Agatha Christie

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pete9012S
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Re: Agatha Christie

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The Monogram Murders - Hangout with author Sophie Hannah and Mark Lawson
Streamed live on Sep 8, 2014

To celebrate the release of the new Hercule Poirot mystery The Monogram Murders by internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah, join us in a Google Hangout.

Sophie Hannah will be in conversation with Mark Lawson and will be answering all your questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ZwBa1BDD8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Agatha Christie

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I started reading this last night, in bed; half-price in WHSmith and I had a 20% discount voucher so got it for around £8. It is good, but so far doesn't have the Christie "feel". Time will tell.....
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Re: Agatha Christie

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Here is the latest newsletter:
September has certainly been a busy month for Christie fans. We've seen the release of the first ever Hercule Poirot continuation novel, which has debuted to much acclaim in book charts around the world. We also had the fabulous International Agatha Christie Festival, centred around the Queen of Crime's birthday, and related celebrations and events. How did you celebrate Dame Agatha's birthday?
http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=7f6 ... c7f9aa4cd8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Agatha Christie

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Thank you so much for the link, Pete. :D

Would like to know your view on Monograms Murders when you have finished reading it, Nigel. Please let us know. :D
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Re: Agatha Christie

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In a nutshell, I really enjoyed it. As I said elsewhere, it didn't really read like a 'Christie'. Poirot was there, of course, but he seemed a bit of an imposter. He kept saying "Bon" - which ITV had him say. In reality, he would have said "Bien", in my opinion. There was little mention of his past allies - Japp, for example - although Hastings did get a sentence half way through. This 'new' detective, who narrated the story, much as Hastings would have done, just appeared. Not a Christie detective such as Battle. His name was Catchpool (strange name) and it felt wrong to have this detective when he had never been, or would be again, mentioned in a Poirot novel.

The denouement was incredibly complex. I had to read this slowly, and often needed to re-read parts. The whole plot seemed far more complex than the average Christie.

It was a really well written and complex story. It was good to have another Poirot story, but I couldn't help feeling that he was just inserted into the story to increase its sales. Without Poirot, it would still be a first rate crime story. Although I thoroughly enjoyed it, it somehow didn't seem quite real.
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Re: Agatha Christie

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I have just started Murder on the Orient Express. I am enjoying the sinister atmosphere and the cold winter setting.
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Re: Agatha Christie

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Thank you, Nigel for the review. I agree with you that the story can stand on its own without using Poirot as a detective because it didn't read as AC at all. I appreciate the complexity of the denouement but the explanation is unnecesarily long-winded. :D

I hope you enjoy the rest of the story, Poppy. :D
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Re: Agatha Christie

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but the explanation is unnecessarily long-winded.
Oh, definitely. I had to make sure I wasn't too sleepy or I would have never followed it!
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Re: Agatha Christie

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Just finished Murder on the Orient Express - absolutely brilliant!
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Re: Agatha Christie

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I am three chapters from the end, Rosy. I can't wait to read the outcome!
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Re: Agatha Christie

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I'm really glad you're enjoying Agatha Christie Poppy.
I even like reading the books I can remember the outcome,as you can see how Agatha teases the reader with her clues,red herrings and diversions and I find that most enjoyable too!
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Re: Agatha Christie

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I feel sad( and a bit angry) when people say Blyton and Christie were inferior writers when million others have enjoyed reading their books. Usually those people who say that, have never read any Blyton and Christie books! :cry:

Am I the only one who feel like this? :oops:
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Re: Agatha Christie

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sixret wrote:I feel sad( and a bit angry) when people say Blyton and Christie were inferior writers when million others have enjoyed reading their books. Usually those people who say that, have never read any Blyton and Christie books! :cry:

Am I the only one who feel like this? :oops:

Not at all, sixret! I feel the same.
I don't even understand why there are so-called superior writers like Charles Dickens (to be honest, I found his books very boring and hard to read), Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck or inferior authors like Edgar Wallace, Nelson DeMille and Danielle Steel.
O.k., they don't write master pieces, but they obviously satisfy many readers' needs, so what's inferior about that?
As long as they instill the longing for reading books in a human being, they are fulfilling a good purpose, aren't they?

Yes, I agree, many critics just depend on other critic's negative book reviews and don't bother reading those books themselves. If I would have taken seriously professional book critics, I would have missed many good books.
I rather trust my own instinct than a book critic's opinion. Same goes for movies.
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Re: Agatha Christie

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pete9012S wrote:I'm really glad you're enjoying Agatha Christie Poppy.
I even like reading the books I can remember the outcome,as you can see how Agatha teases the reader with her clues,red herrings and diversions and I find that most enjoyable too!
Yes, I am very pleased that I discovered them, Pete! Poirot is definitely my preference (out of that and Miss Marple) but Christie's books are proving extremely consistent and strong throughout.

I love rediscovering books, conscious of the outcome and seeing how cleverly everything was set out!
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Re: Agatha Christie

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Did you finish Orient Express, Poppy? What did you think? I thought it was tremendously clever. I was breathtaken by the conclusion!
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