I adore AC. My favourite ever book is one of hers...in that I read it often,its my go to book when bores and have nothing waiting.. that is "towards Zero". Not a marple or Poirot and the only one whos ending surprised me.
Thank you Ravensborough for your response.
I will keep those authors in mind and have a look for them in the library this week.
If you find any of MC Beaton's Agatha Raisin books, make sure you start with the first one, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, as there are long-running threads in the entire series which run along all the books. The others can be read as stand-alones.
I realised over the weekend that, although I enjoy crime novels I had never read an Agatha Christie book. I found an old copy of Murder On The Orient Express and started reading. I was fairly impressed, it is a nice change to have a book which has no swearing and no violence, however it seemed a little lightweight to me, and a very quick read.
What do other people think?.
I have loved her novels since I was seventeen, now I am as old as time, I still read them - I should say , listen to , audiobooks ( well I did until a few weeks ago when I became profoundly impaired in my hearing (cannot read actual books now due to posture.
Anyway, I advise folks who lke crimes stories to read them. When I first did, I was never able to guess the culprit,not once,and the plots are intricate and make you think.
Ok, you have to smile at the way her private 'tecs' are able to interfere with police procedure and are always welcomed by the official investigators, but aside from little , old fashioned views etc, her books are entertaining, witty, and clever.
I believe some of my other favourite authors admire, and were first inspired by Christie, such as Iain Rankin, Ruth Rendell and P.D James to name a few.
Read on!
jemjem
Agatha Christie had a form of dyslexia called dysgraphia. No-one could read her writing.
Hi winenroses, I want to thank you for putting a name to my condition! Didn't know it was a condition! Now I feel important
Seriously, school was a trial when my teachers would ask me why , as I was great at English, I could not write legibly. I could not answer and was given - in those far off days - 'copy books' in order to practice my handwriting, which had to be ' copperplate' font.
Huh, did not help, I still cannot read my own writing ! Thank goodness for touch typing! I don't have to inflict potential readers of my scribbles too often as I can email and also print off letters which require to go by 'snail mail',
Hi winenroses, I want to thank you for putting a name to my condition! Didn't know it was a condition! Now I feel important
Seriously, school was a trial when my teachers would ask me why , as I was great at English, I could not write legibly. I could not answer and was given - in those far off days - 'copy books' in order to practice my handwriting, which had to be ' copperplate' font.
Huh, did not help, I still cannot read my own writing ! Thank goodness for touch typing! I don't have to inflict potential readers of my scribbles too often as I can email and also print off letters which require to go by 'snail mail',
Thank you again wenenroses
jemjem
I'm pleased and delighted it was helpful to you! You can now tell people you have a brain like Agatha Christie's (Handwriting is also 'brain writing')
I had a favorite at the time, which made a huge impression on me because it was so different from most of Christie's other books. I think it was called Endless Night. Other favs were Murder on the Orient Express and one that took place on an archaeological dig, but I can't remember the exact title.
Long time since I read any but was the dig one Death on the Nile?
I just loved reading her books growing up. I felt it was a little too easy to pick out the murderer after a while, though. I haven't read all of her books and I am interested in going back and trying to read them all.
I had a favorite at the time, which made a huge impression on me because it was so different from most of Christie's other books. I think it was called Endless Night. Other favs were Murder on the Orient Expressand one that took place on an archaeological dig, but I can't remember the exact title..
Agatha Christie is a great read, my favourite Poirot is Mrs. McGinty's dead and my favourite Marple is A Murder Is Announced, Endless Night is also an excellent read.
I read all of Agatha Christie's novels when I was a child. This was due to the fact that that we were sent to stay with an uncle and aunt during the holidays and there was nothing else to read there. Whenever a new Poirot or Ms Marple comes on TV I can always remember whodunnit.
They are lightweight by today's standards of crime novels but Christie wrote them as puzzlesl she wasn't aiming for a high standard of literature. The characterisation was rather one dimensional but they are still good for simple relaxation.
My favorites: Death on the Nile, The Mystery of the Blue Train.
I think the earlier ones are generally better. Her writing style fitted with the earlier period.
Some of the sixties work The Pale Horse, Caribbean Mystery and Endless Night aren't bad though. I remember liking They Came to Baghdad when I read it but I don't think it would stand up well now though.
Comments
If you find any of MC Beaton's Agatha Raisin books, make sure you start with the first one, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, as there are long-running threads in the entire series which run along all the books. The others can be read as stand-alones.
I have loved her novels since I was seventeen, now I am as old as time, I still read them - I should say , listen to , audiobooks ( well I did until a few weeks ago when I became profoundly impaired in my hearing (cannot read actual books now due to posture.
Anyway, I advise folks who lke crimes stories to read them. When I first did, I was never able to guess the culprit,not once,and the plots are intricate and make you think.
Ok, you have to smile at the way her private 'tecs' are able to interfere with police procedure and are always welcomed by the official investigators, but aside from little , old fashioned views etc, her books are entertaining, witty, and clever.
I believe some of my other favourite authors admire, and were first inspired by Christie, such as Iain Rankin, Ruth Rendell and P.D James to name a few.
Read on!
jemjem
Hi winenroses, I want to thank you for putting a name to my condition! Didn't know it was a condition! Now I feel important
Seriously, school was a trial when my teachers would ask me why , as I was great at English, I could not write legibly. I could not answer and was given - in those far off days - 'copy books' in order to practice my handwriting, which had to be ' copperplate' font.
Huh, did not help, I still cannot read my own writing ! Thank goodness for touch typing! I don't have to inflict potential readers of my scribbles too often as I can email and also print off letters which require to go by 'snail mail',
Thank you again wenenroses
jemjem
I'm pleased and delighted it was helpful to you! You can now tell people you have a brain like Agatha Christie's
Long time since I read any but was the dig one Death on the Nile?
I think that was Murder in Mesopotamia?
I agree syramu, Endless Night was very good
They are lightweight by today's standards of crime novels but Christie wrote them as puzzlesl she wasn't aiming for a high standard of literature. The characterisation was rather one dimensional but they are still good for simple relaxation.
My favorites: Death on the Nile, The Mystery of the Blue Train.
I think the earlier ones are generally better. Her writing style fitted with the earlier period.
Some of the sixties work The Pale Horse, Caribbean Mystery and Endless Night aren't bad though. I remember liking They Came to Baghdad when I read it but I don't think it would stand up well now though.
I've just finished reading "Towards Zero" as i had never read it before,i thought it was just alright.
Have you read "And Then There Were None"?
I'd say that's got a far better twist than "Towards Zero".