You probably won’t ever find me sitting on a panel extolling the superiority of Agatha Christie’s thrillers. Oh, there’s fun to be had, but there’s also a good deal of silliness: Christie veered toward ideological conspiracies and hidden master criminals a lot. Still, even in the absence of Marple or Poirot, she could be clever … Continue reading NETFLIX CLOCKS IN: Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials
Agatha Christie
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: Theatricality in Agatha Christie’s Novels and Stories
Let me set the stage for you . . . Everyone who loves Agatha Christie has discovered her in their own unique way. Ask someone “What was the first Christie you read?”, and there are sixty-six possible answers – and that’s if you’re only counting her mystery novels. Each of us has our origin story, … Continue reading ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: Theatricality in Agatha Christie’s Novels and Stories
THE POIROT PROJECT #15: Peril at End House
“Peril at End House was another of my books which left so little impression on my mind that I cannot even remember writing it.” (Agatha Christie, An Autobiography) Christie might not remember writing 1932’s Peril at End House because it was relatively easy to write. After the emotional drain of the late 20’s, Christie had put the “sorrow, despair … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #15: Peril at End House
THE POIROT PROJECT #14: Death on the Nile
“He was her man and he did her wrong . . .” Death on the Nile is my favorite Hercule Poirot novel. I ranked Five Little Pigs higher on my Top Ten Christies list, and it deserves its place there. But it is a different sort of book than Nile, and I enjoy Christie’s 1937 tale more. Pigs is one of … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #14: Death on the Nile
THE POIROT PROJECT #13: Hallowe’en Party
“’Someone, you know, someone had shoved her head down into the water with the apples. Shoved her down and held her there, so that she was dead, of course. Drowned. Drowned. Just in a galvanized iron bucket, nearly full of water. Kneeling there, sticking her head down to bob at an apple. I hate apples,’ said … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #13: Hallowe’en Party
LUCID, LUDIC AND WELL-CLUED: The Murder Game, by John Curran
Recently, I shared photos with you as evidence of my wall to wall to wall to wall assortment of mystery books. Interspersed amongst the novels and plays and story collections are books about mystery fiction. There are the historical, like Martin Edwards’ The Golden Age of Murder i(2015), the critical, like Julian Symons’ Mortal Consequences (in Britain Bloody Murder, 1973) and the playful, like Dilys … Continue reading LUCID, LUDIC AND WELL-CLUED: The Murder Game, by John Curran
THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY GREAT BIG GIGANTIC AGATHA CHRISTIE QUIZ ANSWERS
Ten years ago on this very day, I posted for the first time. I promised you I would cover classic mysteries in every format – page, stage, and screen - and I made no bones about my adoration for Agatha Christie. No wonder I decided to celebrate my first decade with a quiz for all … Continue reading THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY GREAT BIG GIGANTIC AGATHA CHRISTIE QUIZ ANSWERS
THE POIROT PROJECT #12: Elephants Can Remember
“’Elephants don’t forget,’ said Mrs. Oliver. ‘You know, a story children get brought up on? How someone, an Indian tailor, stuck a needle or something in an elephant’s tusk. No, Not a tusk, his trunk, of course, an elephant’s trunk. And the next time the elephant came past he had a great mouthful of water … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #12: Elephants Can Remember
THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY GREAT BIG GIGANTIC AGATHA CHRISTIE QUIZ
Today marks the beginning of the annual Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay! While you read this, there are walks and teas and library events and detection galore going on all around Torquay and neighboring Paignton! How we all wish we could be there, right? I tell you what, though: I don’t mind in the least … Continue reading THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY GREAT BIG GIGANTIC AGATHA CHRISTIE QUIZ
THE POIROT PROJECT #11: Hickory Dickory Dock
Dr. John Curran’s description of what he found over the fifty pages of Notebook 12 that comprised the planning of Hickory Dickory Dock (U.S. title: Hickory Hickory Death) suggest that Agatha didn’t have much fun writing it: “Each of the first five pages of notes for this book is headed ‘Holiday Task,’ suggesting that it was written … Continue reading THE POIROT PROJECT #11: Hickory Dickory Dock
Ah Sweet Mystery! 