Ferien mit Agatha Christie

Murder For All Seasons

by Agatha Christie, Marcel Bülles (Translator), Günter Eichel (Translator)

Sommerzeit ist Krimizeit, schließlich erhitzen sich mit steigenden Temperaturen auch die Gemüter und führen mitunter auf mörderische Pfade.

Ob in Cornwall oder an der französischen Riviera, in der Nähe griechischer Tempelanlagen oder in den Gärten englischer Landhäuser – während die Sonne allerorten vom Himmel strahlt, lösen Agatha Christies beliebteste Ermittler in diesen sommerlichen Kurzkrimis manch dunkles Rätsel.

Genres: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Short Stories, Classics, Crime, Fiction, Summer

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2021

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

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blood-Stained Pavement – 2,5/5

Joyce Lemprière tells a story about how she saw bloodstains. Miss Marple points out the clue she missed.

Solid little cozy mystery to start with.


The Double Clue – 3,5/5

Poirot is asked to investigate a jewel theft that occurred during a tea party.

A straight forward story, but the mystery has quite a satisfying conclusion. And there’s one character in particular who shows a foundation of greatness.


A Death on the Nile – 3,5/5

Parker Pyne is on a cruise on the Nile and wants nothing more than to enjoy his vacation. But an unsympathetic lady wants him to do a job, to find out if she’s being poisoned, and she doesn’t mind paying him handsomely for his time.

Parker Pyne’s greatest wish is to make his client happy, but sometimes sadness may still triumph.


Harlequin's Lane – 4/5

Mr Satterthwaite and Mr Quin reunite in Harlequin's Lane.

Agatha Christie lures us into this story with the interesting characters of Mr Satterthwaite and Mr Quin meeting each other once more. She dances with us in the masquerade and leaves us wanting more.


The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman - 4/5

Poirot and Hastings are having dinner with a doctor, when the doctor receives an urgent message from one of his patients who’s just been attacked.

Poirot puts his little grey cells to work as he sees right through the façade.


Jane in Search of a Job - 3/5

Jane Cleveland is a young woman desperately in need of a job. She applies for a mysterious but well-paid job that requires intelligence and discretion.

A short spy thriller with an interesting choice of protagonist.


The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim - 3/5

Poirot makes a bet with Inspector Japp after claiming that he can solve a case without leaving his chair, using only his famous little grey cells.

This is a great and short way to display Poirot’s awesomeness as both a character and a detective. The mystery is pretty solid too.


The Idol House of Astarte - 3/5

At a costume party, someone mysteriously dies. The party takes place at an estate that has a grove that is said to be dedicated to the Ancient goddess Astarte. And someone at that party was dressed like a priestess of Astarte.

I really like the inclusion of Astarte, though it’s a bit of a shame that this is a Miss Marple story. It’s not that she’s a bad character, she just doesn’t feel like a necessary character in her own short stories. Her function is to listen to a story where all the facts are neatly presented to her, and then she swoops in at the end to connect the dots. This is different from Poirot for example who has to work hard to find all the necessary clues himself to reach a conclusion.


The Rajah's Emerald – 4,5/5

James Bond was persuaded by his girlfriend to go on holiday with her to a luxurious seaside resort. She is rich, so she booked herself a room at a fancy hotel, while he’s forced to stay at a cheap boarding house. He doesn’t let it get to him and tries to make the most of it. Her rich friends however stay at the hotel too. They love looking down on people like him who aren’t rich, and his girlfriend is quick to join in.

This is not the James Bond we’re more familiar with now. The first 007 James Bond story was published 27 years after this short story was published.

You could say that if the girlfriend truly loved James Bond, she wouldn’t abandon him so she could enjoy the luxury of the hotel all by herself. Her license to chill out without him also gets him into a lot of trouble.


The Oracle at Delphi – 3,5/5

A woman receives a ransom note for her son, so she contacts Parker Pyne to help get her son back.

Parker Pyne comes up with a clever plan to make his client happy. Interesting twist.


The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger - 3/5

Tommy and Tuppence are bored when a man comes asking for their help. He’s been called away on urgent matters by an unknown person twice in one week, but each time it turned out to be a ruse so someone could search his home.

Solid little spy story. It apparently parodies a story that was famous at the time of writing called The Man with the Club Foot.


The Incredible Theft - 4/5

Poirot has to help recover the stolen plans of a revolutionary new bomber.

This is an extended version of a short story. It’s a strong mystery with high stakes and Poirot at the top of his game.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice hodgepodge of Christie's shorts.
If you are interested in a particular story, I've left individual links that will take you to slightly longer reviews.

The Blood-Stained Pavement
This time, when the Tuesday Night Club meets, Joyce (Raymond West's future wife) tells the story of her time painting in the small coastal village of Rathole.
She witnesses a husband and wife go off on a bathing trip with a woman they ran into when they got to the hotel.
Without realizing what she was doing, Joyce painted blood stains onto her painting. When the wife drowns a few weeks later, Joyce wonders if she had some sort of a premonition.



The Double Clue
Double Clue!? <--That's 2 clues too many, bitches.
And everyone's favorite Belgian detective is onto that shit.



A Death on the Nile
DEATH ON THE NILE!
The lesser known story...
This is not to be confused with Christie's more famous full-length novel of the same name.



Harlequin's Lane
This is the spookiest of all the Harley Quin stories, IMHO.



The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Count Foscatini has been coshed over the head!
But who is Count Foscatini? And why should we care if he got his head coshed in?
Poirot and Hastings get pulled into this murder mystery because they were having dinner with their friend and neighbor, Dr. Hawker, when he got a desperate call from the Count telling him he had been attacked.
Help! <--says Foscatini



Jane in Search of a Job
Princess swap!
Sort of.
A young woman (Jane) who needs some money answers an advertisement looking for someone who fits her description and can speak French. As a reader, we know this is ALWAYS a bad idea, but our heroine has yet to figure that out.



The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
Never bet against a Belgian!
Japp tells Poirot about a case he's working on that deals with a wealthy banker who walked out of his house to go into the town and mail a few letters, then disappeared off the face of the earth.
He was supposed to meet up with a man he had some bad blood with, but he never showed back up at this house. Did this man have something to do with his disappearance?



The Idol House of Astarte
Miss Marple and her Tuesday Night Club friends listen to the clergyman of their group tell a story about the time he witnessed a man killed by seemingly supernatural forces.
The beautiful young socialite, Diana Ashley, convinces the other guests to play dress up and go out to the supposedly sacred grove of Astarte (on the property) that had a small temple/house there. It's all fun and games till the owner of the house, Sir Richard, falls over dead with a stab wound and there's no knife to be found.
How did this toga party go so wrong?!



The Rajah's Emerald
1st appearance of James Bond!
But not that James Bond.
No, years before Ian Fleming gave the world an iconic super spy, Agatha Christie gave us a disgruntled young man who lucked into an adventure by picking up the wrong shorts.



The Oracle at Delphi
This is one of if not the best Parker Pyne short out there!
Picking up after the short story Death on the Nile, where Pyne made the decision to travel under an alias for the rest of his vacation, so he could avoid getting drawn into cases.



The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger
I listened to this little short Tommy & Tuppence, and enjoyed it quite a bit.
There wasn't anything really amazing about it, but I like the spunk of this particular crime-fighting couple.
What can I say? They're cute!



The Incredible Theft
The theft of secret bomber plans at a house party means everything needs to be kept hush-hush.
One of Lord Mayfield's guests is widely suspected to be a spy. Unfortunately, it looks like they have quite a tidy alibi for the time the papers went missing.



Recommended for fans of Christie.

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Agatha Christie being one of my favourite authors, when I got this one from NetGalley, I couldn’t help but bump it up on my TBR pile!

Midsummer Mysteries: Secrets and Suspense from the Queen of Crime is a collection of twelves short stories by Christie with a summer theme. The book covers a range of crime and suspense—from murder to theft, kidnapping to mysterious disappearances, matters of the heart to matters of state. Across the stories, we ‘meet’ all of Christie’s detectives Miss Marple (2 stories), Poirot (4 stories), Parker Pyne (2 stories), Harley Quin (1 story), Tommy and Tuppence (1 story) and we also have a couple of standalones, in which none of the detectives appear. The stories take us to England (of course)—but also to more exotic locales—Greece and Egypt. (For me, about half the stories were new, others I had read before.)

Almost all the stories give us a summer ‘feel’—with beaches and bathing, cruises and holiday trips, visits down to the country, and also a distinct midsummer madness that afflicts some of the characters or at least stands out in the atmosphere in some of our stories. In one or two of the stories, though, I felt the summeriness didn’t come through as strongly but that is a minor complaint.

Now for the stories themselves; we start off with a Marple story (from The Thirteen Problems), ‘The Blood Stained Pavement’ in which Joyce Lempriere, an artist, is recounting an interesting incident (involving a mysterious death of course) she witnessed when out on a sketching expedition in Cornwall—involving a young couple and another woman, the husband’s old friend. None of the party hearing Joyce’s tale, including former police commissioner Sir Henry Clithering can point to the solution but Miss Marple does, of course—relying once again on her observations of village life and human nature. This story is a prototype for one full-length Christie book, and also another short story but both with their own twists. All three renditions are very enjoyable.

Next in ‘The Double Clue’, Poirot is called in to make discreet inquiries into the theft of some priceless jewels at the home of Mr Hardman who had invited a few guests over to show them off; the clues seem to point to one person in particular, but did that person really do it?

‘Death on the Nile’, a story that shares its name with a full length Poirot novel, takes us on a Nile cruise where a domineering and dictatorial rich lady is travelling with her titled husband, her companion, niece, and husband’s secretary. Also on the boat is Parker Pyne, whom she is determined to get rid of for she wants the boat entirely to herself. So we are a little surprised when she consults Mr Pyne as to a possible attempt on her life. Everyone around her resents her, but who does so that much?

On completely different lines, and involving matters of the heart and some of that midsummer madness (also a Harlequin performance) is ‘Harlequin’s Lane’. Here we find Mr Satterthwaite (who regularly appears in the Harley Quin stories and also in one Poirot book, Three Act Tragedy) paying a visit down in the country to the Denmans with whom he has almost nothing in common. But what fascinates him is Mrs Denman’s sitting room, a plain and almost impersonal space but for a Chinese lacquer screen. At their home he runs into the mysterious Mr Quin, also a guest. This story, as is the case with many of the Harley Quin stories, has a very dreamy and otherworldly feeling about it, and its ending is somewhat unsettling as well.

Poirot is asked by Dr Hawker, a neighbour, to accompany him, when one of his patients, an Italian count leaves a message calling for help. The count is found dead, and the guests who had been dining with him (and with whom he was overheard speaking in a raised voice) are missing; but is the mystery as clear-cut as it seems?

‘Jane in Search of a Job’ sees Jane Cleveland, a young woman in search of a job, respond to and take up a position pursuant to a rather strange advertisement. This throws her in the midst of an adventure but not quite the kind she was expecting. This one had definite shades of Sherlock Holmes (the red-headed league/copper beeches stories), but of course Christie gives it her own touch.

In ‘The Disappearnce of Mr Davenheim’ a wealthy banker disappears from his country home, and no trace is found. Just at the time, he had an appointment with someone who had borne him a grudge. Poirot of course finds once again that the matter is not as simple as it may seem. Another story with a Holmesian touch.

We meet Miss Marple again in ‘The Idol House of Astarte’, another of the stories that involves an element of otherworldliness and midsummer madness, but one which turns out very much to be of this world in its solution. Another of the thirteen problems, this one is narrated by the clergyman Dr Pender, and involves a mysterious death that takes place near a statute of Astarte, the old Phoenician deity, a place which to Dr Pender had a distinct feeling of evil. But whether it was evil in the place or in the heart of the culprit, we can’t really say, for Miss Marple once again finds the answer, which as I said lies very much in the human realm.

In ‘The Rajah’s Emerald’ we meet James Bond, no, not 007 (the publication date (1934) is earlier than the first Bond story by Fleming (1953), so probably just a coincidence). James is down on a beach holiday as is also the girl he is in love with. But Grace is staying with wealthier friends in a posh hotel while James is in a boarding house having to deal with crowds and long queues for everything. When James decides to take a step not quite in his usual character (nothing horrifying, just a way to not have to deal with the queues), he finds himself in an adventure! (I loved the ending of this one!)

‘The Oracle at Delphi’ finds a comfort-loving American lady, Mrs Willard Peters on holiday in Greece with her culture loving son. But when Willard junior is kidnapped on one of his expeditions, she turns to Parker Pyne for help.

Tommy and Tuppence appear in their ‘spy’ avatar in ‘The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger’ when a stranger comes into their inquiry agency with a rather obviously cooked up mystery for them to solve. But do they manage to trap him?

Finally, we are back with Poirot in ‘The Incredible Theft’, a story which is a version of ‘The Naval Treaty’ but with its own spin. A house party is to be a cover for discussions on matters of national security between Lord Mayfield and Sir George Carrington. Mrs Vanderlyn, a wealthy lady, known to have dubious connections, is also present. Stolen of course, are important military plans, disappearing from the table they had been placed on when Lord Mayfield’s secretary is forced to leave the study for just a few moments. Did Mrs Vanderlyn get the papers? How?

This was an enjoyable collection of Christie stories, which I think would appeal to both regular readers and fans as well as people new to Christie. We get a flavour of the range of plots she comes up with, meet all of her detectives, and also get a taste of the unexpected twists in the puzzles she creates. While being short stories, these don’t have the level of complexity that her full length books have, each story has a twist and solution that one certainly doesn’t see coming. A very entertaining and engaging collection, with many surprises woven in. 4.5 stars.

p.s. The opening extract from Christie’s own childhood holiday in the Pyrenees recalls an unsettling incident which also shows why she was perhaps so much attached to her mother.

p.p.s: I loved the cover as well!

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second of the four Agatha Christie seasonally themed collection of stories I’ve read, Midsummer Mysteries, is perhaps just a tiny tick below the previous one for me personally, but just a fractional tick.

Once again we get a blend of Poirot, Marple, Parker Pyne, Satterthwaite and Quin, Tommy and Tuppence, and the oddball story. There is a ton to enjoy here for mystery lovers, especially those who love short stories.

My personal favorites in this one:

The Blood-Stained Pavement — Marple
The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim — Poirot (I’d read it before but still wonderful)
Jane in Search of a Job
The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger — Tommy and Tuppence
Death on the Nile — Parker Pyne (a completely different story with a title Christie would use again for a famous Poirot novel)
Harlequin’s Lane — Satterthwaite and Quin (dripping with a strange atmosphere, and haunting in a way)

The other stories are good also, but these really stood out for me. These six stories alone would make Midsummer Mysteries five stars for me; that aforementioned tick is so minor that this one will be just as enjoyable to return to down the line as Autumn Chills will be.

Spring and Winter await me when I’m in the mood, and judging by the enjoyable short mysteries of Autumn Chills and Midsummer Mysteries, it won’t be too long before the mood strikes me.

[Katya]

- Tia Jane - disse Raymond, olhando para ela com curiosidade, como é que consegue? Teve sempre uma vida tão tranquila e, contudo, nada parece surpreendê-la.
- Encontro sempre semelhanças entre as coisas, neste mundo - disse Miss Marple. - Lembrei-me de Mrs. Green, sabes, que enterrou cinco filhos... e todos eles com seguro de vida. Bem, é inevitável que comecemos a ter suspeitas.
Ela abanou a cabeça.
- Há muita perversidade, na vida de uma aldeia. Espero que vocês, meus queridos jovens, não cheguem jamais a perceber como o mundo é cruel.

Gosto destas coleções temáticas da ASA que não só nos trazem os clássicos Marple e Poirot, mas também nos apresentam personagens tão castiças como a desempregada Jane Cleveland, a mais pragmática, arrisco, de todas as criações de Agatha Christie.
Entre roubos de jóias, raptos, assassinatos e desfalques, estes Segredos de verão resultam muitíssimo bem como uma leitura descomprometida e proporcionam um bocadinho muito bem passado. Escusado será dizer que nem mesmo assim descobri os culpados...

Poirot olhou para ele e abanou a cabeça.
- É estranho murmurou. Todos temos células cinzentas mas muito poucos sabem usá-las.




Hum, hum... Anotado.


O pavimento manchado de sangue
⭐⭐⭐
A pista dupla
⭐⭐⭐
Morte no Nilo
⭐⭐⭐
A vereda do Arlequim
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A aventura do aristocrata italiano
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jane procura emprego
⭐⭐⭐⭐
O desaparecimento de Mr. Davenheim
⭐⭐⭐
A casa do ídolo de Astarte
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A esmeralda do Raja
⭐⭐⭐⭐
O oráculo de Delfos
⭐⭐⭐
A aventura do desconhecido sinistro
⭐⭐⭐
O roubo inacreditável
⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Agatha Christie novels when I was still at school and have always loved the addictive plots and intriguing solutions to her mysteries. Unfortunately I have long since finished reading her significant assembly of books so forced to either rereading novels or collections such as this one.

This is a short story collection that features many of the characters made famous by author Agatha Christie. As you would expect Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are in the book but there are also stories featuring lesser known Tommy an Tuppence, Parker Pyne, Harley Quinn and Mr Satterthwaite. I am not the biggest fan of the short story but then Agatha Christie was no average author and many of the collection are very good reads. Ideal to dip in and out of whether on the beach or by the pool, clever little stories that will entertain, amuse and amaze.

Stories Included:

The Blood-Stained Pavement
The Double Clue
A Death on the Nile
Harlequin’s Lane
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Jane in Search of a Job
The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim
The Idol House of Astarte
The Rajah’s Emerald
The Oracle at Delphi
The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger
The Incredible Theft

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Harper Collins for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is another collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, which are set in differnt seasons.
Although I've read all of the Hercule Poirot stories before it's always nice to revisit them. There are some good tales here & I especially enjoyed Jane in Search of a Job. Christie's 1926 story The Rajah's Emerald was also a lot of fun, especially as the main character was called James Bond!
A good collection of stories to enjoy now that summer is here.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up to 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I won’t write a review or opinion about this work, but here are the stories included in this new compilation, individually rated:.

1. The Blood Stained Pavement - with Miss Marple (3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️) - also known as “Drip! Drip!
2. The Double Clue - with Hercule Poirot (3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️)
3. Death on the Nile (yes, it was originally a short story with Parker Pyne - 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
4. Harlequin’s Lane (2 stars ⭐️⭐️)
5. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman - with Hercule Poirot (4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) - also known as “The Italian Nobleman“
6. Jane in Search of a Job (3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️)
7. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim - with Hercule Poirot (4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) - also known as “Mr. Davenby Disappears “
8. The Idol House of Astarte - with Miss Marple (4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) - also known as “The Solving Six and the Evil Hour”
9. The Rajah’s Emerald - (4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
10. The Oracle at Delphi - with Parker Pyne (5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
11. The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger - with Tommy & Tuppence(3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️)
12. The Incredible Theft - with Hercule Poirot (5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) - this story was first published in 1923 as “The Submarine Plans”

[Veronique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn’t resist getting this new collection of Agatha Christie short stories. I usually don’t since I already have all her books, but, well, what can I say :0)

This ‘compilation’ includes 12 stories featuring our beloved Poirot and Miss Marple, as well as Parker Pyne, Mr Quinn, Tommy & Tuppence, and some unknown narrator. As the title suggests, all are staged in summery settings and yet are rather different in tone. In fact, a rather good little sample showing Christie’s repertoire. I also appreciated the use of an extract from her autobiography as Introduction.

The Blood-Stained Pavement
The Double Clue
A Death on the Nile
Harlequin's Lane
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Jane in Search of a Job
The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim
The Idol House of Astarte
The Rajah's Emerald
The Oracle at Delphi
The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger
The Incredible Theft

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* —> 4*

[Tala°•☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ألغاز منتصف الصيف
مجموعة قصصيَّة قصيرة للكاتبة ا��عظيمة أجاثا كريستي، بالطبع لا يكتمل الصيف بدون أجاثا، وبدون الغضب الذي يُلاحقني من غباء تصرُّفات شخصياتها!

القصص كانت تتنوَّع بين الغموض، التشويق، والإثارة، من ١٠ إلى ٥٠ صفحة. أغلبها كانت منشورة بمجلات ببدايات الصيف من سنين مختلفة — لكن يربطهم شيئًا واحد كلهم، ألا وهو الشعور الدافئ اللطيف لِوَقع حكايات أجاثا تحت شمس الصِّيف الحارّة.
بصراحة، كدتُ أختنق وأنا اقرأها بالحديقة بسبب الجو الـ... بديع، لكن، ها أنا ذا!
ثلاثة نجوم ونصف ★★★\.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm afraid I'm never as much a fan of Christie's short stories as I am of the novels. They feel simply like lesser beings.

I read this collection as part of the Read Christie Challenge 2023 and I'd read at least 3 of the stories in other publications so all in all it was a disappointing Christie month. Onwards and upwards in August.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 😀

This kindle ebook novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account

Twelve short stories by Agatha Christie, each story is different with interesting characters lots of action and misdirection some violence leading to each conclusion 🙂


l would highly recommend this kindle novel and author to fans of Agatha Christie and British mystery novels 🏙😃 2025 🤔😁

[Dora Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorei ler os contos,leituras leves e por vezes divertidas,como só Agatha Christie sabe.

[KIRIAKI(Dominica Amat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.dominicamat.gr/2022/06/bl...

Βαθμολογία 3.5/5

Διαχρονικά γοητευτική,οξυδερκής καί καθηλωτική η πένα της αείμνηστης συγγραφέως Άγκαθα Κρίστι ομορφαίνει όλες τις αναγνωστικές μας στιγμές που επιλέγουμε να διαβάσουμε κάποιο δικό της έργο. Νέα βιβλιοπρόταση για τις ημέρες του καλοκαιριού κι όχι μόνο... το βιβλίο της συγγραφέως,με τίτλο ''ΕΓΚΛΗΜΑΤΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΚΑΡΔΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΛΟΚΑΙΡΙΟΥ",που κυκλοφόρησε πρόσφατα από τις εκδόσεις Ψυχογιός. Πρόκειται για μία συλλογή αποτελούμενη από 12 αυτοτελείς αστυνομικές ιστορίες με φόντο τις ηλιόλουστες μέρες του καλοκαιριού.

Περιγραφή:
Καλοκαίρι – καθώς η θερμοκρασία ανεβαίνει, αυξάνεται και η ροπή προς το κακό. Από την Κορνουάλη ως τη Γαλλική Ριβιέρα, με φόντο το αρχαίο ιερό των Δελφών ή τα σπίτια της βρετανικής επαρχίας, οι πιο διάσημοι ήρωες της Άγκαθα Κρίστι λύνουν τα σατανικότερα εγκλήματα κάτω από τις καυτές αχτίδες του ήλιου. Αράξτε σε μια ξαπλώστρα και απολαύστε μοναδικές ιστορίες με ανατρεπτική πλοκή και αγωνιώδη κλιμάκωση διά χειρός της πλέον αγαπημένης συγγραφέως όλων των εποχών.

Για κάποιον λόγο,σχεδόν,όλοι κι όλες έχουμε συνδέσει το καλοκαίρι μόνο με ανέμελες καί χαρούμενες στιγμές,ενώ τον χειμώνα με τον φόβο,τον κίνδυνο καί το σκοτάδι. Όμως,η ζωή καί τα εγκλήματα δεν αρέσκονται σε τέτοιες διακρίσεις. Όλον τον χρόνο διαπράττονται ειδεχθή εγκλήματα. Υπάρχουν,επίσης,κι εκείνοι/ες που υποστηρίζουν πως την περίοδο του καλοκαιριού οι άμυνες καί οι ηθικοί φραγμοί των ανθρώπων χαλαρώνουν τόσο,ώστε να είναι πιο επιρρεπείς στο να δείξουν μία εγκληματική ροπή καί να υποπέσουν σε μεγάλα σφάλματα. Κάπως έτσι καί η αγαπημένη μας συγγραφέας μας δείχνει πως η ανθρώπινη φύση πράττει με τον ρυθμό που εκείνη ορίζει καί πάντα θα εφευρίσκει τους πιο ευφάνταστους τρόπους να μας εκπλήσσει καί να προβαίνει στο τέλειο ( ; ) έγκλημα.

Θετικά στοιχεία βιβλίου:
- Αρτιότητα καί διαφορετικός χαρακτήρας ιστοριών με κοινό παρονομαστή το αστυνομικό στοιχείο
- Ευφυές παιχνίδισμα με το μυαλό των αναγνωστών/στριων
- Γεμάτο λεξιλόγιο καί γλαφυρές περιγραφές εικόνων
- Αρκετή δόση μυστηρίου κι αγωνίας
- Ποικιλία ιστοριών που καλύπτει τις προτιμήσεις του αναγνωστικού κοινού

Εμένα η παρούσα συλλογή μου άφησε αρκετά καλές εντυπώσεις καί σας προτείνω να την αναζητήσετε κι εσείς μαζί καί με άλλους τίτλους βιβλίων της συγγραφέως,που επίσης κυκλοφορούν από τις εκδόσεις Ψυχογιός.
Καλή ανάγνωση!

[Aleksandra Jagielska · Rating 3 out of 5]

tak, jak bardzo lubię formę zbiorów opowiadań, w kryminałach nie do końca mi to siedzi:/
agatka oczywiście pisze w niezwykle wciągający sposób, tak ze naprawdę ciężko się oderwać, a książki pochłania się w jedno posiedzenie
było pare lepszych i pare gorszych opowiadań, ale uważam, ze to naprawdę fajny letniaczek

[Megan Sanks]

Can't believe Christie came up with the name James Bond first

[Cititor Necunoscut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Desi imi place foarte mult Agatha Christie si imi plac mai ales romanele care il au ca protagonist pw Hercule Poirot, nu m-au atras niciodata colectiile de povestiri, chiar daca HP este personaj in unele dintre ele.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Agatha Christie in bite-sized form - some Poirot, some Marple and other mysteries with amateur sleuths. The stories take the reader on a tour through Cornwall, Greece and Egypt, and although there is the usual Christie suspense and many twists, the stories are all quite different but all with a summery feel.

There is of course less detail and investigation than in her longer novels, but the stories do have enough clues for the reader to guess whodunnit. Very enjoyable summer read!

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Archita Mitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Agatha Christie's short story collections more than her full-length novels. Her brilliant mind and writing prowess is at its best in these short stories that can be read quickly but still surprise you with unexpected twists and clever plots. I also loved this anthology for including all off Christie's beloved characters - Miss Marple, Poirot, Parker Pyne, Tommy and Tuppence, and Harley Quin. In that sense, this is also a delightful 'starter book' for anyone looking to start reading Agatha Christie's mysteries.

All the stories are set in the quintessential English summer and the setting of most stories are either a sunlit countryside, or an exotic vacation in Greece or Egypt. In this sense it is also particularly insightful on how the English liked to spend their summers in the last century.

Before I get into discussing each story, let me first mention how much I loved the prologue of the book. An anecdotal story from the author's life, it highlights an incident from her childhood. Simple though it may be, it highlights the emotional bond a mother shares with her children, an unspoken compassion that soothes even the worries they are unable to articulate.

1. The Blood-Stained Pavement: At an indoor party, an young artist recounts the story of a paranormal event she had experienced some time back. While painting an idyllic countryside holiday inn in Cornwall, she notices some blood stains on the pavement outside the front door. When she goes to check however, the stains have vanished. A few days later, the wife of the couple staying at the inn on that day, dies in a terrible boating accident.
The brilliance of this short story is that it all takes place in an indoor party in one afternoon. Simply from hearing the facts of the story recounted to her, Miss Marple is able to identify the murderer.
4 stars

2. The Double Clue: Poirot is called into investigate a jewelry theft. On the face of it, the robber seems evident, especially with two pieces of incriminating evidence found near the safe. But Poirot is certain that the clues are red herrings, planted by a mastermind criminal. While the story is a good read on its own, it is evident that it is more of a set-up for the character of Countess Rossakoff, a lady often rumored to be Poirot's love interest.
3 stars

3. A Death on the Nile: While on vacation in Egypt, Parker Pyne is hired by a rich lady who suspects that her husband is poisoning her. However when Pyne investigates he realises that everyone in the woman's household - including her nurse, niece, secretary and husband - strongly dislike her, but who has murder in their hearts?
3 stars

4. Harlequin's Lane: Mr Satterthwaite unexpectedly meets his old friend, Harley Quinn, when visiting other friends. The entire story takes place on one day when the household plans to reenact the theatre comedy, Commedia Dell'Arte, which is a tragic love story.
In a narrative structure, similar to Shakespeare's Midsummer Nightdream, the real life emotions and bonds between the actors, permeate the play, leading to tragic consequences. Like all Harley Quinn stories, this one also has a hint of the supernatural.
3 stars

5.The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman : Dr. Hawker, an old friend of Poirot, receives an alarming phone call from one of his patients, an Italian count. When he hurries to meet his patient, the doctor finds that he has been murdered, evidently in the middle of a dinner party. The suspicion falls immediately to the missing dinner guests, but how did they leave the party without anyone seeing them depart? Locked room mysteries are my favourite, and this is a particularly ingenious one.
5 stars

6. Jane in Search of a Job: A young girl applies to a job position with a rather unique set of requirements, and finds herself drawn into a world of intrigue and glamour. The twist was not one I saw coming, and so I enjoyed the story, even though the ending wasn't particularly to my liking.
3 stars

7.The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim: A gentleman abruptly disappears right before his appointment with a friend. His family suspects kidnapping or a darker fate, and Poirot is called in to investigate. While an interesting enough mystery in its own right, the story shares unfortunate similarities with a very famous Sherlock Holmes story. Fans of the genre, I suspect, would have figured out the mystery very early on.
3 stars

8.The Idol House of Astarte: Another mystery that is solved in retrospect by Miss Marple, when a friend recounts some almost-supernatural happenings he witnessed at a temple dedicated to the old Phoenician deity, Astarte. In a trance, a young lady curses her companion to die, and stabs him, without lifting a finger from far away. The murder perplexed everyone, and is taken to be an act of divine vengeance, till Miss Marple points out a more mortal suspect.
2 stars

9.The Rajah's Emerald: One of my favourites in the collection, the protagonist of this story is named James Bond (no relation to the famous secret agent who emerged on the fictional scene some years after this story was published). James is on vacation at the sea side with his girlfriend Grace and some of her friends. He receives a fair bit of hazing from Grace's friends for not being as financially well-off as them.
While they stay at a private hotel with private dressing rooms, James must suffer the ignominy of standing in long queues to access the public dressing room. In an impulsive moment he decides to sneak into a private dressing room, and finds himself unwittingly become the main suspect of a high profile jewel theft. His desperate but clever attempts to prove his innocence and nab the actual thief forms the crux of this highly entertaining story.
5 stars

10. The Oracle at Delphi: While on holiday with his mother in Greece, Willard Junior is kidnapped and a ransom demand is made to his mother, who turns to Parker Pyne for help. This story had a few too many loop holes for my liking, and is my least favourite in the anthology.
1 star

11.The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger: The only Tommy and Tuppence story in the collection, and it falls rather flat.
While the story is brilliant in displaying the bond between the two detectives and how they jointly solve cases, I feel it rather lacks context for those who are not already familiar with the characters. There were many better and stand-alone stories to pick from for these characters.
3 stars

12.The Incredible Theft: Did I mention that locked room mysteries are my favourite? And it is an added cherry on top if the lead detective is my favourite mustachioed Belgian, Hercule Poirot. When confidential plans are suddenly stolen from a locked study, the suspicion falls squarely on Mrs. Vanderlyn, femme fatale and international spy, but how did she do the impossible deed? The twist at the end was brilliant!
5 stars

[Jess The Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories from Agatha Christie, all set in the middle of Summer, ranging from Cornwall to the French Riviera. It features my favourite, Hercule Poirot, but some others as well, like Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, Parker Pyne and Harley Quinn.

It's a fun collection of mysteries, great for reading during the hot summery months (which we're currently in in South Africa). I always find her style of writing so engaging and amusing, and I've really enjoyed this Seasonal Collection of hers. The only one I have left is the Autumn Chills, which I'll save for our Autumn in March / April.

Highly recommended for fans of Agatha Christie.

[❃ Julka ❃ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75

Najlepszy zbiór opowiadań Christie, jaki czytałam. Opowieści były w sam raz, nie za długie, ale też nie krótkie. Jeden bardziej zawiłe, inne wręcz banalnie proste, ale każda z nich miała swój urok. Moim ulubionym opowiadaniem jest Aleja Arlekina, zdecydowanie wybijała się na tle innych. Podobał mi się również klimat, było czuć ten wakacyjny powiew z dozą zagadki.

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

[Dasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bueno, normalito.
Esto me pasa a veces con Christie, para mí no es una apuesta segura.
En este caso, la mayoría de los relatos me han aburrido un poco.
Totalmente recomendado para fans de la autora, cosa que yo no soy (está claro).

[klara&#x1f9d8;‍♀️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Była okej i tylko tyle, a szkoda. Nie wiedziałam jak kupowałam, ze to zbiór opowiadań i liczyłam na jakąś fajną zbrodnię letnią; okazało się, że to opowiadania, za którymi nie przepadam w wykonaniu Agathy, ale no trudno.
Żeby nie było, że jest tragiczna(bo nie była)to niektóre historyjki były fajne.

[Sharon Ouderkirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blood-Stained Pavement: Miss Marple gives the solution to Joyce’s story of an uncomfortable threesome, a red bathing suit and murder.
The Double Clue: Hercule Poirot is on the case of a jewel theft. He has two clues to work with, and in Poirot’s mind, the excess of clues points in one direction.
A Death on the Nile: While on a cruise, Parker Pyne encounters a wealthy woman who fears that she is being poisoned by her husband. Can Parker save her?
Harlequin's Lane: Harley Quin and Mr. Satterthwaite meet again at the house of the dull English couple, the Denmans. But as events proceed, they turn out to be considerably more complicated than they look, particularly Anna Denman, whose emotional needs and dreams dominate this mystical tale of romantic longing versus artistic passion.
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman: A pleasant dinner with a doctor friend ends in a murder investigation for Poirot and Hastings.
Jane in Search of a Job: Jane is a young adventurous woman of the type who sometimes shows up in Christie stories – I think of Victoria Jones in They Came to Baghdad or Bundle from The Secret of Chimneys and The Seven Dials Mystery. In this case, Jane accepts a job as a look-alike to a Grand Duchess who is being threatened, and the consequences change her life.
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim: Poirot has a friendly bet with Japp that he can solve the disappearance of a wealthy man, using his ‘little grey cells’ and not leaving his armchair.
The Idol House of Astarte: Miss Marple provides the solution to a story told of a site that may have been the setting of ancient rites. When a death occurs in modern times, it is feared that the atmosphere of past evil is the culprit. But Miss Marple knows that evil is always present…
The Rajah's Emerald: A charming tale of a vacationing James who is being scorned by his girlfriend in favour of wealthier friends. In his time alone, he gets involved in the theft of an emerald and ends up with a new group of super wealthy friends. A good laugh.
The Oracle at Delphi: While on vacation in Greece, a devoted mother deals with the kidnapping of her beloved son. A Parker Pyne mystery with a fun twist.
The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger: A Tommy and Tuppence mystery, typically light in tone and in substance. I am not a big T and T fan; it never feels like Christie gave the stories any real thought. They are all whipped cream mysteries – fun in the moment, but quickly forgotten.
The Incredible Theft: My personal favourite from the collection, this Hercule Poirot story is about the theft of design specifications for a new plane (story written in the 1930s). The theft occurs on an estate and Poirot deduces that it is one of the people in the house. The interviews of the guests in the house were particularly fun.

[Dóra Tóth-Piukovics · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book to immerse myself in Agatha Christie’s work through her short stories, but honestly, I just really couldn’t care for them. Some needed a lot more context to truly understand, some were just plain boring. I’m sure I’ll appreciate these stories more once I familiarize myself with her characters and style from her longer novels, but I just can’t recommend this collection for newbies like me.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a "fair to middling" collection of stories, some actually irritating. Just the thing for interrupted reading on trains and planes where you get your dose of Poirot being clever.

Kindle Unlimited

[Rachael Fryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great collection. Perfect for new readers of Christie - great sampling of all her detectives!

[Rui Filipe Mendes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonita coleção de histórias que nos deixam empolgados a cada parágrafo que passa. Uma agradável surpresa.