What do you think?
Rate this book
Hercule Poirot #18
الموت على ضفاف النيل
الشابة الثرية والجميلة لينيت ريدجواي تقوم بخيانة أعز صديقاتها جاكلين بالفور مع خطيبها سيمون دويلي, ثم ما تلبث أن تتزوج به. العروسان يقرران قضاء شهر العسل, لكن أينما ذهبا تتبعهما المرأة المحطمة القلب جاكلين بالفور, إلى أن يصلا إلى مصر, أين يقيمان في فندق يوجد به المحقق هيركيول بوارو. يستقل بوارو والزوجان الجديدان وملاحقتهما-جاكلين- وعدد من الركاب الآخرين قاطرة بخارية للقيام بجولة في نهر النيل, لكن في إحدى الأيام يتم إيجاد لينيت مقتولة. كل أصابع الاتهام تتجه نحو جاكلين التي تكن حقدا كبيرا لها. لكن "الخلايا الرمادية الصغيرة" لبوارو غير مقنعة بهذا ويقرر التحقيق في القضية لاكتشاف خفاياها.
528 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1937
12228 people are currently reading
172275 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,774 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)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 21,480 reviews
June 21, 2025
"Me, I work with my brains and am not ashamed of it."
Reading Agatha Christie is always such a treat. I know I'm in for a good time, so I clear out my schedule, put on my comfiest outfit, and settle in for a few hours of fun and cozy-murdering. And Death on the Nile sure delivers.
Wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway has it all: beauty, charm, and money. And now she has love too, marrying the man of her dreams and starting their lives together with a honeymoon in Egypt. But this exotic trip to a faraway locale is turning up a surprising number of familiar faces. And when their cruise along the Nile turns deadly, Hercule Poirot must step in and solve the case.
The pacing, at least initially, feels more luxurious than some of Christie's other mysteries. We don't jump immediately into the cozy-murdering. Instead, we settle in to meet the full cast of characters and really dive into Linnet's story. I found her character to be compelling, and the circumstances leading up to her marriage interesting and a bit scandalous.
And once we get to the mystery, it's as fun as any whodunnit I've read. Because we already got to know all the players before the murder even happened, there isn't that awkward chunk when we have to meet and establish everyone. Instead, we can really focus on the mystery, and it is a good one. It has so many juicy elements: intrigue, love, backstabbing, money, and deception. And we are treated to all the clues and red herrings we've come to know and love from the genre.
One thing I particularly enjoy about Agatha Christie's mysteries is the crispness of her reveal. They are always simple and logical, yet also completely surprising. It is her hallmark, one that I've searched far and wide and have found very few authors who can match. Often, other reveals are either too simple (so you see it coming from a mile away), or are so convoluted and outlandish that it borders on nonsensical. But with Christie, there's always that eureka moment when everything comes together in the most satisfying and logical conclusion.
Sometimes I wonder how our literary world would've been if Agatha Christie never came along, what a terrible loss we never would've known. Thankfully, we don't need to contemplate such an unspeakable scenario. We do have her and reading her books is always the most delightful of experiences.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
Murder on the Orient Express
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
July 9, 2020
”’What a lot of enemies you must make, Linnet.’
‘Enemies?’ Linnet looked surprised.
Joanna nodded and helped herself to a cigarette.
‘Enemies, my sweet. You’re so devastatingly efficient. And you’re so frightfully good at doing the right thing.’
Linnet laughed.
‘Why, I haven’t got an enemy in the world!’”
Linnet Doyle is on her honeymoon in Egypt with the husband she recently stole from one of her best friends. Not only is Linnet filthy rich, but also gorgeous, sophisticated, and charming. Some might say a nearly perfect human being, except for stealing Jacqueline de Bellefort’s man. Not only was Simon the most amazing thing that had ever happened to Jacqueline, but she was also socially on the other side of the tracks from Linnet. Once Linnet showed interest, Simon had no chance, and Jacqueline was jilted. Linnet, like Jolene from the Dolly Parton song, could have any man.
I’ve got to be frank here: this was a bitch move. This is not a case of love at first sight where they were moved by high passions, or soul mates finally finding each other. It almost seems like Jacqueline has vetted this guy, and she really likes him so he will do nicely as a husband.
Stealing a woman’s man practically off the church altar will create a mortal enemy, a soul deep enemy.
Jacqueline follows them to Egypt on their honeymoon and makes sure that she turns up in their path, showing her stricken face as often as possible. As revenge goes, it is pretty good and certainly proves unnerving to the “loving” couple. Is it any great surprise that Linnet ends up murdered on the boat on the Nile, and Jacqueline is the number one suspect?
The open and shut case becomes quite complicated because there is one man on the boat who weighs all the evidence and sifts all the minutia to find the sands of truth. Hercule Poirot knows what he likes and what he does not. He has impeccable manners even when he is accusing someone of...murder. If people conducted their business in the Poirot manner, it would be a much less chaotic world. ”But to succeed in life every detail should be arranged well beforehand.”
Of course, murder finds him wherever he goes, like an ancient curse. One of the passengers, Tim Allerton, makes a very rash statement regarding my favorite Belgian detective.
”’Perhaps the truth will be known before then.’
‘Why should it be?’
‘Monsieur Poirot may find out.’
‘That old mountebank? He won’t find out anything. He’s all talk and moustaches.’”
Blasphemy!!! His moustaches would tie your moustaches (if you dared to grow them) into knots, Mr. Allerton!!
Mr. Allerton has a few secrets of his own, which the “old mountebank” will ferret out in his spare time while trying to solve a murder, or two, or three.
I won’t talk any more about the plot. I don’t want anyone getting their knickers in a twist or their boxers in a bunch over whether I have revealed too much. So I will talk about something that Agatha Christie does which is so enjoyable. She usually makes references to other cases in other books, which either makes me gleeful because I fully recognize the reference, or makes me slightly pensive, like a schoolboy called on with no answer to give. Either way, she makes me think about other books she has written, which is a brilliant way to make me read more of her books. She makes references to The Mystery of the Blue Train, Murder in Mesopotamia, and Cards on the Table, but my favorite was:
”’Once, on the Orient Express, I investigated a murder. There was a little matter of a scarlet kimono. It had disappeared, and yet it must be on the train. I found it--where do you think? In my own locked suitcase! Ah! It was an impertinence, that!’”
The cast of Murder on the Orient Express
A few weeks ago, I had the distinct pleasure of going to see the latest version of Murder on the Orient Express, starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot on the big screen, in the theater. It was amazing. The scenery is so lovely, the snow, the mountains, the train. The cast is a list of Hollywood icons who deliver superb performances. Branagh’s crisp blue eyes looked like infinity pools. I came out of that movie thinking everyone used to dress so NICE. Why don’t I dress like that, with such care, now? So when Poirot mentions the scarlet kimono, which makes an appearance in the new film, I felt a wave of nostalgia for a movie I had just watched a few weeks ago. Of course, I’ve had a long relationship with the story, going back decades. Interesting enough and why I decided to read Death on the Nile as my next Poirot, they tease us with mentioning it at the end of Murder on the Orient Express, intimating that if this movie does well, the next one will be Death on the Nile.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
‘Enemies?’ Linnet looked surprised.
Joanna nodded and helped herself to a cigarette.
‘Enemies, my sweet. You’re so devastatingly efficient. And you’re so frightfully good at doing the right thing.’
Linnet laughed.
‘Why, I haven’t got an enemy in the world!’”
Linnet Doyle is on her honeymoon in Egypt with the husband she recently stole from one of her best friends. Not only is Linnet filthy rich, but also gorgeous, sophisticated, and charming. Some might say a nearly perfect human being, except for stealing Jacqueline de Bellefort’s man. Not only was Simon the most amazing thing that had ever happened to Jacqueline, but she was also socially on the other side of the tracks from Linnet. Once Linnet showed interest, Simon had no chance, and Jacqueline was jilted. Linnet, like Jolene from the Dolly Parton song, could have any man.
”Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene,
I'm begging of you please don't take my man.
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene,
Please don't take him just because you can.
Your beauty is beyond compare,
With flaming locks of auburn hair,
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green,
Your smile is like a breath of spring.
Your voice is soft like summer rain,
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene.”
I’ve got to be frank here: this was a bitch move. This is not a case of love at first sight where they were moved by high passions, or soul mates finally finding each other. It almost seems like Jacqueline has vetted this guy, and she really likes him so he will do nicely as a husband.
Stealing a woman’s man practically off the church altar will create a mortal enemy, a soul deep enemy.
Jacqueline follows them to Egypt on their honeymoon and makes sure that she turns up in their path, showing her stricken face as often as possible. As revenge goes, it is pretty good and certainly proves unnerving to the “loving” couple. Is it any great surprise that Linnet ends up murdered on the boat on the Nile, and Jacqueline is the number one suspect?
The open and shut case becomes quite complicated because there is one man on the boat who weighs all the evidence and sifts all the minutia to find the sands of truth. Hercule Poirot knows what he likes and what he does not. He has impeccable manners even when he is accusing someone of...murder. If people conducted their business in the Poirot manner, it would be a much less chaotic world. ”But to succeed in life every detail should be arranged well beforehand.”
Of course, murder finds him wherever he goes, like an ancient curse. One of the passengers, Tim Allerton, makes a very rash statement regarding my favorite Belgian detective.
”’Perhaps the truth will be known before then.’
‘Why should it be?’
‘Monsieur Poirot may find out.’
‘That old mountebank? He won’t find out anything. He’s all talk and moustaches.’”
Blasphemy!!! His moustaches would tie your moustaches (if you dared to grow them) into knots, Mr. Allerton!!
Mr. Allerton has a few secrets of his own, which the “old mountebank” will ferret out in his spare time while trying to solve a murder, or two, or three.
I won’t talk any more about the plot. I don’t want anyone getting their knickers in a twist or their boxers in a bunch over whether I have revealed too much. So I will talk about something that Agatha Christie does which is so enjoyable. She usually makes references to other cases in other books, which either makes me gleeful because I fully recognize the reference, or makes me slightly pensive, like a schoolboy called on with no answer to give. Either way, she makes me think about other books she has written, which is a brilliant way to make me read more of her books. She makes references to The Mystery of the Blue Train, Murder in Mesopotamia, and Cards on the Table, but my favorite was:
”’Once, on the Orient Express, I investigated a murder. There was a little matter of a scarlet kimono. It had disappeared, and yet it must be on the train. I found it--where do you think? In my own locked suitcase! Ah! It was an impertinence, that!’”
The cast of Murder on the Orient Express
A few weeks ago, I had the distinct pleasure of going to see the latest version of Murder on the Orient Express, starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot on the big screen, in the theater. It was amazing. The scenery is so lovely, the snow, the mountains, the train. The cast is a list of Hollywood icons who deliver superb performances. Branagh’s crisp blue eyes looked like infinity pools. I came out of that movie thinking everyone used to dress so NICE. Why don’t I dress like that, with such care, now? So when Poirot mentions the scarlet kimono, which makes an appearance in the new film, I felt a wave of nostalgia for a movie I had just watched a few weeks ago. Of course, I’ve had a long relationship with the story, going back decades. Interesting enough and why I decided to read Death on the Nile as my next Poirot, they tease us with mentioning it at the end of Murder on the Orient Express, intimating that if this movie does well, the next one will be Death on the Nile.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
February 1, 2021
VÉIA SAFADA TU ME PAGA POR ESSA ÚLTIMA PÁGINA
February 10, 2022
Another flashback Saturday, I’m reading another book I’ve read 20 years ago as a tribute to my younger, dumber, naiver self. Good thing is I feel like I’m reading a brand new book because I forget so many details, characters and some crucial parts about story’s progression.
I watched the first movie adaptation (1978) with Peter Ustinov( he’s brilliant actor but I still loved Albert Finney’s portrait more) Betty Davis, Angela Lansbury and Mia Farrow. The casting is remarkable and the fast pacing and twisty script was true reflection of the story’s essence.
Normally Kenneth Branagh’ s adaptation is scheduled to be released on October 2020 but they pushed the date to February 11th ( I already reserved my thicket) I hope it’ll worth to wait for!
Overall: this is also one of my favorite Poirot books of Ms. Christie. Exotic locations, slow burn intriguing mystery and remarkable character compositions. So I’m glad to reread the mystery at the quietest 4th July of my life and enjoying my time!
I watched the first movie adaptation (1978) with Peter Ustinov( he’s brilliant actor but I still loved Albert Finney’s portrait more) Betty Davis, Angela Lansbury and Mia Farrow. The casting is remarkable and the fast pacing and twisty script was true reflection of the story’s essence.
Normally Kenneth Branagh’ s adaptation is scheduled to be released on October 2020 but they pushed the date to February 11th ( I already reserved my thicket) I hope it’ll worth to wait for!
Overall: this is also one of my favorite Poirot books of Ms. Christie. Exotic locations, slow burn intriguing mystery and remarkable character compositions. So I’m glad to reread the mystery at the quietest 4th July of my life and enjoying my time!
August 13, 2025
One of Christie's best.
And one of my personal favorites.
I adore Poirot in this one. He's got such a soft spot for a woman in trouble, and of course, he's always a sucker for young love.
In Death on the Nile he manages to put his excellent matchmaking skills to such good use that you get not one but two weddings...and a funeral.
Well.
Actually more than one funeral, but I don't want to spoil too much for those of you who haven't read this book yet.
It opens with two starry-eyed lovers on the cusp of getting married.
Jacqueline De Bellefort and Simon Doyle are crazy about each other and ready to start their life together.
When Jacqueline comes to her best friend and asks for help, the rich and beautiful Linett Ridgeway agrees to give Simon a job so they'll have the money to marry.
They all hug. Or have a cup of tea. Whatever they did back in the day to show affection.
What could go wrong?
This is a twisty whodunnit with a huge cast that each has their own secrets to protect. Jewel thieves, bigamists, terrorists, alcoholics, and kleptomaniacs are all sniffed out one at a time by the little Belgian detective. Still, by the end of it all, you care quite a bit about the characters that make up this incredibly colorful group of passengers. And yes, Jacqueline, Linnet, and Simon are the stars, but not necessarily the ones you're rooting for by the end of the book.
Oh!
And for those of you who love a crossover, Colonel Race, who originally appears in The Man in the Brown Suit and has previously teamed up with Hercule in Cards on the Table, shows up to help Poirot suss out the killer. If you've read The Man in the Brown Suit, you'll recognize the 'code' used in the letter Linnet accidentally picked up, thinking it was for her.
Both are great books if you get the chance to check them out, by the way.
A must-read for any Christie fan.
PS - Kenneth Branagh is a menace to the memory of Agatha Christie. He ruined every good storyline in this book with his terrible movie. I wanted so much to love it, but...
And one of my personal favorites.
I adore Poirot in this one. He's got such a soft spot for a woman in trouble, and of course, he's always a sucker for young love.
In Death on the Nile he manages to put his excellent matchmaking skills to such good use that you get not one but two weddings...and a funeral.
Well.
Actually more than one funeral, but I don't want to spoil too much for those of you who haven't read this book yet.
It opens with two starry-eyed lovers on the cusp of getting married.
Jacqueline De Bellefort and Simon Doyle are crazy about each other and ready to start their life together.
When Jacqueline comes to her best friend and asks for help, the rich and beautiful Linett Ridgeway agrees to give Simon a job so they'll have the money to marry.
They all hug. Or have a cup of tea. Whatever they did back in the day to show affection.
What could go wrong?
This is a twisty whodunnit with a huge cast that each has their own secrets to protect. Jewel thieves, bigamists, terrorists, alcoholics, and kleptomaniacs are all sniffed out one at a time by the little Belgian detective. Still, by the end of it all, you care quite a bit about the characters that make up this incredibly colorful group of passengers. And yes, Jacqueline, Linnet, and Simon are the stars, but not necessarily the ones you're rooting for by the end of the book.
Oh!
And for those of you who love a crossover, Colonel Race, who originally appears in The Man in the Brown Suit and has previously teamed up with Hercule in Cards on the Table, shows up to help Poirot suss out the killer. If you've read The Man in the Brown Suit, you'll recognize the 'code' used in the letter Linnet accidentally picked up, thinking it was for her.
Both are great books if you get the chance to check them out, by the way.
A must-read for any Christie fan.
PS - Kenneth Branagh is a menace to the memory of Agatha Christie. He ruined every good storyline in this book with his terrible movie. I wanted so much to love it, but...
June 20, 2014
A friend told me who the murderer was, so I was not surprized when the killer was discovered.
I never talked to this friend again...
I never talked to this friend again...
January 19, 2019
4.5 stars
"I like an audience, I must confess. I am vain, you see. I am puffed up with conceit. I like to say: ‘See how clever is Hercule Poirot!’"
Well, this confession from the renowned detective may very well be true, but I admit it is one of the reasons I love him so! He also has integrity and class… and a really swell mustache! Reading Agatha Christie’s Poirot stories never fail to entertain and to comfort. In my part of the country, we are bracing for a winter storm with heaps of snow and frigid temperatures. The dark, dreary days and the vision of my least favorite season stretching well into March are threatening to cause a case of wintertime funk. Fortunately, I can get lost in a book; and, in this instance, I can further imagine myself far, far away – cruising down the Nile River with Poirot and company. I’ll even take a boatload of potential murderers as my company at this point! Anything to escape for a bit!
The super-rich, drop-dead gorgeous Linnet Ridgeway is on her honeymoon in Egypt… on her honeymoon with her best friend’s former fiancé, I should add. Jacqueline de Bellefort may have been cast aside, but she is not going to let Linnet and Simon Doyle revel in their marriage without being a thorn, a very large thorn, in their sides. When she pops up once again and boards the same boat down the Nile, the newlyweds know it couldn’t really be a coincidence. Poirot showing up on holiday at the same time and place is rather fortuitous, however. There may be a few folks on board this pleasure cruise that are not at all happy to see the detective, holiday or not. We quickly learn that more than one person just might consider Linnet to be his or her enemy. As usual, there are plenty of suspects and it was a delight meeting each and every one and trying to sort out the multiple motives for murder.
"Do people interest you too, Monsieur Poirot? Or do you reserve your interest for potential criminals?"
"Madame—that category would not leave many people outside it."
A lush setting, elegant and mysterious characters, lively dialogue, and murder combine to make a very satisfying read. I had fun working alongside Poirot, who naturally won’t share all of his ideas with anyone, including the dear reader. I thought I had it figured out a few times, but I’m easily fooled by all the red herrings. That’s okay, I like being distracted by it all!
Highly recommended for mystery lovers and Agatha Christie fans. I had been eager to read this one ever since I had seen "Murder on the Orient Express" in theaters last year and found out that an adaptation was in the works for this book as well. I can’t wait to get in line for my ticket when it’s released! 4.5 stars
"Do not open your heart to evil… Because—if you do—evil will come…Yes, very surely evil will come…It will enter in and make its home within you, and after a little while it will no longer be possible to drive it out."
"I like an audience, I must confess. I am vain, you see. I am puffed up with conceit. I like to say: ‘See how clever is Hercule Poirot!’"
Well, this confession from the renowned detective may very well be true, but I admit it is one of the reasons I love him so! He also has integrity and class… and a really swell mustache! Reading Agatha Christie’s Poirot stories never fail to entertain and to comfort. In my part of the country, we are bracing for a winter storm with heaps of snow and frigid temperatures. The dark, dreary days and the vision of my least favorite season stretching well into March are threatening to cause a case of wintertime funk. Fortunately, I can get lost in a book; and, in this instance, I can further imagine myself far, far away – cruising down the Nile River with Poirot and company. I’ll even take a boatload of potential murderers as my company at this point! Anything to escape for a bit!
The super-rich, drop-dead gorgeous Linnet Ridgeway is on her honeymoon in Egypt… on her honeymoon with her best friend’s former fiancé, I should add. Jacqueline de Bellefort may have been cast aside, but she is not going to let Linnet and Simon Doyle revel in their marriage without being a thorn, a very large thorn, in their sides. When she pops up once again and boards the same boat down the Nile, the newlyweds know it couldn’t really be a coincidence. Poirot showing up on holiday at the same time and place is rather fortuitous, however. There may be a few folks on board this pleasure cruise that are not at all happy to see the detective, holiday or not. We quickly learn that more than one person just might consider Linnet to be his or her enemy. As usual, there are plenty of suspects and it was a delight meeting each and every one and trying to sort out the multiple motives for murder.
"Do people interest you too, Monsieur Poirot? Or do you reserve your interest for potential criminals?"
"Madame—that category would not leave many people outside it."
A lush setting, elegant and mysterious characters, lively dialogue, and murder combine to make a very satisfying read. I had fun working alongside Poirot, who naturally won’t share all of his ideas with anyone, including the dear reader. I thought I had it figured out a few times, but I’m easily fooled by all the red herrings. That’s okay, I like being distracted by it all!
Highly recommended for mystery lovers and Agatha Christie fans. I had been eager to read this one ever since I had seen "Murder on the Orient Express" in theaters last year and found out that an adaptation was in the works for this book as well. I can’t wait to get in line for my ticket when it’s released! 4.5 stars
"Do not open your heart to evil… Because—if you do—evil will come…Yes, very surely evil will come…It will enter in and make its home within you, and after a little while it will no longer be possible to drive it out."
January 15, 2024
It is 1937 and Cairo is still considered a jewel of a city to rival Paris. The rich and famous flock there to enjoy her night life and cruise the Nile to see the pyramids. Such is the backdrop for Dame Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile starring Hercule Poirot. As in many of Poirot's cases, this mystery features a young heiress, multiple motives for murder, and criminals traveling under assumed names. All these facets add up to a fun, page turning whodunit.
Upon turning twenty one, Linnet Ridgeway stands to inherit her father's fortune. Meanwhile her best childhood friend Jacqueline de Belleforte has come upon hard times during the worldwide depression. Her fiancé Simon Doyle is out of work, and the couple seek out Ridgeway in hopes that she is able to assist one or both of them in finding work. Then the unthinkable happens: Ridgeway desires Doyle for herself and steals him away from de Belleforte. They travel to Cairo for their honeymoon, with de Belleforte closely stalking their every move.
Famous detective Hercule Poirot happens to be enjoying a holiday on the same Nile cruise. Although on vacation, his companion Colonel Race happens to be on the same voyage on a tip that a serial killer is also vacationing there under an assumed identity. All goes smoothly until late one night Linnet Doyle nee Ridgeway is murdered in her cruise cabin. Put in charge of the investigation, Race entrusts Poirot in bringing the murderers to justice.
Like the equally famous Poirot case Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile features a leisurely voyage with a large cast of characters, all with intriguing pasts. Even though it appeared obvious initially who the murderer was, Christie's methodology of having Poirot peel back layers and layers to the suspects and their motives for murder never grows stale for me. As in Orient Express there is a short window that the crime could have occurred yet with a myriad of clues, possible murderers and weapons, Poirot has to exercise many levels of gray matter in order to solve the case.
As someone who enjoys contemporary mysteries, Christie's books remain timeless as the author who all current detective stories are measured against. While reading a Poirot case, I can picture David Souche as Poirot on the A&E series and almost visualize his dress and Belgian accent. Always a pleasure to read an Agatha Christie case, I rare Death on the Nile 4 solid stars.
Upon turning twenty one, Linnet Ridgeway stands to inherit her father's fortune. Meanwhile her best childhood friend Jacqueline de Belleforte has come upon hard times during the worldwide depression. Her fiancé Simon Doyle is out of work, and the couple seek out Ridgeway in hopes that she is able to assist one or both of them in finding work. Then the unthinkable happens: Ridgeway desires Doyle for herself and steals him away from de Belleforte. They travel to Cairo for their honeymoon, with de Belleforte closely stalking their every move.
Famous detective Hercule Poirot happens to be enjoying a holiday on the same Nile cruise. Although on vacation, his companion Colonel Race happens to be on the same voyage on a tip that a serial killer is also vacationing there under an assumed identity. All goes smoothly until late one night Linnet Doyle nee Ridgeway is murdered in her cruise cabin. Put in charge of the investigation, Race entrusts Poirot in bringing the murderers to justice.
Like the equally famous Poirot case Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile features a leisurely voyage with a large cast of characters, all with intriguing pasts. Even though it appeared obvious initially who the murderer was, Christie's methodology of having Poirot peel back layers and layers to the suspects and their motives for murder never grows stale for me. As in Orient Express there is a short window that the crime could have occurred yet with a myriad of clues, possible murderers and weapons, Poirot has to exercise many levels of gray matter in order to solve the case.
As someone who enjoys contemporary mysteries, Christie's books remain timeless as the author who all current detective stories are measured against. While reading a Poirot case, I can picture David Souche as Poirot on the A&E series and almost visualize his dress and Belgian accent. Always a pleasure to read an Agatha Christie case, I rare Death on the Nile 4 solid stars.
February 27, 2022
3.5⭐
This book is a bit slow going in with character introduction, but once all the characters board SS. Karnak, the story really took off for me. Death on the Nile features heiress Linnet Ridgeway, her longtime friend Jacqueline de Bellefort, and fiance Simon Doyle. Hercule Poirot is on vacation and taking the Nile cruise as many other secondary characters.
I thought the mystery was good and I enjoy listening to Poirot's train of thought, but I felt the reveal was somewhat underwhelming. 🤷♀️The audio read by Kenneth Branagh was quite good except every character sounds the same. Borrowed from Hoopla.
This book is a bit slow going in with character introduction, but once all the characters board SS. Karnak, the story really took off for me. Death on the Nile features heiress Linnet Ridgeway, her longtime friend Jacqueline de Bellefort, and fiance Simon Doyle. Hercule Poirot is on vacation and taking the Nile cruise as many other secondary characters.
I thought the mystery was good and I enjoy listening to Poirot's train of thought, but I felt the reveal was somewhat underwhelming. 🤷♀️The audio read by Kenneth Branagh was quite good except every character sounds the same. Borrowed from Hoopla.
March 22, 2023
This is only the second time that I read Death on the Nile. I remember the sublime subterfuge of the guilty party, but thought there were only two deaths in the book. In fact there are five deaths and the book has a quite hectic pace.
Hercule Poirot refers to previous cases once or twice. In Murder of the Orient Express he absolved the guilty completely. In Death on the Nile, he regrets bringing the murderer to justice, but carries out this task still.
The boat on the Nile houses many other characters who serve to camouflage the murderers. Investigation is carried out by Poirot and his temporary sidekick Colonel Race. There is some romance, and there is some sadness in the final revelation. I really enjoyed the book for there is no other book like it. The author was brilliant in imagining this setting. An unconditional 5 stars from me.
Hercule Poirot refers to previous cases once or twice. In Murder of the Orient Express he absolved the guilty completely. In Death on the Nile, he regrets bringing the murderer to justice, but carries out this task still.
The boat on the Nile houses many other characters who serve to camouflage the murderers. Investigation is carried out by Poirot and his temporary sidekick Colonel Race. There is some romance, and there is some sadness in the final revelation. I really enjoyed the book for there is no other book like it. The author was brilliant in imagining this setting. An unconditional 5 stars from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2022
Hercule Poirot, book #17 is one of the most well known Poirot case sees Agatha Christie wield a most wonderful tale of misdirection, red herrings and subterfuge culminating in a death, or maybe even deaths plural, on the River Nile. A truly classic detective story. One of the real highs of the Poirot series. 8 out of 12
2013 read
2013 read
September 2, 2022
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie is a 2005 William Morrow publication. (Originally published in 1937)
What a gem! It’s always fun to read an Agatha Christie Mystery. I believe I read this one many, many years ago, and watched the old movie version starring Peter Ustinov- also many, many years ago. But the details have mostly vanished from my memory now. So, while the story is familiar, I was still riveted from start to finish!
A very clever set up- a guessing game of the highest order. So many ways the story could have gone, and the attention to detail was simply fabulous! Sure, crime fiction readers today are far savvier and more jaded, but still, Christie could still trick anyone unfamiliar with this story, and even if you do know how it ends, it’s still fun to see how she carefully constructed the story, the red herrings, and twists- all ahead of their time.
Overall, just the book I needed right now! Highly engrossing and entertaining!
*I watched the new HBO version after I finished reading the book- yes-despite the disgraced cast member. I was curious to see how it was presented. Not impressed, though. Stick with the book- and the old film version- which, if memory serves was not half bad.
What a gem! It’s always fun to read an Agatha Christie Mystery. I believe I read this one many, many years ago, and watched the old movie version starring Peter Ustinov- also many, many years ago. But the details have mostly vanished from my memory now. So, while the story is familiar, I was still riveted from start to finish!
A very clever set up- a guessing game of the highest order. So many ways the story could have gone, and the attention to detail was simply fabulous! Sure, crime fiction readers today are far savvier and more jaded, but still, Christie could still trick anyone unfamiliar with this story, and even if you do know how it ends, it’s still fun to see how she carefully constructed the story, the red herrings, and twists- all ahead of their time.
Overall, just the book I needed right now! Highly engrossing and entertaining!
*I watched the new HBO version after I finished reading the book- yes-despite the disgraced cast member. I was curious to see how it was presented. Not impressed, though. Stick with the book- and the old film version- which, if memory serves was not half bad.
April 29, 2023
Book Review
4+ out of 5 stars for Death on the Nile, a Hercule Poirot mystery published in 1937 by Agatha Christie. This is one of Christie's better mysteries, not because of the complexity in the mystery but due to the characters she creates. No one is who they appear to be on this ship, and they are all trapped together. It's nearly 100 years ago, so how could anyone get on or off the boat without the Captain or the rest of the staff in the know? (No, I'm not giving away a spoiler). Poirot is on vacation this time, and he is trying not to work. But when someone turns up dead, he has no choice but to solve this crime. People using different names, a killer trapped with little escape... seems easy to figure out. Add in a bit of archaeological history and all the wonderful things Christie learned on her own Egyptian trips, this is a culture storm waiting to explode. Poirot is at his best, which is usually his most annoying, of times. The upper-class and lower-class exploration in this novel crosses lines many times, as does the affairs or confusion over who is or was previously with someone else romantically. So many clues, so much fun to guess. And the film adaption does a great job at capturing the different personalities. Great one for a beginner to the series!
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
[polldaddy poll=9729544]
[polldaddy poll=9719251]
4+ out of 5 stars for Death on the Nile, a Hercule Poirot mystery published in 1937 by Agatha Christie. This is one of Christie's better mysteries, not because of the complexity in the mystery but due to the characters she creates. No one is who they appear to be on this ship, and they are all trapped together. It's nearly 100 years ago, so how could anyone get on or off the boat without the Captain or the rest of the staff in the know? (No, I'm not giving away a spoiler). Poirot is on vacation this time, and he is trying not to work. But when someone turns up dead, he has no choice but to solve this crime. People using different names, a killer trapped with little escape... seems easy to figure out. Add in a bit of archaeological history and all the wonderful things Christie learned on her own Egyptian trips, this is a culture storm waiting to explode. Poirot is at his best, which is usually his most annoying, of times. The upper-class and lower-class exploration in this novel crosses lines many times, as does the affairs or confusion over who is or was previously with someone else romantically. So many clues, so much fun to guess. And the film adaption does a great job at capturing the different personalities. Great one for a beginner to the series!
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
[polldaddy poll=9729544]
[polldaddy poll=9719251]
August 23, 2022
“Use your eyes. Use your ears. Use your brains---if you've got any. And, if necessary--act.”
Another vacation in an exotic locale, another murder to be solved by detective, Hercule Poirot, in Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. I enjoyed Christie's mystery. Amid excursions to Abu Simbel and other ancient Egyptian sites, Poirot becomes acquainted with his fellow travelers. I liked how Christie used the locale and focused on a smaller set of characters (at least a smaller set than in Murder on the Orient Express) to get at a deeper familiarity of our suspects. Death on the Nile is a quick read and very accessible. I doubt I'll come away being overwhelmed with how Christie uses language or her insight into psychology, but I liked this one. 3.75 stars.
Another vacation in an exotic locale, another murder to be solved by detective, Hercule Poirot, in Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. I enjoyed Christie's mystery. Amid excursions to Abu Simbel and other ancient Egyptian sites, Poirot becomes acquainted with his fellow travelers. I liked how Christie used the locale and focused on a smaller set of characters (at least a smaller set than in Murder on the Orient Express) to get at a deeper familiarity of our suspects. Death on the Nile is a quick read and very accessible. I doubt I'll come away being overwhelmed with how Christie uses language or her insight into psychology, but I liked this one. 3.75 stars.
February 8, 2020
An old favourite revisited, Agatha Christie never fails to suck the reader in. Superbly plotted, Death On The Nile is full of intrigue, and you find yourself turning pages long into the night. Few author's today can match the Queen of Crime. Highly recommended.
April 11, 2022
I tried so hard to love this book but it was only mediocre for me. When I started the book, I found it a little confusing because there were so many characters I was trying to keep straight. Several friends recommended watching the movie first. So I took a break from the book and watched the movie, which did indeed make the characters much clearer and easier to remember. I restarted the book after finishing the movie, and it was definitely easier to read at that point but I still didn’t love it. It’s not a bad book, but I just don’t feel strongly about it. This was my 1st Agatha Christie novel and I’m not giving up on her, going to try another one by her soon.
May 27, 2011
Hopefully I am not committing any heretical thoughtcrime here, but am I the only one who thinks Hercule Poirot comes across as a bit of a doucheapotamus . Between the accent, the arrogance and the jabbing his butt into everyone’s business, he reminded of a cross between nosey neighbor Gladys Kravitz and everyone's favorite rapist, Pepe Le Pew.
Now before you get the cheese grater and the lemon juice out for me, let me say that this is my first Agatha Christie novel and my first experience with Monsieur Poirot. I have no idea whether I started with the wrong book or whether my initial impression of HP will soften as I read more. At times he was just fine but there were moments when he was so full of himself that I wanted to tie him down and beat him with his own ego.
Prime example: At one point he is heard to remark, and I quote: “And since I am in the habit of always being right…” which led to me responding “And are you also in the habit of always being pompous asstard.” The “my poop stinketh not” attitude was just a bit too much for me.
Still, I enjoyed the book and plan to read more of Christie's mysteries. I thought the pacing was good and AC’s writing was terrific. I loved the characters (except for the aforementioned Toolbag Macdouchenator) and thought the mystery was terrific. As the title advertises, the story deals with a series of murders occurring on a Nile River cruise originating in Egypt. There is an excellent set up to the mystery and then once the killing begins the clues come fast and furious. I thought it was smart, interesting and engaging.
I did suspect the final answer to the “whoduntheshit” well before the first murder had occurred, but that was just a lucky guess on my part and I don’t think it indicates that the mystery was flawed. I was still engaged until the very end because I had no idea that my suspicions were correct. Of course, when the solution was finally revealed, I did proceed to pat myself on the back and a gave myself a couple of well dones.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this. I am sorry it took me so long to come to Agatha Christie’s work and I definitely plan to continue. I highly recommend this for mystery fans or people just looking for a well-written diversion when their knackered from the crap-filled drama of the everyday grind.
3.5 stars.
Now before you get the cheese grater and the lemon juice out for me, let me say that this is my first Agatha Christie novel and my first experience with Monsieur Poirot. I have no idea whether I started with the wrong book or whether my initial impression of HP will soften as I read more. At times he was just fine but there were moments when he was so full of himself that I wanted to tie him down and beat him with his own ego.
Prime example: At one point he is heard to remark, and I quote: “And since I am in the habit of always being right…” which led to me responding “And are you also in the habit of always being pompous asstard.” The “my poop stinketh not” attitude was just a bit too much for me.
Still, I enjoyed the book and plan to read more of Christie's mysteries. I thought the pacing was good and AC’s writing was terrific. I loved the characters (except for the aforementioned Toolbag Macdouchenator) and thought the mystery was terrific. As the title advertises, the story deals with a series of murders occurring on a Nile River cruise originating in Egypt. There is an excellent set up to the mystery and then once the killing begins the clues come fast and furious. I thought it was smart, interesting and engaging.
I did suspect the final answer to the “whoduntheshit” well before the first murder had occurred, but that was just a lucky guess on my part and I don’t think it indicates that the mystery was flawed. I was still engaged until the very end because I had no idea that my suspicions were correct. Of course, when the solution was finally revealed, I did proceed to pat myself on the back and a gave myself a couple of well dones.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this. I am sorry it took me so long to come to Agatha Christie’s work and I definitely plan to continue. I highly recommend this for mystery fans or people just looking for a well-written diversion when their knackered from the crap-filled drama of the everyday grind.
3.5 stars.
April 5, 2022
“Love can be a very frightening thing. That is why most great love stories are tragedies"
My first experience with Agatha Christie was actually watching the film adaptation of Death on the Nile from 1978 staring Peter Ustinov. While I do not think of Ustinov as the definitive Poirot by any means, for the longest time his take was how I viewed the character. While this is not a review of the film, I will say that it is a lovely film and well worth a watch.
I bring this up though because this one has a special place for me. This was, while not the first Poirot novel I read, it was my first Poirot story. When I finally did read the book, I remembered exactly who did it, and I still loved it.
That I think is the sign of a really good mystery novel. Even knowing who did it, why and pretty much exactly what was going to happen over the course of the novel (the film was a very faithful adaptation for the most part) I still enjoyed it from start to finish. I can't think of a better way of recommending it than that. 4/5 stars.
My first experience with Agatha Christie was actually watching the film adaptation of Death on the Nile from 1978 staring Peter Ustinov. While I do not think of Ustinov as the definitive Poirot by any means, for the longest time his take was how I viewed the character. While this is not a review of the film, I will say that it is a lovely film and well worth a watch.
I bring this up though because this one has a special place for me. This was, while not the first Poirot novel I read, it was my first Poirot story. When I finally did read the book, I remembered exactly who did it, and I still loved it.
That I think is the sign of a really good mystery novel. Even knowing who did it, why and pretty much exactly what was going to happen over the course of the novel (the film was a very faithful adaptation for the most part) I still enjoyed it from start to finish. I can't think of a better way of recommending it than that. 4/5 stars.
November 2, 2020
3 to 3.5 stars
This was my second Poirot after Murder On The Orient Express a few years ago. Seems like that is the one everyone has read! I read that one because I was interested to read it before the new movie version came out. This time I was looking to try another Poirot, and saw that Branagh was doing another run as the detective in an upcoming cinematic version of Death on the Nile, so it was the perfect one to try next.
It was good, but not quite as good as Orient Express. I am kind of not sure what else to say. It felt similar - as I am guessing they all do. Convoluted at times. I was surprised by a lot of it, but did guess a few things. I enjoyed the characters and the dialogue. Good fun, but not monumentally mind-blowing.
Worth reading for a fun little getaway that will get your mind-juices flowing. But, there are better (and worse) mysteries out there (at least from my experience). If you try it maybe it will be the best one you will have ever read - and I hope it is!
This was my second Poirot after Murder On The Orient Express a few years ago. Seems like that is the one everyone has read! I read that one because I was interested to read it before the new movie version came out. This time I was looking to try another Poirot, and saw that Branagh was doing another run as the detective in an upcoming cinematic version of Death on the Nile, so it was the perfect one to try next.
It was good, but not quite as good as Orient Express. I am kind of not sure what else to say. It felt similar - as I am guessing they all do. Convoluted at times. I was surprised by a lot of it, but did guess a few things. I enjoyed the characters and the dialogue. Good fun, but not monumentally mind-blowing.
Worth reading for a fun little getaway that will get your mind-juices flowing. But, there are better (and worse) mysteries out there (at least from my experience). If you try it maybe it will be the best one you will have ever read - and I hope it is!
May 17, 2025
I found this book entertaining, but guessed the crux around 60% in. A slow start, but a lot of killings and, surprisingly, marriages in the end
And I am constantly in the habit of being right.
Poirot can't enjoy a holiday when the girl who has it all ends up dead. A slow to start mystery, not as tightly construed as And Then There Were None, but definitely obsessively readable. Money, sex (Love is not everything mademoiselle, Poirot said gently, it is only when we are young that we think it is) and revenge are mentioned as a prime driver of crime and as a reader we are offered ample of all categories, including quite some red herrings.
Conveniently passenger lists are on the table, no GDPR clearly on this fancy Nile cruise.
The times come back as well through a socialist agitator and the impact of the 1920's stock market crash are examples. The reader is kept on their toes, with tension being build up effectively (and almost everything being relevant for the conclusion of the mystery) but even at 40% still no one died, surprisingly enough for a book called Death on the Nile.
This does definitely change towards the end of the book, with the perpetrator even saying:
It’s dreadfully easy, killing people
The characters are very colorful, with someone saying for instance: Loyalty is out of fashion nowadays, in a 1937 book. Also our detective is quite expressive about himself:
Because I am Hercule Poirot, I don’t need to be told
&
Oui, oui, I like an audience, I am quite vain
In the end anything short of murder ends being hushed up, and there are a lot of marriages. This was definitely a satisfying read, if a bit easier to predict than I expected upfront.
And I am constantly in the habit of being right.
Poirot can't enjoy a holiday when the girl who has it all ends up dead. A slow to start mystery, not as tightly construed as And Then There Were None, but definitely obsessively readable. Money, sex (Love is not everything mademoiselle, Poirot said gently, it is only when we are young that we think it is) and revenge are mentioned as a prime driver of crime and as a reader we are offered ample of all categories, including quite some red herrings.
Conveniently passenger lists are on the table, no GDPR clearly on this fancy Nile cruise.
The times come back as well through a socialist agitator and the impact of the 1920's stock market crash are examples. The reader is kept on their toes, with tension being build up effectively (and almost everything being relevant for the conclusion of the mystery) but even at 40% still no one died, surprisingly enough for a book called Death on the Nile.
This does definitely change towards the end of the book, with the perpetrator even saying:
It’s dreadfully easy, killing people
The characters are very colorful, with someone saying for instance: Loyalty is out of fashion nowadays, in a 1937 book. Also our detective is quite expressive about himself:
Because I am Hercule Poirot, I don’t need to be told
&
Oui, oui, I like an audience, I am quite vain
In the end anything short of murder ends being hushed up, and there are a lot of marriages. This was definitely a satisfying read, if a bit easier to predict than I expected upfront.
April 14, 2020
EXCERPT: Joanna picked up a string of pearls from the dressing table. 'I suppose these are real, aren't they, Linnet?'
'Of course.'
'I know it's 'of course' to you, my sweet, but it wouldn't be to most people. Heavily cultured or even Woolworth! Darling, they really are incredible, so exquisitely matched. They must be worth the most fabulous sum!'
'Rather vulgar, you think?'
'No, not at all - just pure beauty. What are they worth?'
'About fifty thousand.'
'What a lovely lot of money! Aren't you afraid of having them stolen?'
'No, I always wear them - and anyway they're insured.'
'Let me wear them till dinner time, will you, darling? It would give me such a thrill.'
Linnet laughed. 'Of course, if you like.'
'You know, Linnet, I really do envy you.....'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything - until she lost her life. Hercule Poirot recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: 'I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.' Yet in this exotic setting, nothing is ever quite what it seems...
MY THOUGHTS: Classic Christie! This filled in a wet and stormy autumn afternoon for me, curled up on the couch with the cat and a pot of tea.
This is a wonderful plot! It is full of envy, betrayals and lies, complications and confusion. There are, as always, a plethora of plausible suspects. And the setting, a boat on the river Nile, is a variation on the 'locked room' mystery.
Linnet Ridgeway, being young, beautiful and extremely wealthy, naturally has enemies, some obvious, some not so obvious. She exhibits a huge sense of entitlement. She is not the nicest person on the planet. But does she deserve what happens to her? I am tempted to say 'yes', but....I will leave you to make your own decision about that.
The characters are mostly spoiled, bored, wealthy and grasping, seething with resentments, both real and imagined.
Linnet's death is merely the first . . . of many.
The denouement is shocking and tragic.
Highly recommended.
🗺⛴🔪💋⚰
THE AUTHOR: Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE was an English writer known for her sixty-six detective novels and fourteen short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. (Wikipedia)
DISCLOSURE: I have a collection of Agatha Christie paperbacks that I have picked up over the years from second hand bookstores, charity shops and garage sales. I can't remember quite where this copy came from, but it was well read before it came to me, and I have also read it several times. This particular copy of Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie was published by Bantam Books in 1978. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Of course.'
'I know it's 'of course' to you, my sweet, but it wouldn't be to most people. Heavily cultured or even Woolworth! Darling, they really are incredible, so exquisitely matched. They must be worth the most fabulous sum!'
'Rather vulgar, you think?'
'No, not at all - just pure beauty. What are they worth?'
'About fifty thousand.'
'What a lovely lot of money! Aren't you afraid of having them stolen?'
'No, I always wear them - and anyway they're insured.'
'Let me wear them till dinner time, will you, darling? It would give me such a thrill.'
Linnet laughed. 'Of course, if you like.'
'You know, Linnet, I really do envy you.....'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything - until she lost her life. Hercule Poirot recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: 'I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.' Yet in this exotic setting, nothing is ever quite what it seems...
MY THOUGHTS: Classic Christie! This filled in a wet and stormy autumn afternoon for me, curled up on the couch with the cat and a pot of tea.
This is a wonderful plot! It is full of envy, betrayals and lies, complications and confusion. There are, as always, a plethora of plausible suspects. And the setting, a boat on the river Nile, is a variation on the 'locked room' mystery.
Linnet Ridgeway, being young, beautiful and extremely wealthy, naturally has enemies, some obvious, some not so obvious. She exhibits a huge sense of entitlement. She is not the nicest person on the planet. But does she deserve what happens to her? I am tempted to say 'yes', but....I will leave you to make your own decision about that.
The characters are mostly spoiled, bored, wealthy and grasping, seething with resentments, both real and imagined.
Linnet's death is merely the first . . . of many.
The denouement is shocking and tragic.
Highly recommended.
🗺⛴🔪💋⚰
THE AUTHOR: Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE was an English writer known for her sixty-six detective novels and fourteen short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. (Wikipedia)
DISCLOSURE: I have a collection of Agatha Christie paperbacks that I have picked up over the years from second hand bookstores, charity shops and garage sales. I can't remember quite where this copy came from, but it was well read before it came to me, and I have also read it several times. This particular copy of Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie was published by Bantam Books in 1978. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 8, 2021
08 de janeiro ás 19:42 editheus termina de ler Morte no Nilo by Agatha Christie
Um livro com um ritmo muito prazeroso e que me manteve em suspeita por todo o tempo. (editor colocar capa do livro na tela com um motion cheio de efeitos)
Reitero aqui nesta resenha sendo feita nesse exato momento, que eu geralmente não sou bom em captar detalhes, por mais sórdidos estes que sejam. Colocando em planos límpidos, isso quer dizer que pode matah na minha frente que eu não vejo nada.
Logo, cá estou eu, pleno diante do dia de hoje, nesta live, fazendo 26oc em Tubarão/SC por volta das 20h, horário de brasília, ou qualquer outro carro que você esteja dirigindo, ao lado dessa belíssima mulher e esse belíssimo chat, para enfatizar minha nota 4 edilikes de 5.
Conclusão, gostei muito do livro, é o primeiro que leio da agatha christie e me prendeu do início ao fim, fiquei impressionado com o carisma e inteligência de poirot, um personagem muito diferente de tudo que já li, obrigado por existir agatha e com certeza lerei mais obras suas.
Um beijo a todos, não esquece do like de se inscrever, @matheusmadd para ver meus reels e @oclubedarainha no instagram para seguir a rainha dos crimes.
Um livro com um ritmo muito prazeroso e que me manteve em suspeita por todo o tempo. (editor colocar capa do livro na tela com um motion cheio de efeitos)
Reitero aqui nesta resenha sendo feita nesse exato momento, que eu geralmente não sou bom em captar detalhes, por mais sórdidos estes que sejam. Colocando em planos límpidos, isso quer dizer que pode matah na minha frente que eu não vejo nada.
Logo, cá estou eu, pleno diante do dia de hoje, nesta live, fazendo 26oc em Tubarão/SC por volta das 20h, horário de brasília, ou qualquer outro carro que você esteja dirigindo, ao lado dessa belíssima mulher e esse belíssimo chat, para enfatizar minha nota 4 edilikes de 5.
Conclusão, gostei muito do livro, é o primeiro que leio da agatha christie e me prendeu do início ao fim, fiquei impressionado com o carisma e inteligência de poirot, um personagem muito diferente de tudo que já li, obrigado por existir agatha e com certeza lerei mais obras suas.
Um beijo a todos, não esquece do like de se inscrever, @matheusmadd para ver meus reels e @oclubedarainha no instagram para seguir a rainha dos crimes.
January 1, 2021
tremendo pero MAL. creo q fue el primer policial q posta te deja flipando a toda hora. me reía cada 2x3 de lo viva q es al escribir y de los comentarios de los personajes. ALTO plot twist al final. epico ePICO. una bestia la agatha christie.
+" habría deseado hacerla su esposa, aunque se hubiese tratado de una mendiga en vez de la mujer más rica de Inglaterra. pero afortunadamente era la mujer más rica de Inglaterra"
+" habría deseado hacerla su esposa, aunque se hubiese tratado de una mendiga en vez de la mujer más rica de Inglaterra. pero afortunadamente era la mujer más rica de Inglaterra"
March 22, 2022
Four classic Agatha Christie novels, one amateur sleuth. Can I crack ANY of the Christie cases? Only one way to find out ... check out my reading vlog where I read four Agatha Christie mysteries in the hopes of solving at least one: https://youtu.be/iAAZB1ELe9Y
February 23, 2022
Aunque me ha gustado me siento francamente decepcionado.
Cuando buscas en páginas, vídeos, foros, grupos de lectores, etcétera, este es uno de esos libros más sonados y que más aceptación han tenido dentro de los muchos que escribió la reina del crimen. Y yo esperaba que fuera el boom pero nada, me resultó muy predecible. Mi decepción va porque pensaba que podría sorprenderme en la resolución del crimen y sinceramente no ha habido ni un solo aspecto que me haya provocado eso. Al leer tantos libros del detective belga, sabemos que Poirot en los capítulos finales desenreda los cabos y cuenta punto por punto como se llegó a la parte del asesinato y quién o quienes fueron los implicados. En este caso, los detalles siempre son importantes y yo en eso no acierto del todo y me temo que nunca lo haré porque Hércules se guarda muchas cosas.
Sin embargo, para mí lo más importante en este tipo de libros detectivescos no es tanto el cómo pasó sino el porqué, qué motivos habían y quién lo hizo. Y en esto último he acertado como balón en la cesta, anotando una puntuación. Muerte en el Nilo utiliza recursos de otros libros pasados: hay muchos personajes que parecen "odiar" al asesinado, los cuales son solo para despistar; hay un robo de alguna joya valiosa; hay más de un muerto en el libro; hay muchas sospechas y preguntas a todos los presentes. Pero al final, creo que se torna previsible por las motivaciones. Y eso es porque ya tengo encima varios de sus libros leídos y he notado que se repite cierto patrón. Lo único que sé es que de ahora en adelante leeré sus próximos libros con la alegría de ver si seré capaz de descubrir al criminal y no tanto por esperar algún tipo de plot twist en la trama. Aunque siempre me encanta cuando se arma todo el caso y se degranan los detalles.
Dentro de todo no me encuentro frustrado, aburrido o enojado porque ha resultado una lectura entretenida, adictiva y demasiado satisfactoria; en el sentido de que todo lo que sospechaba y las teorías que me formulé fueron exactas. Es que aunque no quería creer que fuera tan obvio, resultó que no me equivoqué y eso es buena señal: quiere decir que Agatha Christie me está formando como buen detective. O eso me gusta creer.
Cuando buscas en páginas, vídeos, foros, grupos de lectores, etcétera, este es uno de esos libros más sonados y que más aceptación han tenido dentro de los muchos que escribió la reina del crimen. Y yo esperaba que fuera el boom pero nada, me resultó muy predecible. Mi decepción va porque pensaba que podría sorprenderme en la resolución del crimen y sinceramente no ha habido ni un solo aspecto que me haya provocado eso. Al leer tantos libros del detective belga, sabemos que Poirot en los capítulos finales desenreda los cabos y cuenta punto por punto como se llegó a la parte del asesinato y quién o quienes fueron los implicados. En este caso, los detalles siempre son importantes y yo en eso no acierto del todo y me temo que nunca lo haré porque Hércules se guarda muchas cosas.
Sin embargo, para mí lo más importante en este tipo de libros detectivescos no es tanto el cómo pasó sino el porqué, qué motivos habían y quién lo hizo. Y en esto último he acertado como balón en la cesta, anotando una puntuación. Muerte en el Nilo utiliza recursos de otros libros pasados: hay muchos personajes que parecen "odiar" al asesinado, los cuales son solo para despistar; hay un robo de alguna joya valiosa; hay más de un muerto en el libro; hay muchas sospechas y preguntas a todos los presentes. Pero al final, creo que se torna previsible por las motivaciones. Y eso es porque ya tengo encima varios de sus libros leídos y he notado que se repite cierto patrón. Lo único que sé es que de ahora en adelante leeré sus próximos libros con la alegría de ver si seré capaz de descubrir al criminal y no tanto por esperar algún tipo de plot twist en la trama. Aunque siempre me encanta cuando se arma todo el caso y se degranan los detalles.
Dentro de todo no me encuentro frustrado, aburrido o enojado porque ha resultado una lectura entretenida, adictiva y demasiado satisfactoria; en el sentido de que todo lo que sospechaba y las teorías que me formulé fueron exactas. Es que aunque no quería creer que fuera tan obvio, resultó que no me equivoqué y eso es buena señal: quiere decir que Agatha Christie me está formando como buen detective. O eso me gusta creer.
July 30, 2023
With a large cast of fascinating characters and an equally intriguing plot to match, Death on the Nile is the perfect mystery. I am a longtime fan of Agatha Christie, particularly her Hercule Poirot series, and she truly outdid herself with this one.
It is a rare moment as of late that I enjoy all the female characters in a book, but this book did it for me. From Jackie to Cornelia to Rosalie, I adored the women of Death on the Nile. That's not to say the men were disappointing. In fact, they (nearly) lived up to the women, every one of them. I'm just a bit surprised sometimes to see fictional men and women written so well. It's refreshing!
On to the story, and mystery, itself, I absolutely loved it. I had my mind entirely made up on who it was about 5 times, one of which was actually correct but I had no idea at the time. Instead, I kept guessing, sure I was wrong. But that's the norm with me. On the rare occasion I figure out a mystery for myself, I second guess it, and then choose the wrong person. A very, very wrong person.
For fans of mysteries that are nearly impossible to put down, this is the book for you.
(Also, complete side note, but I'm pretty sure I read this when I was younger and totally forgot I had. It seemed a tad bit familiar to me at times, but I truly remember nothing else of my middle school experience, so who knows?)
Note: Save your money and do not buy the pretty copy below. It is riddled with errors that didn't exist in earlier editions of the book.
As in many, many instances of misspelled words, no spaces where there should be spaces, and quotation marks missing in almost every chapter.
I don't know how this happened, but please do not spend money on an attractive edition of the book when the publishing company utterly butchered Agatha Christie's work.
The offender:
If you're looking for a correct copy, I know the one below is good. Honestly, I would venture to assume most older editions stick to the original source material. I'll choose ugly covers and accurate material any day.
The correct copy:
My Website | My YA Thriller Books | My Bookish Podcast | My Linktree | IG | TWTR
It is a rare moment as of late that I enjoy all the female characters in a book, but this book did it for me. From Jackie to Cornelia to Rosalie, I adored the women of Death on the Nile. That's not to say the men were disappointing. In fact, they (nearly) lived up to the women, every one of them. I'm just a bit surprised sometimes to see fictional men and women written so well. It's refreshing!
On to the story, and mystery, itself, I absolutely loved it. I had my mind entirely made up on who it was about 5 times, one of which was actually correct but I had no idea at the time. Instead, I kept guessing, sure I was wrong. But that's the norm with me. On the rare occasion I figure out a mystery for myself, I second guess it, and then choose the wrong person. A very, very wrong person.
For fans of mysteries that are nearly impossible to put down, this is the book for you.
(Also, complete side note, but I'm pretty sure I read this when I was younger and totally forgot I had. It seemed a tad bit familiar to me at times, but I truly remember nothing else of my middle school experience, so who knows?)
Note: Save your money and do not buy the pretty copy below. It is riddled with errors that didn't exist in earlier editions of the book.
As in many, many instances of misspelled words, no spaces where there should be spaces, and quotation marks missing in almost every chapter.
I don't know how this happened, but please do not spend money on an attractive edition of the book when the publishing company utterly butchered Agatha Christie's work.
The offender:
If you're looking for a correct copy, I know the one below is good. Honestly, I would venture to assume most older editions stick to the original source material. I'll choose ugly covers and accurate material any day.
The correct copy:
My Website | My YA Thriller Books | My Bookish Podcast | My Linktree | IG | TWTR
April 2, 2021
This Review ✍️ Blog 📖 Twitter 🐦 Instagram 📷 Support me ☕
Reading Christie’s books feels like a ticket to the past, you don’t read those stories because you live them. Whenever I read one of her books, I am just fascinated by literally everything. I love how the restrictions were less on writers when Agatha wrote so her books were as realistic as ever! She did not need to tame the language and I love seeing terms and how their use has changed through the decades!
Death on the Nile is one of Christie’s longest stories and it was still a very fast read for me. I think Christie invested a lot in the characters this time and the actual murder does only happen after 170 pages which is a bit weird for books of this kind!
The main detective here is Poirot and Colonel Race helps him and I love their dynamics in this story! I keep discovering new things about Agatha and I can see their influence in the story, just like the fact that she worked as a nurse during the war and that she really did visit Egypt and you can tell by how realistic her writing is! I was actually grinning like a fool when she mentioned the donkey boys and the way they spoke English was very funny yet very true!
I can’t give much about the murder but as usual, everyone is a suspect and Christie manipulates the reader to make them suspect all the characters or on the other hand not suspect some of them so you really can’t make up your mind in the end till Poirot reveals it all and if you know him enough, you know he does not do so without enough evidence!
Summary: A comfort read as usual which was very realistic in everything! The ending was kind of surprising and I can’t expect less from the queen of mystery!
“Love is not everything, Mademoiselle,’ Poirot said gently. ‘It is only when we are young that we think it is.”
Reading Christie’s books feels like a ticket to the past, you don’t read those stories because you live them. Whenever I read one of her books, I am just fascinated by literally everything. I love how the restrictions were less on writers when Agatha wrote so her books were as realistic as ever! She did not need to tame the language and I love seeing terms and how their use has changed through the decades!
Death on the Nile is one of Christie’s longest stories and it was still a very fast read for me. I think Christie invested a lot in the characters this time and the actual murder does only happen after 170 pages which is a bit weird for books of this kind!
The main detective here is Poirot and Colonel Race helps him and I love their dynamics in this story! I keep discovering new things about Agatha and I can see their influence in the story, just like the fact that she worked as a nurse during the war and that she really did visit Egypt and you can tell by how realistic her writing is! I was actually grinning like a fool when she mentioned the donkey boys and the way they spoke English was very funny yet very true!
I can’t give much about the murder but as usual, everyone is a suspect and Christie manipulates the reader to make them suspect all the characters or on the other hand not suspect some of them so you really can’t make up your mind in the end till Poirot reveals it all and if you know him enough, you know he does not do so without enough evidence!
Summary: A comfort read as usual which was very realistic in everything! The ending was kind of surprising and I can’t expect less from the queen of mystery!
February 28, 2022
Christie’s novels are like old love, to be revisited again and again with sometimes a touch of nostalgia
“Once I went professionally to an archaeological expedition-and I learnt something there. In the course of an excavation, when something comes up out of the ground, everything is cleared away carefully all around it. You take away the loose earth, and you scrape here and there with a knife until finally your object is there, all alone, ready to be drawn and photographed with no extraneous matter confusing it. That is what I have been seeking to do- clear away the extraneous matter so that we can see the truth-the naked shining truth”. - Poirot
And this is what he does. Three murders, a case of switching real pearls with false ones, one anarchist, and several suspects- this classic who dun it has all the elements of nail-biting thriller. Patiently and with dollops of over confidence Poirot clears away all the extraneous matter, exposing the murderer in the end.
“Once I went professionally to an archaeological expedition-and I learnt something there. In the course of an excavation, when something comes up out of the ground, everything is cleared away carefully all around it. You take away the loose earth, and you scrape here and there with a knife until finally your object is there, all alone, ready to be drawn and photographed with no extraneous matter confusing it. That is what I have been seeking to do- clear away the extraneous matter so that we can see the truth-the naked shining truth”. - Poirot
And this is what he does. Three murders, a case of switching real pearls with false ones, one anarchist, and several suspects- this classic who dun it has all the elements of nail-biting thriller. Patiently and with dollops of over confidence Poirot clears away all the extraneous matter, exposing the murderer in the end.
November 7, 2022
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: July 5, 2005
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Language: English
ASIN: B000FCK9D6
320 pages
Curiously for a novel set in Egypt, there is really very little about Egypt in the story. Even more curious to me is that in a novel in which most of the action occurs on a steamer traveling up the Nile, there is very little about the ship or its crew. Neither the captain nor his officers make an appearance and in fact are never even mentioned. There is mention of and brief appearances by some stewards and an engineer. Ms. Christie also writes of a manager aboard the ship without explaining just what his shipboard function is. Apparently he is something like a chief steward in charge of the passenger services side of the steamer's crew. In the 1978 movie with Peter Ustinov as Poirot, actor I. S. Johar is manager of the Steamer Karnak. After a cobra is found in a passenger cabin, he utters the unforgettable line, " Oh! Never have I seen such a reptile in a first class cabin!" At which point I immediately thought, but a second class cabin? Maybe. Deck passage? Who knows what those people will bring aboard. Unfortunately neither that line nor the reptile appear in the novel.
Plenty of other complicated plot details and red herrings do appear. Almost convoluted details and actions. Just as with most other Christie novels I've read, this story is heavily puzzle driven. Oh, there are interesting characters and character development but the emphasis is on the puzzle of the mystery. If that is why you read mysteries you will most likely enjoy this one. Over the years it has proven to be one of Agatha Christie's more popular ones. I did enjoy it but I enjoyed the movie more.
Publication date: July 5, 2005
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Language: English
ASIN: B000FCK9D6
320 pages
Curiously for a novel set in Egypt, there is really very little about Egypt in the story. Even more curious to me is that in a novel in which most of the action occurs on a steamer traveling up the Nile, there is very little about the ship or its crew. Neither the captain nor his officers make an appearance and in fact are never even mentioned. There is mention of and brief appearances by some stewards and an engineer. Ms. Christie also writes of a manager aboard the ship without explaining just what his shipboard function is. Apparently he is something like a chief steward in charge of the passenger services side of the steamer's crew. In the 1978 movie with Peter Ustinov as Poirot, actor I. S. Johar is manager of the Steamer Karnak. After a cobra is found in a passenger cabin, he utters the unforgettable line, " Oh! Never have I seen such a reptile in a first class cabin!" At which point I immediately thought, but a second class cabin? Maybe. Deck passage? Who knows what those people will bring aboard. Unfortunately neither that line nor the reptile appear in the novel.
Plenty of other complicated plot details and red herrings do appear. Almost convoluted details and actions. Just as with most other Christie novels I've read, this story is heavily puzzle driven. Oh, there are interesting characters and character development but the emphasis is on the puzzle of the mystery. If that is why you read mysteries you will most likely enjoy this one. Over the years it has proven to be one of Agatha Christie's more popular ones. I did enjoy it but I enjoyed the movie more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 21,480 reviews