Agatha Christie Lovers discussion

Originally published in 1973. Features Tommy and Tuppence (#5).

The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to William Morrow Paperbacks. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford return in Christie’s classic Postern of Fate, to investigate a deadly poisoning sixty years after the fact.

This is our April book ;)

I wanted to share my thoughts on this book. From what I have read, this is the last book that Agatha Christie finished before she died. Because some of her books written previously were reserved for later publication, this was not the last book published, but this was the last book she had written.

I am sad to say that this was my least favorite book of hers that I have ever read. This book really needed some editing. There were several passages that were very similar, almost repeating. I also saw some Goodreads posts saying that she was using a dictaphone machine to write this book. That would possibly explain why similar passages exist.

And instead of being about the detectives Tommy and Tuppence, there are several aspects of this book that mirror her own life. It is almost like this book is about remembering her own past, more than telling us a new original mystery novel.

Like many Agatha Christie fans, I wonder why she didn't have more Tommy and Tuppence mysteries throughout the years? Tommy and Tuppence were first featured in her 2nd book, The Secret Adversary, which is very masterfully written. Throughout the years, there were 5 Tommy and Tuppence books, but the last two were written in her later years and in my opinion are not as good as her earlier works.

But there is something to be said for someone who loves what she does, to try to keep doing it throughout your life. So from that aspect, it was good that she was trying to write, even though her health was fading.

I love Tommy and Tuppence, but this didn't feel like a T&T novel to me. There was no amusing banter between them, and the mystery was not really much of a mystery at all. They are trying to find answers to a clue left in a book about someone who was murdered about sixty years ago. There are no suspects, no clues, and the end is just brought out nice and neat out of nowhere, but doesn't even make much sense.

This book seemed like just a stroll down memory lane with Tommy and Tuppence. I don't know how many times Mrs. Blenkensop, and N or M were brought up. It seemed to stall in the middle a little for me, and maybe it was a little too long for a mystery without a mystery. It seemed to drag on a little bit for me, and after a bit, I just wanted to get to the end and be done with it.

I tried to read this one some yaers ago, but I am afraid I gave up on it. I found it very difficult to read, very rambling and repetative.