With Poirot it is Murder In Mesopotamia fllowed by The Labours of Hercule, with Non-series books it is Passenger to Frankfurt, Endless Night and Death Comes As the End, I won't be reading those 6 again, with Miss Marple it is They Do It With Mirrors which I will read again.
I agree Ordeal By Innocence is not as good as others but it brings up subjects which make me think it should be on The School Syllabus just like Crooked House and Taken At The Flood should also
Passenger to Frankfurt, the only Christie book I could not finish.
Out of the Poirot books I have to say The Hollow as I hated all the characters especially the murder victim and his mistress. I felt the murderer did a service when she killed that obnoxious man!
Of Miss Marple it would have to be At Bertram's Hotel. I couldn't finish that one the first time but later went back and made myself do it.
Tommy and Tuppence, I didn't like Postern of Fate or By the Pricking of my Thumb.
Anne.clough The Hollow -doesn't appear to be that popular a book. AC herself said she regretted placing Poirot in it. I initially wondered what she meant. But when I re-read it I could see her point. I actually love Lucy's character, she's wonderful! So eccentric yet artful. I also liked Henrietta's character, who unusually gets a sympathetic role as the other woman. I also felt sorry for the murderer and yes, I can see why she was driven to it. The character are complex and contradictory, which appeals to me, but the book is overlong.
Agree Frankfurt, Postern Of Fate, Pricking Of my Thumbs. I think that Bertram's Hotel is mixed, it has good ideas. But Elvria really is so insufferable! Have you seen the Hickson adapt? It's very good. It cut out all the long unnecessary parts and made a faster paced drama out of it.
Anne.clough The Hollow -doesn't appear to be that popular a book. AC herself said she regretted placing Poirot in it. I initially wondered what she meant. But when I re-read it I could see her point. I actually love Lucy's character, she's wonderful! So eccentric yet artful. I also liked Henrietta's character, who unusually gets a sympathetic role as the other woman. I also felt sorry for the murderer and yes, I can see why she was driven to it. The character are complex and contradictory, which appeals to me, but the book is overlong.
Agree Frankfurt, Postern Of Fate, Pricking Of my Thumbs. I think that Bertram's Hotel is mixed, it has good ideas. But Elvria really is so insufferable! Have you seen the Hickson adapt? It's very good. It cut out all the long unnecessary parts and made a faster paced drama out of it.
I guess I read The Hollow once and because I didn't like it, never read it again. I think it's the one with the poor relative who worked in a dress shop with a horrible boss. She was the only character, apart from the murderer, who I had sympathy for.
Lucy I don't remember.Was she the one who owned the house with the swimming pool? The pool I do remember from Agatha's autobiography when she said she based it on a real one that was owned by friends.
Yes I did see the Hickson version but it was only once and about 26 years ago when it was on TV. I have bought six Joan Hickson stories on DVDs but not that one!
Yes, The Hollow's murder took place at Lucy Angkatell's home. I liked her character as she offered some light relief. Although I have to say, I felt sorry for her servants! I did wonder if she was based on anyone.
I thought the Hickson version of Bertram's cut out all the dull bits. So it possible you might like it, even if you didn't like the book.
If Poirot wasn't in The Hollow would the Policeman have been The Detective? I think he would have had to be more Charismatic, Narracott, and Battle he was not, I think The Hollow is an Average book not as bad as Murder In Mesopotamia and not as enjoyable by a long chalk as ABC Murders, Cards On The Table, The Clocks or Evil Under The Sun, It is Fine, Just Fine like Five Little Pigs, Hickory Dickory Dock and One Two Buckle My Shoe, I will always read it, enjoy it even but look forward to others more, I like Lucy and her wondering about the Policeman and like Henrietta too but SPOILER ALERT it has the anti-climax aspect which is always disappointing
The Hollow was adapted for the stage without Poirot, because Agatha Christie didn't want him in it. The detectives was changed to Inspector Colquhoun and Detective Sergeant Penny
The murder and victim are the most crucial characters and both interest me more than who solves it. But Poirot does seem out of place, even though he was kept out of it as much as possible.
SPOILERS As for the end, I wasn't expecting it. In the same way Styles has "the most obvious person is too obvious so can't be!" end. I love Henrietta being alone with her sculpture at the end. It's very moving and one of the most Poirot ends. I love the story Three Act Tragedy but the last line in it felt so trite.
I've just finished reading At Bertram's Hotel and I can say it was my least liked Marple (even more than Mirrors).
The writing seems unfocus, and not in a crafted sort of way. Even halfway in the book I felt there were really different unconnected stories with the uninteresting setting of the hotel.
I also felt AC herslef didn't know very well what she wanted to do with the book. In some moments it seemed to me it was the clasical thriller with the big bad organisation in charge of a Moriarty mastermind (with Miss Marple included). And in others, honestly not until the very end, it seemed the who-did-it? mystery.
By the end of the book I was so not hooked that I couldn't care less who had done what. The characters are well written and developed, as a positive aspect.
That is an interesting take on the book, I see your point but personally I think Carribean Mystery and They Do It with Mirrors are both worse than At Bertram's Hotel
"Passenger to Frankfurt"! All time! Hate it! I've read it years ago and don't remember it, but I remember that it was an act of heroism to read it! After every page I had the feeling that instead of decreasing the pages increased.
I agree, Passenger To Frankfurt is the worst, The others have good points liken for instance Death Comes As The End is Brave as it is set Hundreds of years ago, Endless Night is a reworking of a Miss Marple Short story, Sparkling Cyanide is a reworking of a Poirot short story but Passenger To Frankfurt isn't it just bored me from Cover to cover just like urder In Mesopotamia did but at least that had Poirot and a Wodehousian Character.
For me I liked the labors of Hercules.. But from what I have I would say I didn't like dead man folly that much as my other books which are not all AC's book but I would like reding it again I mean it's not bad but if we compare it with my other books I will give it the least ranking
I think that one is ranked 3rd among the Poirot/Ariadne Books, I am reading The Labours of Hercule as stand alone stories, That way they might work for me.
I haven't read all the books yet. I'm taking my time and enjoying it! But here are my least favourites so far. I haven't read Passenger to Frankfurt but it sounds like I don't have a treat in store.
Standalone: Destination Unknown. The beginning was involving but after that I just couldn't find the emotional heart for some reason. It all seemed quite impersonal. I wouldn't say it's a bad book but I didn't enjoy reading it.
Poirot: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding. I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of the others. Perhaps I'll read it again one day and love it.
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel. There wasn't really anyone in it that I cared about, apart from Miss Marple, who wasn't in it that much.
T&T: By the Pricking of my Thumbs. I found the story a bit silly and unbelievable.
But there was something to enjoy in all the books I mentioned.
I think At Bertram's Hotel was a rather dull plot. I seriously started begging God for the murder to happen soon... and it did...But at the End I was not shocked at all, as I am at the end of every AC Novel..
And I think it was because I Knew who would be Mr. X!
@Maryam, I think it's the worst of Miss Marple's books, but Passenger to Frankurt is far worse than B. H! I think I can read B. H. again, but P. F. never more!
I think maybe "At Betram's Hotel" is a very common story... in addition, we keep expecting the murder for a long time and it is so simple at the end... but I wouldn't say it was my worst. Well, I have to confess that I am curious to read Passenger to Frankfurt now. :P
I could not finish Postern of Fate or the Big Four. My least favorite has to be Postern of Fate because there wasn't really a mystery going on and I couldn't figure why anyone would care what happened anyway.
When I come to think about my least favorites, so far there are three stories: Third Girl, One two buckle my shoe and Elephants can remember. Still I would re-read them to find if I can enjoy them in a second time
I can't decifer my own post so I will repeat among the joint worse for me are; Endless Night, Passenger To Frankfurt, Death Comes As The End, Murder in Mesopotamia, Murder On The Links and Peril At End House, I can't choose between them I hate all 6 of them, I think They Do It With Mirrors is the worse Miss Marple Book with Caribbean Mystery coming 2nd but Miss Marple are in those and I think I prefer her to Poirot.
Comments
With Poirot it is Murder In Mesopotamia fllowed by The Labours of Hercule, with Non-series books it is Passenger to Frankfurt, Endless Night and Death Comes As the End, I won't be reading those 6 again, with Miss Marple it is They Do It With Mirrors which I will read again.
I agree Ordeal By Innocence is not as good as others but it brings up subjects which make me think it should be on The School Syllabus just like Crooked House and Taken At The Flood should also
Passenger to Frankfurt, the only Christie book I could not finish.
Out of the Poirot books I have to say The Hollow as I hated all the characters especially the murder victim and his mistress. I felt the murderer did a service when she killed that obnoxious man!
Of Miss Marple it would have to be At Bertram's Hotel. I couldn't finish that one the first time but later went back and made myself do it.
Tommy and Tuppence, I didn't like Postern of Fate or By the Pricking of my Thumb.
I haven't read all of Christie's books, but the ones I liked the least were:
- Clocks
- Murder in Mesopotamia
I guess I read The Hollow once and because I didn't like it, never read it again. I think it's the one with the poor relative who worked in a dress shop with a horrible boss. She was the only character, apart from the murderer, who I had sympathy for.
Lucy I don't remember.Was she the one who owned the house with the swimming pool? The pool I do remember from Agatha's autobiography when she said she based it on a real one that was owned by friends.
Yes I did see the Hickson version but it was only once and about 26 years ago when it was on TV. I have bought six Joan Hickson stories on DVDs but not that one!
I haven't read all the books yet. I'm taking my time and enjoying it! But here are my least favourites so far. I haven't read Passenger to Frankfurt but it sounds like I don't have a treat in store.
Standalone: Destination Unknown. The beginning was involving but after that I just couldn't find the emotional heart for some reason. It all seemed quite impersonal. I wouldn't say it's a bad book but I didn't enjoy reading it.
Poirot: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding. I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of the others. Perhaps I'll read it again one day and love it.
Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel. There wasn't really anyone in it that I cared about, apart from Miss Marple, who wasn't in it that much.
T&T: By the Pricking of my Thumbs. I found the story a bit silly and unbelievable.
But there was something to enjoy in all the books I mentioned.
I think At Bertram's Hotel was a rather dull plot. I seriously started begging God for the murder to happen soon... and it did...But at the End I was not shocked at all, as I am at the end of every AC Novel..
And I think it was because I Knew who would be Mr. X!
El peor libro para mí es Passenger to Frankfurt