Evil under the sun I am reading atm, went to Burgh Island and Greenway this summer, a lovely part of the world. Loved it there. I think the book is great so far
One of my favourites. Really, really convincing plot. Let us know if you guessed the who, how and why before you finished, and at what point in the story you guessed it.
Tommy_A_Jones, what I found hilarious was that Colonel Bantry was ready to excuse Basil's outrageous action because he was drunk, and behaving strangly when you are drunk (and getting drunk in the first place) are acceptable behaviours for an english gentleman.
The Body In The Library has one of the best openings of an Agatha Christie book. It starts out ordinarily -- a dream -- but then we read one of the most memorable words in not only the Christie canon but I think the mystery genre: "Oh ma'am, ma'am there's a body in the library!"
I read a while ago Mrs. McGinty dead, just finished Hickory Dickory Dock, and I think I may be finished with all of her novels (except for two short story collections)
Yes Tali (If I may call you that) I find that funny too but no-one asked Bazil to get drunk, It is very real that people are excused misdemeanours due to drink and shows to me Christie is still relevant today
I too love The Beginning of the Book, I can't at the moment think of a better opening to a Christie Novel.
My goodness, I started reading Passenger to Frankfurt at the beginning of December and still haven't finished it lol. It was one of the few Christie books I hadn't read yet, but thus far it's living up to many of the critiques of the book I have read.
I attempted reading Passenger To Frankfurt twice already and I still didn't get far into it. I'll try it again at a later point. Maybe third time will be the charm
Tommy_A_Jones, Tali is my real name. As for openings - I liked both the opening and ending of "A murder is announced". But I agree with you, the opening of "A body in the library" is special! As for Basil's being drunk - I think AC was slyly poking fun at Colonel Bantry, who is repelled and very vocal against Basil's bohemian lifestyle before he knows about his involvement, but excuses his outrageous action against himself (planting the body in his library) once he hears he was drunk.
@taliavishay-arbel, A Murder Is Announced receives plenty of flak on the cupboard trick that Miss Marple pulls towards the end. How did you feel about it? DId you find it convincing?
The cupboard trick was unrealistic and I didn't like it. The ending I was refering to was the very end - when Edmund and Phillipa have returned from their honeymoon and are ordering newspapers, and they insist that they don't want the local paper (the one in which the original ad. appeared), and both the newsagent's wife and the newsagent don't believe it. The contrast between the newlyweds' revulsion (after all this newspaper began the whole tragic and frightening affair, and they are not exactly "neighbourhood oriented") and the automatic assumption that they will want it, because of course they will want to know what is going on with their neighbours, was really funny. If you read a shortened version, perhaps that was left out - in "The moving finger", e.g., in the american version, the prologue (Jerry's convalescence, the doctor's suggestion and finding the house) and the epilogue (Jerry walking towards Megan's house, meeting Emily and getting her news and then meeting Megan and hearing about the wedding persents) were cut out.
I've just finished reading Peril at End House, which I've been following with the CD narrated by Hugh Fraser. It was great reading a Hastings novel, with Fraser reading it. Now I've finished that I've got the complete Marple short stories and I'm currently reading The Thirteen Problems, and I've have just read the second story, The House of Astarte which was very disturbing but very thrilling to read. I hope that there are other gems like this one, I'm sure there will be!
Comments
I am re-reading Body In The Library. Dolly Bantry says some wonderful things
"Selina Blake is The Nicest Woman imaginable, HER herbaceous Borders are Simply Marvellous"
"He was an Adorable Baby in his Bath"
Yes Tali (If I may call you that) I find that funny too but no-one asked Bazil to get drunk, It is very real that people are excused misdemeanours due to drink and shows to me Christie is still relevant today
I too love The Beginning of the Book, I can't at the moment think of a better opening to a Christie Novel.