Agatha Christie A to Z is a pretty thorough and comprehensive guide to the works and life of the world's greatest and most enduring mystery writer ever. Everything is here from Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple to the most obscure characters. This is a must for Christie fans and for all mystery lovers.

I can't BELIEVE this book is out of print; I would have thought it would never happen! If you've read at least under 20 of Agatha's books, then the Companion would make your day. If you've read them all, it is still undroppable. Every single book, play, and movie of AC's are listed in it. The books are gone into in great detail, telling the circumstances of their creation, what AC though about them, what various reviewers at the time thought about them, who is in them, and what they are about. Did you know AC was writing 'N or M?' as a hospital nurse at the time of the London air raids?...for example. I mean it--this book is an absolute dream-come-true for even the slightest Agatha Christie fans. You'll know what you want to read next, what you don't want to read next, what movies you'll want to see, etc. It's half biography and half Christie-Lovers book of dreams. Try to get it; I guarantee you won't be able to put it down.

In the book A Murder is Announced, Miss Marple,the main charcter thinks fast and solves the case before anybody realizes what is going on. Miss Marple,lives in the English town of St. Mary's Mead. She has always succeeded where police have failed and uses her knowlege of human nature.This book was exciting every minute, it is action packed and alittle confusing but is a great book. When you read this book you will be amzed at who the murderer is. She is the one you would at least accept and she has another identy. Yes, this book is truly one of a kind.

Many books have been written concerning the life and writing of Agatha Christie, but, so far, this book must take the prize for being the most comprehensive, well-informed and accurate guide to the work of this remarkable author. This is not a critical appraisal of Christie's works, but rather the sort of book you need at hand when reading a Christie title. Dawn B. Sova has compiled an outstanding array of knowledge on Agatha Christie's books, with all sorts of information which should further any devoted reader's enjoyment of Mrs Christie's work. An excellent achievement.

Very good selections. Periot is always my favorite.

I can't believe that a story can twist so many times in just 200 and so pages. Agatha's first book is one of her best. She presents the story in such a way that gets the reader involved from the first second.
Unfortunately I read "Curtain" first and then this book, (Curtain was the last Poirot's book) so I had a lagoon between the two stories. But still, it didn't matter because Christie's style allows the reader to get to know the characters in any book, meaning, she introduces the reader as if it was the first book she's ever written about the character. I think that anyone who likes detectivish novels, should read this one. The story will leave you wanting more.

Me he leído casi todos los libros que ha escrito Agatha Christie. Con el tiempo, he aprendido a predecir quién sería el asesino en casi todos sus libros. Sin embargo, este libro me ha sorprendido totalmente. Nuestro héroe, Hércules Poirot, está magnífico en este libro. Con su toque de soberbia y superioridad, nos demuestra también su lado humano. El desarrollo del argumento es magistral, con la sensación de claustrofobia, en un tren parado en el medio de la nada, aprisionado por la nieve. Ocurre un asesinato ya previsible. Pero, de ahí, adivinar el asesino... Es totalmente imprevisible. Las caracterizaciones de los personajes son maravillosas, como es característico en la dama del crimen.

Bette Davis is having problems in Hollywood. Warner Brothers won't provide the juicy parts she needs to broaden her screen career, and she wants to renegotiate her contract. Also, her marriage seems to be on the rocks. So naturally, she decides to sail to England to get away from it all. On the ship she meets Nydia Tilson, a prominent medium. And since Bette is looking for a place to live while in London, Nydia suggests she rent the mansion of her former fiancé, the famous archaeologist, Virgil Wynn. Bette is more that willing to do so.

Unfortunately, it appears as if someone is slowly murdering Virgil, who realizes this but with stiff British upper lip sits around fading away while planning to leave on his next (and probably last) archaeological dig.

Bette moves in the day Virgil that moves out for journey to Egypt. She also meets her next door neighbor a certain Mrs. Mallowan, who just happens to be a writer with a passion for eating apples.

The next morning Bette wakes to discover Virgil's dead body. Informing her neighbor of the situation Agatha Mallowan responds, "My specialité. A body in the library!"

The rest of the novel unwinds in true Christie-style with loads of suspicious friends, relatives and hired help. (Unfortunately, there's no butler who could have done it.)

As in all of his celebrity mysteries, Baxt has again thoroughly researched both the history of the era and the lives of Bette Davis and Agatha Christie. This results in a very believable and enjoyable work. This one set on my book shelf for a couple of years before I got around to reading it. So you might have a hard time finding a copy of it. If you do, grab it because it is a fun read.

Agagtha Christie is the queen of Mystery. There is nothing like listening to her wonderful stories unfold. I highly recommend this one for long drives. You will not be sorry.

THIRTEEN AT DINNER is a truly entertaining audiocassette. I own almost all of the Agatha Christie/"BBC Radio Presents" dramas, and this one ranks among the best of them, including SAD CYPRESS, DEATH ON THE NILE, and the Miss Marple double feature, 4:50 FROM PADDINGTON and A POCKET FULL OF RYE.

This particular Hercule Poirot whodunit has previously been adapted several times -- first as a 1934 British film, under the original title, LORD EDGWARE DIES (1934), released just a year after the debut of the novel.

Then came the 1985 American television movie, starring Peter Ustinov as Poirot; Jonathan Cecil as Captain Hastings; David Suchet, the PBS Poirot, as Inspector Japp; and Faye Dunaway.

The recent PBS version, reverting to the LORD EDGWARE DIES title, presented Suchet as Poirot -- in a cast that included Dominic Guard and Christopher Guard. This rates as the best screen adaptation to date.

But the BBC Radio version, dating from 1992, is sublime. John Moffatt, the perennial Poirot of BBC Radio, again assumes that role. His Captain Hastings is Simon Williams, perhaps best known in America as James in UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS.

The one drawback to this audio is that there is no additional cast listing. With all other BBC Radio dramas in the BDD (Bantam Doubleday Dell) series, there's a printed cast list -- and the players are also credited by the announcer at the conclusion of the tape. Not here, alas! And I'd love to know who the other actors are in this superlative production.

That omission aside, THIRTEEN AT DINNER is highly recommended for Christie aficionados and radio drama lovers in general.

Full disclosure: for the past fourteen years I have worked for an imprint of Random House, which, a year ago, acquired the division that distributes these BBC Radio tapes in the U.S. -- but I was a fan of the Christie series (and other BBC Radio presentations) long before corporate megamerger fused us into one media-monolith family.