How many Agatha Christie's have you read?

Pankaj Goyal

Well! I am doing a challenge on my website called 'Agatha Christie Reading Challenge' and have read 14 books so far. I do hope to complete this challenge some day. So, how many have you read so far? Is there any one who has read all of her work? Would love to hear his/her experiance.

Tommy_A_Jones

I have read them all most more than once, ABC and Cards 7 times.

TeddyBg

I have all of her books exept some short stories that are not translated into Bulgarian, I have read them all several times. However I have only one book under the pseudonim Mary Westmacott - A Daughter is a Daughter.

anne.clough.3

I have read all of them, except for the Mary Westmacott's and "Come, Tell Me How You Live".

My favourite crime ones I have read several times. The only one I could not finish was "Passenger to Frankfurt" and I gave up on "At Bertram's Hotel" the first time, but later went back and completed it (without enjoying it).

Griselda

I have read all the books at least four times each - except the Mary Westmacott ones.

I found the most complete, extensively over-written and convincing to be Death on the Nile. I think, of all the novels, it contains elements beyond the mystery: eg, elements of great characterisation and theme.  Some novels seem like they could have done with another draft, some additional detail here and there, tighter plotting - but not this one. The characterisation is sensational, and Poirot is very reflective and philosophical. I also think that the murder is a likely kind. I think I said in another post, that the dialogue is fresh and modern. Perhaps AC wrote notes for it when enjoying a similar cruise on The Nile, and perhaps she had time and leisure to write down the exact phrases used by some of her fellow travellers.

Murder At The Vicarage is probably my favourite for the humour and warmth. I don't like novels with too pervading a sense of evil, so I won't read again ATTWN (the subject of the forthcoming TV adaptation) The Moving Finger is the most romantic and enjoyable for character, and based on types whom AC would have known well, and so all their mannerisms are well-captured.

Overall, least successful are the later works, when AC may, unsurprisingly, have been losing some of her phenomenal writing powers. They give an interesting insight into how AC used logic to construct her plots, but they are weak and repetitive, in my opinion. Postern of Fate has next to nothing happening in it. That said, the early novels based a little on the Sherlock Holmes big drama are not very successful. The 30s, 40s, and 50s are to me, the best era for AC's writing. Any involving international plots are weak, in my opinion, especially The Big Four, The Pale Horse. I find something missing in the characterisation of the younger players in the novels set in later years, eg, Third Girl, Bertram's Hotel. I'm not completely sure that AC had a thorough  understanding of the forces driving the younger set to be radically different to their parents. 

A Murder Is Announced is utterly credible, I think, and there is real sense of time and place, and middle class characters coping with the shambles and deprivations of the post-war era. I really like Evil Under The Sun, I think for the reason I had mentioned in another post, that the action is in one place, so you can imagine what the other characters are thinking and doing whilst another pair or singleton is under the writer's spotlight. You can get involved in the plot more easily.

Frank

Except for the Mary Westmacott novels I have read all of them and enjoyed each and every one of them. I live in hope that one day someone will discover an unpublished Agatha Christie novel to add to my collection. 

Pankaj Goyal

Tommy_A_Jones said:

I have read them all most more than once, ABC and Cards 7 times.

Wow! I do hope to say the same soon....:)

Pankaj Goyal

Pankaj Goyal

TeddyBg said:

I have all of her books exept some short stories that are not translated into Bulgarian, I have read them all several times. However I have only one book under the pseudonim Mary Westmacott - A Daughter is a Daughter.

Wow! I do hope to say the same soon...:)

Pankaj Goyal

anne.clough.3 said:

I have read all of them, except for the Mary Westmacott's and "Come, Tell Me How You Live".

My favourite crime ones I have read several times. The only one I could not finish was "Passenger to Frankfurt" and I gave up on "At Bertram's Hotel" the first time, but later went back and completed it (without enjoying it).

Even I did not like 'Passenger to Frankfurt'. I still have to read 'At Bertram's Hotel'. I do hope to read her all works soon. Though I know that it is not an easy task.

Pankaj Goyal

Griselda said:

I have read all the books at least four times each - except the Mary Westmacott ones.

I found the most complete, extensively over-written and convincing to be Death on the Nile. I think, of all the novels, it contains elements beyond the mystery: eg, elements of great characterisation and theme.  Some novels seem like they could have done with another draft, some additional detail here and there, tighter plotting - but not this one. The characterisation is sensational, and Poirot is very reflective and philosophical. I also think that the murder is a likely kind. I think I said in another post, that the dialogue is fresh and modern. Perhaps AC wrote notes for it when enjoying a similar cruise on The Nile, and perhaps she had time and leisure to write down the exact phrases used by some of her fellow travellers.

Murder At The Vicarage is probably my favourite for the humour and warmth. I don't like novels with too pervading a sense of evil, so I won't read again ATTWN (the subject of the forthcoming TV adaptation) The Moving Finger is the most romantic and enjoyable for character, and based on types whom AC would have known well, and so all their mannerisms are well-captured.

Overall, least successful are the later works, when AC may, unsurprisingly, have been losing some of her phenomenal writing powers. They give an interesting insight into how AC used logic to construct her plots, but they are weak and repetitive, in my opinion. Postern of Fate has next to nothing happening in it. That said, the early novels based a little on the Sherlock Holmes big drama are not very successful. The 30s, 40s, and 50s are to me, the best era for AC's writing. Any involving international plots are weak, in my opinion, especially The Big Four, The Pale Horse. I find something missing in the characterisation of the younger players in the novels set in later years, eg, Third Girl, Bertram's Hotel. I'm not completely sure that AC had a thorough  understanding of the forces driving the younger set to be radically different to their parents. 

A Murder Is Announced is utterly credible, I think, and there is real sense of time and place, and middle class characters coping with the shambles and deprivations of the post-war era. I really like Evil Under The Sun, I think for the reason I had mentioned in another post, that the action is in one place, so you can imagine what the other characters are thinking and doing whilst another pair or singleton is under the writer's spotlight. You can get involved in the plot more easily.

Wow! You seem to be a real Agatha Christie fan. What is your opinion about 'Passenger to Frankfurt'? Some readers like this book and say that it is one of her best works. However, I don't think so. For me, it was just a complicated mixture of things happening in the world at that period of time.

Pankaj Goyal

Frank said:

Except for the Mary Westmacott novels I have read all of them and enjoyed each and every one of them. I live in hope that one day someone will discover an unpublished Agatha Christie novel to add to my collection. 

I am also planning to read Mary Westmacott novels. In fact, I am planning to read her all the readings whether it is a murder mystery or a romantic story. Have you read 'The Monogram Murders' too? How is it?

maryamalbulushi

I read only 18 or 19 of her books and I bought 3 online and waiting them to reach home soon ^-^

maryamalbulushi

How did you find a daughter's a daughter @TeddyBg ? Because I really want to read it

Tommy_A_Jones

I haven't read the Westmacott books either.

shana

I have read a number of her novels in Dutch as well in English. But I haven"t counted how many yet. But must be over half of the novels she has written. Her Wetmacott novels are very hard to come by. So far I have only read A Daughter"s a daughter. Seems to me it has a lot of material taken from the relationship AC had with her own daughter. I liked it.

I have still to read all of her short stories because those are also not easily available down here. My collection of all she has written is still incomplete.

But who has read her Autobiography?

Griselda

I agree with you about Pasenger to Frankfurt, Pankaj. A very mixed up and dull work.

I think At Bertram's Hotel has a good idea behind it in terms of the motive of the murderer. Aspects of the sub-plot are frankly ludicrous and there are subtefuge ideas which would be very unlikely to have been practised by seasoned criminals. 

Most of all, something seems wrong with the pace and suspense. I think we really needed to be treated to more scenes devoted specifically to showing  the murderer's emotions and how they are being moved by what it is which is causing them to plan a killing. We ought to have had a foreboding of trouble brewing, but it is all a bit tame and everyday up until the end. The focus, if anything, is on the very elderly Miss Marple, and her evaluation of socially cataclysmic times, as were the 1960s. Aside from A Pocket Full of Rye, and The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side, I can't think of many novels with so much on the lady sleuth's thoughts, observations, foibles and prejudices. This happens more towards the later period in which AC was writing, and  I think the older Agatha Christie found herself more and more identifying with Miss Marple. Miss Marple was almost a joke figure and an eccentric in the early Murder At The Vicarage, and also, The Moving Finger. She got more of an in depth treatment in A Pocket Full of Rye and The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side.

anne.clough.3

I read her autobiography and loved it.

Her stories from her childhood are wonderful and the little backgrounds on how she came up with ideas for her stories are interesting.

I loved the anecdote about the man she met during WW1 and how his "creepiness" stayed with her for decades until she used him as the basis for the murderer in "The Pale Horse".

Frank

Pankaj Goyal asked Have you read 'The Monogram Murders' too? How is it? Yes I have read it and I did enjoy it. Sophie Hannah style of writing is not the same as Agatha Christies style of writing but no one can compare to AC. It was great to add another Poirot story to the bookshelf and I hope Sophie Hannah continues to brings us more Poirot mysteries in the future.  

Frank

shana asked: But who has read her Autobiography? I have read it and I would highly recommend it to you. I enjoyed it every bit as much as any of her mystery novels. 

ChristieFanForLife

@Frank: Sophie Hannah will indeed continue writing more Poirot books and I have heard that the next Poirot will take place in India.

tudes

 I've read almost all her work. Except for Passenger to Frankfurt, I've read more than once. the favorites one I've read five times. And each time is different and I can say that I enjoy her work more! I usually enjoy her books more than the first time I've read it!

ChristieFanForLife

I tried to read Passenger To Frankfurt--I read the beginning and it seemed to set the stage to a very promising mystery and as I continued the story began to falter and I didn't finish it. I'll attempt to read it again in the nearby future and see if I can actually finish it this time!

Pankaj Goyal

@Frank: Thanks for your valuable input. Yes, I have also heard that Sophie Hannah is planning to write her next Poirot novel and the background of the same will be India. I am so excited.

Pankaj Goyal

@Shana: I am reading her autobiography now and enjoying it very much. Go for it, you will certainly enjoy reading it.

Pankaj Goyal

ChristieFanForLife: I can understand your frustration. I myself found it very difficult to finish the book but somehow I did it.

shana

@Frank: I have read the Autobiography. It helps to discover the connections between AC"s private life and certain occurences, characters, happenings and opinions in her stories. One can connect the dots.

About Sophie Hannah 's writing : I read the Monogram Murders and didn"t enjoy it as much. It tasted different. But then that's natural because it's a different hand that wrote it.

shana

@ Pankaj: on your mention of India. Just you know: today 142 years of Indian Immigration is being celebrated down here. Greetings to all AC fans in India! :-h

Tommy_A_Jones

Oh Dear, I might have to eat my wotds and read that one, the idea of Poirot going to a Country Agatha never sent him to is just too tempting, I hope her 3rd takes him to Australia, on the Train that goes from Lodon to Sidney perhaps, that would be good.

tudes

Passenger to Frankfurt was a big disappointment! It's the only book that I don't like for real. It was very difficult to finish it.

Tommy_A_Jones

So you like Death Comes As The End and Endless Might then? I don't but at least I know what the plot of those 2 are, I still am not sure what the plot of Passenger To Frankfurt is if at all it has a plot and not just words put together to make sentances.