The Agatha Christie Reading Group discussion

Ok I'm in.

fine by me.

Sounds like a good idea. :-)

Yup!

Sounds good to me!

I like reading in chronological order, makes more sense in my head. Plus I've seen a lot of these as shows on Netflix and it's fun re-reading and re-watching.

I'm in!! Since I won't be reading Body in the Library. Only because I just read it last year. And I have others I would like to get to. Reading Sparkling Cyanide now, if anyone is interested..... :)

oh btw...I am sooooo out of order with my Christie!! Always have been.. lol

Yay!!! :)

Cool! Sounds exciting. And that's a funny coincidence, my birthday is in August!

Hi, sorry haven't checked in this week so didn't know I needed to pick a book for April. What about Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton. I have a kindle edition of The Complete Father Brown but it's too long so we could read some of the stories. I'll just start at the beginning and see how many of the stories I read. Beginning with "The blue cross".

Ok so I've read the first 3 stories. The blue cross, the secret Garden and The queer feet. I especially liked the first story. Father Brown was suggested to me as similar to Christie. I can see the similarities but it's really nowhere near as good. The quality of the writing and cleverness of the plot are leagues apart. But I will read more because these stories are good fun.

Yes, I'm enjoying these,but I have to say that I think GKC essays and comments are much better than his Father Brown stories. I don't think they have worked very well at all on TV.

Lauren wrote: "Okay, so here's the schedule so far for the group member picks so far:

April: Isobel
May: Mark
June: Sarah
July: Malcolm
August: CJ
September: Cindy"

OK Thinking ahead to my pick in July I would like to suggest A Talent To Deceive by Robert Barnard, the best book I know about Christie. However,could you folk let me know if that is going to be too difficult to find at your libraries. If so, I go for something different, but it really is an excellent book

Lauren wrote: "I have started reading the Father Brown stories as well. I agree with you that they're not as good as Agatha Christie, but they're still nice little stories to read."

I found the Father Brown series of short tales far more cerebral than Christies output. Mr Chesterton was a deep thinker and philospher compared to Miss Christie. besides them sharing the era they lived I find them very different but nonetheless both enjoyable.

Lauren,
Roger Ackroyd seems to be getting overall approval, I wonder if we should start to list of top ten (or twenty) favourites. I guess it would be up to you to spot when a title has received "overall praise". What do you think

Lauren wrote: "Malcolm wrote: "Lauren,
Roger Ackroyd seems to be getting overall approval, I wonder if we should start to list of top ten (or twenty) favourites. I guess it would be up to you to spot when a title..."

Thanks Lauren. In view of the enthusiastic comments from the group, I would put Ackroyd in our basket of AC at her best. I'll nominate it for the top ten and we can make our minds up at the end of our tour

Ooh a question Lauren. I have been wondering since around March. For our pick for the month can the book be a Christie book as well? I have an idea for one but if it so late in the series would it be okay (it is a Poirot book)?

Ok so I think my pick for June will be Crooked House. :-)

Aww okay. This one would have been nearly to the end of the Poirot series but alright.

Hi C.J. I picked crooked House because it doesn't have miss Marple, Poirot or Tommy and Tuppance in it. Thought it would be interesting to read one of Agatha Christie`s books without any of her famous sleuths involved. :-)

Hey Sarah. Yep I understand that. :)

I should have pointed out I was just responding to Lauren's reply that the book I was thinking about would be near the end of the Poirot series.

On a side note, Crooked House does sound like a good one!!

Sorry CJ, my fault. Yes hopefully Crooked House will be interesting. Have you decided on your pick yet?

Totally fine. It was my fault for not hitting "reply" when that is what I usually do.

A pick? Hmm not yet. I am looking over the lists that is always near the back of her books. I love that she has written so much that there is plenty to choose from!

Has everyone heard of The Monogram Murders? A Hercule Poirot book authorized by owners of Christie's legacy coming out in Sept. Who better than Sophie Hannah to write it? We'll see...

Candace wrote: "Has everyone heard of The Monogram Murders? A Hercule Poirot book authorized by owners of Christie's legacy coming out in Sept. Who better than Sophie Hannah to write it? We'll see..."
Not heard about that. Is it based on any Christie material do you know?

Malcolm wrote: "Candace wrote: "Has everyone heard of The Monogram Murders? A Hercule Poirot book authorized by owners of Christie's legacy coming out in Sept. Who better than Sophie Hannah to writ..."

My understanding is that she is using characters from the Poirot books but that the mystery will be her own. It will be interesting to see. She is more of a suspense than cozy mystery writer in past books but I don't like to ....can't think of the phrase....meaning I don't like to expect writers to stay in their niches but I think labels are somewhat necessary in order to describe their work...but please, feel free to roam about the cabin? Good enough explanation?

Lauren, may I take the month of October, or whatever is the next open month? I don't have a book in mind yet, but I will let you know when I do. I'm having surgery on my elbow July 8 and I plan to do some catch-up reading! And I can think about it then. With the pain meds I may be catch-up sleeping!

Candace wrote: "Malcolm wrote: "Candace wrote: "Has everyone heard of The Monogram Murders? A Hercule Poirot book authorized by owners of Christie's legacy coming out in Sept. Who better than Sophi..."
thank you

Can I suggest Murder is Easy for my July pick?

I found Talent to Deceive, Malcolm (it's having to come from another library, so it's not in hand yet). We're others not able to get it or was it a recommendation? I'll take a glance at it since I have it coming to me.

Candace wrote: "I found Talent to Deceive, Malcolm (it's having to come from another library, so it's not in hand yet). We're others not able to get it or was it a recommendation? I'll take a glance at it since I..."
I sort of took the silence to mean that people couldn't get hold of it. But, yes, very happy to go with Talent to Deceive if enough people have got it. What do you say, Lauren?
Candace, I'm sure you'll find it a good book. It's never far from the arm of my chair. (it's there now!)

I have now requested both. So I'm good !lol

Do you know which one you are doing Malcolm? One of your two is ready for pick up at my library...I'm not going to influence you by telling you which one it is! :)

Yes! Go on, the decision will rest on the throw of a dice ... or library ticket. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed!)

Lauren- Just confirming- it does not have to be an AC book, Is that correct? I think the additional book is great for learning about other great mysteries that were during Christie's time, or maybe even trying a book that has won the Agatha award...There are a lot of options! Later when the book I mentioned above becomes available, I think it would be a great discussion book.

Malcolm- you are right. I picked up both books from the library. A talent to Deceive is wonderful! It gives great descriptions without spoilers of each book and it's just fun reading! It's shorter than I thought it would be - I pictured encyclopedic size. lol! This would have been a great pick also.

Mwahahaha... I think I have picked the one for August. I have picked this a little while ago but just in case I have no time and August rolls around, here it is.

I pick Endless Night for August.

Lauren wrote: "CJ wrote: "Mwahahaha... I think I have picked the one for August. I have picked this a little while ago but just in case I have no time and August rolls around, here it is.

I pick Endless Night fo..."

good one, cj

There are some in this selection that I really am puzzled about but its very much a matter of choice. What do you think of his selection? Top ten Christies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whf38...

I have pre-ordered my copy of The Monogram Murders! It will be out on Tuesday! It sounds very interesting; Hannah uses a hotel in the book that was a big London hotel in the 20s but shut down after 3 murders were committed there in 1929 (I'm trying to remember this info from the AC page...)! Poirot comes to the rescue!

Candace wrote: "I have pre-ordered my copy of The Monogram Murders! It will be out on Tuesday! It sounds very interesting; Hannah uses a hotel in the book that was a big London hotel in the 20s but..."

Hmm, don't want to self promote but a very good radio show will be mentioning it on Sunday night

I wonder how others feel, Lauren. Shall we read this one out of sequence

Hi Lauren, I saw the poll for The Monogram Murder for October. That is the month for my additional book. I do want to read TMM with the group, but I don't want people to feel they have to choose between that book and mine, as I know a lot of people will. A lot of people don't have time to read more than 2 books a month or choose not to read m ore than 2 mysteries a month. If we do TMM in October, can we move me to November and keep it to two books per month or some other idea you might have???

thanks Lauren!now I understand...

Ooh, Lauren. A huge, HUGE suggestion! I love how we keep jumping back and forth from Miss Marple and M. Poirot as the "main" titles but I am afraid that over time we will lose Miss Marple before we get the chance to appreciate her as a wonderful, humble lady.

If we ever skip any more titles about her can we in those particular months replace those with non-Miss Marple just so we can when her time comes around again be able to savor her tales? I hope that we don't run out of Miss Marple and then there are ten more Poirot's after that or something. Then what can we do...?

One little Marple book stands on its toes.
It had finally read itself and then there were none.

Just kidding. Glad you heard my feedback, Lauren. You've been great at creating and handling this group!

Lauren wrote: "CJ wrote: "Ooh, Lauren. A huge, HUGE suggestion! I love how we keep jumping back and forth from Miss Marple and M. Poirot as the "main" titles but I am afraid that over time we will lose Miss Marpl..."

With Sleeping Murder in December, we will be done with Marple.

We can always move on to Superintendent Battle and Colonel Race.

1924 The Man in the Brown Suit Colonel Race
1925 The Secret of Chimneys Superintendent Battle
1929 The Seven Dials Mystery Superintendent Battle
1939 Murder is Easy Superintendent Battle
1944 Towards Zero Superintendent Battle
1945 Sparkling Cyanide Colonel Race

There's always Tommy & Tuppence after that. :-)

I cant wait to see what is in store for OCT!

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