Murder a la Christie

A Golden Age of Mystery Book Club Mystery #1

by Marilyn Levinson

Professor Lexie Driscoll is conducting the first meeting of the Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub in her best friend’s swanky mansion when a friend is murdered.

More members are knocked off as Lexie unravels secret after secret, leading her to believe she's living in Christie's novel, “And Then There Were None.”

Using Miss Marple’s knowledge of human nature and Hercule Poirot’s cunning, Lexie must save her club and reveal the killer.

this edition has isbn 9781335736475

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2014

Reviews

[Lynn Farris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie” is the first book in the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series by Marilyn Levinson. However, this is not Ms. Levinson’s first book. She writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and children’s books. A former Spanish teacher, Ms. Levinson is the co-founder and past president of the Long Island chapter of Sisters in Crime.

As the story opens, Professor Lexie Driscoll is conducting the first meeting of the Golden Age of Mystery book club in her best friend’s home in a wealthy area of Long Island, when another friend is murdered. Before long more book club members are found murdered. A little like life imitating art.

I strongly recommend this book to Agatha Christie lovers. They will appreciate the nuances that Ms. Levinson employs in the book which incorporates many of Christie’s techniques. The story is reminiscent of “Then There Were None,” Agatha Christie’s bestselling mystery.

To read more of the review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...

[Lisa Millett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden Age Book Club Murder

I won this book in a Facebook contest. The author is new to me and I truly enjoyed reading this book. The title alone would have pulled me in as one of my all time favorite authors is What he Christie. The premise of the book is a group of people who get together for a golden age book club and they start out with books by Agatha Christie. Set in a small wealthy town led by Professor Lexie Driscoll the group meets in a ritzy mansion. During the discussion for And Then There Were None one of the club members becomes ill. She is led away to a bedroom to rest but is then discovered dead. Every one thinks she just had a heart attack but Lexie is suspicious and she reports it to the police who think she is an Agatha Christie wannabe detective. Once the autopsy comes back and proves that she was murdered by poisoning then the police take her more seriously. The lady that passed away was a good friend of Lexies and in fact Lexie was going to house sit for her while she was away for the summer. Unbeknownst to Lexie her friend left her a lot of money on her will so the police are looking at Lexie as a suspect. In order to prove her innocence Lexie begins to investigate and after the next club meeting another member is killed in a car accident. Was it an accident or has the murderer struck again. Filled with suspense, small town politics, lifestyles of the wealthy and a good dose of Agatha Christie type deductive skills this book is a true winner. I loved the surprise ending and all of the references to my favorite author, Dame Agatha Christie. I highly recommend this book to you and can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you an Agatha Christie lover? Well, Murder a la Christie is the first fun book in the Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub that incorporates many of Christie’s ways. Given that the book club loves Christie this is not surprising.
When a simple babysitting job turns into a veritable modern day “Whodunnit” Lexie their industrious leader and Miss Marple amateur sleuth takes it upon herself to follow up each and every clue and suspects that includes her bestie. The book club members are dropping. What she thought was a nice quiet town shows her that there is more than a few dirty secrets hidden within.
There is a cast of many eclectic characters and a complex multilayered web of puzzles our MC has to wade through to find the killer. This fast-paced tale is full of mystery, drama, politics, twists, secrets and danger which keeps the pages turning.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Lexie Driscoll is excited to be leading the Golden Age Mystery Book Club in the swanky small town of Old Canfield, which is on Long Island in New York. While she’s on her summer vacation, she’s staying at a friend’s ritzy mansion. She’s all set for a great summer – reading books she loves and discussing them with fellow readers, plus staying in a wealthy neighborhood she couldn’t normally afford.

The group begins by discussing Agatha Christie’s books, when tragedy strikes. One of the members of the group dies at the first meeting. Lexie is convinced this is not death by natural causes. Although everyone thinks she’s taking the Christie novels too seriously, she’s convinced this was a very real murder. Lexie investigates on her own, but the closer she gets to the truth, more club members end up dead. She admits, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”.

Lexie’s suspect list is a mile long and even includes her best friend, but she cannot let that stop her. She’s determined to get the killer before he or she gets them. Lexie is shocked when she uncovers many sordid secrets in this classy town. Toss in two handsome romantic interests for Lexie and this turns out to be a summer vacation she never saw coming.

This is a classic mystery complete with a long list of eccentric suspects and an explosive ending with all of them gathered in one place. The author gave us all the tools needed to solve this one, but I was still completely off the mark.

Marilyn Levinson writes in the traditional style of Agatha Christie and keeps you guessing. I thought her use of Christie’s murder-solving techniques woven into this current day story quite unique and clever. It’s a fast-paced story that will captivate readers. I was hooked from page one. Mystery lovers will devour this one, I know I did. I hope we re-visit Lexie Driscoll in the near future.



FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Timya · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the members of your book club are dropping like flies, you had better be a pretty smart cookie to figure out whodunit before you become the next unlucky mystery lover. Professor Lexie Driscoll is just the macaroon for the job. Her Golden Age of Mystery book club is an Agatha Christie novel come to life in the small community of Old Cadfield. An outsider in this wealthy and exclusive community, Lexie is house sitting for the summer while playing a very capable Miss Marple as the bodies pile up, the list of suspects fills up, and the handsome suitors line up.

Marilyn Levinson's "Murder a la Christie" is a must for every mystery lover's bookshelf. It has all the trappings of a traditional English village mystery ... set on Long Island. A clever and multilayered plot, sprinkled with clues and red herrings aplenty. A smart and very likable amateur sleuth with a past I want to know more about and a future I am looking forward to discovering. A cast of characters with well kept secrets and a full range of human frailties.

I highly recommend "Murder a la Christie" and am looking forward to the further adventures of Lexie and the denizens of Old Cadfield.

[Lucinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Agatha Christie and writers of her ilk, I found the premise of this book to be intriguing.
English professor Lexie Driscoll has started a bookclub revolving around the Golden Age of Mystery, including authors like Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh etc. The first meeting is at a friend's large home in an upscale area, where one of the members is found dead. At first, it seems as if it is natural causes but Lexie suspects otherwise and an autopsy confirms that her friend was poisoned!
Lexie resolves to use her knowledge from mystery books to help solve the crime, but the more she digs, the more secrets she finds!
This was an enjoyable cozy mystery, very much in the style of Agatha Christie.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a confession to make. I have never read an Agatha Christie mystery. No, not one. But if Ms. Levinson writes even one half as well as Christie, I’ve surely been missing out.

This was a fast moving, keep you up reading mystery for sure. Cozy fans will really enjoy the writing style. Indeed, mystery fans of any sub-genre will be delighted with this book.

Give MURDER a la CHRISTIE a read and see for yourself if you are transported into the Christie way of storytelling.

[Judy Alter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a doubleheader for me. As the author of cozy mysteries, I shouldn't admit this but I know little about Agatha Christie and have not read extensively in her canon. Marilyn Levinson on the other hand knows lots about Christie and put her knowledge to good use in this book. It was like a crash course in Agatha Christie for me.
But it was also everything I want in a cozy--a likeable female amateur sleuth with love interests, off-screen violence and an interesting cast of characters. Levinson kept me guessing until the end, which sounded not only like Christie's closed room murder solutions but echoed Columbo's trick of assembling the suspects and suddenly announcing the murderer. Hope there are more books to come about Lexie Driscoll.

[Polly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the premise of the book club reading Agatha Christie and then life imitating art as one member after another bites the dust. There was a nice list of possible killers, but I didn't guess the which one was bumping off her friends. With friends like that... Enjoyable read for light mystery lovers.

[D.J. Adamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie by
Marilyn Levinson

Agatha Christie’s great puzzle-making mystery talents are very well mirrored in Marilyn Levinson’s novel Murder a la Christie. While the amount of characters presented in the first few pages gives the reader pause and concern the novel is going to be a bit confusing, Professor Lexie Driscoll who leads the Golden Age Mystery Club is a strong enough character to take the reader by the hand and led them though a puzzle that pulls one way and then another keeping the reader always guessing. Marilyn Levinson set up a good protagonist and an excellent means to continue a series in the traditions of what mystery writing and reading is all about. I look forward to other books to come.
This review can also be read on blog: lecouerdeartiste.com

[Cristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could start ranting about all the things that were wrong about this book, but the main one is... as its title says, it really isn't different to any Agatha Christie novel. But it definitely was an OK read and I quite enjoyed the main character, Lexie, although I strongly dislike the ending of the whole book.

[Lorralei Hoerner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Murder a la Christie is Book 1 in the Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub series and if you enjoy a cozy mystery of who done it....I would recommend this book. This was a fun read trying to figure out whom may have been responsible for these murders and putting the pieces to the mysterious puzzle together to find out. Something suspicious is going on...

Professor Lexie Driscoll is looking forward summer months and was asked to stay at a friends mansion....having a safe place to stay. With the upcoming Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub starting things turn puzzling when one of Lexie's friends is murdered. Although the fingers point toward a medical issue, something does not sit well with Lexie and suspects there is more to this then is led on. When more and more of the bookclub come up deceased...there are secrets to discover more than meets the eye. Will Lexie be able to uncover the full truth to what is happening to her bookclub friends before it is to late....

If you are a lover of mystery, secrets and murder....definitely check this book out!! Looking forward to more!!

[Joanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a cute read of murder and mayhem although I did figure out one of the culprits early on. I don’t want to give to much away. I do love a Christie novel though.

[Heidi Sturgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a Christie fan you’re either going live this or hate this …. I LOVED it ! I’m a die hard Christie fan so I was a little nervous at first but despite not always liking Lexie I like the “tribute “ to her characters , if you read the book you’ll understand what I’m saying 😉

Chapter one already had me because I could just see the scene unfolding in my minds eye I could even hear Gerda’s German accent !

The Golden Age of Mystery Book as started up and Lexie was asked to lead it and it started with a little drama between the girls but all calms down and bookclub starts ❣️📚


Sylvia takes ill and everyone is worried but she reassures everyone she’s ok unti she’s not Lowell storms into the library , panicked and Sylvia is declared dead 🙈but she wasn’t the first to die and nor would she be the last ….

I must admit I loved the backround we get some of the details regarding Christie and others of that writing era I knew and some of it was new so that was a big tick for me ❣️📚
I loved the interaction between the characters and their quirky natures , an enjoyable easy , fun read ❣️📚

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and engaging cozy mystery with a real Agatha Christie feel to it which kept me hooked throughout. Professor Lexie Driscoll is looking forward to hosting the first meeting of the ‘Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub’ in a swanky mansion belonging to her best friend, and sharing her love of Agatha Christie. Proceedings take a sinister turn when a friend is murdered and as more members of the new book club are killed, Lexie must use all the knowledge she has learnt from reading Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot solving mysteries into action. As she discovers many secrets she starts to believe she is in Christie's novel, “And Then There Were None,” Lexie must reveal the killer and save her club. I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery and liked amateur sleuth Lexie as the main character and thought all the quirky characters added to the story. The intriguing storyline featuring a bookclub for lovers of the ‘Golden Age of Mystery’ had me happily turning the pages. Whilst the plot twists and red herrings kept me guessing as to the outcome of the story. I look forward to returning to the bookclub in book two soon and wish I could join the bookclub in ‘real life’!

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hoped the inclusion of numerous Agatha Christie references would save this book, but it didn't.

Part of what makes Christie's books so good is that the detectives tend to be detached from the crime. Additionally, the detectives don't have baggage, at least not baggage that they want to constantly share with the reader. Furthermore, her detectives are likable. None of this was true of the sleuth in "Murder a la Christie". She is an emotional wreck, grieving the victim, arrogant, pushy, and, frankly, she probably would not have been likable under the best of circumstances. Under these circumstances she's simply too annoying for words.

In fairness, I suppose there are people who like more emotional depth in their mysteries than I do. I'm all for complex emotions in novels, but find them distracting in mysteries, especially when they are poorly written.

That said, even if this lead character had been enormously likable and baggage free, the mystery just wasn't compelling.

[Sonya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually enjoy cozy murder mysteries, but the main character of this book was so incredibly unlikeable that it was hard to finish.

[Anya Davies-schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie is a spinoff of the great Agatha Christie. In this book, Dr. Lexie Driscoll is a professor whose husband died in a house fire a year ago. She was left with nothing when this happened and was in a bad place not knowing where she would end up. However, she had some friends who lived in a “snobby” town with lots of secrets and had invited her to be the leader of a local mystery book club. One of the members, Sylvia, 70, has been extremely nice to Lexie and the two have built a great friendship has asked Lexie to house-sit for the summer. However, before summer, they would have their first book club meeting where the mystery begins because of Sylvia’s death. Lexie, from the start, does not believe Sylvia’s death is an accident and starts to “privately” investigate and help out Detective Donovan. No one wants to believe that a friend could have killed Sylvia because of the close-knit town they live in, but what other plausible explanation is there? Lexie starts with the guests at the book club meeting and tries to determine if the murderer is amongst them.
I don’t want to give any spoilers away so I kept the summary short. As for whether I like the book, I thought it was okay for a mystery. As for characters, there are many of them to keep track of and all the workings they each engage in. Most of the characters are exactly what you would think - distinct personalities to throw you off and make you try and solve the puzzle along with Lexie. I did find one aspect of this mystery weird and that was the romantic relationships that Lexie was building. She will entertain the idea of 2 different men in the neighborhood, but I am not sure where that all fits into the story except the parts they play in the mystery. Also, the ending, while I figured out who done it before it was announced, that wasn’t the weirdest part. The story ended with a weird exchange, to me, between her and one of her love interests, again maybe in the next book you truly come to find the reason for the romances, but I guess we will have to wait and see.

[Christie72 (Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie was a great, cozy mystery with some romance sprinkled in.

Professor Lexie Driscoll is excited about her first Golden Age of Mystery Book Club meeting. However, that excitement turns to shock and sadness when a dear friend dies under suspicious circumstances. Lexie believes it’s murder, but the others aren’t so sure. It doesn’t take long for the police to verify Lexie’s suspicions. It was murder. She is determined to find out who did it. One murder turns into two, and Lexie knows she has to reveal the killer before someone else dies.

There were many characters, and in the beginning, I thought I would have a hard time keeping them straight, but the author provides a handy list of characters at the start of the book. The further I got into the book, it became easier to navigate them. I had mixed feelings about Lexie initially as she was very blunt and didn’t care whose feathers she ruffled. I came to see that as tenacity and love for her friend, Sylvia. She wanted justice for her friend, and that revealed her loyalty to those she cared for.

She is beginning to find herself in a bit of a love triangle; however, given her past, I can understand her reasons for not wanting to commit to a relationship. Both love interests are great guys, and in my opinion, she can’t go wrong with either. Hopefully, we will see some resolution to that in the next book.

Overall, this was a great read, full of twists and turns. I had no idea who the murderer was until the culprit was revealed. The author did a great job keeping me interested and engaged in the story. If you are an Agatha Christie fan, you will enjoy this book.

I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

[Brandy Jo Rymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie was an amazing mystery book and such a great homage to the Agatha Christie stories. I loved the whole "who done it" mystery to this storyline and was so intrigued by it all starting with a death during a book club meeting. The character development was amazing, and the fact that the author utilized such a wide array of characters of varying ages and genders was a great way to add to the thrill of figuring out who the antagonist was. The fact that this is a new series is even more amazing, the way that the author leaves the book hanging on a cliffhanger of what's next for our main character, Professor Lexie Driscoll, was a genius way to end the book. It left me with just the right amount of wanting to know more about her and her two love interests, as well as see how her future book clubs may come about. Will there be more tragedies, mysteries to solve perhaps, or more unexplained deaths that need to be investigated with her great sleuthing skills? I cannot wait for the next book to come out, so I can have these questions answered and delve back into another great mystery.
@Brandy Rymer
06/2024

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really starting to enjoy reading these cozy murder mystery books. I have not really read too many traditional murder mystery books, so the Agatha Christie books that are referenced, I am not familiar with, but the author did a great job of blending them in, in a way that even novice murder mystery readers can follow. I absolutely loved Professor Lexie Driscoll’s attitude and her refusal to believe that the death at her first book club is natural causes. As she starts investigating further, she starts to see the cracks in the sophisticated wealthy town she is staying in. As she continues to investigate, more members of the book club she is running start dying. She is also juggling handsome suitors while trying to investigate and convince people to take her seriously. This is a fun and faced paced story with well written characters, fantastic descriptions and so many twists and turns, you could get dizzy. I did my best to try and solve the mystery before the end, but I did not. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Lexie Driscoll is an English teacher at a college. She has been asked to lead a discussion on a couple of Agatha Christie novels. The meeting is held at the posh home of her best friend, Rosie. The guests all live in the ritzy section of Long Island called Old Canfield. Lexie does not live in this exclusive neighborhood. During this first meeting a dear old friend of Lexie’s is murdered. Then 2 more women are murdered. Lexie digs into the mystery using her gray cells a la Hercule Poirot, and her study of people’s behavior as Miss Marple would do. Lexie struggles to put it all together, all the while irritating everyone and putting herself in danger.
I gave the book 3 ⭐️s for the plot. None of the characters were likable except for Detective Donovan. Lexie was a rude pain in the rear. She and Rosie fought so much it was hard to understand how they could be best friends. Lexie also kept 2 men on a string because she is afraid of relationships. Oh vey!

[Tausha Treadway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie (Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub #1) by Marilyn Levinson. This is such a fun read that is very reminiscent of Agatha Christie books. Its the story of Lexie Driscoll who leads a monthly book club called the Golden Age Mystery Club. Lexie loves Agatha Christie books so she uses them to try to solve her mystery. While at the club meeting one of her members dies so Lexie decides its up to her to figure out if it was a murder or not. Lexie had heard someone threaten the victim right before the meeting so maybe they had something to do with it. The person that passed away was also her friend and she was going to live in her home that summer so not only did she lose her friend but she lost her home. Frustrated and sad Lexie knows that her friend didn't die of natural causes so she is determined to find out what happened. Read this fast paced cozy mystery to find out what happens. You won't be disappointed.

[Kerry carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series. This is a great start to the series. It is a cosy mystery filled with intrigue, murder, suspense, danger and a classic who dunnit.
Lexie has been asked to talk at the first book club and the book/author she discusses is Agatha Christie. Things seems to be going well until one of her friends dies suddenly.
Now Lexie needs to put all the skills she's read about in detective stories to uncover who the murderer is. But it is a race against time as more people start turning up dead.
Will Lexie be able to solve this mystery? And with fingers of suspicion being pointed at Lexie as well can she prove her innocence?

I loved the authors writing style and how there was a mixture of Agatha Christie's influence mixed in with the new story. The author did a great job with the characters as well all of them are unique and a little eccentric in certain ways.
I can't wait to see what else this series has to offer.

[Debbie Kolins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Lexie Driscoll is excited to be leading the Golden Age Mystery Book Club in the swanky small town of Old Canfield. The group begins by discussing Agatha Christie’s books. A member of the group and Lexie's friend dies. Everyone thought Sylvia's thought she died of Heart Failure but, Lexie has other thoughts. Then there is another death after the second book club meeting. Lexie gets a threatening phone call. Then another death happens after the 3rd book club meeting. Everybody is on edge. While at the Gala Lexie and two other members almost get killed from a falling plaster pot. Plans are made for the 4th book club meeting to catch the murderer. You will not believe who the murderer is!! I was very surprised!! You truly have to read this book to finds. I have to admit that this book was totally different from what I usually read and I truly Loved it!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Murder a la Christie" is a charming and engaging mystery that pays homage to the classic detective novels of Agatha Christie. The story follows Professor Lexie Driscoll, a warm and intelligent protagonist, as she navigates a complex web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth behind a series of murders.

The plot is clever and well-structured, with a steady stream of clues and red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end. The author's writing style is engaging and accessible, making it easy to become invested in the characters and their stories.

The supporting cast is also well-developed, with a range of intriguing characters that add depth and complexity to the story. The setting, a swanky mansion in the 1980s, adds a touch of glamour and sophistication to the proceedings.

[Heather Knalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexie is back in her old hometown for awhile and she is catching up with some of the people she grew up around. One of her old friends Rosie has asked her to start a murder mystery book club and on their first meeting one of their members Sylvia ends up dead. Every believes her death is related to her heart issues but Lexie believes other wise and that she was murdered. The autopsy comes back after the funeral and Lexie finds out she was right and that her friend Sylvia was poisoned. But who could have done that and why? Lexie is determined to find out who had it out for Sylvia including one of her good friends German who Lexie heard threaten her before the meeting. But now Lexie has become a suspect because she has now found out that Sylvia left her money in her will. Can Lexie find the culprit before it’s too late?

[Callie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub was started by Professor Lexie Driscoll to discuss Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries. During the first meeting Lexies friend is murdered. Now she must find the killer. Lexie has known all the members of the book club for several years so it’s hard to believe one of them is the murderer. I enjoyed the writing and pacing of the story and the conclusion was satisfying. The clues are there for the reader to determine the killer before the end. Unfortunately, I did not find any of the characters likable due to most of them being rich and fake women of society. Thus, it was easy for me to suspect all of them of the crime. Overall, I enjoyed reading this murder mystery with the twists and turns and found the parallel with Christie’s books made it engaging.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder ala Christie is the first book in the Golden Age of Mystery book club. There are a lot of characters in this book, but the author did a good job of developing them and I was able to mostly keep them straight. The theme follows a book club, where the members start dropping like flies. The leader of the club is English professor Lexie Driscoll, who takes it upon herself to help investigate the murders. I liked the main character and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I want to see what happens with Lexie and Alistar and Detective Donovan. It wrapped up nicely and maintained the mystery until the end.
I don't have any knowledge or experience with Agatha Christie books, so can't speak to the accuracy of the comparisons to her books.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder a la Christie is the first book in the Golden Age of Mystery Bookclub series. When a member of Professor Lexie Driscoll's book club dies suddenly under questionable circumstances, it sets off a chain of events. Lexie uses her extensive knowledge of Agatha Christie's work to determine what is happening. If you enjoy cozy murder mystery stories and the great stories created by Christie, you will enjoy this book. I enjoyed seeing how the author took what many fans of earlier written mysteries and made it her own. The characters were interesting and helped guide the plot along. The story was fun and enjoyable, keeping me reading late into the night. I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.