What would you take with you?

glalonzo0408

Stranded on a desert island, you only have one AC book...which would it be any why???

MissQuin

I'd actually want to take a boat to the island, so that I could get back home to my book collection!! 

Only one book... v hard. I like them for different reasons. Labours Of Hercules is very funny, but TTWN is so intense and thrilling. But I think Death On The Nile. I can't go into too much detail as spoilers. But I think that the lead female character is one of the best AC ever wrote. 

Tommy_A_Jones

That is Really Hard, I would have to think would it be a Poirot in which case it would be ABC Murders, Cards On The Table or The Clocks or would it be a Miss Marple in which case it would be A Murder Is Announced, 4.50 From Paddington or Sleeping Murder, or maybe a Beresford \book in which case it would be N or M, or it might be Why didn't They Ask Evans? The Sittaford Mystery, or The Man In The Brown Suit, I would probably take a short story book in which case it would be The Thirteen Problems or Partners in Crime, I do like the idea of being forced to read a book I hate to see if I can get to like it but I would probably wouldn't, I would take a pad and pen so I could cast whichever book I took.

Delicious_Death

Stranded on a desert island with only one AC book ?

I'd rather drown, thanks.

MissQuin

Delicious Death- I think you summed that up very well! 

Luke

Death on the Nile for me, loved the whole atmosphere could really taste the Egyptian air and the characters were extremely realistic, could easily re read it again more than once.

Tommy_A_Jones

I think there was a book of all the stories with Miss Marple in wasn't there or is it just the short stories, If I was forced to just pick one I would take that.

LeopoldoAtila

And then there were none. It's perfect for the occasion. Besides, it's one of my favorites and in this situation I would like to take my fav.

Griselda

Hi LeopoldoAtila

Did you find And Then There Were None a bit chilling and evil? I don't find it very enjoyable to read. I like a force for good, and preferably an uplifiting ending. Did ATTWN scare you, or did you just admire its brilliance?

Tommy_A_Jones

I found the Radio Adaptation which I have on Audio Cassette much more chilling than the Book.

Griselda

I don't think it is one of your real favourites, though, is it Tommy? The whodunnit looms large in this - very hard to guess. Perhaps it depends which kind of mystery novel one likes. I like the social history details, and not just the plot - and the romances.

Also, please excuse me if I have this wrong, but did you say on an old thread that you recall the old 1930s film The Cat and the Canary? Somebody mentioned it. This was always a favourite of mine, and very chilling.

Anubis

Hi Griselda,

I quite understand your position on wanting a force for good. I myself find it very reassuring to have a moral compass in fiction and dislike movies in which everyone is bad. Yet, to me, ATTWN, has a sense of unreality, and for this reason I can look on it as black humour. Sort of like the Addams Family.

Griselda

Yes, I see. It is worth persevering and getting past one's inhibitions to appreciate the style. 

The Nemesis theme is strong in a portion of AC's work - especially after she was well into her stride as a mystery writer. Sometimes I feel there is placed in the action a wrongly- accused character who might get hung, just to give a good and humane reason for why Poirot or Miss Marple go 'bald-headed' (to use one of her terms) after the real killer. But then sometimes there is the sense that the author herself wants justice to be done, as does SPOILER ALERT the judge. (In terms of manner, Miss Marple seems almost cruelly eager, at the end of At Bertram's Hotel, not to be cheated out of a conviction.) But I think I am still too scared of the novel to read it again. I like the cosy ones such as The Moving Finger. As you say, I want to feel the force for good.

LeopoldoAtila

Hi, Griselda, I love ATTWN. For me, it's one of the best mystery novels ever written. I don't think it's chilling nor evil. I think it express a kind of dark side that exist inside some people (not everyone) and when these people find the perfect opportunity, it explode (they do bad things), but I don't think it chilling. It just shows the worst part in human nature.

tudes

I would take Evil under the sun. As I wrote many times, it's my favorite book (and also the first A. C). Besides, the story takes place on a island and, of course, the plot is ingenious. I think I would have a grest time reading this marvelous book.

Tommy_A_Jones

it is not in my top 16 but it is Far from being one of my Least favourites as I prefer it to They Do It With Mirrors, A Caribbean Mystery Hickory Dickory Dock, One Two uckle My Shoe, The Hollow, 5 Little Pigs Murder In Mesopotamia, Death Comes As The End, Endless Night and Passenger To Frankfurt. 

Yes I have mentioned The Cat And The Canar, I have seen and enjoyed both versions.

taliavishay-arbel

I would take 4.50 from Paddington - Because I really like Lucy, Bryan and Alexander. I like to reread books where I like the characters - it's like meeting old friends.

Griselda

Hi Tommy, I only saw the 1930s version - did it have Bob Hope in it- especially when the hand reaches through the headboard on the bed. When was the other version?

Hi Tudes, definitely agree about Evil Under the Sun. This is in my top five. If always dramatises well, too. I like the - in relative terms - fairly latest tv version with the actor who played Eddie Santini in The Bill. I think I have read it so many times that I don't see new things in it, but love the atmosphere of the place. I agree completely, about the ingenious plot. So convincing, too. That sort of clever sociopath would think of something tricky with the SPOILER ALERT timings, like that.

Wouldn't it be great, Tali, to have old friends like Griselda and Leonard from Murder at the Vicarage. And the young Edwin Sweetman from Murder is Announced. 

shana

Stranded on a deserted island, it could take long to be rescued so I would like to have AC'S bio with me.  Then I could study AC thoroughly. :!!

Tommy_A_Jones

Hello Grizelda, I don't know when the other version was, I might be wrong but it had Peter McKinnery and Honor Blackman I think and a man whose surname was Massey, probably 1970s

Tommy_A_Jones

Just looked made in 1978 with Edward Fox Peter McEnery, Daniel Massey and Honor Blackman, there seems to be a 1927 version too, the Hope one is 1939

taliavishay-arbel

Yes Griselda, Griselda and Leonard would be great companions! As for Edward, he wasn't my favourite, but his future wife certainly is - and now she is released from her painful secret, she could be really interesting. Also Bunch, from "Announced".