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Ariadne Oliver #4.5
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly
Never before published—the lost classic, unseen for sixty years!
A party game goes dead wrong in this ingenious mystery from the most beloved novelist of all time. Hercule Poirot, the world's favorite detective, has agreed to take part in a mock murder mystery in a charming English village—but when tragedy strikes, a different sort of game begins ...
In 1954, Agatha Christie wrote this novella with the intention of donating the proceeds to a fund set up to buy stained glass windows for her local church at Churston Ferrers, and she filled the story with references to local places, including her own home of Greenway. But, having completed it, she decided instead to expand the story into a full-length novel, Dead Man's Folly, which was published two years later, and donated a Miss Marple story (Greenshaw's Folly) to the church fund instead.
Unseen for sixty years, Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly is finally published in this ebook-exclusive edition.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2013
733 people are currently reading
5646 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,795 books74.9k followersAgatha 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)
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)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
November 21, 2025
I liked it.
Adriane Oliver calls Poirot because of some nebulous bad feelings she has while organizing a 'staged murder' for a village fete that is being hosted by a very reputable family.
Greenshore Folly was an earlier shorter version of Dead Man's Folly that was published posthumously. There are differences between the two, but the main reason Christie abandoned this is because it was too long to be in a magazine, the proceeds of which were to go to her church for renovations. Instead, she ended up writing Greenshaw's Folly - a Miss Marple Short Story and giving the money for that one to the church.
The short story is quite good, but I need to read (or re-read) Dead Man's Folly to see if there are any major differences in the plot.
Recommended!
Adriane Oliver calls Poirot because of some nebulous bad feelings she has while organizing a 'staged murder' for a village fete that is being hosted by a very reputable family.
Greenshore Folly was an earlier shorter version of Dead Man's Folly that was published posthumously. There are differences between the two, but the main reason Christie abandoned this is because it was too long to be in a magazine, the proceeds of which were to go to her church for renovations. Instead, she ended up writing Greenshaw's Folly - a Miss Marple Short Story and giving the money for that one to the church.
The short story is quite good, but I need to read (or re-read) Dead Man's Folly to see if there are any major differences in the plot.
Recommended!
August 28, 2016
This novella is the first draft (or I should say "version", since only later Christie thought to make a novel out of it) of the Poirot novel Dead Man's Folly, which I read years ago and which I remember as one of the very few Poirot cases whose solution I didn't exactly appreciated -I've always felt as if, with the couple of factual indications that he actually had, Poirot concocted a fantabulous and a little far-fetched, though very suggestive, solution that accidentally proved to be the right one. I don't know if I explained myself.
Also, when I bought Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly I did not know about the link between these two works.
Needless to say, I certainly prefer the longer, more detailed version, which I recommend in spite of everything (the solution, though rushly achieved, really is worthy of Agatha's golden imagination).
Also, when I bought Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly I did not know about the link between these two works.
Needless to say, I certainly prefer the longer, more detailed version, which I recommend in spite of everything (the solution, though rushly achieved, really is worthy of Agatha's golden imagination).
August 6, 2019
It was originally written in 1954 to raise money for stained glass window at Church at Chrston Ferrers where Christie used to come regularly. However The Greenshore Folly novella was never published as it found no takers. It was later expanded into a full novel by Christie in Dead Man's folly. She subsequently wrote a Miss Marple story to help fund the church. In 2014 Harper Collins finally published the novella with brilliant cover by Tom Adams, the artist whose cover art graced covers of Fontana paperbacks in 60s and 70s.
May 21, 2019
Βρήκανε ένα ξεχασμένο μεγαλούτσικο αφήγημα της Κρίστι-ούτε διήγημα, αλλά ούτε και νουβέλα- του βάλανε δύο (2) προλόγους και έναν (1) επίλογο να αυγατίσει από ατζέντηδες, εικονογράφους, βιογράφους κλπ, το εκδώσανε σε μέγεθος σπιρτόκουτου με μέγεθος γραμματοσειράς για 60αρηδες μύωπες ελέφαντες, ε βουαλά! Ας εκδώσουνε και καμιά ξεχασμένη grocery list της με πρόλογο από τον μπακάλη της, αει σιχτίρ.
Μετάφραση Αύγουστου Κορτώ που δεύτερη φορά τον βλέπω να μεταφράζει απο άπταιστα "εγγλέζικα χωριάτικα" λες και μπήκε μέσα του το πνεύμα του Χατζηχρήστου (αμ πως).
Το ίδιο το βιβλίο; Οι γνωστές μαλακίες της Κρίστι. Αν ξεπεράσουμε τις σοκαριστικές για σήμερα απόψεις της (εδώ ελαφρά μισογυνικές, αλλά κυρίως σε όλο το βιβλίο για τους "αμβλύνοες" που γιατί όχι θα μπορούσαν άνετα να κάνουν ένα φόνο) η ίδια πλοκή και η ξαφνική λύση του μυστηρίου από τον Πουαρώ είναι αρκούντως ηλίθιες-μου ξέφυγε ένα "ΤΙ ΛΕΣ ΜΩΡΗ" όταν το διάβαζα. Νομίζω η κιμαδομηχανή της Κρίστι από ένα βιβλίο και μετά αρκούνταν στην παραγωγή shock value, ο γνωστός μονόλογος του Πουαρώ, κανένα στοιχείο, καμία επαγωγική σκέψη, απίστευτες εικασίες και jump to conclusion, κανένας δεν βρέθηκε να τον κόψει να του πει "ΤΙ ΛΕΣ ΡΕ ΜΑΛΑΚΑ-ΘΑ ΣΟΥ ΚΑΝΩ ΜΗΝΥΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΣΥΚΟΦΑΝΤΙΚΗ ΔΥΣΦΗΜΙΣΗ", όλοι μόνο "Μπράβο μεσιέ Πουαρώ"; Φυσικά και δεν θα στέκονταν οι μονόλογοι του Πουαρώ in a court of law, κάτι τέτοια θα έψαχνε η κυρα Ξενη να κάνει αναίρεση, ειδικά αν τον φόνο τον έκανε ο Κουφοντίνας, τι έλεγα ; Α ναι ! Το ότι η Κρίστι σταθερά σε όλα τα βιβλία της νόμιζε ότι ο δολοφόνος θα άλλαζε ρούχα και θα έφευγε ...κιουρία από τον τόπο του εγκλήματος , θα ήθελα να το δω να συμβαίνει στην πραγματική ζωή. Εικασίες επί εικασιών , θα ήθελα να τα αναφέρω εδώ, αλλά φυσικά θα γίνονταν σπόιλερ.
Μετάφραση Αύγουστου Κορτώ που δεύτερη φορά τον βλέπω να μεταφράζει απο άπταιστα "εγγλέζικα χωριάτικα" λες και μπήκε μέσα του το πνεύμα του Χατζηχρήστου (αμ πως).
Το ίδιο το βιβλίο; Οι γνωστές μαλακίες της Κρίστι. Αν ξεπεράσουμε τις σοκαριστικές για σήμερα απόψεις της (εδώ ελαφρά μισογυνικές, αλλά κυρίως σε όλο το βιβλίο για τους "αμβλύνοες" που γιατί όχι θα μπορούσαν άνετα να κάνουν ένα φόνο) η ίδια πλοκή και η ξαφνική λύση του μυστηρίου από τον Πουαρώ είναι αρκούντως ηλίθιες-μου ξέφυγε ένα "ΤΙ ΛΕΣ ΜΩΡΗ" όταν το διάβαζα. Νομίζω η κιμαδομηχανή της Κρίστι από ένα βιβλίο και μετά αρκούνταν στην παραγωγή shock value, ο γνωστός μονόλογος του Πουαρώ, κανένα στοιχείο, καμία επαγωγική σκέψη, απίστευτες εικασίες και jump to conclusion, κανένας δεν βρέθηκε να τον κόψει να του πει "ΤΙ ΛΕΣ ΡΕ ΜΑΛΑΚΑ-ΘΑ ΣΟΥ ΚΑΝΩ ΜΗΝΥΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΣΥΚΟΦΑΝΤΙΚΗ ΔΥΣΦΗΜΙΣΗ", όλοι μόνο "Μπράβο μεσιέ Πουαρώ"; Φυσικά και δεν θα στέκονταν οι μονόλογοι του Πουαρώ in a court of law, κάτι τέτοια θα έψαχνε η κυρα Ξενη να κάνει αναίρεση, ειδικά αν τον φόνο τον έκανε ο Κουφοντίνας, τι έλεγα ; Α ναι ! Το ότι η Κρίστι σταθερά σε όλα τα βιβλία της νόμιζε ότι ο δολοφόνος θα άλλαζε ρούχα και θα έφευγε ...κιουρία από τον τόπο του εγκλήματος , θα ήθελα να το δω να συμβαίνει στην πραγματική ζωή. Εικασίες επί εικασιών , θα ήθελα να τα αναφέρω εδώ, αλλά φυσικά θα γίνονταν σπόιλερ.
November 26, 2013
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly is a never before published lost classic. This book was found after 60 years and has been released in digital format by Witness Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Hercule gets an urgent call from his old friend, Mrs. Oliver. She says she needs him and insist he come at once, but fails to explain why. Upon arrival, Poirot finds his friend is hosting murder. She also has a keen intuition that something is not right. As it turns out her intuition was spot on. Hercule is on the case of the Greenshore Folly.
The history of this book is as interesting as the book itself almost. It was published in 1956. It was written however, in 1954 as a contribution to a church to raise funds for stained glass windows. However, there was a problem with the length of the book, not a short story but not a full length novel, so it was scrapped and Agatha Christie instead submitted a Miss Marple mystery for the fund raiser. Although some of the original passages remain from Dead Man's Folly, this book takes a different direction. This novella has remained unpublished for 60 years and is the original version before Christie expanded it.
The story itself is so short I didn't have time to do a great deal of thinking about whodunit. The mystery was still well rounded and I loved the mild flirtation with Mrs. Oliver and Poirot. The murderer is not easy to guess and as usual Poirot has an uncanny ability to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Overall this is an interesting addition for any fan of Agatha Christie and I am so glad it was found an is now available in e book format. This one get an A.
Hercule gets an urgent call from his old friend, Mrs. Oliver. She says she needs him and insist he come at once, but fails to explain why. Upon arrival, Poirot finds his friend is hosting murder. She also has a keen intuition that something is not right. As it turns out her intuition was spot on. Hercule is on the case of the Greenshore Folly.
The history of this book is as interesting as the book itself almost. It was published in 1956. It was written however, in 1954 as a contribution to a church to raise funds for stained glass windows. However, there was a problem with the length of the book, not a short story but not a full length novel, so it was scrapped and Agatha Christie instead submitted a Miss Marple mystery for the fund raiser. Although some of the original passages remain from Dead Man's Folly, this book takes a different direction. This novella has remained unpublished for 60 years and is the original version before Christie expanded it.
The story itself is so short I didn't have time to do a great deal of thinking about whodunit. The mystery was still well rounded and I loved the mild flirtation with Mrs. Oliver and Poirot. The murderer is not easy to guess and as usual Poirot has an uncanny ability to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Overall this is an interesting addition for any fan of Agatha Christie and I am so glad it was found an is now available in e book format. This one get an A.
April 19, 2021
This previously unpublished novella is basically an earlier, more condensed version of Christie’s full length mystery “Dead Man’s Folly”, released a year or so after this version was written. There are no significant plot deviations, and no alternate solution, unlike some other works in which the author incorporated quite different solutions in alternate versions (the novel and theatrical script versions of “Appointment with Death”, for example).
Of particular interest in this novella (it’s substantially longer than a short story, but only about half the length of a standard Christie novel) is the fact that it is set at Christie’s own country estate, “Greenway”, sited on the River Dart in Devon. I made frequent reference to Google Maps while reading the book and was delighted by the congruence between the text and the landscape as it remains to this day - “Greenway” is now administered by the National Trust and is open most of the year to the public.
I found the preface by Christie’s grandson Mathew Pritchard and the essay “Agatha Christie and the Greenshore Folly” by Christie historian John Curran far more illuminating than the rather odd introduction by cover artist Tom Adams, although his cover art on this edition is undeniably eye-catching.
Of particular interest in this novella (it’s substantially longer than a short story, but only about half the length of a standard Christie novel) is the fact that it is set at Christie’s own country estate, “Greenway”, sited on the River Dart in Devon. I made frequent reference to Google Maps while reading the book and was delighted by the congruence between the text and the landscape as it remains to this day - “Greenway” is now administered by the National Trust and is open most of the year to the public.
I found the preface by Christie’s grandson Mathew Pritchard and the essay “Agatha Christie and the Greenshore Folly” by Christie historian John Curran far more illuminating than the rather odd introduction by cover artist Tom Adams, although his cover art on this edition is undeniably eye-catching.
December 8, 2021
Quando la "caccia all'assassino" organizzata per divertimento finisce in un vero omicidio, Poirot non può che far luce su quello che si nasconde a Greenshore House. Un racconto lungo con un finale davvero sorprendente.
La storia dietro a questo racconto è molto curiosa. Scritto nel 1954 per raccogliere fondi per la chiesa locale frequentata dalla Christie, venne inizialmente pubblicato a puntate su rivista. A metà luglio del 1955, date le scarse vendite dovute al formato del racconto (troppo lungo per essere a puntate e troppo corto per essere un romanzo), venne ritirato dal commercio. La scrittrice era infatti convinta che avesse materiale a disposizione per essere rielaborato e utilizzato per un romanzo. E difatti, nell'ottobre del 1956, venne pubblicato sotto forma di romanzo con il titolo La sagra del delitto.
Rimasto inedito per sessant'anni, il racconto originale venne pubblicato postumo nel 2014.
La storia dietro a questo racconto è molto curiosa. Scritto nel 1954 per raccogliere fondi per la chiesa locale frequentata dalla Christie, venne inizialmente pubblicato a puntate su rivista. A metà luglio del 1955, date le scarse vendite dovute al formato del racconto (troppo lungo per essere a puntate e troppo corto per essere un romanzo), venne ritirato dal commercio. La scrittrice era infatti convinta che avesse materiale a disposizione per essere rielaborato e utilizzato per un romanzo. E difatti, nell'ottobre del 1956, venne pubblicato sotto forma di romanzo con il titolo La sagra del delitto.
Rimasto inedito per sessant'anni, il racconto originale venne pubblicato postumo nel 2014.
November 13, 2015
Tenho de fazer uma opinião ao livro.
Sim, ao livro... enquanto... objecto.
Não sou apenas uma leitora, gosto muito de capas bonitas de livros, gosto de coleccionar livros e gosto de procurar sempre a edição mais bonita do livro que quero ler.
Então, posto isto, assim que vi o cuidado que a Asa empenhou ao trazer para nós a mesma edição que o livro em inglês, não hesitei.
Este livro é de capa dura, com uma ilustração fantástica que continua na contra-capa do mesmo, tendo vários elementos importantes que nos são contados na história, portanto, no seu interior.
Elementos favoritos da própria autora, Agatha gostava muito da flor Magnólia, logo em grande plano esta encontra-se na capa.
Temos a casa de Greenshore, que era na verdade a casa de férias de Christie.
Temos representada a casa dos barcos, uma casa muito importante para o crime que aqui vai acontecer, temos até a nossa Agatha Christie representada atrás, num dos cantos preferidos do seu jardim... uma capa brilhante, mas, não acaba aqui.
Ainda por dentro do livro, encontramos mais ilustrações, desta vez da vítima e mais uma visão dos lagos que existiam pelo jardim.
É um livro que nos dá uma visão muito real de onde foi tirada a ideia para a história, de maneira que o ambiente fica muito presente na nossa cabeça.
A história em si, não traz nada de novo, é o Hercule Poirot outra vez em grande, respondendo ao pedido da sua amiga escritora de policiais para estar perto quando esta vai recriar uma caça ao assassino... pois ela acha que algo não se encontra bem...
Uma história em que mais uma vez, temos de prestar muito bem atenção ao que os personagens secundários dizem...
Sim, ao livro... enquanto... objecto.
Não sou apenas uma leitora, gosto muito de capas bonitas de livros, gosto de coleccionar livros e gosto de procurar sempre a edição mais bonita do livro que quero ler.
Então, posto isto, assim que vi o cuidado que a Asa empenhou ao trazer para nós a mesma edição que o livro em inglês, não hesitei.
Este livro é de capa dura, com uma ilustração fantástica que continua na contra-capa do mesmo, tendo vários elementos importantes que nos são contados na história, portanto, no seu interior.
Elementos favoritos da própria autora, Agatha gostava muito da flor Magnólia, logo em grande plano esta encontra-se na capa.
Temos a casa de Greenshore, que era na verdade a casa de férias de Christie.
Temos representada a casa dos barcos, uma casa muito importante para o crime que aqui vai acontecer, temos até a nossa Agatha Christie representada atrás, num dos cantos preferidos do seu jardim... uma capa brilhante, mas, não acaba aqui.
Ainda por dentro do livro, encontramos mais ilustrações, desta vez da vítima e mais uma visão dos lagos que existiam pelo jardim.
É um livro que nos dá uma visão muito real de onde foi tirada a ideia para a história, de maneira que o ambiente fica muito presente na nossa cabeça.
A história em si, não traz nada de novo, é o Hercule Poirot outra vez em grande, respondendo ao pedido da sua amiga escritora de policiais para estar perto quando esta vai recriar uma caça ao assassino... pois ela acha que algo não se encontra bem...
Uma história em que mais uma vez, temos de prestar muito bem atenção ao que os personagens secundários dizem...
May 7, 2024
"Have you ever reflected, Madame, on the enormous part that hearsay plays in life 'Mr. A said, ' 'Mrs. B told us, ' 'Miss C explained why --' and so on. And if the known facts seem so fit with what we have been told, then we never question them. There are so many things that do not concern us, and so we do not bother to uncover the actual facts"
So a new story by the brilliant Agatha Christie. I loved it although it was too short only to find out later that she rewrote it under the name 'Dead Man's Folly".
I will read the longer one for sure. A new investigation with the one and only Hercule Poirot and one of my favorite episodes too.
Hercule Poirot is summoned this time by his friend Ariadne Oliver. She is a copy of Agatha Christie and she is a mystery novelist who writes about crimes and she was asked to plan a fake crime during a fête but she's got a feeling that a real crime is going to happen sometime soon and that is why she asked Poirot her close friend to help her stop this crime before it happens.
March 3, 2014
For reasons I won’t go into, Dame Agatha Christie was unable to publish this tale in its original novella format and it eventually became the novel Dead Man's Folly. The story suffers not at all for its abbreviated form, and, whether you’ve already enjoyed Dead Man’s Folly, as I have, or you’re coming to the mystery with fresh eyes, you should like it very much.
Ariadne Oliver, Christie’s ditzy, tongue-in-cheek alter ego, imperiously summons Hercule Poirot to Greenshore House, purchased by the unpolished self-made man Sir George Stubbs for his much-younger wife, Hattie. Mrs. Oliver has been hired to put on a so-called “Murder Hunt” — a scavenger hunt for clues to solve a fake murder mystery — as part of a fête. But the intuitive Mrs. Oliver senses that something sinister infects Greenshore House and wants Poirot to discover what that might be — which, of course, he does, but not before a sensation-seeking Girl Guide is murdered in the manor house’s folly.
While all cozy lovers will delight in Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly, Christie devotees will especially appreciate this never-before-published work as they compare the 1952 novella to the 1954 novel into which Christie expanded it.
Ariadne Oliver, Christie’s ditzy, tongue-in-cheek alter ego, imperiously summons Hercule Poirot to Greenshore House, purchased by the unpolished self-made man Sir George Stubbs for his much-younger wife, Hattie. Mrs. Oliver has been hired to put on a so-called “Murder Hunt” — a scavenger hunt for clues to solve a fake murder mystery — as part of a fête. But the intuitive Mrs. Oliver senses that something sinister infects Greenshore House and wants Poirot to discover what that might be — which, of course, he does, but not before a sensation-seeking Girl Guide is murdered in the manor house’s folly.
While all cozy lovers will delight in Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly, Christie devotees will especially appreciate this never-before-published work as they compare the 1952 novella to the 1954 novel into which Christie expanded it.
May 4, 2020
Anche se brevissimo risulta molto carino ed entusiasmante, consigliatissimo a chi cerca qualcosa da leggere in un paio di ore ma di qualità!
May 15, 2020
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley by Agatha Christie is the Harper Collins, UK publication of 2014 and is #47.5 in the series about Hercule Poirot.
Poirot is summoned by detective novelist Ariadne Oliver, to Greenshore House in Lapton to assist her. Ariadne is arranging a «murder hunt» as part of the entertainment at the planned fête. Guests are encouraged to follow clues around the estate to solve a pretend murder. It goes terribly wrong and someone really ends up dead. Poirot helps the police investigate the real murder of a young girl.
True to form Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley is set at an estate in the English countryside in the 1950s. Main characters are rich people of leisure arranging entertainment and games to pass the time and have fun. I enjoy the lifestyle descriptions a lot and would guess inspiration was taken from Agatha Christie’s own life. I am a great fan of fictional historical settings in Britain, so my favorite part of the story was descriptions of the fête. I also thoroughly enjoyed the surprise ending. So thrilling and complicated I could not possibly have seen it coming.
Main character Hercule Poirot is per usual using his skills to gather information. I find it funny how he tries not to express his lack of regard for Ariadne Oliver’s less than methodical investigative skills, while he himself is all about method. He is my absolute favorite in this and every other story about him as he seems so quirky and funny.
Secondary character Mrs. Folliat is the previous owner of Greenshore House. She acts as kind of a gardener and hostess around the house, while she lives in a small cottage on the estate because the family has fallen on hard times. Having been demoted from lady of the manor, I found it strange how she seemed so at peace with the situation. She seemed a strange and suspicious character who appeared everywhere and knew everybody.
I really loved the old fashioned vibe I got from the writing. It was like going back in time to a beautiful place where you could not really imagine something terrible happening, and yet a murder occurred. There is something about the contrasts between the beautiful scenery and the brutal murder that made this story come alive for me. The writing style is simplistic which helps carry the message through so brilliantly.
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley is a thoroughly exciting, quick read with a great twist and a surprise ending, so thrilling and complicated I could not possibly have seen it coming. As I am a great fan of Hercule Poirot, I am always on the lookout for stories I have not yet read or seen TV adaptations of. They work like a charm as standalones, so I don’t feel I need to follow any particular order.
Fans of Agatha Christie will love Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley. Anyone who enjoys crime fiction will probably already have The Queen of Mystery on their radar and thoroughly enjoy her work too.
Similar authors to explore might be Arthur Conan Doyle.
All opinions in this review are completely my own.
Poirot is summoned by detective novelist Ariadne Oliver, to Greenshore House in Lapton to assist her. Ariadne is arranging a «murder hunt» as part of the entertainment at the planned fête. Guests are encouraged to follow clues around the estate to solve a pretend murder. It goes terribly wrong and someone really ends up dead. Poirot helps the police investigate the real murder of a young girl.
True to form Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley is set at an estate in the English countryside in the 1950s. Main characters are rich people of leisure arranging entertainment and games to pass the time and have fun. I enjoy the lifestyle descriptions a lot and would guess inspiration was taken from Agatha Christie’s own life. I am a great fan of fictional historical settings in Britain, so my favorite part of the story was descriptions of the fête. I also thoroughly enjoyed the surprise ending. So thrilling and complicated I could not possibly have seen it coming.
Main character Hercule Poirot is per usual using his skills to gather information. I find it funny how he tries not to express his lack of regard for Ariadne Oliver’s less than methodical investigative skills, while he himself is all about method. He is my absolute favorite in this and every other story about him as he seems so quirky and funny.
Secondary character Mrs. Folliat is the previous owner of Greenshore House. She acts as kind of a gardener and hostess around the house, while she lives in a small cottage on the estate because the family has fallen on hard times. Having been demoted from lady of the manor, I found it strange how she seemed so at peace with the situation. She seemed a strange and suspicious character who appeared everywhere and knew everybody.
I really loved the old fashioned vibe I got from the writing. It was like going back in time to a beautiful place where you could not really imagine something terrible happening, and yet a murder occurred. There is something about the contrasts between the beautiful scenery and the brutal murder that made this story come alive for me. The writing style is simplistic which helps carry the message through so brilliantly.
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley is a thoroughly exciting, quick read with a great twist and a surprise ending, so thrilling and complicated I could not possibly have seen it coming. As I am a great fan of Hercule Poirot, I am always on the lookout for stories I have not yet read or seen TV adaptations of. They work like a charm as standalones, so I don’t feel I need to follow any particular order.
Fans of Agatha Christie will love Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folley. Anyone who enjoys crime fiction will probably already have The Queen of Mystery on their radar and thoroughly enjoy her work too.
Similar authors to explore might be Arthur Conan Doyle.
All opinions in this review are completely my own.
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August 5, 2018Είχα πολύ καιρό να διαβάσω βιβλίο της Άγκαθα Κρίστι και αισθάνθηκα πολύ όμορφα συναντώντας ξανά τον Πουαρώ και την αφήγηση της βασίλισσας του αστυνομικού. Δεν χρειάζεται να πω τίποτα, θεωρώ ότι για όλους τους φίλους του αστυνομικού τα βιβλία της Κρίστι είναι υποχρεωτικό ανάγνωσμα.
It's been a long time since I last read one of her books and this new greek translation of the story was the perfect chance. As usual the queen of crime doesn't disappoint the reader!
It's been a long time since I last read one of her books and this new greek translation of the story was the perfect chance. As usual the queen of crime doesn't disappoint the reader!
December 28, 2022
Hercule Poirot ist milde überrascht, als seine alte Freundin, die Kriminalautorin Ariadne Oliver, ihn anruft und auf ein Landgut einlädt. Dort hat sie anlässlich eines Sommerfests eine spielerische Mörderjagd inszeniert, die am nächsten Tag stattfinden soll. Doch irgendwie hat sie ein flaues Gefühl im Magen: ist die inszenierte Mörderjagd vielleicht doch nicht so unschuldig? Als am nächsten Tag tatsächlich eine Leiche gefunden wird, ist man dankbar, dass tatsächlich der große Detektiv Hercule Poirot unter den Gästen von Greenshore House weilt.
Gemeinsam mit den örtlichen Polizeibeamten macht sich Poirot auf die Suche nach dem Täter.
____________
Das war eine nette, kurze Geschichte von Agatha Christie. Ariadne Oliver mochte ich ja schon in „Das fahle Pferd“ sehr gerne, so dass ich mich über das Wiedersehen mit ihr sehr gefreut habe.
Der Fall ist kurz und knackig, aber gleichzeitig wieder sehr spannend und unterhaltsam zu lesen, sodass die Kürze der Würze keinen Abbruch tut. Ich war mit großer Freude dabei und habe eifrig mit nach dem Mörder gesucht.
Ich habe sogar überlegt, dem Buch 5 Sterne zu geben, aber stellenweise ist das Buch doch wieder leicht misogyn, was dem Lesegenuss einen kleinen Dämpfer verpasst. Schade, aber so ist es eben oft mit den alten Geschichten.
Gemeinsam mit den örtlichen Polizeibeamten macht sich Poirot auf die Suche nach dem Täter.
____________
Das war eine nette, kurze Geschichte von Agatha Christie. Ariadne Oliver mochte ich ja schon in „Das fahle Pferd“ sehr gerne, so dass ich mich über das Wiedersehen mit ihr sehr gefreut habe.
Der Fall ist kurz und knackig, aber gleichzeitig wieder sehr spannend und unterhaltsam zu lesen, sodass die Kürze der Würze keinen Abbruch tut. Ich war mit großer Freude dabei und habe eifrig mit nach dem Mörder gesucht.
Ich habe sogar überlegt, dem Buch 5 Sterne zu geben, aber stellenweise ist das Buch doch wieder leicht misogyn, was dem Lesegenuss einen kleinen Dämpfer verpasst. Schade, aber so ist es eben oft mit den alten Geschichten.
November 16, 2021
Written originally to raise money for her local Church, Agatha Christie decided that there was more to Greenshore Folly and added meat to its bones making it Dead Man's Folly and writing a Marple mystery called Greenshaw Folly to raise money instead.
History lesson over and it's basically Dead Man's Folly (but ended better)
As for the run of Christie books, I'm currently staying in the Lodge House of Greenway, Agatha Christie's Holiday Home and it would be rude not to read some of her work 👍
History lesson over and it's basically Dead Man's Folly (but ended better)
As for the run of Christie books, I'm currently staying in the Lodge House of Greenway, Agatha Christie's Holiday Home and it would be rude not to read some of her work 👍
October 31, 2014
This novella was originally written for publication in a magazine, but, astonishing as it sounds, could not find a home due to the odd length –neither a short story or a novel. Agatha Christie had written it in order to raise money for a new stained glass window at the church she worshipped at, but decided to write a new story with a similar title featuring Miss Marple (she used a similar title as she wanted the story to reflect the home she purchased in 1938 and loved dearly). Thankfully, she felt this novella needed not to be pared down, but rather extended and later released it as the Poirot novel, “Dead Man’s Folly.” This, then, is the original novella and, if you have read “Dead Man’s Folly,” it is interesting to compare the two.
Poirot is dealing with his correspondence with the admirable Miss Lemon, when he received a call from mystery writer Ariadne Oliver. She asks him to come to her immediately and, perturbed – and not a little intrigued – he rushes to her side. Mrs Oliver is staying at the house of Sir George Stubbs and his rather childlike wife, Hattie. She is to organise a ‘murder hunt’ for the fete taking place in the grounds of Greenshore, complete with clues, suspects and, of course, a victim…. However, she feels that something is wrong and asks Poirot for his help and advice. What follows is a murder hunt in which the victim is all too well and Poirot must untangle the mystery of Greenshore. I enjoyed this very much and was glad that Christie decided to expand this into a novel, as the plot, characters and setting are very enjoyable. I am glad that this original novella is now available for lovers of Agatha Christie’s work to read in the original format.
Poirot is dealing with his correspondence with the admirable Miss Lemon, when he received a call from mystery writer Ariadne Oliver. She asks him to come to her immediately and, perturbed – and not a little intrigued – he rushes to her side. Mrs Oliver is staying at the house of Sir George Stubbs and his rather childlike wife, Hattie. She is to organise a ‘murder hunt’ for the fete taking place in the grounds of Greenshore, complete with clues, suspects and, of course, a victim…. However, she feels that something is wrong and asks Poirot for his help and advice. What follows is a murder hunt in which the victim is all too well and Poirot must untangle the mystery of Greenshore. I enjoyed this very much and was glad that Christie decided to expand this into a novel, as the plot, characters and setting are very enjoyable. I am glad that this original novella is now available for lovers of Agatha Christie’s work to read in the original format.
August 9, 2017
Noioso e poco convincente. Nella prima meta non succede nulla, nella second metà Poirot risolve il mistero semplicemente con un dialogo in cui spiega tutto. Nessuna indagine, nessun ragionamento, nessuna analisi... simpatico solo per vedere il modo di ragionare e di creare una storia della Christie. Inizia bene con una buona idea ma poi si perde troppo.
November 20, 2016
Adorable, and as always Poirot always reconstructs the crime perfectly in his head before you've even had time to familiarise yourself with the suspects then helpfully describes it to his fascinated readers. Lovely little story, and all Christie's proceeds went to repairing a stained glass window!
November 29, 2023
Ascoltato in audiolibro, secondo me non uno dei migliori della Christie, avrei preferito fosse un po' più lungo.
May 4, 2024
Un incontro tra “cena con delitto” e una partita di Cluedo, questo piccolo racconto in meno di 90 pagine delinea un delitto orchestrato sullo sfondo della meravigliosa campagna inglese. Poirot, invitato da Ariadne Oliver, si ritrova a sbrigliare gli eventi per far sì che sia la giustizia a prevalere sull’egoismo. Ovviamente la Christie ha sfornato un’altra storia in cui seguire i pensieri del nostro investigatore Belga preferito è solo un piacere per il lettore. La penna della mia giallista del cuore è invincibile, inutile.
Da leggere in un giorno!
Piccolo funfact - Devo ammettere di averlo trovato un po’ “vuoto”, anche se interessante, poi ho capito perché: venne scritto nel ‘54 per beneficienza e mai pubblicato (infatti è stato pubblicato postumo nel 2014), ma gettò la base di uno dei suoi successivi romanzi gialli pubblicato nel 1956, La Sagra del Delitto, in cui sicuramente le vicende e le indagini sono più dettagliate.
Da leggere in un giorno!
Piccolo funfact - Devo ammettere di averlo trovato un po’ “vuoto”, anche se interessante, poi ho capito perché: venne scritto nel ‘54 per beneficienza e mai pubblicato (infatti è stato pubblicato postumo nel 2014), ma gettò la base di uno dei suoi successivi romanzi gialli pubblicato nel 1956, La Sagra del Delitto, in cui sicuramente le vicende e le indagini sono più dettagliate.
March 23, 2022
Mislim da u trenutku u kome Herkul opisuje kako se ubistvo desilo ni sama Agata nije sasvim sigurna kako je “on” došao do tih zaključaka, te je potpuno opravdano što je od ove novele nastao roman, za koji sam siguran da je značajno bolji i detaljniji. Pored sve konfuzije koju stvara kraj knjige i dalje mi je najzbunjuća činjenica da je izdavačka kuća BDR media odlučila da sa ovim naslovom započne, tada novu, Agatinu ediciju i da prevede uvod (i pogovor) u kome se priča o postojanju romana, a da u isto vreme taj roman nikada ne izda.
November 17, 2022
«Sleep after toil, port after stormy seas, Ease after war, death after life does greatly please.»
(1)
Poirot è invitato da Ariadne Oliver, sua vecchia amica scrittrice, a Greenshore House, nel Devon. Ariadne è stata incaricata dai padroni di casa, Sir George Stubbs e Lady Hattie, di organizzare un’originale Caccia... all’Assassino, e lei ha voluto accanto a sé il suo fidato amico Hercule.
La casa è una costruzione georgiana della fine del Settecento, circondata da un bosco che raggiunge le rive del fiume Dart.
Una casa come tante, se non fosse per il fatto che quella casa è proprio... la residenza estiva di Agatha Christie e del marito, l’archeologo Max Mallowan...
(1) «Il sonno dopo la fatica, il porto dopo i mari in tempesta, la quiete dopo la guerra, la morte dopo la vita danno conforto.» Edmund Spenser (1552–1599) – Complaints (1591)
Poirot è invitato da Ariadne Oliver, sua vecchia amica scrittrice, a Greenshore House, nel Devon. Ariadne è stata incaricata dai padroni di casa, Sir George Stubbs e Lady Hattie, di organizzare un’originale Caccia... all’Assassino, e lei ha voluto accanto a sé il suo fidato amico Hercule.
La casa è una costruzione georgiana della fine del Settecento, circondata da un bosco che raggiunge le rive del fiume Dart.
Una casa come tante, se non fosse per il fatto che quella casa è proprio... la residenza estiva di Agatha Christie e del marito, l’archeologo Max Mallowan...
(1) «Il sonno dopo la fatica, il porto dopo i mari in tempesta, la quiete dopo la guerra, la morte dopo la vita danno conforto.» Edmund Spenser (1552–1599) – Complaints (1591)
January 13, 2025
Gennaio è sempre un mese difficile per le mie letture, non so mai cosa leggere e mi sento molto a rilento 😅
Questa, però, è stata la storia giusta da leggere ora, perchè era un mystery ed era breve.
Infatti si tratta di un racconto lungo di 85 pagine, con protagonista Poirot e la signora Olivier, e mi è piaciuto tutto di questo caso, forse anche grazie alla sua brevità.
Più avanti, la Christie ha ampliato questa storia e l'ha trasformato in un romanzo, con il nome di "La Sagra del Delitto", che però non penso recupererò molto presto :)
Questa, però, è stata la storia giusta da leggere ora, perchè era un mystery ed era breve.
Infatti si tratta di un racconto lungo di 85 pagine, con protagonista Poirot e la signora Olivier, e mi è piaciuto tutto di questo caso, forse anche grazie alla sua brevità.
Più avanti, la Christie ha ampliato questa storia e l'ha trasformato in un romanzo, con il nome di "La Sagra del Delitto", che però non penso recupererò molto presto :)
September 23, 2018
Η συγγραφέας βιβλίων μυστηρίου και φίλη του Ηρακλή Πουαρό, Αριάδνη Όλιβερ, καλείται από τον σερ Τζωρτζ Σταμπς στην έπαυλη Γκρίνσορ στο Λάπτον του Ντέβον για να οργανώσει ένα κυνήγι θησαυρού-μυστηρίου στο πλαίσιο μιας φιλανθρωπικής εκδήλωσης που θα γίνει εκεί. Η Αριάδνη από την αρχή καταλαβαίνει πως κάτι «πάει στραβά» και, με τη δικαιολογία πως θα μοιράσει τα βραβεία στους νικητές του παιχνιδιού, καλεί κοντά της τον διάσημο ντετέκτιβ. Το ένστικτό της βγαίνει αληθινό όταν το κοριτσάκι που θα υποδυόταν στα ψέματα το θύμα βρίσκεται όντως δολοφονημένο ενώ ταυτόχρονα εξαφανίζεται η σύζυγος του Τζωρτζ Σταμπς! Ποιος σκότωσε το παιδί και γιατί; Ποιος κινεί τα νήματα και καταφέρνει να ελέγξει τα γεγονότα κατά τις προτιμήσεις του; Τι μπορεί να συνέβη στο παρελθόν στην οικογένεια του Σερ Σταμπς και τι σχέση έχει με όλα αυτά η ξαφνική εμφάνιση ενός γιωτ στην κοντινή μαρίνα;
Το βιβλίο «Ο Ηρακλής Πουαρό και η έπαυλη του Γκρίνσορ» είναι η συντομευμένη μορφή του «Dead man’s folly» που δημοσιεύθηκε το 1956 και στα ελληνικά από το «Λυχνάρι» μεταφράστηκε ως «Το πέτρινο φέρετρο». Η νουβέλα αυτή δημοσιεύθηκε σε συνέχειες στην Daily Mail (Αγγλία) και στο Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine (ΗΠΑ) την περίοδο 1956-1957. Πρόκειται λοιπόν για την 33η περιπέτεια του Ηρακλή Πουαρό και διαδραματίζεται κυρίως εκτός Λονδίνου. Η Αριάδνη Όλιβερ, που ήδη πρωτογνωρίσαμε στο «Cards on the table» (1932) και «Mrs McGinty’s dead» (1952) είναι η αφορμή να αντιμετωπίσει ο φίλος της ένα δύσκολο αίνιγμα που έβαλε φωτιά στα φαιά του κύτταρα! Πράγματι, στην έπαυλη του Γκρίνσορ υπάρχουν ένα σωρό ύποπτοι, με τα δικά τους μυστικά και το ιδιαίτερο παρελθόν, όσο όμως ανακαλύπτει αυτές τις ψηφίδες ο ντετέκτιβ τόσο απομακρύνεται από το κίνητρο του φόνου. Το μυστήριο θα λυθεί ένα μήνα μετά, που θα μπορέσει να αποστασιοποιηθεί από τα γεγονότα, κλεισμένος στο αποστειρωμένο και τακτοποιημένο διαμέρισμά του.
Στην αρχή του μυθιστορήματος έχουμε έναν κύκλο φίλων και συγγενών πλήρως απασχολημένων με τις ετοιμασίες της εκδήλωσης, μετά τον φόνο όμως αρχίζουν να βγαίνουν σταδιακά στο φως οι μεταξύ τους σχέσεις. Ένας γάμος τριών χρόνων αρχίζει να καταρρέει από αδιαφορία του συζύγου, μια γυναίκα που είχε στα χέρια της ολόκληρη περιουσία μετά από μια σειρά ατυχών γεγονότων τα χάνει όλα και περιορίζεται να μένει στο σπιτάκι του κηπουρού, η Χάττι Σταμπς ίσως να μην είναι και τόσο αθώα ή εύπιστη, ο Μάικλ Γουέιμαν ίσως να μην ήρθε μόνο για να επιβλέψει τον τρόπο και το μέρος που θα κατασκευαστεί το κιόσκι ενώ ένας υπερήλικος γερο-ψαράς φλυαρεί ακατάπαυστα (ειλικρινά λάτρεψα την απόδοση της ομιλίας του σε αυτήν τη μετάφραση-αποκοπές λέξεων, λαϊκές εκφράσεις όπως το «λάχα λάχα» κλπ., ήταν μια γνήσια και μελετημένη φωνή μες στην τυπικότητα των Άγγλων ενοίκων!). Όλα αυτά τα γεγονότα αποδίδονται συντομευμένα και μέσα από αφηγήσεις κυρίως του Επιθεωρητή Μπλαντ και του Ηρακλή Πουαρό.
Μέσα από την ιστορία ξεπηδά ευσύνοπτα ένας λιγότερο, συγκριτικά με άλλα βιβλία της Agatha Christie, συγκεκαλυμμένος φόβος απέναντι στο καινούργιο, ιδιαίτερα αν αυτό έρχεται να αντικαταστήσει τις όμορφες αναμνήσεις του παρελθόντος δημιουργώντας κάτι εντελώς ρηξικέλευθο (για παράδειγμα, η μετατροπή του διπλανού σπιτιού σε hostel, με αποτέλεσμα να γεμίσει ο τόπος άγνωστους νεαρούς που δε σέβονται τις ιδιωτικές περιουσίες και περνάνε κάθε τόσο μέσα από το κτήμα).
Στο κείμενο η συγγραφέας παίζει άλλη μια φορά με την οπτική γωνία με την οποία βλέπει κανείς τα πράγματα, ρίχνοντας εσκεμμένα το φως σε άλλο σημείο, στήνει έναν πανέξυπνο καμβά γύρω από τον οποίο υφαίνεται το κίνητρο του φόνου και με συγκίνησε με τον ρόλο που παίζει ένας άνθρωπος διωγμένος από τα αλλοτινά μεγαλεία της ζωής του και πόσο τον κούρασε όλη αυτή η περιπέτεια! Προς έκπληξή μου, ο Πουαρό δε συγκεντρώνει γύρω του τους ενόχους για να τους αποκαλύψει την αλήθεια, απλώς τη συζητάει με το τραγικότερο πρόσωπο της ιστορίας. Στο κείμενο εμφανίζεται η μις Λέμον ενώ ο κοντόσωμος ανθρωπάκος σε κάποιο σημείο αναφέρει πόσο του λείπει ο φίλος του, ο Χέιστινγκς!
«Ο Ηρακλής Πουαρό και η έπαυλη του Γκρίνσορ» είναι μια εξίσου συναρπαστική μορφή του «Πέτρινου φέρετρου», που μένοντας καθαρά στα γεγονότα και χωρίς την ανάπτυξη των χαρακτήρων ενός μυθιστορήματος, δίνει ακόμη μεγαλύτερη ένταση και αγωνία στον αναγνώστη που αναρωτιέται για την πραγματική ταυτότητα του δολοφόνου. Η συγκεκριμένη φροντισμένη έκδοση από τον Πατάκη έχει ένα από τα πιο όμορφα εξώφυλλα που έχω δει και ανήκει στον Τομ Άνταμς, τον καλλιτέχνη που σχεδίασε τα εξώφυλλα των βιβλίων της Βασίλισσας του Εγκλήματος κυρίως κατά τη δεκαετία του 1960, που το ζωγράφισε αποκλειστικά για την έκδοση αυτής της ανέκδοτης ιστορίας (κυκλοφόρησε το 2014). Η μετάφραση του Αύγουστου Κορτώ είναι φροντισμένη, σωστή και μελετημένη ενώ το μυθιστόρημα συνοδεύεται από εισαγωγή του Τομ Άνταμς, πρόλογο του Μάθιου Πρίτσαρντ (εγγονού της συγγραφέως και τελευταίου ιδιοκτήτη της έπαυλης Γκρίνγουεϊ -από την οποία εμπνεύστηκε το σκηνικό του Γκρίνσορ- όπου διέμενε τα καλοκαίρια η Agatha Christie και που το 1999 δωρήθηκε στο κρατικό National Trust) και επίλογο του Τζον Κάρραν όπου καταγράφονται οι συνθήκες γραφής και δημοσίευσης της νουβέλας και του εκτεταμένου μυθιστορήματος.
Το βιβλίο «Ο Ηρακλής Πουαρό και η έπαυλη του Γκρίνσορ» είναι η συντομευμένη μορφή του «Dead man’s folly» που δημοσιεύθηκε το 1956 και στα ελληνικά από το «Λυχνάρι» μεταφράστηκε ως «Το πέτρινο φέρετρο». Η νουβέλα αυτή δημοσιεύθηκε σε συνέχειες στην Daily Mail (Αγγλία) και στο Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine (ΗΠΑ) την περίοδο 1956-1957. Πρόκειται λοιπόν για την 33η περιπέτεια του Ηρακλή Πουαρό και διαδραματίζεται κυρίως εκτός Λονδίνου. Η Αριάδνη Όλιβερ, που ήδη πρωτογνωρίσαμε στο «Cards on the table» (1932) και «Mrs McGinty’s dead» (1952) είναι η αφορμή να αντιμετωπίσει ο φίλος της ένα δύσκολο αίνιγμα που έβαλε φωτιά στα φαιά του κύτταρα! Πράγματι, στην έπαυλη του Γκρίνσορ υπάρχουν ένα σωρό ύποπτοι, με τα δικά τους μυστικά και το ιδιαίτερο παρελθόν, όσο όμως ανακαλύπτει αυτές τις ψηφίδες ο ντετέκτιβ τόσο απομακρύνεται από το κίνητρο του φόνου. Το μυστήριο θα λυθεί ένα μήνα μετά, που θα μπορέσει να αποστασιοποιηθεί από τα γεγονότα, κλεισμένος στο αποστειρωμένο και τακτοποιημένο διαμέρισμά του.
Στην αρχή του μυθιστορήματος έχουμε έναν κύκλο φίλων και συγγενών πλήρως απασχολημένων με τις ετοιμασίες της εκδήλωσης, μετά τον φόνο όμως αρχίζουν να βγαίνουν σταδιακά στο φως οι μεταξύ τους σχέσεις. Ένας γάμος τριών χρόνων αρχίζει να καταρρέει από αδιαφορία του συζύγου, μια γυναίκα που είχε στα χέρια της ολόκληρη περιουσία μετά από μια σειρά ατυχών γεγονότων τα χάνει όλα και περιορίζεται να μένει στο σπιτάκι του κηπουρού, η Χάττι Σταμπς ίσως να μην είναι και τόσο αθώα ή εύπιστη, ο Μάικλ Γουέιμαν ίσως να μην ήρθε μόνο για να επιβλέψει τον τρόπο και το μέρος που θα κατασκευαστεί το κιόσκι ενώ ένας υπερήλικος γερο-ψαράς φλυαρεί ακατάπαυστα (ειλικρινά λάτρεψα την απόδοση της ομιλίας του σε αυτήν τη μετάφραση-αποκοπές λέξεων, λαϊκές εκφράσεις όπως το «λάχα λάχα» κλπ., ήταν μια γνήσια και μελετημένη φωνή μες στην τυπικότητα των Άγγλων ενοίκων!). Όλα αυτά τα γεγονότα αποδίδονται συντομευμένα και μέσα από αφηγήσεις κυρίως του Επιθεωρητή Μπλαντ και του Ηρακλή Πουαρό.
Μέσα από την ιστορία ξεπηδά ευσύνοπτα ένας λιγότερο, συγκριτικά με άλλα βιβλία της Agatha Christie, συγκεκαλυμμένος φόβος απέναντι στο καινούργιο, ιδιαίτερα αν αυτό έρχεται να αντικαταστήσει τις όμορφες αναμνήσεις του παρελθόντος δημιουργώντας κάτι εντελώς ρηξικέλευθο (για παράδειγμα, η μετατροπή του διπλανού σπιτιού σε hostel, με αποτέλεσμα να γεμίσει ο τόπος άγνωστους νεαρούς που δε σέβονται τις ιδιωτικές περιουσίες και περνάνε κάθε τόσο μέσα από το κτήμα).
Στο κείμενο η συγγραφέας παίζει άλλη μια φορά με την οπτική γωνία με την οποία βλέπει κανείς τα πράγματα, ρίχνοντας εσκεμμένα το φως σε άλλο σημείο, στήνει έναν πανέξυπνο καμβά γύρω από τον οποίο υφαίνεται το κίνητρο του φόνου και με συγκίνησε με τον ρόλο που παίζει ένας άνθρωπος διωγμένος από τα αλλοτινά μεγαλεία της ζωής του και πόσο τον κούρασε όλη αυτή η περιπέτεια! Προς έκπληξή μου, ο Πουαρό δε συγκεντρώνει γύρω του τους ενόχους για να τους αποκαλύψει την αλήθεια, απλώς τη συζητάει με το τραγικότερο πρόσωπο της ιστορίας. Στο κείμενο εμφανίζεται η μις Λέμον ενώ ο κοντόσωμος ανθρωπάκος σε κάποιο σημείο αναφέρει πόσο του λείπει ο φίλος του, ο Χέιστινγκς!
«Ο Ηρακλής Πουαρό και η έπαυλη του Γκρίνσορ» είναι μια εξίσου συναρπαστική μορφή του «Πέτρινου φέρετρου», που μένοντας καθαρά στα γεγονότα και χωρίς την ανάπτυξη των χαρακτήρων ενός μυθιστορήματος, δίνει ακόμη μεγαλύτερη ένταση και αγωνία στον αναγνώστη που αναρωτιέται για την πραγματική ταυτότητα του δολοφόνου. Η συγκεκριμένη φροντισμένη έκδοση από τον Πατάκη έχει ένα από τα πιο όμορφα εξώφυλλα που έχω δει και ανήκει στον Τομ Άνταμς, τον καλλιτέχνη που σχεδίασε τα εξώφυλλα των βιβλίων της Βασίλισσας του Εγκλήματος κυρίως κατά τη δεκαετία του 1960, που το ζωγράφισε αποκλειστικά για την έκδοση αυτής της ανέκδοτης ιστορίας (κυκλοφόρησε το 2014). Η μετάφραση του Αύγουστου Κορτώ είναι φροντισμένη, σωστή και μελετημένη ενώ το μυθιστόρημα συνοδεύεται από εισαγωγή του Τομ Άνταμς, πρόλογο του Μάθιου Πρίτσαρντ (εγγονού της συγγραφέως και τελευταίου ιδιοκτήτη της έπαυλης Γκρίνγουεϊ -από την οποία εμπνεύστηκε το σκηνικό του Γκρίνσορ- όπου διέμενε τα καλοκαίρια η Agatha Christie και που το 1999 δωρήθηκε στο κρατικό National Trust) και επίλογο του Τζον Κάρραν όπου καταγράφονται οι συνθήκες γραφής και δημοσίευσης της νουβέλας και του εκτεταμένου μυθιστορήματος.
August 16, 2025
4 Sterne
October 12, 2019
Agatha Christie's 1956 Hercule Poirot novel Dead Man's Folly was originally written as a novella to raise money for her local church. However, the novella was never published & instead a Miss Marple story was written to raise the necessary funds. The story was eventually adapted & published as a full length novel. So, here is a rare treat.....the original novella.
This is another very entertaining Poirot thriller, set in Christie's holiday home of Greenway (renamed Greenshore for the story) in Devon. Not only do we get a fine novella, but this edition has some nice bonus material. There is an informative introduction by artist Tom Adams, who has supplied many paintings used for paperback editions of Christie's work. He also supplied a truly wonderful Greenway inspired jacket illustration for this story. Christie's grandson Mathew Prichard writes a preface to the story & John Curran's afterward is a fascinating look at the creation of the story, accompanied by original notes from Christie herself.
This is a perfect read for any Agatha Christie fan. As for the novel Dead Man's Folly, I must admit I've not read that one yet. Perhaps that's a story for another time.
This is another very entertaining Poirot thriller, set in Christie's holiday home of Greenway (renamed Greenshore for the story) in Devon. Not only do we get a fine novella, but this edition has some nice bonus material. There is an informative introduction by artist Tom Adams, who has supplied many paintings used for paperback editions of Christie's work. He also supplied a truly wonderful Greenway inspired jacket illustration for this story. Christie's grandson Mathew Prichard writes a preface to the story & John Curran's afterward is a fascinating look at the creation of the story, accompanied by original notes from Christie herself.
This is a perfect read for any Agatha Christie fan. As for the novel Dead Man's Folly, I must admit I've not read that one yet. Perhaps that's a story for another time.
November 10, 2019
3.5 Recensione su Chibiistheway
Un racconto lungo perfetto per chi è alla ricerca di una lettura leggera, poco impegnativa. In 90 pagine circa la Christie mette in piedi un caso molto interessante che ricorda le prime indagini di Poirot
Un racconto lungo perfetto per chi è alla ricerca di una lettura leggera, poco impegnativa. In 90 pagine circa la Christie mette in piedi un caso molto interessante che ricorda le prime indagini di Poirot
January 2, 2022
3.5 stelline
A metà tra un racconto e un romanzo, il libro risente della brevità, ma la ricchezza si trova nelle ambientazioni (La Christie inscena l'omicidio in un luogo reale) e nella capacità di rendere uno o due personaggi profondi e interessanti.
Non il migliore che ho letto, ma come sempre l'autrice mostra una intelligenza creativa superiore alla media.
A metà tra un racconto e un romanzo, il libro risente della brevità, ma la ricchezza si trova nelle ambientazioni (La Christie inscena l'omicidio in un luogo reale) e nella capacità di rendere uno o due personaggi profondi e interessanti.
Non il migliore che ho letto, ma come sempre l'autrice mostra una intelligenza creativa superiore alla media.
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February 5, 2023fand ich fein!
April 20, 2025
È il racconto inedito che ha poi dato vita al romanzo "la sagra del delitto". Molto carino, comodo per far passare un'ora e mezzo di volo. Avevo letto in precedenza il romanzo quindi non c'è stato colpo di scena o simili.
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