Agatha Christie Crime Collection: The Hallowe'en Party / Passenger to Frankfurt / The Thirteen Problems

by Agatha Christie

ISBN: 0701814640

Hallowe'en Party
A children's party (even a Hallowe'en party, with its overtones of mild spookiness) seems an unlikely setting for a murder. Just as Woodleigh Common, almost the archetype of the Quiet English Village, seems an unlikely place for anything quite so brutal as this particluar murder. Yet, murder it was - and nothing else. Children, however peculiar, do not drown themselves, either deliberately or accidentally, by plunging their heads into galvanized buckets nearly full of water. The victim had not been particularly well-liked by either contemporaries or adults. But such knowledge is little help to Hercule Poirot. One does not kill just because one does not like. More to the point was the fact that the deceased had claime, loudly and publicly, to have been the witness of a murder. Whose murder? And when? These are the questions that Poirot sets out to answer; and their answering shows that the death-in-a-bucket is neither the first nor last link in a chain of dark deeds in this peaceful village.

Passenger to Frankfurt
Christie-with-a difference; no body-in-the-library mystery, but a fantasy that could possibly be today. Christie's theme is the atmosphere of crime, violence and negativeness that has become an undercurrent of our existence, and to whose reality every newspaper every day gives testimony, could be other than an accident. A generation is developing, or has already developed, which is all too ready to accept or join in such violent goings-on; and there are many among them who have a passionate belief that youth is in itself a virtue which entitles its possessors to rule the earth they must inherit, now.

Could any organization, from under cover, subtly direct such diverse and seemingly unrelated events as plane-jackings, kidnappings, student-riots and drug-smuggling with the aim of ultimately controlling them and creating a New Order out of the chaos to which they could give rise?

Starting with an accidental meeting with a strange woman at Frankfurt Airport, Stafford Nye finds himself caught up in events which make friend and foe hard to distinguish, and in which exalted rank is no guarantee of loyalty.

The Thirteen Problems - short stories
1. The Tuesday Night Club
2. The Idol House of Astarte
3. Ingots of Gold
4. The Blood-Stained Pavement
5. Motive v. Opportunity
6. The Thumb Mark of St. Peter
7. The Blue Geranium
8. The Companion
9. The Four Suspects
10. A Christmas Tragedy
11. The Herb of Death
12. The Affair at the Bungalow
13. Death by Drowning

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

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

[Katherine Bode · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is only for The Hallowe'en Party, I read this after watching the movie (A Haunting in Venice) which is supposably based off this book and was excited to have a more in-depth view of the story that was shown in the movie. The only thing the movie pulled from the book was that there was a party on Halloween and the characters' names. Besides the unexpected story, I enjoyed this book and was on the edge of my seat to figure out the mystery by the end.

[Liz Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually, this review is only for The Hallowe'en Party, which I just finished listening to on Audible (with the marvelous Hugh Fraser narrating - he truly is a superb Poirot!).

I don't know what it is about Christie. She comes up with the most convoluted, oftentimes ridiculous plots, but her books are still so compelling. Perhaps it's the chance to bask in times gone by, although this book harps on a lot about "the young" with their long hair and strange clothes - a nod to the late 1960s in which I believe this story was published. But the language is delicious and everyone sounds so intelligent with not a swear word uttered.

I do prefer listening to her books rather than reading them. With the talented voice actor Hugh Fraser at the helm it's like listening to a wonderful play on the radio. But you do need to keep your wits about you. Clues abound...but are rarely spotted until almost the last moment. I guess that's how this Mistress of Crime keeps we readers coming back for more, many decades after her death.

[Crow · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book. This was the first Agatha Christie book that I read and I enjoyed it.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read The Hallowe'en Party, a Hercule Poirot mystery. I've never been a big fan of his and prefer Dame Agatha's other books. But it was recommended via BookBub, so I decided to give it a try. Meh.
Child is murdered by drowning her in the apple-dunking barrel after she says she witnessed a murder a couple of years ago but didn't realize what she saw. Long convoluted story about the Au Pair who was left money via forged will, found out, and left suddenly - about 2 years earlier. Not one of my favorite Christie books!

[Ana Paula Valadez Mena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una noche de disfraces y diversión se convierte en una pesadilla en The Halloween Party de Agatha Christie, donde la muerte se esconde tras una máscara que nadie quiere ver. Mientras Poirot desentraña un misterio lleno de secretos y mentiras, nos enfrentamos a una verdad incómoda: lo que parece un juego inocente puede ser una trampa mortal. Al final, la pregunta es si alguna vez conocemos realmente a quienes nos rodean.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoy some Poirot. At a halloween party Joyce a boastful 13yr old claims to have seen a murder. No one believes her but hours later she's found drowned in a bucket of bobbing apples and Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate. Enjoyable read.

[Ruth Brumby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Her writing style is very plain with no interesting words images, or organisation of text. The characters are indicated by some quirk or physical appearance and are stereotypical and generally unbelievable.
The plot was unconvincing and the ending ridiculous without everything being tied up.

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally Poirot fan, but this is the best one I've read. Great mystery, fabulous descriptions, interesting characters. It's a don't miss read.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read only ”The hallowe en party”

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have given this a higher rating if not for Passenger to Frankfurt.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first time in my life, I guessed one of the killers. A little miracle.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here you have a series of very good Agatha Christie Novels. If you like Agatha Christie, you can't go wrong with these books.

[Jessica Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun mystery. Agatha did a great job again. I like the names she picked.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read The Hallowe'en Party on Halloween this year. Filled with anti-immigrant sentiment and a cast of unlikable characters this is not one of Christie's better works.

[Ellen Guymer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was ok, slightly boring and Miranda was a bit of an annoying character

[Virginia Warren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only reading the hallowe’en party

[Beth Prichard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Agatha Christie. Worth the read, but would never read again. Very SLOW.

[Catsalive · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7...

The Hallowe'en Party : 8/10 : read 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016

Passenger to Frankfurt :

The Thirteen Problems : 8/10 : read 2014