I have a bone to pick with Agatha Christie. Yes, I know, I’m her biggest fan. Why, this very month, my pal JJ (of The Invisible Event) and I will be stepping in the ring and going several rounds in the whole Christie vs. Carr debate. But here’s the thing: in addition to my role … Continue reading ACTORS AND AGATHA: An Acerbic Analysis
Agatha Christie
PROLOGUE TO A THROWDOWN
This was supposed to commence in April! VS. JJ, my fine, deluded friend from The Invisible Event, broached the subject several months ago of having a friendly competition, to wit: we would allow our friends to select the Number One titles by Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr, and then … Continue reading PROLOGUE TO A THROWDOWN
DICKSON CARR’S “ROGER ACKROYD”: The Burning Court
Get ready, folks! The tension is mounting! April nears, and JJ (The Invisible Event) and I are about to get hot and heavy with our two favorite mystery authors: Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr. After intense polling that involved thousands of mystery fans - okay, maybe thirty? – the top novels by each author … Continue reading DICKSON CARR’S “ROGER ACKROYD”: The Burning Court
IT’S COMPLICATED: Agatha Christie’s Best Triangles
Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody! All month, the Tuesday Night Bloggers are appropriately celebrating the theme of Love (and Murder) in Bloom. Here is a link to last week’s posts: Week 1 And here is the latest batch: Kate at Cross Examining Crime discusses some of her favorite movie mystery romances and comes up with some … Continue reading IT’S COMPLICATED: Agatha Christie’s Best Triangles
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT: Agatha Christie’s Best Couples
Despite being our shortest month, February carries a lot of responsibility on its shoulders. It’s the month when two of America’s most important presidents were born, when the Chinese celebrate the lunar New Year, when winter’s length relies on a bashful groundhog, when Catholics mark their foreheads with ashes, and when the jazz and booze … Continue reading WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT: Agatha Christie’s Best Couples
TAKING A NEW CARR ROUND THE BLOCK: The Ten Teacups
I’m envious whenever I read another mystery fan describe how much they love the ten Agatha Christie novels they’ve read . . . or the fifteen, or the three, and so on. The lucky devils! What pleasures they still have in store. I often wish that someone would unearth previously unpublished titles by my favorite … Continue reading TAKING A NEW CARR ROUND THE BLOCK: The Ten Teacups
THE FIRST POIROT
Here is how Agatha Christie remembers it: She and Madge were discussing one of the newly published mystery novels they had both read and enjoyed. Christie believes it was Gaston LeRoux’ The Mystery of the Yellow Room, which would place this event around 1908. At this time, the two sisters occasionally dabbled in writing; Madge … Continue reading THE FIRST POIROT
IT TAKES A WOMAN: My Favorite Females in Christie
Well, it’s Sunday. And it’s been raining heavily for twenty-four hours. And I have to go back to work tomorrow after a two-week vacation. And Moira over at Clothes in Books posted a lovely report about one of my favorite Christie females, Dr. Sarah King from Appointment with Death, which inspired me to run over … Continue reading IT TAKES A WOMAN: My Favorite Females in Christie
APING AGATHA, or The Insincerest Form of Flattery
I will never lay claim that Agatha Christie, my favorite mystery author, is the best mystery author of all time, but she certainly is the most successful one. I offer three pieces of evidence, to wit: Her sales numbers. Selling between two to four billion copies of her books has landed her in the Guinness … Continue reading APING AGATHA, or The Insincerest Form of Flattery
MY READINGS (AND REVISITINGS) OF 2016
Happy New Year, everyone! As a new blogger, I have only just become aware of the tradition in this community for those who blog about books to reflect on the past year in reading. Yes, let’s focus on the reading because in most other respects, for me at least, 2016 was not a keeper! So … Continue reading MY READINGS (AND REVISITINGS) OF 2016
Ah Sweet Mystery! 