Books Never to read again

Tommy_A_Jones

I know this sounds like Sacriliage but we have a worst books thread so maybe not; Which of the AC Books have you decided aren't for you and will never read again? For me it is;

PASSENGER TO FRANKFURT

DEATH COMES AS THE END

ENDLESS NIGHT

MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA

PERIL AT END HOUSE

THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN

SPARKLING CYANIDE

THREE ACT TRAGEDY

THE BIG FOUR

I am going to miss out Murder On The Orient Express Next time too and see if I miss it. and I won't read THE MYSTEROUS MR QUINN again either

tudes

Passenger to Frankfurt, worst AC book by far. It's pointless. And Postern of fate. If it was a short story could be nice, but as a novel it's awful.

lachy.a.w

Really, I recently read Three Act Tragedy and I thought it wasn't bad. I wouldn't be leaving it out if I reread. Same goes for Peril at End House - I actually really enjoyed that when I read it and would happily read it again. 

tudes

lachy.a.w said:

Really, I recently read Three Act Tragedy and I thought it wasn't bad. I wouldn't be leaving it out if I reread. Same goes for Peril at End House - I actually really enjoyed that when I read it and would happily read it again. 

Me too. I like Peril at End House more than Three Act Tragedy actually. But I like them both. They are not excellent, but I would read them again. I also like Peril at End House's adaption. Although the book isn't a masterpiece, the film is very well done and it's one of my favorites adaptions.

3rdGirl

I can't get into Tommy and Tuppence at all for some reason.  I loathed They Came to Baghdad which was ridiculous. Of the Poirot's I didn't care for The Big Four. That's about it really. 

Tommy_A_Jones

With 3 Act Tragedy I just found it slow, I read it twice and for now that is enough for me, With Peril At End House it is one where it spoilt it knowing who the Murderer was which isn't always the case for me, and I have this problem with Noses and one of the Characters is dis described as having a 'Fleshy Nose' which always makes me queasy, I had problems a while back writing the word Nostril in a Crossword 

Tommy_A_Jones

I forgot to say I am really sorry you don't like the T&T Books, even though I found BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMB weak in parts and POSTERN OF FATE on balance I enjoyed it.

Tommy_A_Jones

I mean the T&T books

shifra.shomron

Spider's Web I won't really re-read.
Destination Unknown also - it's not the sort that I like to associate with A. C.
Pale Horse I didn't really enjoy. It seems like if the fellow had a more fulfilling life, he wouldn't have been caught up with following 3 old ladies in a village...
However, I found Three Act Tragedy to be very clever. Not altogether nice, the way she points out that one character looks a bit strange and that oh, of course, he has Jewish blood... but she did stuff like that fairly often (sweatshop owners are all Jewish in A.C books) and it's a sign of the times. In this book I love Poirot's self-absorbed attitude throughout, especially at the end. One can understand perfectly well why Hastings would get so upset with him...

Paulette

The Big Four

They came to Baghdad

Endless Night

Passenger to Frankfurt

The Pale Horse

 

Tommy_A_Jones

With the exception of Pale Horse which is next on my list I agree with you Paulette but I have read They Came to Baghdad twice but that is enough for me I think

Lucy G Lemon

I wouldn't bother with Death on the Nile again - am I the only fan who couldn't appreciate this book?  I just found it a plodder.

Also Ordeal by Innocence: I was really non-plussed with that one. AC said it was one of her favourites, so I was eager to read it, but when I did, it did not fulfil my expectations. Maybe I was expecting too much.

Otherwise, I have never read any of her books more than twice. I find, by second reading, I well and truly remember whodunnit'' and so the suspense and anticipation that goes with reading AC would be missing on a third read.

silvana

Oh that's a pity @Lucy G Lemon! Death on the Nile is one of my favourites... I agree with you about  Ordeal by Innocence , I myself won't read it again. 

Christopher_Wren

Postern of Fate and Passenger to Frankfurt. Both completely awful and in my opinion without any redeeming qualities. Also Destination Unknown and the Big Four.

Tommy_A_Jones

Death On The Nile made me like Colonel Race, I didn't like him much in the others he appears in although I love Cards On The Table and The Man In The Brown Suit

shifra.shomron

Destination Unknown was probably better when the USSR really dominated everyone's thoughts. Passenger to Frankfurt isn't extremely good, but I don't think it's bad, either. I like the way a guy's life changes suddenly - and he doesn't regret it! I love the way everyone's measuring him up, wondering if he's the type to have taken part, or not. But the whole premise of the story is one I'm not sure of. It's such a secret service, spy book, sort of thing - I wonder, does it really happen? Poirot and Marple, one feels sure they COULD happen. But these, one wonders. It seems somehow more fit for a movie than for life.
Death on the Nile - fabulous.
Cards on the Table - great characters.

maryamalbulushi

for me the two short stories : strange jest and love detectives:( didn't get them  

vazin

i thaught about reading "ten little indians" and "peril at the end house" for a second time, but for the other novels i've read no one of them i decide to read for second time

Tommy_A_Jones

I love Strange Jest

maryamalbulushi

@Tommy_A_Jones   really? you got that? i did not understand the ending of the story, but i did understand the begging till the middle. 

Tommy_A_Jones

What didn't you get I don't think I got all of Strange Jest first time round but It is one of my Favourite Short stories such a lovely Idea and all without the use of a Crime, I don't remember The Love Detectives which means I didn't like it and won't be reading it again but Strange Jest is Great although It is only recently I have thought of The Title which perfectly fits the story. 

Tommy_A_Jones

I suppose it is a story of its time and you either need to be a certain age or grow up with People of a certain age to appreciate it which is in a way a shame because if people don't open themselves up to the way Agatha Thought beautiful Stories Like Strange Jest will be lost.

Tommy_A_Jones

SPOILER The Recipe amongst Love Letters made Miss Marple l;ook at the Letters closely, an thenshe remembered what the Uncle did before he died which reminded Miss Marple of a saying which has a Character which was mentioned in the Love Letter and because Miss Marple knew a boy with a particular interest she knew where the bequest was, thank you, you have made me think when I finish the Book I am reading I will read Strange Jest again 

ianthepoet

The Labours of Hercules, will not bother reading it again. I found it hard going.

Tommy_A_Jones

I was lieing in bed last night mary and I was thinking of Strange Jest and realised there is the last bit I didn't understand, the bit about the Uncle and the present and the recipient was angry and threw it away so the giver had to give her another one, perhaps someone else can explain it.

Tommy_A_Jones

I still like the story though.

glalonzo0408

Lucy G Lemon said:

I wouldn't bother with Death on the Nile again - am I the only fan who couldn't appreciate this book?  I just found it a plodder.

Also Ordeal by Innocence: I was really non-plussed with that one. AC said it was one of her favourites, so I was eager to read it, but when I did, it did not fulfil my expectations. Maybe I was expecting too much.

Otherwise, I have never read any of her books more than twice. I find, by second reading, I well and truly remember whodunnit'' and so the suspense and anticipation that goes with reading AC would be missing on a third read.

Lucy G Lemon said:

I wouldn't bother with Death on the Nile again - am I the only fan who couldn't appreciate this book?  I just found it a plodder.

Also Ordeal by Innocence: I was really non-plussed with that one. AC said it was one of her favourites, so I was eager to read it, but when I did, it did not fulfil my expectations. Maybe I was expecting too much.

Otherwise, I have never read any of her books more than twice. I find, by second reading, I well and truly remember whodunnit'' and so the suspense and anticipation that goes with reading AC would be missing on a third read.

Death on the Nile is one of my favorites......

maryamalbulushi

yeah exactly, this is the part that i couldn't understand.. but thanks now i can understand and connect the story

Tommy_A_Jones

A Friend has just explained a the end of Strange Jest SPOILER The Recipient gets a card saying something like "Sorry this is all I could afford" and thinkis it is just a Card and throws it on the fire not realising Money is hidden and taped to the card the Giver had to reimburse her, I myself hadn't got that bit until this morning.

I really Like Death On The Nile, It made me like Colonel Race which the others hadn't, Ordeal By Innocence is hard going but worth it as it is one which makes you think of whether people do good works because they want to help or make themselves look good which IMHO is a terrible reason for doing things, The Book isn't light and I can understand why people might not like it, It should have Poirot.

maryamalbulushi

thank you now i understood strange jest

Christopher_Wren

I think the victim in Ordeal by Innocence is a bit more complicated than simply someone, who did good things to make herself look good. She genuinely loved children, and since she couldn't have, she tried to replace her loss by adopting many children. One might call that reason selfish, but she genuinely cared for them and only wanted the best for them.