Review: THEY DO IT WITH MIRRORS, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046RE5H2
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 October 2010
• Originally published 1952, THEY DO IT WITH MIRRORS (aka MURDER WITH MIRRORS) -Miss Marple
• Book 6 of 12 
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 227 pages
• The foreword says that the original publication was used as the basis of this e-copy. I note here that it was appallingly produced, with passages repeated, and an incredible number of typos.

Synopsis  (AmazonAU)

A shocking crime
A mansion filled with suspects

Ruth Van Rydock can’t shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen to her sister at Stonygates house.

Her old school friend Jane Marple decides it’s time to pay a visit.

But this grand Victorian mansion isn’t just a family home – it’s also a correctional facility for wayward young men.

And when something terrible does indeed happen, Miss Marple must face her most eccentric cast of suspects yet.

Never underestimate Miss Marple

From the Back Cover

Miss Marple senses danger when she visits a friend living in a Victorian mansion which doubles as a rehabilitation centre for delinquents. Her fears are confirmed when a youth fires a revolver at the administrator, Lewis Serrocold. Neither is injured. But a mysterious visitor, Mr Gulbrandsen, is less fortunate – shot dead simultaneously in another part of the building.

Pure coincidence? Miss Marple thinks not, and vows to discover the real reason for Mr Gulbrandsen's visit.

Agatha Christie does it all with suspense in this intricately plotted mystery.

My Take

It is 14 years since I last read this title as part of Agatha Christie Reading Challenge and now I am re-reading it as part of this year's selection for my U3A Agatha Christie Reading group. After we meet to discuss the book we will watch the ITV production.

I think the group will find a number of things to discuss.
Among them:

• The setting - how does Christie establish this? What comments does she make about how the world has changed?
• What would Lewis Serracold like to establish? What do you think of his idea of "transportation"?
• What does the title of the book mean? Was it a phrase you were familiar with?
• How do the police treat Miss Marple?
• What does Miss Marple mean when she says the sitting room is like a "stage"?
• Are there too many red herrings? Too many characters?
• What "facts" are untrue?
• Why did Gulbrandsen come to Stonygates? Why was he killed and who killed him? How did he ensure his own murder?
• Was justice done? 

My rating: 4.4

My earlier review

Handy Wikipedia summary 

All my Agatha Christie reads.  

REview: WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read as an e-book
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046A9MZO (AmazonAU)
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 October 2010
• Originally published 1934, (aka THE BOOMERANG CLUE)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 305 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422906 
• my earlier review 

 Synopsis (AmazonAU)

 When a man plunges down a cliff, two adventurous young friends decide to find his killer…

While playing an erratic round of golf, Bobby Jones slices his ball over the edge of a cliff. His ball is lost, but on the rocks below he finds the crumpled body of a dying man. With his final breath the man opens his eyes and says, ‘Why didn’t they ask Evans?’

Haunted by these words, Bobby and his vivacious companion, Frankie, set out to solve a mystery that will bring them into mortal danger…

My Take

 I have read this story for the umpteenth time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie discussion group.  I think I covered the main discussion points in my earlier review on this blog which I posted over 15 years ago.

The story has a large cast of characters and the plot gets quite complicated and messy.

The Wikipedia account is helpful. 

Here are the discussion points which I intend to raise:

• the rather obvious class differences between the characters
• the fact that both Bobby and Frankie are rather gullible in the way they react to other characters
• and the fact that eventually they owe their lives to the person they both have a pretty low opinion of.
• the romantic element - more than one romance.
• the irony that the character "Evans" is actually a person that Bobby should have thought of first (although, to be fair, she had changed her name) 
• what was the motive for the murder? 
• What did you think of the murderer getting away with it? Was justice done?
• When the book was first published what would readers have liked or not liked? 

After our discussion we  will watch a television version which introduced Miss Marple (portrayed by Julia McKenzie) into the story. 

My rating: 4.4 

All my Agatha Christie reviews.  

Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• Book 10 of 38: Hercule Poirot
• originally published 1934
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046H95PO
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 October 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422579
• (aka MURDER IN THE CALAIS COACH) 

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Agatha Christie’s most famous murder mystery.

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

My Take

 
I  have read this story several times before, but this time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. We have read several Poirot mysteries now.

In this one, Hercule Poirot carries out an investigation into the murder on the Orient Express of a man who has escaped the penalty for murder himself by bribery. He works with two other people: M. Bouc, the director of the railroad company, and Dr Constantine. At the end of the investigation he propounds two solutions. 

I think there must have been considerable outcry amongst readers about the final solution, but to me it also fits in with other solutions Poirot makes in other stories. 

In a sense Poirot is working against the clock. The train has been stopped by snow on the track, and they must decide whether the murderer is still on the train, and whether any of the passengers are involved in the murder. Against his usual practice Poirot looks for evidence by questioning all the passengers and by looking in their luggage for clues. As he does in a number of other books he makes a list of questions that he needs answers to, and as the answers emerge, he settles for a scenario that satisfies him. 

I have reviewed this novel several times: here.

Historical reference:  it seems to me that Christie must have had the Lindbergh abduction in mind when she wrote this book. See the Wikipedia entry.

My rating: 4.6

Check my reading of other Christie novels. 

Review: LORD EDGWARE DIES, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle
  
• originally published 1933 as LORD EDGWARE DIES in the UK, aka THIRTEEN AT DINNER for the American release
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046A9MP4
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 October 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422432
• Book 9 of 38: Hercule Poirot  

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Agatha Christie’s famous murder mystery, reissued with a striking cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.

Poirot had been present when Jane bragged of her plan to ‘get rid of’ her estranged husband. Now the monstrous man was dead. And yet the great Belgian detective couldn’t help feeling that he was being taken for a ride.

After all, how could Jane have stabbed Lord Edgware to death in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? And what could be her motive now that the aristocrat had finally granted her a divorce?

My Take - apologies for possible spoilers

I have read this several times over the last 60 years; this re-read is for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading group.  My first review on this blog can be found here. 

This novel is narrated by Poirot's companion Captain Arthur Hastings whose approach to solving any crime provides a foil to Poirot's "brilliance". He tells us to start with that Poirot regards this case as one of his failures mainly because initially he followed a number of red herrings, because he was duped by the murderer and also because he failed to prevent the murders. 

Some readers have a very adverse reaction to the racism and anti-Semitism that Christie expresses. In 1933, when she was writing the novel, many of her readers would have concurred with these sentiments. Poirot tells Hastings for example that Carlotta Adams is obviously a Jewess, as is that is obvious from her face, and others support that later by telling Poirot that making money is at the centre of her character. 

Once the first murder is committed, that of Lord Edgware, Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard become involved. He thinks it is pretty obvious that Lady Edgware has committed the murder - after all she told Poirot she wanted to get rid of her husband - but Poirot is adamant that she is innocent. However Japp does not then arrest her, but the man who has inherited the title. Later he has to let him go.

Japp gives Poirot a lot of leeway as Poirot suggests various solutions. Poirot does most of his "investigation" from the comfort of his armchair, using his little "grey cells", while Hastings becomes frustrated as he thinks Poirot should be more active. Poirot is content to send Hastings on errands, and to let Japp do the physical stuff. Japp is getting the evidence together and Poirot will have no hesitation in using what suits him. Hastings tells Poirot he is getting lazy.

Memorable quote: Why keep a dog and bark yourself? 

In the long run it is Poirot who gets the credit for solving the case although for most of the time he was wrong. Poirot says he wants to get the answers to 5 questions and until he knows those answers he will not be satisfied.

1. Why did Lord Edgware change his mind on the subject of divorce?
2. What happened to the letter that Edgware sent telling his wife she could have her divorce?
3. What was the meaning of the expression that Hastings had seen on Lord Edgware's face?
4. Why was there a pince-nez in Carlotta Adam's bag?
5. Why did someone phone to find out if Jane Wilkinson was at the dinner party that established her alibi? 

After he establishes the answers to those questions we get the full explanation of what happened, and who did what. 

My rating: 4.5 

I have read all the Agatha Christie novels as part of a challenge I set myself to read them in order of publication. My reviews can be found here. 

Review: PERIL AT END HOUSE, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• Originally published 1932
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046RE5C2, re-published 14 Oct 2010 by Harper Collins
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422692
• Hercule Poirot #8 

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Nick Buckley was an unusual name for a pretty young woman. But then she had led an unusual life. First, on a treacherous Cornish hillside, the brakes on her car failed. Then, on a coastal path, a falling boulder missed her by inches. Later, an oil painting fell and almost crushed her in bed.

Upon discovering a bullet-hole in Nick’s sun hat, Hercule Poirot decides the girl needs his protection. At the same time, he begins to unravel the mystery of a murder that hasn’t been committed. Yet.

My Take

Here is another one full of twists and turns, red herrings and misdirection.  It looks as if Nick Buckley's life is under threat and, although he has retired, Hercule Poirot feels he must protect her. It seems that the threats must be being carried out by someone close to her, perhaps a member of her household. However Poirot makes a mistake and a murder happens, but the truth is unexpected.

I have read this several times before. This time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading group. 

My rating: 4.5

Previous reviews

1932, PERIL AT END HOUSE

All my Agatha Christie novels 

Review: THE SITTAFORD MYSTERY, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read on my tablet as a free downloadable pdf 
• Originally published 1931
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046REG94
• this edition Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (October 14, 2010)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
• AKA THE MURDER AT HAZELMOOR (title for USA publication)
• My original review (2009)  and then another in 2022

Synopsis 

A seance in a snowbound Dartmoor house predicts a grisly murder…

In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor, six shadowy figures huddle around a small table for a seance. Tension rises as the spirits spell out a chilling message: ‘Captain Trevelyan… dead… murder.’

Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke? The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan. Unfortunately, his home is six miles away and, with snow drifts blocking the roads, someone will have to make the journey on foot… 

My Take

I am re-reading this novel with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group and look forward to discussing it with them. I think it works quite well as a stand-alone mystery that has some romantic elements thrown in.

So here are some of the elements in the novel we will discuss

• The role of the seance as the harbinger of death. How did that work? Who was it that told the gathering that the message was for Major Burnaby?
• What are the relationships between the various characters? (How did they keep track of the characters? There are a lot of them)
• Why have Miss Willett and Mrs Willett really taken Captain Trevelyan's house?
• What is the role of Emily Trefusis in solving the murder?
• How effective is Inspector Narracott and what is the role of Mr Duke?
• Who are the most memorable characters? What makes them so?
  
• Which are the most effective red herrings?
• This novel is a stand-alone, although I think at this stage Agatha Christie was still looking for a suitable sleuth. Will Inspector Narracott appear in future novels do you think?
• What does the isolation of Sittaford House make you think of? What about the escaped convict scenario?
• How credible is the secondary plot (the Willett scenario)
• What did you think of Charles Enderby? How good is he as a journalist?
• Why did the murderer commit the murder? Is the reason given plausible?
• Why did ITV decide to turn it into a Marple rather than leave it as a stand-alone. How does changing the plot for television make it more attractive? 

We usually watch a television version of it after our discussion but of course the ITV version is a Miss Marple, with a very much altered plot. I have put that at the bottom of this page in case you don't want to know the details. I am not sure whether the group will want to watch this as it is so dissimilar to the original.

One of the things we are finding as a reading group is how difficult it is to borrow an Agatha Christie novel (a printed book rather than an e-copy). 

My rating: 4.5

All my Agatha Christie Reviews. 

The Television version

The Sittaford Mystery is the fourth episode of the second series of Agatha Christie's Marple. It was broadcast on ITV by Granada Television on 30 April 2006. The screenplay was written by Stephen Churchett and the episode was directed by Paul Unwin. It was an adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel of the same name although originally Miss Marple was not involved. 

Synopsis

When Clive Trevelyan - Member of Parliament, war hero and heir apparent to Prime Minister Winston Churchill - is killed, Miss Marple sets about to solve the case. Trevelyan has made his fortune many years before in Egypt having secretly uncovered a lost tomb. He is killed during a major snowstorm when there are no police available. There are several possible suspects including Trevelyan's ward, James Pearson and his fiancée Emily Trefusis; his political agent, John Enderby; a journalist Charles Burnaby; a visiting American Martin Zimmerman; and several other apparently disinterested parties. A convict has also escaped from Dartmoor prison. Miss Marple concludes that Trevelyan's murder is related to his days in Egypt and sets about to identify the murderer. 

Comparison with the original story

The Sittaford Mystery was not originally a Miss Marple book. Some plot elements from the original are retained but spun together differently to result in a totally new story. Most of the characters are new and even the few who have some part of the original names now have totally different backstories.

•     The identity of the killer is not the same as in the novel.
•     Several characters have different names than in the novel.
•     Several characters are omitted or changed.

Review: THE BIG FOUR, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• Originally published 1927
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FZLLJ87M, Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zenith Velvet Ink Publishing, 3 November 2025
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 260 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-1070126516
• Book 5 of 38 ‏ : ‎ Hercule Poirot 

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Four ruthless masterminds. One brilliant detective. A conspiracy that spans the world.
When a mysterious visitor collapses at Hercule Poirot's doorstep, the great detective is drawn into a web of international intrigue unlike anything he has faced before.

Behind a series of murders, kidnappings, and coded messages lies the sinister organization known only as The Big Four — a secret alliance plotting to dominate the world through power, fear, and manipulation.
With Captain Hastings by his side, Poirot must match wits against the most formidable enemies of his career — including a criminal genius whose intelligence rivals his own.

The Big Four combines Christie's razor-sharp plotting with the tension of an international thriller, delivering relentless twists, deadly traps, and a mystery that tests the limits of Poirot's legendary "little grey cells."

My Take

I was surprised how much I enjoyed re-reading this novel for at least the fourth time. This time I have read it for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie reading group.

It is set after the First World War which has not ended in the sort of peace that the "winners" have envisaged, and in particular world politics seem to be destined to dominated by forces of evil. In particular an international intrigue of four people, three of whom Poirot has identified, but the identity of Number 4 is a puzzle, a chameleon whose physical characteristics appear to be different each time he makes an appearance. 

To me the Poirot who features in this story is a stronger, almost younger, character than the man who appears in later novels. He is also held in high regard by those who "matter" in international governments, and certainly the Big Four regard him as important opponent, someone who needs to be dealt with.

The novel apparently began life as a series of short stories featuring Poirot with a connecting theme, although in same cases the connections are tenuous. It was then turned into a full length book and published after Christie's disappearance and re-appearance in 1926, and the resultant publicity seems to have ensured that it was a sales hit.

I found the Wikipedia article useful. 

My previous reviews are here and here 

My rating: 4.4 

All my Agatha Christie reviews.  

Review: THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS, Agatha Christie

• 
  this edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08XB5JYLR
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ AC Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 16, 2025
• Originally published 1925
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 605 pages - this rather inflated, more like 400 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9895623426
• Book 1 of 4: Superintendent Battle 

Synopsis  (Amazon)

Little did Anthony Cade suspect that an errand for a friend would place him at the center of a deadly conspiracy. Drawn into a web of intrigue, he begins to realize that the simple favor has placed him in serious danger.

As events unfold, the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Sûreté gradually converge on Chimneys, the great country estate that hides an amazing secret... 

My Take (heavily reliant on an earlier review)

I don't appear to have read this novel as often as many other Christie novels. There are elements that I feel are rather weak, lots of red herrings, and a huge number of characters.

I have re-read it this time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group in 2026.

I note also that at the time of reading this novel has been published for 100 years. The plot and its themes are perhaps a little dated, certainly some of the "romantic" dialogue seemed to be. On the other hand I am struggling to think of other authors who published over 100 years ago, that we are still reading. 

CHIMNEYS begins in Bulawayo, Africa, when Jimmy McGrath runs across his old friend Anthony Cade. Jimmy has in his possession a manuscript that needs to be delivered to a publisher in London by a particular date. He also has a bundle of incriminating love letters that he wants returned to the person who wrote them. He can't take them himself as he on the hunt for some gold.
Cade agrees to take on both tasks, and travels to London by steamer in the guise of James McGrath.

One of elements of this story is political intrigue related to the kingdom of Herzoslovakia in the Balkins. Its last king was assassinated seven years earlier and the kingdom has been a republic ever since. However the heir to the throne is attempting to claim it back. The Herzoslovakian links in the story become important because the manuscript is the memoir of a former Prime Minister.

The action moves to London and then on to Lord Caterham's country house Chimneys, where a murder takes place. Christie's search for a suitable protagonist continues. THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS marks the appearance of yet another, this time a Scotland Yard detective, Superintendent Battle. He is assigned to this case because of the importance of Chimneys, which is apparently often used as a pleasant meeting place for affairs of state. We are told Battle is a man of "ripe experience", and there certainly seems an attempt to give him a modicum of intelligence, and to allow him at times to be a step or two ahead of others in his understanding and intuition. On the other hand he is often poker-faced and expressionless.

Other people who will appear in later novels are Caterham's daughter Eileen Brent (Bundle) and Bill Eversham, a young clerk from the foreign office. Colonel Melrose makes a cameo appearance as the Chief Constable although in later stories and novels he will be the Coroner.

The novel is possibly set I think in "real time". There is a reference to European nations rebuilding for the past 7 years, which seems to indicate a passage of time since a cataclysm, possibly the Great War. There is however no other reference to those events. There is also a reference to the previous, assassinated, queen of Herzoslovakia having claimed Romanov connections.
Perhaps I am mistaken and the setting is actually in the period just before World War I when the Balkans was in great turmoil. Another point in favour of this earlier period is the reference to Bertillon measurements as a means of identifying a person. These were measurements taken of various parts of the body: a system in common use in France in the late 19th century.

This is a novel in which many characters are not who they seem to be, beginning with Anthony Cade who poses as Jimmy McGrath. There are many who are leading a double life, and it becomes difficult for the reader to decide who is on whose side.

There are elements in THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS that really don't work all that well. The idea of an arch criminal which first appeared in THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT makes an
appearance, as does the idea of conspiracy and secret societies, in this case the Society of the Red Hand. The Koh-i-noor diamond, part of the British Crown Jewels since 1858, makes a puzzling appearance.

This is also a novel in which Christie shows that she doesn't really care if the reader has all the information, that we should expect that she will keep cards up her sleeve to be revealed in the final denouement. The novel is full of red herrings, and at the end we ask ourselves if we had enough information to solve the mystery. A pattern that is becoming a trademark in her novels even by this, the 5th one, is that in the final pages the cast of characters will be gathered and all will be revealed.

I wouldn't rate this as one of her best novels, although at the time of publication it was well received. It feels rather over-populated with characters, heavily reliant on ideas of conspiracy, intrigue and political upheaval, with some romantic elements. 

On the other hand, I had worked out the answer to the central mystery about half way through, but failed dismally on the identity of King Victor.

My rating: 4.0

My Agatha Christie reviews

Review: A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• Originally published in 1950
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004APA52O
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422524
• Book 5 of 12 ‏ : ‎ Miss Marple Mysteries

Synopsis  (Amazon)

An ordinary village
A shocking announcement

One morning the villagers of Chipping Cleghorn wake to find a strange notice in their papers:

‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30pm.’

Suspecting this is just a joke, they gather for some evening entertainment.

Then a gunshot is heard.

In desperation, the police turn to an old lady whose hobbies are gardening, gossiping – and solving murders.

After all, old ladies know better than anyone exactly what goes on in quiet English villages…

Never underestimate Miss Marple

My Take

No-one really expects a murder to actually take place at at Little Paddocks at 6.30 pm as the newspaper advertisement predicted. All the curious neighbours expect it to be one of those new fangled Murder parties. Even less do they expect the victim to be someone they have never met.

So the shooting death is the beginning of a complex plot, eventually solved by Miss Marple with contributions by a new-to-us policeman, Inspector Craddock. Miss Marple has been highly recommended to Craddock by the Chief Constable, and this is another novel where Miss Marple colludes with a police constable to set a honey trap to catch the murderer.

Miss Marple makes her appearance courtesy of a friendship with yet another member of the clergy whom  she comes to visit. The setting is just after World War II and there are a number of references to the effect of the war on English society and economy, as well as the influx of foreigners and refugees into England after the war. These really do have the effect of making Agatha Christie a largely unrecognised social commentator.

I've read this book for the umpteenth time, but this time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie discussion group.  

My rating: 4.5

Other reviews I've written: here, and here

Reviews of Agatha Christie Novels.  

Review: THE MOVING FINGER, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read on my Kindle (Amazon) 
  
• Originally published 1942
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046H95SG 
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 243 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422470 
• Book 3 of 12: Miss Marple Mysteries  

Synopsis (Amazon)

A malicious letter
A tragic death
A village filled with suspects

Nothing ever happens in the sleepy village of Lymstock.

Until letters accusing the villagers of unspeakable acts start to appear.

They try to dismiss them as a cruel hoax, but then one of the recipients is found dead. The letter next to her body reads simply, ‘I can’t go on’.

As fear spreads among the villagers, Jane Marple must uncover who is writing these letters – before anyone else is hurt.

Never underestimate Miss Marple

 My Take

This is at least the 4th time I have read and reviewed this novel. I have re-read it for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group.

Jerry Burton and his sister Joanna have come to Lymstock for a quiet life. Jerry has been seriously injured in a plane crash. But things are bubbling below the surface in Lymstock with someone sending Poison Pen letters. The police have their theories but eventually two people die and the Vicar's wife invites a friend to stay who happens to be Jane Marple. 

I'm sure my group will find plenty to discuss including the fact that Miss Marple makes a pretty late appearance in the novel and then really has only a small amount of time "on the stage". 

The plot takes, in my view, an unexpected twist at the end, and also has a romantic element.

 

My rating: 4.4 

Previous reviews here and here and here

My Agatha Christie novels 

Review: THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY, Agatha Christie

• 
  Originally published 1942
• This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046H95MC
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 227 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007422173
• Book 2 of 12 ‏ : ‎ Miss Marple Mysteries

Synopsis (Amazon)

A young woman found murdered
A scandal in the making

When Mrs Bantry wakes to find a body in her library, there’s only one woman to call: her good friend Jane Marple.

But she hasn’t called her old friend for comfort.

The body in her library has been murdered and Miss Marple is so very good at solving murders.

Her investigations uncover a scandal far darker than either of them could have imagined, and this time she may be out of her depth.

Never underestimate Miss Marple 

My Take

I've lost count of how many times I have read and reviewed this novel. I am re-reading it for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading group. 

This novel was published 12 years later than the previous Marple, MURDER AT THE VICARAGE. That novel had had a mixed reception and Christie's readers were not too sure about Miss Marple. Christie has published prolifically in that time: 30 novels and sets of short stories in that 12 years, both in the Uk and America.

The time frame of the THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY was about 3 years later. Characters who appeared in the previous novel such as Colonel Melchett and the vicar and his wife make a appearance that gives a feeling of continuity. But this time new characters and friends appear: the Bantrys who live at Gossington Hall, and Sir Henry Clitherington retired head of Scotland Yard.

The body of a young woman, strangled, has appeared overnight on the hearth rug of the library at Gossington Hall and while she is actually unknown to the Bantrys, rumours are flying thick and fast in St. Mary Mead, and, as they say, mud sticks. While Dolly Bantry, an avid reader of murder mysteries, is thrilled in a way to have a murder on her doorstep, she also realises the dangers to their status and reputation that this event threatens. 

The identity of the dead girl is quickly established and the investigation is wisely moved by Dolly Bantry away from her home when she and Jane Marple move to the hotel where the girl worked as a dancer. Another body, this time in a local quarry in a burnt out car complicates the case as does the discovery of an old man's infatuation with the dead girl. Quite a complex plot, lots of red herrings. I wonder how many of my U3A group will pick the culprit?

My rating: 4.5

Earlier reviews and here

See all my Agatha Christie book reviews here    

Review: MURDER AT THE VICARAGE, Agatha Christie

• 
  Originally published 1930
  
• This edition an e-book on Kindle from Amazon
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FDT36R5M
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ft. Raphael Publishing Company, Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2026
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892821865
• Book 1 of 12 ‏ : ‎ Miss Marple Mysteries 

Synopsis (Amazon)

"The Murder at the Vicarage" is Agatha Christie's first novel featuring the mild-mannered but brilliantly incisive Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living a quiet life in the little village of St. Mary Mead who often steps in to assist the local constabulary in solving their most baffling cases.

In this story, narrated by Rev. Leonard Clement - the local vicar - the townspeople are shocked when Colonel Protheroe - a wealthy magistrate who is widely disliked in the village - is found shot to death in the vicarage. Suspects abound as the local inspector proceeds with his investigation and discovers that almost everyone in the village had a motive for ending the Colonel's life. It is only when Miss Marple - local gardener and renowned busybody - takes an interest in the case, that the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place.

One of the most widely admired detective stories of the early 20th century, "The Murder at the Vicarage" launched a number of Miss Marple novels and further established Agatha Christie as the premiere mystery writer of her era.  

My Take

My U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group at U3A this year have read 4 Poirot novels, and have now embarked on the first 4 Marples.

In beginning with a new sleuth, an amateur this time, Christie has continued with having a narrator as she did in the Poirot novels. But this time we are in the small village of St Mary Mead and the sleuth is an elderly spinster, one of a gaggle of "cats" who know everything that goes on in the village. 

 But really none of them knows who shot Colonel Protheroe, church warden, as he sat at the vicar's desk in the study at the vicarage. 

We are introduced to a range of characters, some of whom will also appear in later novels. Importantly, we get quite a comprehensive visual summary of Miss Marple herself, and there are a number of false leads (red herrings), as well as at least two other petty crimes which are eventually solved.    

I'm sure the group will enjoy our discussion and the video of the ITV series that we will watch after our discussion.

My rating: 4.5 

I've reviewed it at

THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE and 4.5, THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE 

Check my reviews of Agatha Christie novels here 

Review: THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FBWL1762
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zenith Horizon Publishing, 2025
• Originally published 1928
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 307 pages
• Book 6 of 38: Hercule Poirot  

Synopsis  (Amazon)

A glamorous train. A priceless jewel. A shocking murder.
All aboard for a deadly ride on The Mystery of the Blue Train, one of Agatha Christie's most thrilling Hercule Poirot mysteries!

When the luxurious Blue Train departs Paris for the Riviera, it carries a dazzling heiress—and a priceless ruby. But when she's found murdered in her compartment, it's up to the legendary Belgian detective Hercule Poirot to solve a mystery filled with secrets, suspicion, and style.

This gripping novel delivers Christie's signature twists and turns, set against the backdrop of high society, stolen gems, and cold-blooded crime.

My Take

One of the books I am re-reading for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie reading group. It is a book that I have read a number of time before and have reviewed on this blog here and here 

Here are some of the points I'd like to cover in our discussion (I'm sure the group will raise others):

• The novel has two major events: the theft of a ruby and the death of its owner while they are on The Blue Train which is taking holiday makers to the French Riviera. It reveals glimpses of the French underworld, a description of the lifestyle of the well to do in post-war Europe, and the plot is characterised by a lot of misdirection and red herrings. Poirot has some doubt that theft and the murder are done by the same person. 
• This novel is set in the late 1920s and there are comments about the social structure, with a sense of a declining aristocracy, but still no understanding, by those who consider themselves aristocracy, of the lower classes. We might also consider what Katherine Grey, recently the beneficiary of an elderly woman's will, and on her way to Nice to stay with her relative Lady Tamplin, is trying to do.
• the introduction of characters who will re-appear in later books. e.g. Mr Goby, reference to Inspector Japp, and first appearance of the valet George, whom Poirot uses as a sounding board, a position that had been occupied by Hastings in earlier novels.
• The author's  decision to do without a narrator
• the nature of Ruth Kettering's father  
• Christie claimed that this was one of the books she liked least, however the critics did not agree with her.
• The fact that originally the wrong man goes to jail. i.e. Poirot initially gets it wrong
• Poirot's relationship Katherine Grey and her relationship with other male characters 
• the introduction of St Mary Mead

My rating: 4.5

You can find all my reviews of Agatha Christie novels here. 

Review: THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle
  
• first published 1926
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046A9MRW
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Masterpiece Ed edition (October 14, 2010)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages 
• already reviewed 2008 and 2021

Synopsis (Amazon)

Agatha Christie’s most daring crime mystery – an early and particularly brilliant outing of Hercule Poirot, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, with its legendary twist, changed the detective fiction genre for ever.

Roger Ackroyd was about to be married. He had a life of wealth and privilege. First he lost his fiancée – and then his life.

The day after her tragic suicide he retires upstairs to read a mysterious letter, leaving his closest friends and family to eat dinner below.

Just a few hours later he is found stabbed to death in a locked room with a weapon from his own collection.

Was he killed for money? For love? Or for something altogether more sinister?

The truth will out.
But you won’t see it coming.

My Take

I have read this book again having read it at least twice in the last 20 years ( 2008 and 2021). This time I am reading it with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. It is our 3rd Hercule Poirot this year and I'm sure the group will find plenty to discuss.

It is a relatively short novel. But it was considered controversial because it subverted what many considered one of the golden rules of crime fiction.  Hercule Poirot has retired to the country, where he is tending marrows. Captain Hastings has gone to Argentina where he has apparently made some unwise investments. Poirot is missing him more than he had expected to.

Almost everyone in this novel has something to hide. Does this confuse readers as they try to work out who killed Roger Ackroyd?

I found some quizzes which ask questions about each chapter.

My rating: 4.5 

See all my Agatha Christie reviews

Review: MURDER ON THE LINKS, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition an e-book on Kindle
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DK9D7QTQ
  
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 267 pages
• #2 of 38 Poirot stories
• originally published 1923  

Synopsis (Amazon)

Agatha Christie's second published novel featuring her famous detective Hercule Poirot. It marks the beginning of Poirot's adventures in the world of literature. Step into the gripping world of 'The Murder on the Links' by Agatha Christie, where the tranquil beauty of the French countryside belies a sinister plot waiting to be unraveled. It is a timeless tale of intrigue, betrayal, and murder that will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Despite being written nearly a century ago, "The Murder on the Links" remains as fresh and captivating, making it a timeless classic that continues to entertain readers of all ages.

Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's brilliant detective, returns to find his would-be employer murdered, too many suspects, and the detective directing the local police investigation ignoring his polished investigative technique. The two butt heads compete to solve the case until a second body is discovered, murdered in the same manner as the first.
Poirot's razor-sharp perception and in-depth knowledge of criminal history are required to connect both murders as he successfully works toward an unanticipated conclusion.

My Take

I have of course read this before at least a couple of times. I am re-reading it for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie reading group.

This is only the 2nd in the Hercule Poirot series. At first the author challenges us to identify the narrator, who is of course Arthur Hastings.

The main action takes place in France. Hercule Poirot gets a letter from an English businessman living in France, but by the time he and Hastings get there, his potential employer is dead.

I'd like our discussion to include the following:

• the role assigned to Hastings as the romantic, and the foil to Poirot
• the reference to World War One with the murder weapon
• does Agatha Christie deliberately set out to confuse the reader (and Hastings) with the complexity of the plot? There seem to be a lot of red herrings. What hinders Poirot in his solving of the case?
• The contrast between Poirot's methods and those of Surete detective Giraud
• this is only the second Poirot novel, but it is implied that he and Hastings have worked a number of cases since "Styles". Inspector Japp has consulted Poirot more than once in the intervening period. Hastings gets impatient with what he sees as Poirot's lack of action.
• Is the title misleading? What does it refer to?
• What is the motive for the murder?
  

My rating: 4.4

I also reviewed it at 

4.4, THE MURDER ON THE LINKS  

4.5, THE MURDER ON THE LINKS,- audio book

 

My Agatha Christie novels

Re-read: THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES, Agatha Christie

• 
  This is edition read as an Amazon e-book on Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C5BSNVN4
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Global Publishers (September 24, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 24, 2023
• Originally published 1920
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 201 pages  

 Synopsis (Amazon) 

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first detective novel by British writer Agatha Christie, introducing her fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It was written in the middle of the First World War, in 1916, and first published by John Lane in the United States in October 1920 and in the United Kingdom by The Bodley Head (John Lane's UK company) on 21 January 1921.

Styles introduced Poirot, Inspector (later, Chief Inspector) Japp, and Arthur Hastings.[3] Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When Mrs Inglethorp is murdered, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery.

The book includes maps of the house, the murder scene, and a drawing of a fragment of a will. The true first publication of the novel was as a weekly serial in The Times, including the maps of the house and other illustrations included in the book. This novel was one of the first ten books published by Penguin Books when it began in 1935.

My Take

You are right! I have read this numerous times before. I have read it yet again because I am starting up another face-to-face Agatha Christie reading group with my local U3A. During this year we will read the first 5 Poirot novels and the first 5 Marple novels. One a month. The pattern will be that we will read the book, then at a monthly meeting, spend an hour discussing it, and then watch an ITV  video version.

I have a number of reviews of the novel already on this blog:

• from 2008
• from 2014
  
• from 2021 

 I also have a chronology of Hercule Poirot which may be useful.

The group is a mixture of members who are new to the group and some who have been with me before.

I really want to make their first session a gentle introduction and I don't want to spoil the impact of their discovery of Poirot, so I want to focus on how they feel about their first read and to encourage discussion.

So here are some of the topics we will cover

• Who is this narrator chap (Hastings)?
• Poirot's background
• The setting, the period, World War One and its effect on English society
  
• Agatha Christie as an observer - social, economic
• What did they make of the story itself? Red herrings, relationship between Poirot and Hastings, role of Hastings, Poirot's opinion of himself, characters we will meet again (Inspector Japp)
• their rating of the novel (1-5)
  

My collection of Agatha Christie reviews

My rating: 4.5

Review: THE CLOCKS, Agatha Christie

• 
  I read this as an e-book from Amazon for Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCN8G16T
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Horizon Ridge Publishing (August 11, 2024)
• Originally published 1963
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages 
• previous review:  
• useful entry on Wikipedia

Synopsis (Amazon)

In the small town of Crow's Nest [Crowdean??], a mysterious murder takes place, and the only clue is the eerie presence of four clocks stopped at the exact time of the crime. As the investigation unfolds, a complex web of secrets and lies is revealed, leading to a shocking revelation.

Written by the legendary Agatha Christie, "The Clocks" is a classic whodunit that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its intricate plot, memorable characters, and masterful twists, this gripping mystery novel is a must-read for fans of detective fiction.

My Take

According to my records I last read this about 11 years ago for my Agatha Christie Reading Challenge when I was attempting to read all Agatha Christie novels in the order in which they were published.

This time I am reading it with my U3A Agatha Christie reading group. It is no, 34 of the 38 Poirot novels. So the purpose of this commentary is to consider what discussion points we might focus on.

So from here on there may be spoilers.

1. There are essentially two interwoven plots:the mystery Poirot works on from his armchair while the police work on the spot, and a Cold War spy story told in the first person narrative.
2. Poirot does not appear until about half way through the novel, and is then essentially a figure in the background, trying to solve the mystery from notes and narrative given to him by Colin Lamb. Colin is mainly involved in the finding of  an espionage manipulator.
3. The initial murder is that of a respectable gentleman, with false identification, found dead on the floor of a blind woman's house by a typist who has been sent there.
4. There are 6 clocks in the room with the man, 4 of them stopped at 4.15.
   
5. There are in the long run 3 murders, so we will discuss why they occurred.
6. I think there were a number of red herrings and a number of facts that are treated seriously, but in fact were not at all essential for us to know.
7. There were a number of plot points that were rather untidy:
1. we are originally told that Sheila Webb has been brought up by her aunt, but then we find that her mother is actually Miss Pebmarsh
2. Why was the body left in Miss Pebmarsh's house. She doesn't seem to have any connection to the murderers
3. Colin Lamb's father is Superintendent Battle
4. Mrs Ramsay whose husband has deserted her seems a bit superfluous
5. other odd things they want to comment on.
   
8. It appears that the plot has been modified at many levels for the David Suchet/ITV production. We usually follow our discussion up by viewing the television program, but I don't yet have a copy.

My rating: 4.2 

All the Agatha Christie novels I have read.

Review: HERCULE POIROT'S CHRISTMAS, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition read on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0046H95T0
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Masterpiece Ed edition (October 14, 2010)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 179 pages
• first published 1938,
• Hercule Poirot #20/38
  

Synopsis (Amazon)

It is Christmas Eve. The Lee family reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture, followed by a scream…

Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.

But when Hercule Poirot, who is staying in the village with a friend for Christmas, offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man…

My Take

This is the first time I have read this novel in 14 years, and I am reading it this time for discussion with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading Group. My earlier review on this blog is here.

Hercule Poirot seems a little less bombastic in this novel. He agrees to go with a friend to the murder scene to offer his opinion, and then becomes involved in the investigation.

I've found another review that has provoked some thoughts

In my discussion with my group I want to focus on the following:

• the war referred to in the early part of the novel is the Spanish Civil War. Pila seems extraordinarily hardened by her war experiences.
  
• the ways in which Simeon Lee brought his murder on himself, although he could hardly have expected that to be the result; Did he deserve his fate?
  
• structure of the story: did you notice how the story was broken up into Part 1, Part 2 etc = each Part contains the action for a particular day.e.g. Part 1- December 22. It takes place over 7 days of a Christmas week.
  
• this story appears to be a "locked room mystery" - what does that mean?
• Why was there so much blood?
  
• There are none of the promised activities of a Christmas week. What preparations had been made? No tree? No presents? No Christmas dinner?
  
• there are 3 people who are not who they seem - who are they?
• after the first murder, there is an attempted murder. Why did the murderer try to do this?
• the idea that families getting together for Christmas often provokes violence, even death 
• what is the role of women in this novel?
• What gave the murderer away?
  

I've found another review that has provoked some thoughts

My rating: 4.5

See my Agatha Christie novels page.

Review: DEATH ON THE NILE, Agatha Christie

• 
  This edition from Amazon on Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCG8S8NV
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Horizon Ridge Publishing (10 August 2024
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
• First published in Great Britain in 1937

Synopsis (Amazon} 

Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries.

The tranquility of a luxury cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.

Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: "I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger." Yet under the searing heat of the Egyptian sun, nothing is ever quite what it seems.

A sweeping mystery of love, jealousy, and betrayal, Death on the Nile is one of Christie's most legendary and timeless works.

My Take

Well, of course, this is far from the first time that I have read DEATH ON THE NILE. My earlier reviews is here. I am re-reading it this time with my U3A Agatha Christie Reading group who are coming to the end of their 4 year course with me. I anticipate they will have enjoyed the novel.

I want to focus our discussion on some of the following

• the way Christie introduces us to all the main characters
• who is NOT what they appear to be at first glance? 
• the interactions between the characters
• how is each character in some way linked to a crime
  
• the suspicions she plants in our minds
• the red herrings which are laid across our reading path
• The role of Colonel Race
• How they felt about the ending.
• what makes this such an appealing book?
  
• some themes that have been suggested: Justice, genre expectations, the importance of class, romantic love, selfishness and generosity, national identity and international connections
  

We will follow our discussion by watching the television production with David Suchet as Poirot. 

My rating: 4.5

My reviews of Agatha Christie novels

Review: THE PALE HORSE, Agatha Christie

• 
  first published in 1961
  
• read this time using both a paperback and the Kindle edition
  

Synopsis (Agatha Christie website)

To understand the strange goings on at The Pale Horse Inn, Mark Easterbrook knew he had to begin at the beginning. But where exactly was the beginning? Was it the savage blow to the back of Father Gorman’s head? Or was it when the priest’s assailant searched him so roughly he tore the clergyman’s cassock? Or could it have been the priest’s visit, just minutes before, to a woman on her death bed?

Or was there a deeper significance to the violent squabble which Mark Easterbrook had himself witnessed earlier? Wherever the beginning lies, Mark and his sidekick, Ginger Corrigan, may soon have cause to wish they’d never found it.

My Take - there may be spoilers..

When I read this book some years ago and wrote my review, I "read" it as an audio book. My review is here.

I am reading it again for my Agatha Christie U3A discussion group. We will follow up our discussion with watching the ITV video with Colin Buchanan in it.  

I was very impressed with a number of features of the structure of this story.

• the way Christie introduced the idea that witches could still exist today, She starts with the witches in Macbeth and then goes on to the idea that witches today could really just be ordinary old women. She prepares the reader to accept the idea that witches do exist and can be very powerful. When the 3 women at The Pale Horse are introduced the idea that they might be witches immediately comes to mind
  
• the idea of a list of people who have all die of relatively common diseases. Is there a connection between them. Why did Mrs Davis give Father Gorman this list?
• Characters in Agatha Christie novels: Ariadne Oliver, a friend of Hercule Poirot's. Mrs Dane Calthrop - a friend of Ariadne Oliver's (The Pale Horse) and Jane Marple (The Moving Finger)
• the final twist in the tale. Who was really the person who carried out "the service" of disposing of the unwanted person on behalf of the client
• the source of Mr Venable's wealth. 

My rating: 4.6

Possible spoilers

The Pale Horse combined two ideas that Agatha Christie had been considering. One, a book "would start somehow with a list of names ... ". The other reintroduced Christie's earlier thoughts about "Voodoo etc., White Cocks, Arsenic? Childish stuff - work on the mind and what can the law do to you? Love Potions and Death Potions, - the aphrodisiac and the cup of poison. Nowadays we know better - Suggestion."

This novel is notable among Christie's books as it is credited with having saved at least two lives after readers recognised the symptoms of thallium poisoning from the description in the book. In 1975, Christie received a letter from a woman in Latin America who had thus saved a woman from slow poisoning by her husband and in 1977, a nurse who had been reading The Pale Horse correctly suggested that a baby in her care was suffering from thallium poisoning. In another instance, in 1971, a serial killer, Graham Frederick Young, who had poisoned several people, three fatally, was caught thanks to this book. A doctor conferring with Scotland Yard had read The Pale Horse and realised that the mysterious "Bovingdon bug" was actually thallium poisoning.

The title of this book comes from the Revelation of St John the Divine, chapter 6, verse 8. “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him...” It was published in 1961 by Collins Sons in London, and in 1962 by Dodd, Mead & Co. in the US. It was adapted by Anglia TV in the UK in 1996 without Ariadne Oliver and by ITV in 2010 with the addition of Julia Mckenzie as Miss Marple and the omission of Ariadne Oliver, Colonel and Rhoda Despard and Mrs Dane Calthrop. It was dramatised for BBC Radio 4 and released in 2010. The latest adaptation of The Pale Horse aired in the UK on BBC One in February 2020, and is now available on BBC iPlayer. It was released in the US on Amazon Prime in March 2020.

All the Agatha Christie novels that I have  reviewed