Agatha Christie

[Fiona1986]

Agatha Christie is someone I've never read though she's on my to-read list. I have seen one or two Miss Marple adaptations on TV though and would like to try reading some. Is it wise to start at the beginning of the series or can you just dip in anywhere?

[Spitfire]

Nigel or Pete might think differently - but I would say that it's ok to start with any book. I've read many Agatha Christie, but must admit that I haven't paid much attention to the chronology or development of a series (not even sure that the books are arranged in series, except as they are called 'the Marple books' or 'the Poirot books'.) Books involving M. Poirot show a more obvious passing of time, I would say, as Poirot and his compatriots age, so it might be better to seek out the earlier ones first. I don't think that the Miss Marple books are strictly chronological, only some characters that are introduced do reappear in other books, and of course Miss Marple does age.

Hopefully somebody will correct me if I'm mistaken!

All Agatha Christie mysteries are worth reading IMO - they vividly bring to life a society of bygone days.

I do have one Agatha Christie book, but I don't think it's a well-known one...? The Body In the Library. Which book do you recommend?

The Body in the Library is as good a place to start as any, I would say. I read it not so long ago and enjoyed it. Not sure how well known it is.

I was so astounded when I finished reading Ackroyd and have been a fan ever since! From that on, I bought more AC. Then John Dickson Carr, then Ellery Queen, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, John Rhode and many others. I am a confirmed fan of Whodunnit genre!But it all started with Enid Blyton(especially FFO/R Mystery/Secret Seven series- more mystery than adventure), Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Three investigators.

I liked The Hardy Boys and The Three Investigators as a child, too. I don't find The Hardy Boys as engaging to read now, though The Three Investigators are still enjoyable (and so wonderfully dated now!)

I haven't read any of the adult 'whodunnit' authors that you've mentioned. Have you ever read Georgette Heyer - not the romances, but the crime novels? They have a touch of Agatha Christie about them, I've always thought.

[sixret]

You can dip in anywhere.

Just don't read Curtain first.

Poppy, Body In The Library is entertaining but not enough to marvel you, in my opinion.

Poppy and Fiona. Below is the recommended titles:

1) Ackroyd
2) And Then The Were None
3) ABC Murders
4) Poirot's Christmas
5) Nile
6) Cards On The Table
7) Orient Express
Sittaford
9) Towards Zero
10) Death Under The Sun

The first 8 are a must to convert both of you to become AC fans. Fantastic plots! You will be amazed to be fooled by AC! Mark my words.

Darker AC with very good character studies:

1) Endless Night
2) Crooked House

Lighter AC with very good character studies:

1) The Hollow
2) Moving Finger
3) Murder is Announced
4) Five Little Pigs
5) Murder is Easy
6) Destination Unknown

Wonderful capers lean more towards adventures:

1) Chimney
2) Secret Adversary
3) Thumbs
4) Seven Dials
5) N or M?
6) Why didnt They Ask Evans?

Do not read any reviews,synopsis and blurbs anywhere. Some contain spoilers without warning.

[sixret]

Yes, they are. I read Blunt Instrument( which has been chosen by Barzun and Taylor) as best 100 whodunnit. The denouement will suprise you. Original. And Envious Carca. Christmas theme murder with twisted plot.


Christianna Brand is another recommended whodunnit writer. This woman was wickedly ingenious! Try

1) Green Danger- whodunnit fans all agree on this ingenious plot. WWII setting.

2)Tour De Force

3) Death by Jezebel

4) Fogs Of Doubt- Pea Soupers setting.

She was known as a writer who wrote whodunnit with a small number of suspects hence make it more difficult or us readers to find the murderer. Rand experience her skill.

[Fiona1986]

Thanks guys. I'll look out for Agatha Christie next time I'm in the charity shops or maybe some of her books will someone find their way onto my Christmas list.

[pete9012S]

Fiona, I read Curtain,the last Poirot 1st,as that was given to me to read when I was about eight.
I would try The Murder of Roger Ackroyd first.

It's a classic Christie.The one that made her name.If you like that one you will want to read more!!

Regards

Pete

[Poppy]

Thanks sixret and Spitfire. I might take a look at The Body in the Library sometime, then, and then some of the other recommendations.

[Kate Mary]

I agree with Spitfire and Sixret another good crime writer contemporary with Christie is Georgette Heyer. I particularly recommend "Why shoot a butler?" and "Footsteps in the dark" . Also the Inspector Hannasyde books especially "Death in the stocks" and "Behold, here's poison" or indeed any crime novels by Heyer except one called Penhallow which one of worst crime novels I have ever read. An experiment in the genre that didn't come off.

[rosy_posy]

That's interesting, I though Penhallow was really good. A bit unpleasant, but very clever and interesting.

[Kate Mary]

Each to his own Rosy Posy. Penhallow is not a whodunit at all but a psychological thriller. The victim is such a monster I would have gladly murdered him myself. The reader knows the identity of the killer at once, the police are bungling and inept and an innocent man is arrested and goes to the gallows. It is a clever novel but I prefer a more traditional country house murder like Why shoot a Butler?

[rosy_posy]

Yes, that's fair enough. It's not exactly a traditional crime novel.

[sixret]

It is called an inverted mystery made popular by Francis Iles( A.B Cox aka Anthony Berkeley) in his popular mystery novel, Malice Aforethought followed by After A Fact.

The witty inverted murder is by one of Richard Hull's book. Can't remember the title right now. Have to check.

[sixret]

I've just checked, the title is Murder of My Aunt by Richard Hull. A very funny, witty and brilliant inverted mystery! You should try it, Kate Mary and you view on inverted mystery will definitely change. The best thing you will be fully surprised when you reach the last word of the denoument. The same satisfaction when reading classic whodunnit.

Inverted mystery is a sub-genre of mystery.

I think you can buy ebook. Check on Amazon or Kobo.

[sixret]

I am a bit shock to know that Sayers and Allingham are not popular in this forum. Both along with Christie and Marsh have been hailed as Queen of Crime. Sometimes Tey or Mitchell or Brand were included.

Sayers and Allingham wrote beautiful proses and strong characters. I know some of you here are more attracted to beautiful proses, characters development and setting. Setting was Allingham's forte to the detriment of her plots! She used detective stories as springboard to show her talent on writing. Some of us, purists don't like Allingham because of her seemly pretentious proses.

People who don't like detective novel as a whole will like Allingham and Sayers especially women.

[rosy_posy]

I've never read Allingham, but I absolutely ADORE Sayers. Lord Peter Wimsey is my favourite detective, even more so than Fatty! Her prose is beautiful and her characterisation perfection.