Agatha Christie`s detective collection! Part 2.

Agatha Christie`s collection Part 2.

Next seven books that will warranty engage you in Agatha Christie`s artistry are ready to be presented to you in chronological order.

“Dumb Witness” (1937).

When Lady Arundell unexpectedly fell down the stairs of her own home, everyone around saw it as nothing more than an unfortunate accident — after all, she had stepped on a rubber ball left there by her beloved pet, a fox terrier named Bob. But the more the injured woman thought about it, the more it seemed to her that one of her relatives had orchestrated the fall. She wrote a letter to the famous detective Hercule Poirot, asking him to investigate the matter. However, by the time the letter reached its recipient, Lady Arundell had already died, and her considerable inheritance had passed to her companion. Poirot couldn’t bring the unfortunate lady back to life, but he could find the killer. And helping him in this task would be none other than the dog, Bob…

The only witness the case has is a dog – Bob as it is presented in synopsis. Being honest, I expected more from dog`s participation in the whole mystery solving process. The title wasn’t a clickbait though, Bob was the closest to the victim, thus, the reason Agatha Christie named it that way is justifiable.

7/10

“And Then There Were No One” (1939).

Needless to introduce you to the plot of this mind-blowing bestseller. But I will quickly remind you, dearest bookworms.

Ten completely unrelated people in a mansion on a secluded island… Who summoned them here with a mysterious invitation? Why is someone killing them, one by one, in the most incredible ways? And why is everything so closely intertwined with a cheerful nursery rhyme?

Out of all of Christie`s books, this one is the most engaging. It made binge-read it since the first page. Thus, I do not recommend anyone to start from “And Then There Were No One” simply because readers begin automatically expect the same thrill from other detective novels.

10/10

“The Body in the Library” (1942)

Everything was fine when Dolly Bantry woke up in her home in the quiet village of St. Mary Mead. Fine, that is, until the body of a young woman was discovered in the room where the family library was located. According to the doctor, she had been strangled the previous evening before midnight. Yet no one in the house knew this attractive blonde. So who was she, and who could have killed her? Suspicion immediately fell on Dolly’s husband, a retired colonel with a reputation as a ladies’ man. He swears he’s never seen this woman in his life. But how did she end up in his library? That’s when Dolly calls on her longtime friend Miss Marple to find the real killer — or uncover the terrible truth about her husband…

This case is, undoubtedly, bizarre. Classically, we have a main suspect and a bunch of other suspects that could feasibly commit the crime. The main question keeps you guessing all the time, how exactly did the body appear in the library. I think Miss Marple did a great job; though, other characters do not seem as fully flashed out as she and her personal development.

7/10

“Hickory Dickory Dock” (1955)

In a student dormitory, things start to go missing… At first glance, the disappearances of shoes, a cookbook, a backpack, and a light bulb don’t seem to foreshadow anything terrible, but the great detective Hercule Poirot senses that evil is approaching. And the nursery rhyme that gave the novel its title seems like an ominous warning…

Although this book got mixed reviews, the light atmosphere of this book make it easy to read. It is the first time that Poirot has a female assistant. The plot twists are quiet unexpected; the setting, which takes place in students` boarding house, is catching. My second book of hers did not disappoint.

7/10

“The Adventure of Christmas Pudding” (1960)

Hercule Poirot is a true genius in his field. That’s why the highest circles of power constantly involve him in their investigations. Now, the little Belgian detective must expose a certain swindler who has stolen a world-famous ruby from an Eastern prince visiting London. The trail leads to the noble estate of Kings Lacey, where all its household members and their friends have gathered to celebrate Christmas and enjoy the traditional English pudding, the centerpiece of the festive table. Poirot arrives as a guest, but he does not yet realize that he will soon face one of the most unusual cases of his career, and that the Christmas pudding itself will play a special role in it…

This book captures cozy snowy Christmas atmosphere. Short stories are interesting enough to become memorable New Year`s Reading. While some of them might not be as intriguing as others, I am certain you will find your own favorite.

7.5/10

“Endless Night” (1967)

Young and poor, but extremely ambitious, Michael Rogers dreams of happiness and an ideal life. When he meets the beautiful Ellie and falls in love with her at first sight, it seems to him that fate itself is on his side. Especially since Ellie is wealthy and has already bought a great piece of land to build a beautiful house on. It seems all of Michael’s dreams are coming true. However, there’s one problem: the land, known locally as Gypsy’s Acre, is said to be under an ancient curse, and not just one. Terrible things have happened there throughout history. But who thinks about old wives’ tales when a lifetime of happiness is at stake? Meanwhile, the gypsy curses begin to come true…

My latest book! I warn you, my visitors (!), that this book might be considered a romance at some point: the criminal culmination awaits you further to the end.

The setting is a classic detached English village. The characters are well developed and can be effortlessly memorized. The end made me doubt the whole world, I made a dozen of options of the ways crime was committed. However, this plot twist was definitely crazy. If you do not mind long backgrounds in detective books, specifically, romantic ones, I assure you, “Endless night” will blow your mind. (Well, now I hope no one will predict its outcome, otherwise I am a liar)

9/10

“Hallowe’en Party” (1968)

The writer Ariadne Oliver is invited to a friend’s house, where preparations for a Halloween celebration—a fun carnival for kids and adults—are in full swing. One of the guests is a teenage girl known for her love of telling wild stories about mysteries. This time, she shocks everyone with a story about how she once witnessed a real murder! No one believed her. And then, later that evening, she was found drowned in a bucket of water and apples! Incredibly strange. Who would want the girl dead? Could it be that she really did see something that posed a threat to someone at the party? In any case, Hercule Poirot, who agreed to help Mrs. Oliver, his old acquaintance, faces the difficult task of removing the carnival mask from the killer and revealing their true face to the world…

“Hallowe’en Party” is definitely the right book to read on Halloween. This case is based on mostly teenagers` words. It gave me goosebumps when I realized that the victim is just a 13-year-old girl. That is a horrifying incident to happen in a house full of children. Circumstances are genuinely wild.

8.5/10

Phew, long journey is over. Finally, detective and criminal discussions are open! It was a truly compelling experience to get to know famous Agatha Christie`s books for the first time, then for the second, and third…

Some people build expectations on Christie`s other books when they finish “And Then There Were No One”. Hence, disappointing themselves while immersing into other books. It is an odd thing to do due to the fact that she was trying to make each of her novels special in their own way. I believe, she didn’t want to write another huge bestseller only in order to sell it.

Anyway, I am glad people continue reading her books after decades. I am looking forward to reading “The A.B.C. Murders” soon. I`ll post an update here immediately as I finish it. Thus, don`t forget to come back!