, Hugh Fraser does a fantastic job...
Read More
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

by CarolNo Comments
This time around Poirot happens to be passing through Iraq and is called upon by the local authorities to look into a suspicious death. Dr. Leidner is in charge of an archaeological dig. There are tensions among the members of the party and Dr. Leidner has hired a nurse, Amy Leatheran, to look after his wife, who has been overly nervous. Then, his wife ends up murdered. Nurse Leatheran is our narrator this time around. She has not known the members of the dig for long and has her own opinions about their personalities and what's been going on. We also see Poirot and his investigation through her eyes and she's not always complimentary. The characters are drawn well, with their secrets, fears, and jealousies. The whodunnit is not great. It just seems rather unlikely all around, but I still enjoyed the book....
Read More
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie

Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie

by CarolNo Comments
Poirot is on holiday at a secluded hotel on an island in Devon and, as always, is very much interested in the people around him. The other guests are a varied lot, including an actress and her family, a young married couple, and several single individuals. Most of the conversation (gossip) centers around the actress, Arlena Marshall, who is obviously flirting (having an affair) with Patrick Redfern, upsetting both her husband and Patrick's wife. When Arlena is found dead, strangled, at one of the coves, no one seems surprised. Evil Under the Sun is not kind to its women characters. With one or two exceptions, their importance/ relevancy to the plot comes from the men in their lives. But the plot is clever and the clues fit together well. I liked the setting too. The small, isolated hotel seemed relaxing, until with the murder it becomes isolated and claustrophobic. I listened to the audiobook narrated by David Suchet and feel like...
Read More
Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

by CarolNo Comments
Most Agatha Christie's are rereads for me, including Cards on the Table. I remembered the setup. Mr. Shaitana invites Poirot to a dinner party, promising to introduce him to one of his collections, murders who have gotten away with their crimes. It turns out there are four "murderers" and four of Christie's detectives, Poirot, Colonel Race, Superintendent Battle, and Ariadne Oliver, at the dinner. After dinner, they play bridge and by the end of the night Shaitana is dead. It's a clever mystery. We only have four suspects, but figuring out which one is guilty is not as easy as it seems. All of them have the same motive - Shaitana made several veiled references to the crimes and, if they were actually guilty, any of them may have been afraid he would go to the police. Poirot is the lead, but he does a nice job collaborating with the others. It's fun to see the different personalities and...
Read More