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Superintendent Battle #4
Murder is Easy
Agatha Christie’s ingenious murder mystery thriller, reissued with a striking cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.
Luke Fitzwilliam could not believe Miss Pinkerton’s wild allegation that a multiple murderer was at work in the quiet English village of Wychwood – or her speculation that the local doctor was next in line.
But within hours, Miss Pinkerton had been killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Mere coincidence? Luke was inclined to think so – until he read in The Times of the unexpected demise of Dr Humbleby…
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 1939
1360 people are currently reading
13489 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,823 books75.5k 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 2,739 reviews
July 17, 2025
Some people are just born bad.
When Luke Fitzwilliam decides to sit near a fluffy old lady because she reminds him of his favorite aunt, he has no idea that action will set him on the scent of a murderer.
For those of you who saw Benedict Cumberbatch in the episode of the Miss Marple tv show, this story does not have her in it.
They lied. Sorry.
Miss Pinkerton, the above-mentioned fluffy old lady, tells him that she is on her way to tell Scotland Yard about a serial killer in her small town, Wychwood under Ashe.
He thinks she's just got an overactive imagination, wishes her well, and goes on about his day without giving her a second thought. Until he reads about her death in the paper the next day. And then reads about the death of the doctor she said would die next if she didn't act.
It's too much of a coincidence for him to ignore, so he decides to go down to Wychwood under Ashe and poke around.
As per usual, there's a budding romance in this. As an added bonus, it's one that doesn't make you want to stab your eyeballs out. No super creepy age gap and/or he doesn't try to strangle her.
I know, right? Awww.
I actually did suspect who the murderer was quite a while before the Big Reveal happened. So this is one that you can figure out if you're looking closely. Although I wrongly guessed why they were offing everyone.
I liked the thought process behind the killings, not gonna lie.
This one was good.
Recommended!
When Luke Fitzwilliam decides to sit near a fluffy old lady because she reminds him of his favorite aunt, he has no idea that action will set him on the scent of a murderer.
For those of you who saw Benedict Cumberbatch in the episode of the Miss Marple tv show, this story does not have her in it.
They lied. Sorry.
Miss Pinkerton, the above-mentioned fluffy old lady, tells him that she is on her way to tell Scotland Yard about a serial killer in her small town, Wychwood under Ashe.
He thinks she's just got an overactive imagination, wishes her well, and goes on about his day without giving her a second thought. Until he reads about her death in the paper the next day. And then reads about the death of the doctor she said would die next if she didn't act.
It's too much of a coincidence for him to ignore, so he decides to go down to Wychwood under Ashe and poke around.
As per usual, there's a budding romance in this. As an added bonus, it's one that doesn't make you want to stab your eyeballs out. No super creepy age gap and/or he doesn't try to strangle her.
I know, right? Awww.
I actually did suspect who the murderer was quite a while before the Big Reveal happened. So this is one that you can figure out if you're looking closely. Although I wrongly guessed why they were offing everyone.
I liked the thought process behind the killings, not gonna lie.
This one was good.
Recommended!
May 22, 2020
A retired policeman who is stupid and knows little about criminals.
January 15, 2022
EXCERPT: Luke's eyebrows rose. 'Murder?'
The old lady nodded vigorously.
'Yes, murder. You're surprised, I can see. I was myself at first . . . I really couldn't believe it. I thought I must be imagining things.'
'Are you quite sure you weren't?' Luke asked gently.
'Oh, no.' She shook her head positively. 'I might have been the first time, but not the second, or the third or the fourth. After that one knows.'
Luke said: 'Do you mean there have been - er - several murders?'
ABOUT 'MURDER IS EASY': In a quiet English village, a killer is about to strike. Again and again.
Officer Luke Fitzwilliam is on a train to London when he meets a strange woman. She claims there is a serial killer in the quiet village of Wychwood. He has already taken the lives of three people and is about claim his fourth victim.
Fitzwilliam dismisses this as the ramblings of an old woman. But within hours she is found dead. Crushed by a passing car.
And then the fourth victim is found.
Each death looks like an accident. But in Wychwood nothing is as it appears....
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this romp in a series by Agatha Christie that I hadn't come across previously. Although quite why this is included in the Inspector Battle series I am unsure, as Battle makes only a brief appearance at the end.
The mystery is an excellent one; one that had me quite sure that I had the murderer in my sight until I found that I didn't. There is a little romantic interest and an interesting cast of characters from which to select the murderer. Luke doesn't seem to be the brightest lightbulb in the pack, but then his mind was not entirely focused on the murders.
I listened to the audiobook of Murder is Easy, written by Agatha Christie and narrated by Hugh Fraser, published by Harper Collins Audio.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The old lady nodded vigorously.
'Yes, murder. You're surprised, I can see. I was myself at first . . . I really couldn't believe it. I thought I must be imagining things.'
'Are you quite sure you weren't?' Luke asked gently.
'Oh, no.' She shook her head positively. 'I might have been the first time, but not the second, or the third or the fourth. After that one knows.'
Luke said: 'Do you mean there have been - er - several murders?'
ABOUT 'MURDER IS EASY': In a quiet English village, a killer is about to strike. Again and again.
Officer Luke Fitzwilliam is on a train to London when he meets a strange woman. She claims there is a serial killer in the quiet village of Wychwood. He has already taken the lives of three people and is about claim his fourth victim.
Fitzwilliam dismisses this as the ramblings of an old woman. But within hours she is found dead. Crushed by a passing car.
And then the fourth victim is found.
Each death looks like an accident. But in Wychwood nothing is as it appears....
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this romp in a series by Agatha Christie that I hadn't come across previously. Although quite why this is included in the Inspector Battle series I am unsure, as Battle makes only a brief appearance at the end.
The mystery is an excellent one; one that had me quite sure that I had the murderer in my sight until I found that I didn't. There is a little romantic interest and an interesting cast of characters from which to select the murderer. Luke doesn't seem to be the brightest lightbulb in the pack, but then his mind was not entirely focused on the murders.
I listened to the audiobook of Murder is Easy, written by Agatha Christie and narrated by Hugh Fraser, published by Harper Collins Audio.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
April 11, 2020
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I am a big fan of Agatha’s works and she’s my go-to author whenever I want to pick up a mystery novel without thinking much. She’s also one of the authors I rate higher, mostly 4 and 5 stars! That being said, this book was okay, I did not get my Agatha dose that puts me into my usual euphoria!
What makes me happy every time I read her books is that she has a formula while writing. Their is an event at the beginning, then the murder and then we are introduced to all of the characters gradually and finally everything comes together and the mystery is solved. The English used is surprisingly easy to read for books that has been written a century ago.
Following the formula I just mentioned, the book opens with policeman Luke Fitzwilliam on a train and he sees an old lady who tells him about a murder that is going to happen. He does not give it much care until it happens and the lady is killed when he decided to take things into his hands and investigate it,
The characters were okay, there is something beautiful in the way Agatha introduces her character and then solidify them with backstories and gossip. I felt it was kind of missing this time and Mr.Luke was not as good as Miss Marple and not even close to the amazing smartest detective of all time Mr.Poirot! The way he approached the case was not as intriguing!
Add to all this mess, some extra romance that the book did not need and you will have the final version of the book! I really saw the romance and wished I was imagining things but it was really there and we could have done without it! I think it was just a way to provide closure to the story!
Summary: I still think the book is smart and kind of enjoyable but I know Agatha’s potential and that she could have done a way better job. With mediocre characters, romance and a plot line. It is not the Agatha book that I would be recommending for people!
You can get more books from Book Depository
“Truth is seldom romantic.”
I am a big fan of Agatha’s works and she’s my go-to author whenever I want to pick up a mystery novel without thinking much. She’s also one of the authors I rate higher, mostly 4 and 5 stars! That being said, this book was okay, I did not get my Agatha dose that puts me into my usual euphoria!
What makes me happy every time I read her books is that she has a formula while writing. Their is an event at the beginning, then the murder and then we are introduced to all of the characters gradually and finally everything comes together and the mystery is solved. The English used is surprisingly easy to read for books that has been written a century ago.
Following the formula I just mentioned, the book opens with policeman Luke Fitzwilliam on a train and he sees an old lady who tells him about a murder that is going to happen. He does not give it much care until it happens and the lady is killed when he decided to take things into his hands and investigate it,
The characters were okay, there is something beautiful in the way Agatha introduces her character and then solidify them with backstories and gossip. I felt it was kind of missing this time and Mr.Luke was not as good as Miss Marple and not even close to the amazing smartest detective of all time Mr.Poirot! The way he approached the case was not as intriguing!
Add to all this mess, some extra romance that the book did not need and you will have the final version of the book! I really saw the romance and wished I was imagining things but it was really there and we could have done without it! I think it was just a way to provide closure to the story!
“No one human being knows the full truth about another human being. Not even one’s nearest and dearest.”
Summary: I still think the book is smart and kind of enjoyable but I know Agatha’s potential and that she could have done a way better job. With mediocre characters, romance and a plot line. It is not the Agatha book that I would be recommending for people!
You can get more books from Book Depository
November 7, 2016
2.5 stars
This is the first book I have read in the Superintendent Battle series and it does not have 'Smart Poirot' or 'An Intuitive Miss.Marple' but instead has 'The Blubbering Novice Mr. Luke Fitzwilliam'.
The start of this book is really promising, an old lady traveling on a train meets a gentleman (Mr. Fitzwilliam) and tells a tall tale about a series of murder that takes place in her cozy little village. The gentleman not believing a word goes on his own merry way and later comes to know that now the old lady is dead. Here goes the Gentleman to the cozy little village to carry out his own sleuth work.
"It's very easy to kill, so long as no one suspects you. And, you see, the person in question is just the last person anyone would suspect."
But here's the thing, I did suspect two people right off the bat because of the above statement and one of them was the correct guess...
This story was a definite change from the other Christie stories as the manner in which the investigation is conducted is very basic and not very smart I might say.
It was like You or Me going in to detective work to find a murderer.
There is a setting of the cozy village where nothing can go wrong but an evil is under play below the nice facade.
"We often know what other people are thinking but sometimes we find out that we did not know, after all, and have, in fact, made an egregious mistake."
There is an unwanted romance added to the mix which I could have done without but then I think it was very much needed to wrap up the story in the end.
The Superintendent Battle only appears in the last few pages of this story and I am not sure why this mystery is clubbed under his series......
All in all this was better than an OK read but not as good as Christie's other work.
This is the first book I have read in the Superintendent Battle series and it does not have 'Smart Poirot' or 'An Intuitive Miss.Marple' but instead has 'The Blubbering Novice Mr. Luke Fitzwilliam'.
The start of this book is really promising, an old lady traveling on a train meets a gentleman (Mr. Fitzwilliam) and tells a tall tale about a series of murder that takes place in her cozy little village. The gentleman not believing a word goes on his own merry way and later comes to know that now the old lady is dead. Here goes the Gentleman to the cozy little village to carry out his own sleuth work.
"It's very easy to kill, so long as no one suspects you. And, you see, the person in question is just the last person anyone would suspect."
But here's the thing, I did suspect two people right off the bat because of the above statement and one of them was the correct guess...
This story was a definite change from the other Christie stories as the manner in which the investigation is conducted is very basic and not very smart I might say.
It was like You or Me going in to detective work to find a murderer.
There is a setting of the cozy village where nothing can go wrong but an evil is under play below the nice facade.
"We often know what other people are thinking but sometimes we find out that we did not know, after all, and have, in fact, made an egregious mistake."
There is an unwanted romance added to the mix which I could have done without but then I think it was very much needed to wrap up the story in the end.
The Superintendent Battle only appears in the last few pages of this story and I am not sure why this mystery is clubbed under his series......
All in all this was better than an OK read but not as good as Christie's other work.
May 11, 2023
4,5⭐
Una de las primeras novelas que leí de esta autora. Sigue estando entre las que más me han gustado.
Dice la sinopsis
¿Qué oscuro secreto esconde el pueblo de Wychwood para que muchos de sus habitantes estén muriendo bajo extrañas circunstancias? La señora Pinkerton, una anciana vecina de la localidad, le cuenta al ex policía Luke Fitzwilliam los entresijos de los crímenes recientemente acaecidos allí, además de asegurarle que conoce la identidad del asesino, ya que le ha visto mirar con malos ojos a todas las víctimas justo antes de que aparecieran muertas. Lo que en principio no parece más que una chifladura propia de una lunática, al día siguiente se convierte en algo alarmante: Fitzwilliam lee en la prensa que la anciana ha muerto atropellada y que otro cuerpo sin vida ha sido hallado en Wychwood, justamente lo que la señora Pinkerton le había explicado.
Mis impresiones.
Estamos ante una novela de Agatha Christie que no está encuadrada en ninguna de sus dos grandes series. Ni Poirot ni mis Marple aparecen en ella. El estilo es el característico de esta autora. Ritmo ágil, capítulos cortos y en este caso cada uno con título propio, un recurso que siempre funciona.
La trama es muy ingeniosa. Me enganchó desde el primer capítulo "Un viajero" y mi interés fue a más a medida que avanzaba la lectura. Como es habitual en ella, nos presenta varios personajes que pueden ser el culpable y nos hace sospechar ahora de uno y luego de otro. No es una novela tramposa, los elementos están ahí, solo hay que saber interpretarlos.
Los personajes están bien, para una novela de poco más de 200 páginas. El final coherente y bueno.
En conclusión. Una novela imperdible de una de las autoras icónicas del género. Recomendable.
Una de las primeras novelas que leí de esta autora. Sigue estando entre las que más me han gustado.
Dice la sinopsis
¿Qué oscuro secreto esconde el pueblo de Wychwood para que muchos de sus habitantes estén muriendo bajo extrañas circunstancias? La señora Pinkerton, una anciana vecina de la localidad, le cuenta al ex policía Luke Fitzwilliam los entresijos de los crímenes recientemente acaecidos allí, además de asegurarle que conoce la identidad del asesino, ya que le ha visto mirar con malos ojos a todas las víctimas justo antes de que aparecieran muertas. Lo que en principio no parece más que una chifladura propia de una lunática, al día siguiente se convierte en algo alarmante: Fitzwilliam lee en la prensa que la anciana ha muerto atropellada y que otro cuerpo sin vida ha sido hallado en Wychwood, justamente lo que la señora Pinkerton le había explicado.
Mis impresiones.
Estamos ante una novela de Agatha Christie que no está encuadrada en ninguna de sus dos grandes series. Ni Poirot ni mis Marple aparecen en ella. El estilo es el característico de esta autora. Ritmo ágil, capítulos cortos y en este caso cada uno con título propio, un recurso que siempre funciona.
La trama es muy ingeniosa. Me enganchó desde el primer capítulo "Un viajero" y mi interés fue a más a medida que avanzaba la lectura. Como es habitual en ella, nos presenta varios personajes que pueden ser el culpable y nos hace sospechar ahora de uno y luego de otro. No es una novela tramposa, los elementos están ahí, solo hay que saber interpretarlos.
Los personajes están bien, para una novela de poco más de 200 páginas. El final coherente y bueno.
En conclusión. Una novela imperdible de una de las autoras icónicas del género. Recomendable.
August 27, 2017
كانت الساعة قد دقت الثانية عشر لتوها حينما هبط الدرجات
دون ضوضاء و هو يرتدي حذاء التنس واجتاز المكتبة وخرج من النافذة
كانت الرياح لا تزال تهب في عصفات قوية تتخللها فترات سكون مختصرة
اندفعت السحب عبر السماء بفعل الرياح حاجبة القمر
و هكذا كان الظلام و القمر الساطع يتواليان باستمرار
دون ضوضاء و هو يرتدي حذاء التنس واجتاز المكتبة وخرج من النافذة
كانت الرياح لا تزال تهب في عصفات قوية تتخللها فترات سكون مختصرة
اندفعت السحب عبر السماء بفعل الرياح حاجبة القمر
و هكذا كان الظلام و القمر الساطع يتواليان باستمرار
January 22, 2025
Choose Your Own Adventure!
You are aged but you are no fool. You are stronger than the foolish victims around you. They never listen. It will be the death of them, you say. But they dismiss you, they find you charming but inconsequential, they ignore that you have lived an entire life of emotion and experience and the world is no playground to you. It is a mine field, it is a pit, it is a coal mine and the people around you are canaries. Canaries die! Murder is easy if everyone thinks it is an accident. Poor little canaries.
If you're not a canary - you're a pig! - then choose this adventure.
If you feel that murder should be recommended by two out of three physicians as the easiest cure for what ails you, then choose this adventure.
You are aged but you are no fool. You are stronger than the foolish victims around you. They never listen. It will be the death of them, you say. But they dismiss you, they find you charming but inconsequential, they ignore that you have lived an entire life of emotion and experience and the world is no playground to you. It is a mine field, it is a pit, it is a coal mine and the people around you are canaries. Canaries die! Murder is easy if everyone thinks it is an accident. Poor little canaries.
If you're not a canary - you're a pig! - then choose this adventure.
If you feel that murder should be recommended by two out of three physicians as the easiest cure for what ails you, then choose this adventure.
February 3, 2025
Lunchtime Listen January 2025
A Hugh “Hastings” Fraser read story starring Supt. Battle. I say starring but in all honesty the enigmatic Battle does not actually appear until about 3/4 of the way through.
The main investigator is Luke Fitzwilliam, a military policeman recently returned from the far east who encounters an old lady on a train journey who tells him she is off to Scotland Yard to try and stop yet another murder in her small village. Luke listens to her story but feels she is being fanciful and takes it with a pinch of salt. It is only two articles in the news over the next few days, the old lady’s death and the death of a man she had mentioned that make Luke wonder if she was indeed telling the truth.
With nothing currently to occupy his time, he decides he will investigate and using a good friend to introduce him to an acquaintance who happens to live in the village the old lady named, he arrives with a cover story to explain his presence and the energy and will to find out what really happened.
I seem to remember that this had been turned into a Miss Marple story , maybe ? As my wife and I kept recalling vague facts about the case, and we both “got” the murderer quite early. All of that said, it was still a fun listen, and who doesn’t want to be read to by Captain Hastings over lunch !!
A Hugh “Hastings” Fraser read story starring Supt. Battle. I say starring but in all honesty the enigmatic Battle does not actually appear until about 3/4 of the way through.
The main investigator is Luke Fitzwilliam, a military policeman recently returned from the far east who encounters an old lady on a train journey who tells him she is off to Scotland Yard to try and stop yet another murder in her small village. Luke listens to her story but feels she is being fanciful and takes it with a pinch of salt. It is only two articles in the news over the next few days, the old lady’s death and the death of a man she had mentioned that make Luke wonder if she was indeed telling the truth.
With nothing currently to occupy his time, he decides he will investigate and using a good friend to introduce him to an acquaintance who happens to live in the village the old lady named, he arrives with a cover story to explain his presence and the energy and will to find out what really happened.
I seem to remember that this had been turned into a Miss Marple story , maybe ? As my wife and I kept recalling vague facts about the case, and we both “got” the murderer quite early. All of that said, it was still a fun listen, and who doesn’t want to be read to by Captain Hastings over lunch !!
March 15, 2023
I can see why this is not one of Agatha Christie's best-known works; seriously, even big mystery fans are bound to be disappointed.
May 7, 2017
Hmmm ... not sure how I feel about this one! On one hand, I really loved the village setting, the old ladies and I even enjoyed the actual plot a lot. On the other hand, I really found the main pair quite irritating, their 'love' story unbelievable and since everything else hinges on that bit, the entire story rather runs down a little.
The book starts off very interestingly with a chance meeting in a train between Luke Fitzgerald, retired policeman, and Lavinia Pinkerton, a fluffy village elderly woman. She confides in Luke about a murderer who kills again and again and Luke disbelieves her. But the next thing he knows, he reads about Lavinia's death in the newspaper and then sets out to investigate. This part is quite brilliant.
After this, Bridget Conway is introduced and the characterisation flaws begin. She is witch-like with long and black hair, smart and perfect, and Luke immediately falls in love with her without even spending any time together with her. Terrible! Another extremely annoying angle is Luke suspecting a man called Ellsworthy, who is quite obviously gay and non-religious. Well, religious people with their terrifying rituals scare me more! So I wasn't particularly impressed with the "Satanism" bit and was just endlessly annoyed at everyone going on about poor Ellsworthy. It made me severely dislike Luke, which didn't help.
The murderer was fantastic, though! The plot was otherwise brilliant and only lacked in its actual execution, though I am getting a bit bored of women being rescued by men at the climax in murder mysteries. There were a few plot holes in this one, but the overall setting and basic premise were interesting as usual.
The book starts off very interestingly with a chance meeting in a train between Luke Fitzgerald, retired policeman, and Lavinia Pinkerton, a fluffy village elderly woman. She confides in Luke about a murderer who kills again and again and Luke disbelieves her. But the next thing he knows, he reads about Lavinia's death in the newspaper and then sets out to investigate. This part is quite brilliant.
After this, Bridget Conway is introduced and the characterisation flaws begin. She is witch-like with long and black hair, smart and perfect, and Luke immediately falls in love with her without even spending any time together with her. Terrible! Another extremely annoying angle is Luke suspecting a man called Ellsworthy, who is quite obviously gay and non-religious. Well, religious people with their terrifying rituals scare me more! So I wasn't particularly impressed with the "Satanism" bit and was just endlessly annoyed at everyone going on about poor Ellsworthy. It made me severely dislike Luke, which didn't help.
The murderer was fantastic, though! The plot was otherwise brilliant and only lacked in its actual execution, though I am getting a bit bored of women being rescued by men at the climax in murder mysteries. There were a few plot holes in this one, but the overall setting and basic premise were interesting as usual.
October 4, 2022
Not vintage Christie but, as usual, this slips down very smoothly and is a fun Halloween read set as it is in Wychwood - with all kinds of witchy and black mass goings on. The investigation isn't the greatest as Luke, a colonial policeman, noses around the fateful village while falling in love with a woman with witchy hair! Still, as usual, Christie pulls off one of her sleights of hand, though this one is somewhat easier to spot.
October 17, 2025
Well, this was great fun! Murder is Easy seemed to be Agatha Christie having great fun as well, more freewheeling outside the confines of Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple. Even the Bells and Motley is mentioned here, which all Christie fans will be familiar with if they’ve read her wonderfully atmospheric Mr. Quin stories, featuring Mr. Satterthwaite. All throughout, I felt Christie was giving a quaint nod of sorts to her legendary paramour across the pond, Mary Roberts Rinehart. While the immediacy of the narrative is non-reflective, the reader certainly gets that had they but known vibe by the end of this one.
The premise is a dandy: a man going home to England meets an old auntie type on the train he finds himself on due to his preoccupation with winning a horse race. After mentioning to Luke Fitzwilliam that Miss Pinkerton has a friend whose son has just joined the police force in Palestine, he reveals to her that he too, had been a policeman, in the Mayang Straits. This opens the floodgates, as Miss Lavina Pinkerton reveals she is on her way to Scotland Yard, because she suspects several recent deaths in her village of Wychwood-under-Ashe to be murder; moreover, she knows who committed them. Her conclusion in regard to how she knows this seems very superficial, very aunt-like, causing Luke to smile and peg it as harmless imagination. But later, he discovers she was run down by a hit-and-run driver on the way there, and further, the man she named as the next victim, Dr. Humbleby, has suddenly perished.
Well, of course Luke must find out if there’s anything to it; he liked the old gal, and is perhaps feeling guilty that no matter how preposterous it may have sounded, Miss Lavina Pinkerton may have been onto something. And for the reader, the fun begins. Luke heads down to Wychwood under pretense, imbedding himself in a strange little village full of more oddballs and secrets than an episode of Midsomer Murders. And of course there is the dark-haired and bewitching Bridget Conway, smart and infuriating; and of course quite wonderful, were it not for her intent to marry the pot-bellied Lord Whitfield.
This is breezy fun, with a very unusual romance, some strange and eerie goings on that seem part of a Mr. Quin story, and some real excitement and danger when Luke brings in Superintendent Battle because he’s finally got it figured out — he thinks. But Bridget may have other ideas.
Fun and exciting, pleasantly romantic yet in an unusual way — and with an unlikely romantic pairing, Murder is Easy is a refreshing little mystery. Though I guessed who the real murderer in Wychwood was much earlier than either hero or heroine, and I suspect many others will, this one is about the fun of getting there, and it is that.
Overall Murder is Easy is a delightful change of pace from Christie. Often cited as a 1939 release, it was actually serialized in The Saturday Evening Post, beginning in November of 1938, the same year Rinehart’s fabulous The Wall was released. My book is the exact one shown here, a 2017 edition, but it has 261 pages. By no means a brain teaser, but more a fun vacation with murder, mystery, romance, and a weird little English village, Murder is Easy is everything a light mystery should be. Highly recommended!
The premise is a dandy: a man going home to England meets an old auntie type on the train he finds himself on due to his preoccupation with winning a horse race. After mentioning to Luke Fitzwilliam that Miss Pinkerton has a friend whose son has just joined the police force in Palestine, he reveals to her that he too, had been a policeman, in the Mayang Straits. This opens the floodgates, as Miss Lavina Pinkerton reveals she is on her way to Scotland Yard, because she suspects several recent deaths in her village of Wychwood-under-Ashe to be murder; moreover, she knows who committed them. Her conclusion in regard to how she knows this seems very superficial, very aunt-like, causing Luke to smile and peg it as harmless imagination. But later, he discovers she was run down by a hit-and-run driver on the way there, and further, the man she named as the next victim, Dr. Humbleby, has suddenly perished.
Well, of course Luke must find out if there’s anything to it; he liked the old gal, and is perhaps feeling guilty that no matter how preposterous it may have sounded, Miss Lavina Pinkerton may have been onto something. And for the reader, the fun begins. Luke heads down to Wychwood under pretense, imbedding himself in a strange little village full of more oddballs and secrets than an episode of Midsomer Murders. And of course there is the dark-haired and bewitching Bridget Conway, smart and infuriating; and of course quite wonderful, were it not for her intent to marry the pot-bellied Lord Whitfield.
This is breezy fun, with a very unusual romance, some strange and eerie goings on that seem part of a Mr. Quin story, and some real excitement and danger when Luke brings in Superintendent Battle because he’s finally got it figured out — he thinks. But Bridget may have other ideas.
Fun and exciting, pleasantly romantic yet in an unusual way — and with an unlikely romantic pairing, Murder is Easy is a refreshing little mystery. Though I guessed who the real murderer in Wychwood was much earlier than either hero or heroine, and I suspect many others will, this one is about the fun of getting there, and it is that.
Overall Murder is Easy is a delightful change of pace from Christie. Often cited as a 1939 release, it was actually serialized in The Saturday Evening Post, beginning in November of 1938, the same year Rinehart’s fabulous The Wall was released. My book is the exact one shown here, a 2017 edition, but it has 261 pages. By no means a brain teaser, but more a fun vacation with murder, mystery, romance, and a weird little English village, Murder is Easy is everything a light mystery should be. Highly recommended!
March 22, 2014
98% of the time I LOVE Aggie. Agatha Christie is my "go to" gal when I'm in a reading slump. Like a hot rich Brazilian man under the covers, you know you're not going to be disappointed. Well, usually. But there is the rare DUD in her collection. And if I can relate it to the above analogy of the sexy South American, this book is the equivalent of hopping in bed with this Brazilian hottie and discovering that OOPS...he pooped the sheets!
Sorry, but "Easy to Kill" by Agatha Christie was a surprise frothy lumpy turd. Aggie girl, why you have to go and done that? This book is a skipable one in her collection. Now, I will never give up on Miss Christie, but this book left me going "really?"
It starts out thrilling enough. A retired cop meets an excited spinster on the train to London who is on her way to report what she feels is a series of murders in her small town. She said she knows the next victim and wants to report it before anything else bad happens. Our cop Luke later discovers that his spinster friend was run down by a car on her way to Scotland Yard. Also, the "victim" she predicted, a doctor, is found dead in her village! Luke decides to investigate and goes to the town where he meets crazy cast of character caught up in the folklore of tales of witchcraft.
It started great and quickly went downhill. None of the characters are interesting (except maybe the spinster, and shes killed off right away). There are a buttload too many characters. I couldn't keep track of them all, even though there is a handy character list up front. there seemed to be no logic at all. Also, it is WAYYYYY too repetitive. She repeats the same information OVER AND OVER again. It became annoyingly exhausting. To top it all off, I EASILY predicted whodunnit. I was hoping it would be a red herring and I would be shocked to learn who the killer was. But nope! I was right!
If you are a fan of Christie and have read all her stuff except this one, or if you haven't read Christie, or jeesh if you have any taste at all you can throw this one on the top of the TO GOODWILL pile. Sorry, Aggie.
P.S. If you happen to know a hot Latino man who ISN'T going to be a dud who leaves milkduds, send him my way, STAT!
Sorry, but "Easy to Kill" by Agatha Christie was a surprise frothy lumpy turd. Aggie girl, why you have to go and done that? This book is a skipable one in her collection. Now, I will never give up on Miss Christie, but this book left me going "really?"
It starts out thrilling enough. A retired cop meets an excited spinster on the train to London who is on her way to report what she feels is a series of murders in her small town. She said she knows the next victim and wants to report it before anything else bad happens. Our cop Luke later discovers that his spinster friend was run down by a car on her way to Scotland Yard. Also, the "victim" she predicted, a doctor, is found dead in her village! Luke decides to investigate and goes to the town where he meets crazy cast of character caught up in the folklore of tales of witchcraft.
It started great and quickly went downhill. None of the characters are interesting (except maybe the spinster, and shes killed off right away). There are a buttload too many characters. I couldn't keep track of them all, even though there is a handy character list up front. there seemed to be no logic at all. Also, it is WAYYYYY too repetitive. She repeats the same information OVER AND OVER again. It became annoyingly exhausting. To top it all off, I EASILY predicted whodunnit. I was hoping it would be a red herring and I would be shocked to learn who the killer was. But nope! I was right!
If you are a fan of Christie and have read all her stuff except this one, or if you haven't read Christie, or jeesh if you have any taste at all you can throw this one on the top of the TO GOODWILL pile. Sorry, Aggie.
P.S. If you happen to know a hot Latino man who ISN'T going to be a dud who leaves milkduds, send him my way, STAT!
October 22, 2022
Murder is Easy, a mystery in the Superintendent Battle series, is an intriguing mystery with a bizarre motive. The idea that motivated the story is quite authentic even though it's rather fantastic. It's this imagination, weird though at times, what draws me happily into the mysteries of Agatha Christie.
The story involves the investigation of a series of killing by an ex-police officer, Luke Fitzwilliam, who learns the tale from the last victim. Luke settles in the village with the help of a friend and carries on his investigation, but his theories lead him astray while the actual murderer strikes again for the final prey. Would Luke be able to apprehend the criminal before another murder is committed?
The story is interesting overall. Fitzwilliam, I felt to be another Hastings, with his impatience for action and the eagerness to jump to easy conclusions. He was quite an amusing protagonist. However, what I felt here is that the story was poorly written. There were interesting characters, the ones that one normally meets in every quiet village. But all of them are presented superficially. And the sassy love interest of Luke, Bridget, who helps him to uncover the murderer, makes only a few appearances. The worst is that although this is one in the Superintendent Battle series, his appearance is almost nonexistent.
This mystery could have easily been one of her good ones has Christie put an effort to enliven the characters and to involve Superintendent Battle more in the course of the investigation, it would have turned out to be a better entertaining story. As it is, it's not one of her best, yet interesting enough to enjoy.
More of my reviews can be found at http://piyangiejay.com/
The story involves the investigation of a series of killing by an ex-police officer, Luke Fitzwilliam, who learns the tale from the last victim. Luke settles in the village with the help of a friend and carries on his investigation, but his theories lead him astray while the actual murderer strikes again for the final prey. Would Luke be able to apprehend the criminal before another murder is committed?
The story is interesting overall. Fitzwilliam, I felt to be another Hastings, with his impatience for action and the eagerness to jump to easy conclusions. He was quite an amusing protagonist. However, what I felt here is that the story was poorly written. There were interesting characters, the ones that one normally meets in every quiet village. But all of them are presented superficially. And the sassy love interest of Luke, Bridget, who helps him to uncover the murderer, makes only a few appearances. The worst is that although this is one in the Superintendent Battle series, his appearance is almost nonexistent.
This mystery could have easily been one of her good ones has Christie put an effort to enliven the characters and to involve Superintendent Battle more in the course of the investigation, it would have turned out to be a better entertaining story. As it is, it's not one of her best, yet interesting enough to enjoy.
More of my reviews can be found at http://piyangiejay.com/
November 12, 2024
4'5⭐
Otro libro fascinante de Agatha. Otro libro que sigue la fórmula de tener un montón de secundarios que acaban siendo sospechosos en algún momento u otro. Aunque, en este caso, no tenemos a ninguno de sus detectives habituales, si no a uno nuevo que protagoniza este único libro. Es cierto que aparece el superintendente Battle en un momento determinado, pero está mínimamente involucrado en la historia y el caso.
De nuevo, me resulta fascinante el uso de la psicología para evaluar y descartar sospechosos; y cómo disemina la autora las pistas falsas y las verdaderas por toda la historia. Debo decir que, en esta ocasión, he logrado descifrar la identidad el asesino justo antes de que fuera revelada, y me siento muy orgullosa por ello😌.
Aunque, de nuevo, le sobra totalmente la parte del "romance". Agatha, hija, que no. Los libros ya te quedarían perfectos sin esos enamoramientos instantáneos y difíciles de comprender.
Otro libro fascinante de Agatha. Otro libro que sigue la fórmula de tener un montón de secundarios que acaban siendo sospechosos en algún momento u otro. Aunque, en este caso, no tenemos a ninguno de sus detectives habituales, si no a uno nuevo que protagoniza este único libro. Es cierto que aparece el superintendente Battle en un momento determinado, pero está mínimamente involucrado en la historia y el caso.
De nuevo, me resulta fascinante el uso de la psicología para evaluar y descartar sospechosos; y cómo disemina la autora las pistas falsas y las verdaderas por toda la historia. Debo decir que, en esta ocasión, he logrado descifrar la identidad el asesino justo antes de que fuera revelada, y me siento muy orgullosa por ello😌.
Aunque, de nuevo, le sobra totalmente la parte del "romance". Agatha, hija, que no. Los libros ya te quedarían perfectos sin esos enamoramientos instantáneos y difíciles de comprender.
February 6, 2023
Fantástica, me ha vuelto a dejar ojiplático con la resolución. Que engañado me tenía Agatha.
Me las daba de listo y en teoría con 4 sospechosos haciendo cabalas y nunca sospeché del asesino.
Muy buena resolución. por ello se lleva las 4 estrellas.
Valoración: 8/10
Mi mejor o si no de los mejores del superintendente Battle (que en este su aparición es fugaz, apenas en los 2 últimos capítulos y ya casi que salió para esposar al culpable).
Sinopsis: La señora Pinkerton, una anciana vecina de la localidad, le cuenta al ex policía Luke Fitzwilliam los entresijos de los crímenes recientemente acaecidos allí, y le anuncia que la próxima víctima será el doctor Humbleby.
Lo que en principio no parece más que una chifladura propia de una lunática, al día siguiente se convierte en algo alarmante: Fitzwilliam lee en la prensa que la anciana ha muerto atropellada y que el cuerpo del doctor Humbleby ha sido hallado sin vida. Fitzwilliam se traslada a Whichwood donde finge ser un escritor que busca información para una novela y poder así investigar más libremente.
Me las daba de listo y en teoría con 4 sospechosos haciendo cabalas y nunca sospeché del asesino.
Muy buena resolución. por ello se lleva las 4 estrellas.
Valoración: 8/10
Mi mejor o si no de los mejores del superintendente Battle (que en este su aparición es fugaz, apenas en los 2 últimos capítulos y ya casi que salió para esposar al culpable).
Sinopsis: La señora Pinkerton, una anciana vecina de la localidad, le cuenta al ex policía Luke Fitzwilliam los entresijos de los crímenes recientemente acaecidos allí, y le anuncia que la próxima víctima será el doctor Humbleby.
Lo que en principio no parece más que una chifladura propia de una lunática, al día siguiente se convierte en algo alarmante: Fitzwilliam lee en la prensa que la anciana ha muerto atropellada y que el cuerpo del doctor Humbleby ha sido hallado sin vida. Fitzwilliam se traslada a Whichwood donde finge ser un escritor que busca información para una novela y poder así investigar más libremente.
January 30, 2023
I truly enjoyed this convoluted murder mystery. The following quote sums up my experience nicely: "Anybody who can believe six impossible things before breakfast wins hands down at this game."
October 6, 2022
Halloween Bingo 2022
As per usual, I was facing the wrong direction when looking for the murderer. Christie was very good at her craft, fooling me more often than not. Luke Fitzwilliam led me astray, just as Arthur Hastings usually does. He should have asked more questions of Miss Pinkerton when he made her acquaintance on the train, but hindsight is twenty-twenty.
I failed to see why Bridget appealed to Luke. I never did warm to her and I never cease to be amazed at how quickly couples make life changing decisions in Christie's fiction. They really barely know each other, that point where it's so easy to overlook major shortcomings in a potential partner. A much more trusting time? Perhaps.
I think Christie was also having fun with the idea of a small village being inundated with murders. So many of her novels are set in small communities that they must have started to seem much more dangerous than generally thought. Mind you, even today people move to small towns expecting a safer environment, only to find that human nature is still present and bad things can still happen.
I was able to double-dip with this book, reading it for my Appointment with Agatha group and also to fulfill the Terror in a Small Town of my Bingo card.
As per usual, I was facing the wrong direction when looking for the murderer. Christie was very good at her craft, fooling me more often than not. Luke Fitzwilliam led me astray, just as Arthur Hastings usually does. He should have asked more questions of Miss Pinkerton when he made her acquaintance on the train, but hindsight is twenty-twenty.
I failed to see why Bridget appealed to Luke. I never did warm to her and I never cease to be amazed at how quickly couples make life changing decisions in Christie's fiction. They really barely know each other, that point where it's so easy to overlook major shortcomings in a potential partner. A much more trusting time? Perhaps.
I think Christie was also having fun with the idea of a small village being inundated with murders. So many of her novels are set in small communities that they must have started to seem much more dangerous than generally thought. Mind you, even today people move to small towns expecting a safer environment, only to find that human nature is still present and bad things can still happen.
I was able to double-dip with this book, reading it for my Appointment with Agatha group and also to fulfill the Terror in a Small Town of my Bingo card.
October 12, 2018
With such a interesting hook, it’s a shame that this mystery thriller just felt flat.
Whilst traveling to London to inform Scotland Yard of her theories of a serial killer in her village, Lavinia Pinkerton meets young policeman Luke Fitzwilliam and shares her ideas on the train.
It’s not until the next day that Luke sees a newspaper story that Lavinia had been run down and killed that he starts to believe that might be into something.
The problem I had with this story was that whilst the inexperienced Luke divers whilst investigating the case, there’s just not enough mystery to sustain the story and I found most parts of the narrative dull.
In fairness to Christie I didn’t expect the ending, but it was one of her weaker mysteries.
Whilst traveling to London to inform Scotland Yard of her theories of a serial killer in her village, Lavinia Pinkerton meets young policeman Luke Fitzwilliam and shares her ideas on the train.
It’s not until the next day that Luke sees a newspaper story that Lavinia had been run down and killed that he starts to believe that might be into something.
The problem I had with this story was that whilst the inexperienced Luke divers whilst investigating the case, there’s just not enough mystery to sustain the story and I found most parts of the narrative dull.
In fairness to Christie I didn’t expect the ending, but it was one of her weaker mysteries.
January 28, 2019
This was an other great murder mystry by Agatha Christie. In this one there is a lot of witch craft and black magic and out and out cold blooded murder.
I recommend this book to all.Enjoy and Be Blessed
Steven
I recommend this book to all.Enjoy and Be Blessed
Steven
November 30, 2020
No Poirot or Miss Marple in this one.There is just Superintendent Battle,and as policemen don't do any actual work in Christie's books,he is just an onlooker.
The action centres around Luke Fitzwilliam,a retired policeman who encounters an old lady in a railway carriage.She wants to report a series of murders,but is soon dead herself.
The detective work,thereafter,is not of the highest quality.A love story develops.At the end,there is a violent confrontation,in a rather suprising revelation of the identity of the culprit.
Fairly interesting,and works well as a rather thrilling TV movie,too.
The action centres around Luke Fitzwilliam,a retired policeman who encounters an old lady in a railway carriage.She wants to report a series of murders,but is soon dead herself.
The detective work,thereafter,is not of the highest quality.A love story develops.At the end,there is a violent confrontation,in a rather suprising revelation of the identity of the culprit.
Fairly interesting,and works well as a rather thrilling TV movie,too.
July 12, 2021
3.5 stars - I'm giving this a little bit of extra credit just because the atmosphere for the first 2/3 of this novel is just quintessential Christie in its setting and tone. It's such a delightful Christie take on a small English village where the local populace is being serially murdered. That said, the substance of the solution is fine, but its execution is far too melodramatic and over the top. All in all, an enjoyable book but not one of her greats
August 1, 2019
A BBC Radio adaptation in three parts, dramatized by Joy Wilkinson.
This is my first audiobook ever and I loved it, the voices, the sound effects, just great.
Agatha Christie is the best when it comes to crime books and I am glad I choose her as my first audiobook.
Extraordinara "lectura", mi-am adus aminte de Teatru radiofonic pe care il ascultam seara, cand eram mica, iar Agatha Christie ramane cea mai buna.
This is my first audiobook ever and I loved it, the voices, the sound effects, just great.
Agatha Christie is the best when it comes to crime books and I am glad I choose her as my first audiobook.
Extraordinara "lectura", mi-am adus aminte de Teatru radiofonic pe care il ascultam seara, cand eram mica, iar Agatha Christie ramane cea mai buna.
November 15, 2025
Agatha Christie Book Reading Challenge
3 stars✨
BOOK 82:- September 2025
3 stars✨
BOOK 82:- September 2025
April 10, 2021
I figured it out before it was obvious. This is the proudest moment of my life.
Read
April 27, 2025Realmente, isto de matar é quase demasiado fácil.
Luke Fitzwilliam é uma das criações mais tradicionalmente entediantes de Agatha Christie.* Mas é sobre ele que recai a responsabilidade de investigar a denúncia de uma velhota simpática, Miss Lavinia Pinkerton, sobre a existência de um possível assassino em série numa aldeia pacata bucolicamente chamada Wychwood-under-Ashe.
Sinopse da sinopse, sem spoiler algum.
Agora, isso é pouco importante. Porque o que nunca pensei não foi que alguma vez fosse descobrir o culpado num whodunnit da Agatha Christie - confesso que me sinto sempre muito capaz nos primeiros capítulos destes policiais... - o que nunca pensei foi que ler Agatha Christie pudesse alguma vez ser uma experiência minimamente próxima do delírio (ou daquilo que imagino que o delírio será). Mas foi exatamente assim a leitura de Matar é fácil. Não porque o enredo seja indutor de alucinações, mas porque decidi que ler o livro e assistir, ao mesmo tempo, à adaptação da BBC, seria uma ideia interessante (ia passar na TV, para quê perder a oportunidade?).
E lá interessante até foi, mas, sobrestimando (mais uma vez) as minhas capacidades, agora vejo-me irremediavelmente inapta para discernir entre aquilo que li e aquilo que vi, pelo que Matar é fácil ficará como uma espécie de experiência psicadélica onde duas versões alternativas para uma mesma história se desenrolam. Uma primeira ali a roçar o cliché de amor piegas, um bocadinho sensaborona demais; a outra, algo esforçada, a fazer pensar sobre questões de marginalização social e racismo (acho que Agatha Christie jamais imaginou uma adaptação que lhe convertesse um polícia branco imperialista num jovem diplomata nigeriano - de nome Luke Obiako Fitzwilliam-, mas ainda bem que o caminho foi esse).
Claro que, sendo Agatha, a facilidade de digestão deste livro está ali ao nível da tisana - perfeitamente inócua -, mas até para mim, fã que sou, este mistério estava a ser aborrecido e, depois de confrontada com uma versão mais contemporânea já dava por mim a pensar: lá vem mais gente branca de classe média-alta jogar ténis ou dar uma festa... Ora, como esse até não é o tipo de pensamento que normalmente me ocorra durante a leitura de policiais ingleses do século passado, assumo que alguma coisa da (sempre polémica) adaptação televisiva fez sentido para mim, acabando por alavancar uma leitura morna só na expectativa de perceber onde estavam as diferenças. Elas estão lá, efetivamente, mas na minha cabeça Matar é fácil é agora uma amálgama de versão literária e televisiva bem mais interessante do que qualquer das duas, por si só, poderia alguma vez ter sido.
Tenho de fazer isto mais vezes!
*Posso estar confusa quanto a versões, mas uma coisa garanto, tanto Agatha Christie como a BBC perderam uma excelente oportunidade de trabalhar a personagem de Bridget Conway como heroína desta história.
Luke Fitzwilliam é uma das criações mais tradicionalmente entediantes de Agatha Christie.* Mas é sobre ele que recai a responsabilidade de investigar a denúncia de uma velhota simpática, Miss Lavinia Pinkerton, sobre a existência de um possível assassino em série numa aldeia pacata bucolicamente chamada Wychwood-under-Ashe.
Sinopse da sinopse, sem spoiler algum.
Agora, isso é pouco importante. Porque o que nunca pensei não foi que alguma vez fosse descobrir o culpado num whodunnit da Agatha Christie - confesso que me sinto sempre muito capaz nos primeiros capítulos destes policiais... - o que nunca pensei foi que ler Agatha Christie pudesse alguma vez ser uma experiência minimamente próxima do delírio (ou daquilo que imagino que o delírio será). Mas foi exatamente assim a leitura de Matar é fácil. Não porque o enredo seja indutor de alucinações, mas porque decidi que ler o livro e assistir, ao mesmo tempo, à adaptação da BBC, seria uma ideia interessante (ia passar na TV, para quê perder a oportunidade?).
E lá interessante até foi, mas, sobrestimando (mais uma vez) as minhas capacidades, agora vejo-me irremediavelmente inapta para discernir entre aquilo que li e aquilo que vi, pelo que Matar é fácil ficará como uma espécie de experiência psicadélica onde duas versões alternativas para uma mesma história se desenrolam. Uma primeira ali a roçar o cliché de amor piegas, um bocadinho sensaborona demais; a outra, algo esforçada, a fazer pensar sobre questões de marginalização social e racismo (acho que Agatha Christie jamais imaginou uma adaptação que lhe convertesse um polícia branco imperialista num jovem diplomata nigeriano - de nome Luke Obiako Fitzwilliam-, mas ainda bem que o caminho foi esse).
Claro que, sendo Agatha, a facilidade de digestão deste livro está ali ao nível da tisana - perfeitamente inócua -, mas até para mim, fã que sou, este mistério estava a ser aborrecido e, depois de confrontada com uma versão mais contemporânea já dava por mim a pensar: lá vem mais gente branca de classe média-alta jogar ténis ou dar uma festa... Ora, como esse até não é o tipo de pensamento que normalmente me ocorra durante a leitura de policiais ingleses do século passado, assumo que alguma coisa da (sempre polémica) adaptação televisiva fez sentido para mim, acabando por alavancar uma leitura morna só na expectativa de perceber onde estavam as diferenças. Elas estão lá, efetivamente, mas na minha cabeça Matar é fácil é agora uma amálgama de versão literária e televisiva bem mais interessante do que qualquer das duas, por si só, poderia alguma vez ter sido.
Tenho de fazer isto mais vezes!
*Posso estar confusa quanto a versões, mas uma coisa garanto, tanto Agatha Christie como a BBC perderam uma excelente oportunidade de trabalhar a personagem de Bridget Conway como heroína desta história.
July 31, 2018
كان من السهل أن يقتل القاتل في هذه الرواية، ولكن من الصعب معرفته..
متألقة كعادتها أجاثا ❤️.
متألقة كعادتها أجاثا ❤️.
September 29, 2021
انهيتها في جلسة واحدة من اخر ليالي قبل دخولي الجيش
كانت فاصل جيد بعد يوم عصيب مشحون بالتفكير في المستقبل
كانت فاصل جيد بعد يوم عصيب مشحون بالتفكير في المستقبل
December 5, 2025
★★☆☆☆ (۲ ستاره برای احترام به کریستی، وگرنه… 😐)
جمعبندی من:
«قتل آسان است» = وقتی کریستی یه روز بد داشته بوده و گفته:
“بذار یه چیزی بنویسم صرفاً که نوشته باشم.”
(و خب ما هم این وسط قربانی شدیم.)
در یک جمله خلاصه کنم: برای من غیرکریستیترین کتاب کریستی بود.
اصلاً باورم نمیشه همچین چیزی از قلم ایشون تراوش کرده! از یه جایی به بعد حس میکردم دارم یه فنفیک واتپدی میخونم—اونم نه از نویسندههای خوبش، از اونایی که هرچی تو ذهنشونه مینویسن و میرن پی زندگیشون! من تازه شروع کردم آثارش رو خوندن و انصافاً با چندتای قبلیاش سقف انتظارم رفته بود بالا—که معمولاً هم برآورده میشد—ولی این یکی… یک اثر نهفقط متوسط، بلکه واقعاً رو به پایین بود.
مشکل اول:
کتاب حتی تا صد صفحهٔ اول هم نتونست منو با خودش همراه کنه یا جذبم کنه. فقط به خاطر اینکه کتاب رو نیمهکاره رها نکنم ادامهاش دادم. بعدش هم به محض خوندن نقلقول کلیدی، تقریبا همون لحظه فهمیدم قاتل کیه و باقی داستان دیگه بینهایت قابلحدس شد.
مشکل دوم:
از اون بدتر، هیچکدوم از شخصیتها شکل و پرداخت درستی نداشتن.
به نقلقول کلیدی که رسیدم، یهو مغزم گفت:
«قاتله فلانیه.»
و خب… درست بود.
از اونجا به بعد حس میکردم دارم اسپویل یه کتابی که خودم دارم میخونمش رو تماشا میکنم.
مش��ل سوم (و بزرگترینش):
لوک فیتزویلیام.
قراره پلیس باشه، ولی جدا از تصمیم اولش برای رفتن به اون شهر، عملاً هیچ کاری نکرد! هیچ چیز مهمی نفهمید، هیچ گرهی باز نکرد، هیچ استنتاجی نداشت. واقعاً شک دارم این آدم اصلاً یه روز پلیس بوده باشه! (مدرک خواستین: کل کتاب.)
یه نوجوان معمولی هم بهتر از اون معما حل میکنه (که خب شواهدش تو تمام کتابهای جناییـمعمایی نوجوانانه پیداست!)
بریجیت:
انگار فقط گذاشته شده بود وسط داستان چون نیاز داشتن یه زن جذاب حضور داشته باشه. شخصیتپردازیش سطحی و از قبل مشخص بود. توی چپترهای آخر هم رفتارش وقتی با قاتل مواجه شد… واقعاً ضعیف و بچهگونه بود؛ شبیه شخصیتهای فیلمهای ترسناک وقتی قاتل داره کل برنامهش رو مرحلهبهمرحله توضیح میده و قربانی هم همینطور خشک و بیحرکت فقط نشسته گوش میده 😐
نه زیرکیای، نه واکنشی، نه تلاشی. انگار اصلاً نقشش این بود که فقط بشنوه.
لُرد ویتفیلد:
یک شخصیت کاملاً کلیشهای و تکراری؛ شخصیتی ساختهشده از یک گذشتهٔ سخت و تلاش فراوان که حالا به عقدهٔ خودبزرگبینی ختم شده—یک استوک کاراکتر تمامعیار.
از همونا که اگه تو بازیهای کامپیوتری ببینی روش نوشته:
NPC – سطح شخصیتپردازی: حداقل ممکن
بقیهٔ مظنونها:
انگار نویسنده گفته: «خب یه چندتا آدم هم بندازم وسط.»
پرداخت؟ عمق؟ انگیزه؟
نه رفیق، هیچکدوم. بهجای یه چینش هوشمندانه، انگیزههای قوی، لایهلایه کردن روانی شخصیتها و دادن فرصت به خواننده برای بررسی و تحلیل، هیچکدوم بهاندازهٔ کافی بسط پیدا نکرده بودن و به خواننده هم فرصتی برای شناخت عمیقتر یا تحلیل رفتارهاشون نداده بود، انگار همهچیز فقط در سطح و در حد معرفی اولیه مونده.
در کل:
شاید بشه بهعنوان یه جناییـمعمایی متوسط (و حتی پایینتر… ولی به احترام کریستی جان!) بهش نمره داد و گذاشتش تو قفسه و فراموشش کرد.
ولی پیشنهاد دادن؟
فقط اگه طرف مقابلت رو زیاد دوست نداری 😭
جمعبندی من:
«قتل آسان است» = وقتی کریستی یه روز بد داشته بوده و گفته:
“بذار یه چیزی بنویسم صرفاً که نوشته باشم.”
(و خب ما هم این وسط قربانی شدیم.)
در یک جمله خلاصه کنم: برای من غیرکریستیترین کتاب کریستی بود.
اصلاً باورم نمیشه همچین چیزی از قلم ایشون تراوش کرده! از یه جایی به بعد حس میکردم دارم یه فنفیک واتپدی میخونم—اونم نه از نویسندههای خوبش، از اونایی که هرچی تو ذهنشونه مینویسن و میرن پی زندگیشون! من تازه شروع کردم آثارش رو خوندن و انصافاً با چندتای قبلیاش سقف انتظارم رفته بود بالا—که معمولاً هم برآورده میشد—ولی این یکی… یک اثر نهفقط متوسط، بلکه واقعاً رو به پایین بود.
مشکل اول:
کتاب حتی تا صد صفحهٔ اول هم نتونست منو با خودش همراه کنه یا جذبم کنه. فقط به خاطر اینکه کتاب رو نیمهکاره رها نکنم ادامهاش دادم. بعدش هم به محض خوندن نقلقول کلیدی، تقریبا همون لحظه فهمیدم قاتل کیه و باقی داستان دیگه بینهایت قابلحدس شد.
مشکل دوم:
از اون بدتر، هیچکدوم از شخصیتها شکل و پرداخت درستی نداشتن.
به نقلقول کلیدی که رسیدم، یهو مغزم گفت:
«قاتله فلانیه.»
و خب… درست بود.
از اونجا به بعد حس میکردم دارم اسپویل یه کتابی که خودم دارم میخونمش رو تماشا میکنم.
مش��ل سوم (و بزرگترینش):
لوک فیتزویلیام.
قراره پلیس باشه، ولی جدا از تصمیم اولش برای رفتن به اون شهر، عملاً هیچ کاری نکرد! هیچ چیز مهمی نفهمید، هیچ گرهی باز نکرد، هیچ استنتاجی نداشت. واقعاً شک دارم این آدم اصلاً یه روز پلیس بوده باشه! (مدرک خواستین: کل کتاب.)
یه نوجوان معمولی هم بهتر از اون معما حل میکنه (که خب شواهدش تو تمام کتابهای جناییـمعمایی نوجوانانه پیداست!)
بریجیت:
انگار فقط گذاشته شده بود وسط داستان چون نیاز داشتن یه زن جذاب حضور داشته باشه. شخصیتپردازیش سطحی و از قبل مشخص بود. توی چپترهای آخر هم رفتارش وقتی با قاتل مواجه شد… واقعاً ضعیف و بچهگونه بود؛ شبیه شخصیتهای فیلمهای ترسناک وقتی قاتل داره کل برنامهش رو مرحلهبهمرحله توضیح میده و قربانی هم همینطور خشک و بیحرکت فقط نشسته گوش میده 😐
نه زیرکیای، نه واکنشی، نه تلاشی. انگار اصلاً نقشش این بود که فقط بشنوه.
لُرد ویتفیلد:
یک شخصیت کاملاً کلیشهای و تکراری؛ شخصیتی ساختهشده از یک گذشتهٔ سخت و تلاش فراوان که حالا به عقدهٔ خودبزرگبینی ختم شده—یک استوک کاراکتر تمامعیار.
از همونا که اگه تو بازیهای کامپیوتری ببینی روش نوشته:
NPC – سطح شخصیتپردازی: حداقل ممکن
بقیهٔ مظنونها:
انگار نویسنده گفته: «خب یه چندتا آدم هم بندازم وسط.»
پرداخت؟ عمق؟ انگیزه؟
نه رفیق، هیچکدوم. بهجای یه چینش هوشمندانه، انگیزههای قوی، لایهلایه کردن روانی شخصیتها و دادن فرصت به خواننده برای بررسی و تحلیل، هیچکدوم بهاندازهٔ کافی بسط پیدا نکرده بودن و به خواننده هم فرصتی برای شناخت عمیقتر یا تحلیل رفتارهاشون نداده بود، انگار همهچیز فقط در سطح و در حد معرفی اولیه مونده.
در کل:
شاید بشه بهعنوان یه جناییـمعمایی متوسط (و حتی پایینتر… ولی به احترام کریستی جان!) بهش نمره داد و گذاشتش تو قفسه و فراموشش کرد.
ولی پیشنهاد دادن؟
فقط اگه طرف مقابلت رو زیاد دوست نداری 😭
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