The Tuesday Night Club read by Joan Hickson The Fourth Man read by Christopher Lee The Affair at the Victory Ball read by David Suchet The Case of the Discontented Soldier read by Hugh Fraser
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.
After publishing a few Hercule Poirot books, Agatha Christie decided to create a new character, that of an older spinster woman named Miss Marple. Against the objections of her publisher, who argued that no one would want to read a book about an old lady, Christie wrote a series of 13 stories that she named The Tuesday Night Club. In each, a group of friends of different backgrounds gathers to tell a real life mystery story that only the storyteller knows the answer to. The men challenge the women, and each person argues that his or her profession makes him or her most qualified to solve the problem. The first six stories involve a weekly club featuring Sir Henry Clithering, former head of Scotland Yard; Raymond West, Miss Marple's famous writer nephew; Dr. Pender, a clergyman; Mr. Petherick, a solicitor; and Joyce Lemprière, a famous artist, besides Miss Marple. In the next six stories, Colonel and Mrs. Bantry (featured in The Body in the Library) host a dinner party for Sir Henry and are surprised when he asks them to invite Miss Marple. In addition, Jane Helier, an actress, and Dr. Lloyd round out the party.
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This book was great. I loved the different way that different characters told their stories. I loved how Miss Marple was so unassuming but just came out with the answers like at all times. I just loved it. So many clever little stories packed into one book! This is a book that I would genuinely recommend to anyone, and if you like mysteries, for sure.
Agatha Christie nos presenteou com a detetive perfeita: Miss Marple. Uma senhora idosa que, entre uma ponta e outra de tricô, desvenda os crimes mais complexos. Sua curiosidade por “fofocas” é apenas uma desculpa para mergulhar em mistérios que são um verdadeiro deleite. E aproveitando a sede por mistério que “Estoy pensando en dejarlo” me deixou, mergulhei em seus contos. Foi o remédio perfeito!
If you are old enough to remember Tales of the Unexpected tv programme of the 70's - then this book is like that - it's a series of 4 stories which includes a mystery with Hercules Poirot and of course Miss Marple appears. It wasn't bad but I don't think it is a great way to use valuable time
Very repetitive. I understand these stories were originally released in a magazine or newspaper and I think that would be more enjoyable than reading them one right after the other.
I read a different version of the audio book narrated by Joan Hickson, the actress that played Miss Marple perfectly. This is a collection of 13 stories with one of my favorite storytelling tropes: a group of people gather together, usually over drinks and/or dinner, and solve a mystery submitted by one of the company. Everyone discounts Miss Marple because she's a gentle maiden lady who lives primarily in St. Mary Mead, a small village. Of course, with her village situations analogies, she often sees through the extraneous stuff to solve the whole thing.
One of the diners finally sees through her and often challenges her to come forth with the solution sooner than later. A very enjoyable collection of stories.
I am cataloging our collection of Agatha Christie, we have had them on a shelf in our workroom because they weren't circulating. I am so happy to be reading and rereading these wonderful stories. They may not set the world on fire, but just for a bit you can curl up in a chair and watch Miss Marple knit, listen and solve!!