Appointment With Agatha discussion

A snowy read for December!

I'm reading it for the third time.

I'm not sure if I'll get to this. I'm having a tough time with reading lately. I know I'm going to shock a lot of people in the group but this is not one of my favourites.

I've never read this. I'm thinking of getting an audiobook version and I'd like some advice on which one to choose.

I listened to the sample for Suchet and didn't like it much.

Branagh seemed to make a better job but the sample is short and I'm uncertain of him reading Poirot.

Dan Stevens is unknown to me but I rather liked him in the sample.

Any recommendations?

I haven't heard any of the audios yet for this one. Dan Stevens is famous for his role in Downton Abbey and Beauty and the Beast. He has a wonderful voice and I imagine it would lend itself very well to audio books. However, that's only an opinion. I didn't know he was doing audios.
Don't know if this helps Mike.

Teresa wrote: "I haven't heard any of the audios yet for this one. Dan Stevens is famous for his role in Downton Abbey and Beauty and the Beast. He has a wonderful voice and I imagine it would lend itself very we..."

It does, thank you. I've never seen Downton Abbey but I saw the Beauty and the Beast movie.

At the moment, I'm trying to decide between Branagh and Stevens and inclining towards Stevens because he's fresh and Branagh can be a bit of a diva.

Bit of a diva!! I love it:)

I recommend the Dan Stevens over the full-cast audio version. I have listened to both. The problem with the full-cast audio is that it is abridged. I haven't listened to the Branagh version, but I agree with you about him being a diva, and I thought his Poirot was . . . not great, so I would personally avoid that one.

So, given that (to my knowledge) there ISN'T a Hugh Fraser narration, I prefer the Stevens version even to the Suchet version. I haven't listened to the Suchet version, because it's not available on audio, but I've listened to other Suchet narrations, and the voices he uses for women can be pretty terrible (thinking specifically of Death on the Nile here).

Christine PNW wrote: "I recommend the Dan Stevens over the full-cast audio version. I have listened to both. The problem with the full-cast audio is that it is abridged. I haven't listened to the Branagh version, but I ..."

Thank you. I was disappointed that there wasn't a Hugh Fraser version but I'm hoping that Dan Stevens will bring something fresh to the read, especially as I've never read this book or seen the movies so I'm coming to it wide open.

I read it before, and actually really enjoyed reading it a second time even though I knew the outcome

I have the David Suchet version and was listening last night. IMHO, his female voices were fine. I thought his reading of the interview scene between the American matron (can't remember character names) was amazing, one of the best I have come across in the close to 20 years that have been listening to audiobooks. First, the way he moved rapid-fire between the two accents (Poirot's strongly French-accented English and the American matron) -- and never misses a beat. Second, his choice of characterization for the matron herself. I am actually thinking about winding back and re-reading the scene.

Amazon has multiple versions of MotOE. I got the Suchet a number of years ago and have listened to it a few time. There are a couple of dramatizations (which I'm not interested in) and there are versions read by Dan Stevens and by Kenneth Branagh. I'm sitting here trying to decide if I want to spend credits on either of these versions (decided: will borrow from library).

Interesting that there is no Hugh Fraser version available but then again Fraser is Hastings voice and Hastings does not appear in this novel.

Just found out while borrowing/reserving the Stevens and the Branagh reading that the Suchet version is still available through Overdrive (though not necessarily through your library):

OverDrive Listen audiobook

ISBN: 9780062231543
File size: 196733 KB
Release date: July 3, 2012
Duration: 06:49:51

MP3 audiobook

ISBN: 9780062231543
File size: 197078 KB
Release date: July 3, 2012
Duration: 06:49:48
Number of parts: 6

Peregrina651 wrote: "I have the David Suchet version and was listening last night. IMHO, his female voices were fine. I thought his reading of the interview scene between the American matron (can't remember character n..."

Audible no longer has the Suchet narration available, unfortunately. If they did, I would buy that one & compare it to the Stevens version. I don't really have any interest in the Branagh narration, but I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. I'm glad to hear that you like the Suchet narration - have you listened to his narration of Death on the Nile? One of the voices he uses for one of the women just made me crazy, although I otherwise liked it.

The newer dramatization is well done, but it's abridged, so I would consider it a supplement to the text, not a replacement.

So far I've listened to the Dan Stevens audiobook only, but I'd recommend it. I stumbled across the Suchet version on Kobo though and picked it up so that's what I plan to listen to this time around.

Audible no longer has the Suchet narration available, unfortunately. If they did, I would buy that one & compare it to the Stevens version.

I read the Suchet version in its entirety and then a couple of hours of the Stevens version (and the Branagh is on wait - list at the library) . It is like comparing apples and oranges. They are both the most amazing tasting apple or orange you have ever eaten but they are both still very different. It is wonderful that we have choices -- and aren't stuck with one unacceptable reader.

Both readers have an excellent and nuanced command of the American accent. Both have chosen American accents that fit the characters. But their choices could not be more different and so it goes throughout the comparison of the two.

It starts with tone. You notice it from the get-go. Suchet is subtly theatrical while Stevens is more understated. This, for many, may be the deciding factor as we all have very strong preferences..

IMHO, both were flawless reads, so it is impossible to say one was better than the other or that one is not at all acceptable. This makes the choosing all the much harder -- but at least we have choices.

Peregrina651 wrote: " Audible no longer has the Suchet narration available, unfortunately. If they did, I would buy that one & compare it to the Stevens version.

I read the Suchet version in its entirety and then a co..."

I agree, it's great to have choices. Listening to the Stevens version made me realize that he delivers what I expect from a narrator - something subtle and unintrusive. I don't want the narration to be the one-man-show version of the soundtrack from a dramatization.

Hard to believe I’d never read this one. A really fun read with a great wrap up. I’m going to watch one of the film adaptations tonight.

Enjoy the movie, Chad! Which will you be watching?

Rosemarie wrote: "Enjoy the movie, Chad! Which will you be watching?"
Thanks! I think it will be the 1974 version. I love the classics (hummm, is 1974 “classic” yet?) . And that cast! I don’t see how it could possibly be disappointing. I’m sure I’ll end up watching the recent version soon as well.

That version has a great cast and soundtrack.

First Christie I ever read, back in 1978.

The 1974 film is excellent; have not seen the more recent one.