Supernatural - The Hound of Death

Nathan Robert Michael Rees

The Hound of Death mostly contains supernatural stories.

Did you like them?

Do you prefer them to Agatha Christie's normal stories.

Did one story stand apart from the others?

Was there one you hated?

Did you hate or like the characters in the stories?

Frank

I thought the collection of stories was a great read and I enjoyed them all. The title story "The Hound of Death" had a Lovecraft feel to it while "Witness for the Prosecution" is a classic Agatha Christie mystery. 

Tommy_A_Jones

I am not a fan of This book of stories but they make a change if you have nothing else to read and it isn't very long since you read other short stories and a short story is what you want after reading a Novel and before reading another which is what I do, like a Wine Taster who takes a sip of water to cleane his Palette between Wine's. 

TeddyBg

As a whole I like the book. My favourite story is "The Strange Case of Sir Arther Carmichael", followed by "The Mystery of the Blue Jar" and really hate "The Hound of Death", didn't get this one.

anne.clough.3

My favourites are Wireless and The Lamp.

I didn't get The Hound of Death, either.

Tommy_A_Jones

I liked The Blue Jar but at the moment I can't remember which story is in which book of short stories, Does it have The Red Signal in, I like that and the story where a Man steals a necklace and buys a Car, the Adaptation has Michael Farrel.

KleineCardoso

I was very impressed by Wireless because of the idea of karma :-) and  Philomel Cottage because of her courage to stay calm and think of a plan, it was amazing!!! Didn´t really care for the main story the hound of death...

TeddyBg

I think that "The Dressmaker's Doll" has to be a part from this collection.

Tommy_A_Jones

The Dressmaker's Doll is in my Edition of Miss Marple's Final Cases.

I Personally don't believe in Karma.

TeddyBg

The Dressmaker's Doll is in my Edition of Miss Marple's Final Cases.

Yes. But what I meant was because it's some kind of supernatural story it might be part of "Hound of Death"

Tommy_A_Jones

Yes, The 2 Supernatural stories spoil Miss Marple's Final Cases for me

shana

I liked the supernatural stories that AC wrote very much. Wished she had written more of it.The Lamp is one of my favourites. 

Carter

I enjoyed "The Hound of Death" stories, and also the novel  "The Pale Horse" which was an unusual and unique plot storyline for AC dubbed as "Murder by Black Magic". I enjoyed the television version too.

taliavishay-arbel

I have never liked the supernatural stories, but I really like "The pale horse" - both book and the old, 1997 movie. Though the movie took some liberties with the story, it left the main line intact - making the hero a suspect didn't add much to my enjoyment, but changing Tommy Tucker from a bohemian type to Ginger's shy friend gave Ginger more of a motivation to get involved, and having Hermia an accomplice of the "good guys" instead of an amused bystander (despite her lack of understanding of Mark and Ginger) was interesting. And having the incomparable Jean Rose as the chief witch Thyrza was great! I'd say definitely see the movie. However, why on earth did anyone think of remaking the movie with Miss Marple? Though I've seen a very positive report on it.

ChristieFanForLife

@taliavishay-arbel, this is a little off topic . . . . .at least with The Pale Horse [the film from 1997] it's set in the appropriate 1960s setting. It's rare to see an Agatha Christie adaptation set in this time period. I think those involved in this production took a risky and remarkable move considering the fact that most adaptations are set in the 30s to the 50s. 

Mohan

The Dressmaker's Doll - I just didn't "get" this one at all. After I finished reading it, my reaction was a "huh"? What was that??? 

Tommy_A_Jones

I don't read the stories in Hound of Death, I should as from memory it has stories I like.

Mohan

Of my favourite non series stories, The Listerdale Mystery is without doubt  at the top. I just LOVE this absolutely feel-good story with the surprise twist.

One of her definitely darker ones is about a penniless woman with hardly anything to eat herself, is so fond of her dog. There is no mystery or suspense but it makes for compelling reading.

I have often wondered how Christie was able to effectively depict the travails faced by people who are in penury. The girl with her dog story is a wonderful example. Even in The Listerdale Mystery she says through her protagonist, "when one is alone one can just do 'without things', but that can't be done when there are others in the picture." 

taliavishay-arbel

Mohan said:

Of my favourite non series stories, The Listerdale Mystery is without doubt  at the top. I just LOVE this absolutely feel-good story with the surprise twist.

One of her definitely darker ones is about a penniless woman with hardly anything to eat herself, is so fond of her dog. There is no mystery or suspense but it makes for compelling reading.

I have often wondered how Christie was able to effectively depict the travails faced by people who are in penury. The girl with her dog story is a wonderful example. Even in The Listerdale Mystery she says through her protagonist, "when one is alone one can just do 'without things', but that can't be done when there are others in the picture." 

I also liked the dog story - it is "Next to a dog" in "The golden ball". You get the situation of middle class people who find themselves with zero funds and no job, in many books set after WWII. It was a period of fluidity and reconstruction, and prior "safety nets" (such as trust funds and shares) had disappeared or devalued. You find that in Ngaio Marsh and Patricia Wentworth books as well.