The Listerdale Mystery / The Clocks

by Agatha Christie

Genres: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Crime, Classics, Detective

467 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.

This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.

Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)

Reviews

[Steven Walle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review at a later date.

[David]

Unusual combination of some very old stories with a relatively new novel. Among the interesting moments in the old stories is the appearance of a character named James Bond in 1934. In the novel, Poirot is almost marginalized, and there's a tremendous amount of comment on the literary style of detective novelist--a study Poirot himself seems to be making.

[Natì · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half of the book is a compilation of short stories that all have mystery aspects to them, not always a murder, sometimes a theft or a secret life, things like that. I loved these short stories they were so engaging and complete in themselves, each one left me awstruck.

The clocks took me a little bit longer to ease myself into as it was a full length novel of hers after all the short stories but it definitely held its own.

This collection was left to me by my grandmother and this was the first book in the collection that I read, i will slowly but surely be getting through these 26 books.

[Shawna Hynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Clocks:

I guessed the murderer less than half way through, and I never successfully guess a Christie murderer, so rather disappointing. Interesting characters and plot otherwise, so still a 3.

[Jenny Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good mystery...

[Hanny meiriza · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a fan of Agatha Christie’s novels, I am dissatisfied with this book
First time I felt boredom and cannot wait to peek the ending

[Hanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldnt they take a little more time explaining the murderers?

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my typical choice for a book, it was simple to read but very slow. Not entertaining due to boring pace, but plot was interesting. This storyline could have been amazing if the book was faster.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Agatha Christie!

A tantalising opener, convoluted plot and minimal Poirot made this book an enjoyable plodder. It was well-written and got there in the end, but it didn't keep me up at night.

I have only encountered both Poirot and Marple on telly before. They are like benign ghosts as my parents are huge fans but I usually fall asleep when they are on so I get confused and fragmented glimpses. A grisly murder, then Poirot looking immaculate on a train. A grisly murder, then Miss Marple smiling into a cup of tea about how everyone thinks she is just a sweet old lady but she is actually a top detective. Why anyone still thinks Marple is a sweet old lady after she's solved all those crimes is a mystery to me, but I was probably asleep during that part.

So, well-written and moderately intriguing. A moderate all-rounder, really. I haven't tried another Christie since as I'm more used to the modern sexed-up crime thrillers and have got a taste for those craven tales. I'll try another, though. Marple this time as I've always found benign telly ghost Poirot somewhat annoying.

[Ella Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why can't I find just The Clocks on here anyways. This was so slow and probably the worst of her books I've read, I wasn't invested in the mystery or plot at all and it took so long to get interesting and to have some momentum that I wanted to die. Also it said it was a Poirot mystery but he wasn't even really in it.