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Good morrow to you all.
Agatha Christie aficionados welcome here.
I am currently re-reading Death in the Clouds.
Agatha Christie aficionados welcome here.
I am currently re-reading Death in the Clouds.
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I've never read any - I've seen lots of TV adaptations of various books but never actually read one. Where is a good place to start?
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Where's a good place to start
I think everyone will tell you a different book to start with, probably whichever is their favourite, so maybe the best thing to do is to start with the first book, which is The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
I think everyone will tell you a different book to start with, probably whichever is their favourite, so maybe the best thing to do is to start with the first book, which is The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
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Morning ?
I'm a huge fan, I read them all in my teens and have been picking them all up again in Charity shops over the last few years. My favourite changes all the time.
In terms of a good one to start with, I'd probably start with the first one Mysterious affair at Styles.
Evil under the sun with Peter Ustinov was on TV recently - classic
Edited to add - snap Archewell!
I'm a huge fan, I read them all in my teens and have been picking them all up again in Charity shops over the last few years. My favourite changes all the time.
In terms of a good one to start with, I'd probably start with the first one Mysterious affair at Styles.
Evil under the sun with Peter Ustinov was on TV recently - classic
Edited to add - snap Archewell!
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One enjoyable thing about lockdown is continuous Poirot and Marple on ITV 3. They have had some really old ones that haven't been repeated much before.
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I must say that my subscription to the ITV HUB has more than paid for itself now.
What is everyone's LEAST favourite book? Mine is Postern of Fate. I was never very keen on Tommy and Tuppence, but this book meanders meaninglessly from beginning to end.
I gather that AC's publishers didn't want the book to be released as it was so awful. Years later, most people suggest that AC was getting dementia, and that is why her last few books are poorly constructed, with characters whose age is ludicrous.
Example - in Elephants can Remember (another grim book) AC describes Molly Ravenscroft as "elderly" and she has lots of wigs to hide her greying hair. And yet she is 35.
What is everyone's LEAST favourite book? Mine is Postern of Fate. I was never very keen on Tommy and Tuppence, but this book meanders meaninglessly from beginning to end.
I gather that AC's publishers didn't want the book to be released as it was so awful. Years later, most people suggest that AC was getting dementia, and that is why her last few books are poorly constructed, with characters whose age is ludicrous.
Example - in Elephants can Remember (another grim book) AC describes Molly Ravenscroft as "elderly" and she has lots of wigs to hide her greying hair. And yet she is 35.
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I read The Big Four this week (I'm reading the novels in order of publication) and thought it was dreadful. Far too over the top to get into for me.
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I had to read Poirot - murder on the orient express - for uni this year. Bloody fantastic book. Loved it start to finish. Read it on a train which added to the atmosphere I suppose! I have Murder at the Vicarage which I asked for at Christmas and am reading through that when I have time, I love it. And it’s a Marple this time! 
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Pearl, I have read The Murder at the Vicarage hundreds of times. Well, at least twenty times.
And I still don't really understand how they did it.
I confess that any plots which rely on clocks being altered make me lose the will to live.
See also "forged train tickets" as a plot device.
And I still don't really understand how they did it.
I confess that any plots which rely on clocks being altered make me lose the will to live.
See also "forged train tickets" as a plot device.
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Totally love Miss Marple in all the novels and short stories and I love the TV adaptations with Joan Hickson-for me, she is Miss Marple.
Really like Poirot-apart from The Third Girl- but don't like the Tommy and Tuppence books at all.
Not overly keen on the Sophie Hannah books featuring Poirot either: what do others think of her Poirot books?
As it's 100 years since she first published, I'm going to try and read as many as I can this year and I'm currently on the masterly The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
Really like Poirot-apart from The Third Girl- but don't like the Tommy and Tuppence books at all.
Not overly keen on the Sophie Hannah books featuring Poirot either: what do others think of her Poirot books?
As it's 100 years since she first published, I'm going to try and read as many as I can this year and I'm currently on the masterly The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
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I am not keen on Sophie Hannah's books.
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I did like her early stuff but gradually became more and more disappointed with them: A Game for All the Family put the tin hat on it!
I was surprised when the Agatha Christie estate selected her to continue the Poirot stories, although I haven't read the latest one which may be better.
I was surprised when the Agatha Christie estate selected her to continue the Poirot stories, although I haven't read the latest one which may be better.
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Love AC books. Think my favourite was 'And then there was none'.
Always enjoy the adaptations, David Suchet is Poirot!
Always enjoy the adaptations, David Suchet is Poirot!
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Recently read And Then There Where None which I loved. Any recommendations for other AC books that aren’t part of a series or don’t have one of the famous detectives in them?
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She also wrote under the name, Mary Westmacott and they're making a bit of a comeback. I've only read one of them though: Giant's Bread and I enjoyed it so will probably read at least one more. Some of her Poirot books feature Aridenne Oliver-a crime novelist who gets quite a big part in one or two of them but I can't bring to mind which ones!
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@BethanyGilbert
The Man in the Brown Suit, which is one of her earliest books, is amusing and clever.
The Moving Finger isn't part of a series.
The Man in the Brown Suit, which is one of her earliest books, is amusing and clever.
The Moving Finger isn't part of a series.
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Can any aficionados answer me this thats been bothering me because I can't remember the title?
Synopsis:. Old acquaintances all invited to a remote house, near a beach on cliffs, where they gradually get bumped off. It was adapted to film or tv drama.
Or does this sound like too many other plots [it feels like now I've written that]
Synopsis:. Old acquaintances all invited to a remote house, near a beach on cliffs, where they gradually get bumped off. It was adapted to film or tv drama.
Or does this sound like too many other plots [it feels like now I've written that]
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Originally called Ten Little N****** then amended (to be more politically correct) to Ten Little Indians, then amended once again.
Original Agatha Christie novels are really racist!!