August 2014 Book of the Month: The ABC Murders

Tuppence

A challenge to Poirot’s detective skills – can he stop the ABC murderer before it’s too late? 

This month, the Agatha Christie Book Club is reading The ABC Murders, a departure from Agatha Christie's usual style, as she tackles the modern figure of the serial killer.

Leave your thoughts, theories, questions and queries below.

Tommy_A_Jones

This is an Excellent Book, I love it, I have read it on numerous occasions and will continue to do so.

jbizzell

Looking forward to reading this.  

helen.stamps.5

Took me a while to find this book and it was worth the wait. Another puzzle that isn't easy to solve - just love how cleverly she writes.

Tommy_A_Jones

It is wonderful

maryamalbulushi

i want this book badly but i can't find it

maryamalbulushi

You guys are lucky specially whom are from UK because you can find the book you want,but here they don't afford all Mrs. christie's books I am also wondering where can I find marry westmocott's books

maryamalbulushi

But to be honest our condition is better than some other places because we still have at least 20 of AC's books in English and there is also Arabic books but not all of them

Tuppence

maryamalbulushi said:

But to be honest our condition is better than some other places because we still have at least 20 of AC's books in English and there is also Arabic books but not all of them

Have you tried online retailers? You should be able to find an eBook, even if it's in English.

roamingrover86

maryamalbulushi said:

You guys are lucky specially whom are from UK because you can find the book you want,but here they don't afford all Mrs. christie's books I am also wondering where can I find marry westmocott's books

As Tuppence rightly suggested try Amazon or Ebay . They provide services across the globe at nominal delivery rates. You should be able to locate most if not all of the books.

roamingrover86

ABC murder is one of my favourite book. It has a nice plot & an excellent ending. I would bet that 9.9/10 readers have failed to correctly identify the murderer before the person was reveled. 

yorkshirerose

First read this book many years ago, one of my favourite Poirot books - the description of the locations of ABC are so detailed and yes, the conclusion is a bit of a shock!

Buse

It is absolutely great. Especially i love its ending. Genius :-bd

glalonzo0408

I love this book.......will start it again tonight......

kaberi.chakrabarty

My favorite part of the book is actually the fact that she introduces the concept of Cards on the Table in this book, which would later go on to be one of my favorite Poirot books.

Also, I just recently watched the David Suchet dramatization of the book, and my favorite part is actually something that doesn't show up in the book at all. It's the moment at the very end, where Hastings finally gets to tell his crocodile story to Cust, and Japp and Poirot back slowly out of the room. It's both funny and sweet.

Tommy_A_Jones

I like that bit too and the bit where up until then everytime Hastings tries to tell the story Poirot cuts him off

Dean

I've just read the book quite recently and I thought this was great one of my best Agatha Christie books definitely in my top ten. I want to read Death In The Clouds but I haven't bought it yet. :-?

mike1410

Make sure you read the book of Death In The Clouds before you see the ITV Poirot adaptation (if you haven't already). I think the book is a better story.

youngmrquin

This was my second AC book and I really loved it. I remember myself being a shy teenager attached to it and finding it really like a page-turner.

I really never bought that the killer was that really obvious person, or at least it was hard for me to accept it, having read previously Cat Among Pigeons and knowing that AC never puts the solutions in your face. However, I really couldn't have guessed the true identity of the villain. 

Other than that, I agree, it was a serial-killer type of story that really engaged me more than many other Poirots.

rose

I haven't read many Agatha Christies yet, but this is one I've read and loved (actually, I've loved all of them that I've read so far). I never guess who did it but I thought it was a very clever resolution. I'm so excited to have discovered Agatha Christie!

tanyadelliott

I had seen the David Suchet adaptation on TV but never read the book. I liked it a lot, but don't think it will be one of my favourites. I found the story rather bitty, jumping from one persons view to another. It didn't allow the cosy narrative which I think Agatha Christie excels at.

Tommy_A_Jones

You might be surprised about the Book, I think it is brilliant

kelly.allmendinger

Finished this one on vacation. First read it in 1991. Excellent story. Too much French for my taste, is there a site that has translations for Agatha Christie readers?

Tommy_A_Jones

That is one thing about the Book, Too Much French, but | still love it.

GKCfan

There are many sites that translate French into English, like Google Translate (translate.google.com).  You'll have to type the words in yourself, though.

Tommy_A_Jones

Perhaps I have just got used to it but the Poirot's I read when I first started had seemed to have more French but a I say, that maybe just me.

frugalitymom

My first of the Hercule Poirot books and I thoroughly enjoyed it!  Kept me guessing to the end and stayed up late reading it because I couldn't put it down.  Looking forward to next month's book.

Tommy_A_Jones

That doesn't Matter BelgianChocolat, I have seen people contribute to an earlier Book of the Month.

LesleyK

ABC Murders is the best Agatha Christie in my opinion, it is such a clever idea.  I know it is also David Suchet's favourite - he has said that many times in a few interviews.

AgathaSparrow

Amazing novel, I love the twist write at the end, a classic Christie

Maryam

It was a great book. I am an ALL-TIME fan of Poirot. Christie's books are worth reading. I actually can't live without them. I wonder, will I ever be able to survive without one of those when I'm finished with her all works? :-?