In A Murder is Announced, Agatha Christie's fiftieth detective story, and surely the best of the Miss Marples, "the latest idea is to advertise one's murders beforehand", by placing an advertisement in the paper-hence the title. And so, "once more a murder is announced-for the benefit and enjoyment of Miss Marple."

The setting is Chipping Cleghorn, which is perhaps Christie's best-drawn village setting-and certainly the quintessential Miss Marple novel. Christie vividly captures the feeling of how "the world has changed since the war... Fifteen years ago one knew who everybody was... If anybody new-really new-really a stranger-came, well, they stuck out-everybody wondered about them and didn't rest till they found out. But it's not like that any more. Every village and small country place is full of people who've just come and settled there without any ties to bring them... And people just come-and all you know about them is what they say of themselves... Nobody knows any more who anyone is." It is this feeling of insecurity Christie admirably captures that allows the ingenious plot-quite simply one of her best-to take place. Despite the beauty of the village, however, the simple rural cosiness, "there was a nightmarish feeling at the back of [Detective Inspector Craddock's] mind. It was like a familiar dream where an undertone of menace grows and finally turns Ease into Terror..." Neighbour cannot trust neighbour, and the tension slowly mounts-no atmospherics here, simply first-rate characterisation, with Christie particularly good at depicting elderly spinsters, with a sympathetic treatment of lesbianism and of old age.

Miss Marple's statement that "one is alone when the last one who remembers is gone. I have nephews and nieces and kind friends-but there's no one who knew me as a young girl-no one who belongs to the old days. I've been alone for quite a long time now" captures the whole feeling of the book-elderly spinsters living in solitude in the country, dependent upon each other for their comfort. At the heart of the novel are five old women: Miss Marple, the detective, "the finest detective God ever made. Natural genius cultivated in a suitable soil..."; Miss Blacklock and Miss Bunner; and Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd. Miss Blacklock and Miss Hinchcliffe are the dominant partners, shrewd and capable; while Miss Bunner and Miss Murgatroyd are woolly-minded and amiable, dependent upon their stronger-minded friends for security. Yet when Miss Bunner and Miss Murgatroyd are both murdered, the true depths of the feelings-of the dependency-Miss Blacklock and Miss Hinchcliffe felt is made apparent. These portraits of love and grief are unrivalled anywhere else in Christie's books, and show her ability to create human characters.

Miss Marple herself is at the top of her powers, actively detecting. Sir Henry Clithering remarks that "an elderly unmarried woman who knits and gardens is streets ahead of any detective sergeant. She can tell you what might have happened and what ought to have happened and even what actually did happen! And she can tell you why it happened!" Although she deprecates her abilities, modestly claiming that she has "no gifts at all-except perhaps a certain knowledge of human nature", her ability to reason from both material clues and dialogue is seen at its best; and she is an active player for once, reasoning and sleuthing like the best of them.

Setting and characterisation aside, the plot itself is one of Christie's best. It is complicated, "all so complex, nearly all so trivial and if one thing isn't trivial, it's so hard to spot which one-like a needle in a haystack", but not cluttered-one of Christie's gifts. The motive, stated quite clearly from the beginning, is money, and Miss Marple "know[s] only too well the really terrible things that people will do to lay their hands on a lot of money." Yet the identity of the real beneficiary / murderer is so well-hidden, aided by "the most amazing impersonation", that the reader will never work out the meaning of the clues, despite Miss Marple's listing them.

"You could get away with a great deal if you had enough audacity", Miss Marple reflects at one point-and both murderess and author do have enough audacity.

In the small English village of Chipping Cleghord something quite remarkable is published in the advertisement section of the local Gazette. Most advertisements are about antique cars for sale, puppies for adoption or lovers seeking reunions, but not this particular one. This one advertises murder. "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 p.m. Friends please accept this, the only intimation." Needless to say that quite a party of people appears at Little Paddocks at the appointed hour. Alas, when it turns out to be all but a joke, only Miss Jane Marple seems to have a clue about what really happened.

This book, published in 1950, was claimed to be Agatha Christie's 50th novel, although not everyone agreed to this number, due to of a few short story collections. It certainly is one of the most memorable books she ever wrote. As always, the personalities of Miss Marple's friends create ample opportunities to introduce subtle sparks of humour to the story. Quite remarkable are the characters of Amy Murgatroyd and Miss Hinchcliff. This was certainly the first time Agatha Christie went this far portraying obviously "gay" people in one of her novels.

The plot itself is quite ingenious, even measured against Agatha's high standards, while the suspense is present from the very beginning until the final revelation. But most importantly the outcome is unscrupulously fair, since the book is scattered with clues - but also with quite a few of her famous red herrings. You need to note down every little detail if you want to catch the murderer before our old friend Miss Marple does.

This book is a must-read for every Agatha Christie addict or fan of a good detective story.

Agatha Christie takes us and Miss Marple to the wonderfully cozy village life of post World War II. We get an insight into what life was like for the English in those years---housing shortages, food rationing, inability to get domestic help, the arrival of strangers into towns that had known stable populations for years. This last part is central to the mystery of this superb novel.

Miss Marple is visiting with friends in Chipping Cleghorn when an ad in the Personals column of the morning paper sets village tongues wagging. The ad reads: "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 p.m." Is there anyone who will be able to resist turning up at such an occasion?

Readers can follow all the clues---a photograph album with missing pictures, central heating vs. a fire in the fireplace, and a conversation over morning coffee---to solve along with Miss Marple this story of impersonation and foul play in a cozy and quaint English village.

When an unpleasant businessman is taken ill at his London office and subsequently dies of taxine poisoning, authorities discover a house full of likely suspects: a young, sexy wife having an affair; a money grubbing son worried about his father's management of the family business; an angry daughter frustrated in love by her father's control. But no sooner do police suspicions begin to form around one of the three than murder strikes again--and then again--in such a way as to leave them baffled. Enter, of course, Miss Marple, who sets about uncovering a killer who may be a psychotic that is killing victims in accordance with the old "Sing a Song of Sixpence" nursey rhyme.

Most of Christie's great novels were written in the 1930s and 1940s. Although she could still create a stunner when she wished, with A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED a case in point, by the 1950s Christie favored a less complicated approach, preferring to write novels that might be described as creamy confections for a very civilized high tea. A POCKET FULL OF RYE is perhaps the perfect example. Like most Christie novels, the plot is extremely contrived--but in this instance she makes no effort to conceal the contrivance; it is a shell game, pure and simple and without pretension, a game undertaken for the pleasure of it. And when Christie sets out to write a novel for the pure fun of it, there is always a great deal of fun to be had. This will never rank among her greatest works, but fans will devour it in a single sitting and feel as satisified as if they had just enjoyed a blow-out of cream buns. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Almost every formula, idea, and trick that Agatha Christie used in her detective fiction works proved to be entirely successful and won her an enormous reading public. Making use of nursery rhymes was one such formula. Nursery rhymes can reawaken the sense of wonder, mystery and enchantment in any reader. They also can carry symbolic levels of meaning, and some are allegories.

In this her 1953 offering she makes use of the nursery rhyme "Sing A Song Of Sixpence". Appropriately it is one of her Miss Marple books. Although her elderly spinster sleuth has little to do here, and is late making her appearance, it is she who perceives and urges the significance of the nursery rhyme. "Don't you see, it makes a pattern to all this."

The murders occur in the disfunctional family of Rex Fortescue, a financier, and the action occurs in his London office and in the family home, Yew Tree Lodge. The opening chapters are wonderfully engaging. Agatha Christie, when she took the trouble, could sketch characters vividly. Amongst all of them in this book, there are not more than a handful of suspects. To compensate, Mrs Christie throws in buckets full of red herrings.

You'll enjoy the puzzle, and having innumerable theories suggested and dismissed. The solution, when it comes, however, is no more plausible than is the likelihood of a blackbird pecking off a maid's nose.

If you can obtain the unabridged reading of the book by Rosemary Leach, your enjoyment will be enhanced. Rosemary Leach is unusually skilled at "doing" the voices of a large cast of characters, male and female.

Agatha Christie gives us an excellent addition to her "nursery rhyme" mysteries with this one. The king in the counting house counting out his money is Rex Fortescue, financial giant who dies at his London office in the course of a normal working day. For reasons unknown, his coat contains a pocket full of rye. The queen in the parlour who was eating bread and honey is his young second wife, rumored to have married him for his money. Although she is the first suspect, her murder the following afternoon after a tea of scones and honey, shifts suspicion. That same afternoon, the housemaid Glady Martin is also found dead. While unpegging clothes from the clothesline, someone strangled her with a stocking and left a clothespin attached to her nose to complete the rhyme's final line "When there came a little bird and nipped off her nose."

It is the death of the maid that brings Miss Jane Marple into the case. Gladys had been one of the village girls Miss Marple had trained for domestic service. Miss Marple considers it her duty to find the person who killed Gladys, and with Inspector Neele, the investigator in charge of the case, she does just that.

The book is filled with possible suspects: Percival, the eldest son along with his wife and daughter; a younger son Lancelot and his wife; Miss Effie Ramsbottom, an elderly aunt; and several suspicious servants.

Once again, it is Miss Marple's life-long experience with wickedness and her understanding of a young girl's mind that leads her to the solution of this outstanding mystery.

This book's quite well written, but i could guess the ending much earlier than the last few pages, so i can't really give it five stars.

The story : Elinor Carlisle is accused of poisoning Mary Gerrard, with the case against her apparently watertight. But Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective, is not at all convinced. He undertakes the commission of finding out the truth, as opposed to defending Elinor ..........

What's unusual about this as a Hercule Poirot story is that he doesn't dominate the book, and other characters have equally big roles to play. He's more like the 'usual' detective in that he comes every now and then to make inquiries - but of course in his powers of reasoning and analysis he's far from 'usual'.

The various characters are well-etched, and the mystery unfolds nicely. However, it's possible for even the slightly alert reader to guess the ending well in advance, which to me is a drawback in this sort of a book.

All in all, a very well written murder mystery, well worth a read - but Agatha Christie (even if not many others!) has done better.

Come away, come away, death,
and in sad cypress let me be laid;
fly away, fly away breath;
I am slain by a fair cruel maid
- clown's song in Shakespeare's _Twelfth Night_, Act II, scene 4

Copyright 1939/1940. No narrator.

Unusual structure: the prologue is from the viewpoint of Elinor Carlisle, on trial for the murder of Mary Gerrard. Her defense counsel has a bad fright as she hesitates before pleading 'not guilty'. From her viewpoint, we can see only a frozen, numb detachment. Poirot is in court, watching her; she believes he's attempting to tell why she did it.

For all we know, she might have.

Part I, told in flashback from Elinor's viewpoint, begins at what Elinor considers the starting point - the arrival of an anonymous letter - and ending with Mary Gerrard's death; Poirot has no part to play here. (Occasionally the flashback slips a little, following Mary Gerrard through scenes where Elinor wasn't present; however, such scenes pull their weight in terms of character development, which also serves to bring the crime home to the reader, as we get to know the victim. Or do we?)

Poirot enters the tale properly in Part II, when Peter Lord, the local doctor who seems to have fallen for Elinor, asks Poirot to clear her - admitting flat out that he doesn't care about the truth. (Poirot, of course, doesn't take it on those terms, and Lord gives in, since no truth could make the case against Elinor any worse - as far as he can see). Part I is told in flashback from Elinor's viewpoint, though not in 1st person. Part II follows Poirot in 3rd person as do most non-Hastings Poirot stories.

The initial anonymous letter - warning Elinor to watch her back, since Mary Gerrard has become a much-favoured protege of Elinor's wealthy, invalid aunt Laura - draws Elinor out of her social butterfly routine in London to Laura Welman's country house. By bringing Laura and Mary to mind, the letter naturally flows into an overview of the Welman household as seen by Elinor.

Christie's characterization is unusually vivid herein: Elinor's passion for Roderick (her fiance, a relative of Laura Welman's late husband), Mary's neither-fish-nor-fowl social position (given a lady's upbringing through Laura Welman's efforts) and discomfort with her dependence on others. Roderick is uncomfortable with others' emotions, or with unpleasantness of any kind; it's characteristic that he avoided Laura Welman's sickroom after her second stroke. Elinor is honest enough with herself to admit that there's no *reason* for her deep feelings for him. Laura throws some light on this in conversation with Mary; her insight into her own character reveals that Elinor seems much like her. The district nurse (O'Brien) and the live-in nurse (Hopkins) serve other purposes than the obvious roles of witness and foil: they gossip with one another off duty, giving us sidelights on the lives of the other players, particularly their common patient.

When first introduced - after we know she'll be murdered - Mary emerges quickly as a more sympathetic character than Elinor, however we may pity Elinor's unhappiness in love. Mary wants to make her own way and support herself, while Elinor is content (as Roderick points out) to simply exist as a kind of living artwork. Roderick is honest enough to admit that he, too, has relied too much on the prospect of inheriting his aunt's money to seriously strive to make his own way.

Laura Welman's remarks on assisted suicide, and Dr. Lord's counters, reflect a position taken consistently in Christie's work. In particular, Lord's example of a man who survived sixteen years of the Little Ease torture also appears in _Destination Unknown_, whose chief character was persuaded to take on a dangerous secret mission rather than committing suicide, and who later came to see that people can adapt to almost any conditions.

Some of the courtroom scenes drag a bit, as expert testimony and other evidence are presented in part II without Perry Mason-style flash and dazzle, which may leave readers feeling that the story has built up to this point, only to let the dramatic tension fizzle. The obligatory Poirot Tells All tying-up-loose-ends scene helps bail this out, of course.

Agatha Christie is reknowned for creating apparently simple murder mysteries that unexpectedly twist for completely unexpected conclusions--and no where is this better seen than in SAD CYPRESS, a cleanly written tale about a romantic triangle that leads to murder with only one possible suspect.

The novel opens with Elinor Carlisle actually in the dock, accused of double murder in an effort to hold the affections of her distant cousin and fiance Roderick Welman. When called into the case by a local doctor, Hercule Poirot discovers that Elinor behaves exactly as if she is guilty of the crime. Nonetheless, he agrees to investigate... and as Poirot works to uncover the truth, he finds that virtually everything about the crime indicates that Elinor did indeed commit the crimes--a circumstance which, almost perversely, makes him begin to question the guilt others have taken for granted.

This is one of Christie's least known but most effective novels, a work that deserves to be ranked with the likes of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, THE ABC MURDERS, and A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED. The characters are among her most vivid, the story has an unpretentious atmosphere, and the solution is both absolutely reasonable and absolutely unexpected. Christie writes with considerable clarity, and the simplicity of her approach makes the story all the more effective. An impressive work, sure to please both old fans and newcomers alike; recommended.

This was one of Christie's earlier novels, but one of her most entertaining. It's pure brain candy, full of wit and adventure, with an appealing, intelligent heroine of the kind found in P.G. Wodehouse books of this period, and, later on, in the mysteries of Elizabeth Peters. Anne makes some nice points about the difficulties of the usual cinematic methods of freeing oneself when bound and dumped in a cellar. She also eats an extraordinary number of ice-cream sodas and collects native art to interesting effect. Oh, yes, and there are some murders and stolen diamonds involved.

An advantage to the light tone, aside from its sheer entertainment value, is that it makes the reader a little more forgiving of Christie's stretches of credibility, which especially in some of her middle period novels can be a bit much. Not that I don't love her novels. But in some there is an almost palpable sense one kind of talent trying to be another...in "Endless Night", for example, she's rather clumsily dealing with the kind of psychological issues that writers like Thomas Harris would take up.

This book, however, is Christie at her brightest and most appealing, and shows the facility with plot which would develop into one of the greatest gifts for story-construction that English literature has ever known.

This is one of my favorite Christie mysteries. Even though Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot are missing, the deductions and suspense are present in abundance.

The plot revolves around a young girl who is suddenly without family and longs for adventure. Sure enough, little time passes before she finds it, and romance as well. The book travels from England to north Africa, and through many plot twists and turns.

The characters are, as usual in a Christie novel, charming and engaging, and you root for this cunning woman to find the answer to the mystery, as well as love.

A must read

When dealing with an author with a resume like Agatha Christie's, it can be just a bit difficult for reader's to know what books to skip over and what books to run out and buy immediately. Well, The Man in the Brown Suit is defintely one of the latter. It is a synthesis of all the novel aspects Christie has mastered. With the flurry of suspicious characters, a riveting plot, alluring stranger, nocturnal murder attempts and stolen diamonds, the reader is defintely kept on her toes. Christie creates a wide array of characters in this one; we're given an inexperienced girl out for adventure, the strong, silent man with a secret, a blundering, pompous [behind], a young, rich socialite, and, of course, the man in the brown suit. Filled with wonderful and entertaining subplots, this book flies by, more than the usual page turner.

I was introduced to Agatha Christie via And Then There Were None, possibly her most popular novel. I loved it; I didn't see how it could get any better, and I was afraid I'd be dissappointed with any other Christie mysteries. But, not so! This book is definetly as thrilling and suspenceful as And Then There Were None; stop what you're doing right now, and go get this book!

In 1920 Agatha Christie introduced a quirky little Belgian detective to the world in this book she wrote on a dare from her sister. The time is World War I and Poirot is one of a small group of Belgian refugees who has come to live in a rural English village. With his egg-shaped head and his well-groomed moustache, Poirot enters and soon becomes one of fiction's best-loved detectives. Also in this novel, the reader is introduced to his cohort, Captain Arthur Hastings, recovering from a war injury at the upper-class household known as Styles Court. The mistress of the manor is Emily Inglethorpe, an elderly woman who has just married a much younger man. The family members occupying the house all become suspects when Mrs. Inglethorpe is murdered and it is up to Poirot's little grey cells to sift through all the red herrings and, in the final chapter, reveal all in true detective fashion. High on Poirot's list of suspects are: John Cavendish, the elder stepson; Mary Cavendish, his wife; Lawrence Cavendish, the younger stepson; Evelyn Howard, Mrs. Inglethorpe's companion; Cynthia Murdoch, her protegee; and Dr. Bauerstein, a mysterious stranger who lives in Essex. All have motive and opportunity but only Poirot can discover the truth.

This first novel sets the tone for many Christies to follow. The wealthy family inhabiting a country house, the non-violent method of murder (poisoning) so favored by Mrs. Christie, and the light-hearted but often serious romance all became hallmarks of many of her later works.

Have a cup of hot chocolate with Poirot and enjoy the adventure.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles was Agatha Christie's first book and the one that first introduced the world to the inimitable Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. Christie startedwriting this book in 1910 when,during a period of illness, she was so bored that her mother challenged her to write a book. This, more of less , was the result and what a result it was!. The story takes place at Styles Court , a country house in Essex.We are also introduced to Captain Hastings, Poirot's sometimes sidekick, in this book.The Mysterious Affair at Styles is classic Christie - lots of upper-crust suspects, an isolated country house, lots of red herrings, crisp dialogue and superb plotting. This is a great introduction to Christie and definitely one of her best. Highly recommended

For lovers of 'cozies', this first adventure of the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, is mother's milk. It is such an entertaining, such a comfy novel; that even though Agatha Christie has created others much bettter, one can still appreciate her masterful techniques from the very begginning.

The place is Styles Court, a great English country house in the village of Styles-St.-Mary, in Essex. The victim, Emily A. Inglethorp, the matriarch of the Cavendish family who has recently re-married. The suspects? Well, there are many, but her infamous new husband, Alfred Inglethorp, heads the list. The story starts with a re-telling acccount given by Captain Arthur Hastings, an old friend of Poirot, who ultimately brings him into the case to elucidate the murderer. As soon as Hastings arrives at Styles, he clearly senses that not all is well. His old friend John Cavendish tells him he is in financial trouble. John's wife, who conveys to Hastings "the impression of a wild untamed spirit in an exquisitely civilized body"; is entirely enigmatical. Emily's assistant, Evie, is a practical and matter-of-fact woman who "had a large sensible square body". Although we never really learn what such bodys look like, we can immediately picture them. Here, I find, lies one of the secrets of truly masterful character description. Even very early in the book, we come across the famous description of Poirot: "...hardly more than five feet, four inches...", with "the head exactly the shape of an egg", which "he always perched a little on one side. His moustache was very stiff and military." He was so incredibly neat that "a speck of dust would have caused him more pain than a bullet wound." The description of the characters is unique, and so is the great amount of interactivity among them. They are not a huge lot, but there's enough of them to give us a supply of good complications and 'red herrings': the sinister Mr. Inglethorp, the unimaginative John Cavendish and his perhaps too imaginative brother Lawrence, the servants, even the townsfolk. All the characters play their roles in due course, with none overshawing the others.

This is a very complete novel and, as such, is also very graphic. There are at least five illustrations created by the author, among plans of the house and handwritten letters. The reader has - apparently - all the clues at hand. This was very common at the time, as well as the titling of each chapter. It all works to provide us with the whole picture. Poirot displays his wits to no end (with quite a bit of activity I must say that we don't find in later novels), and the story - typical of the rules of a good mystery for the 1920's - ends happily for everyone involved except, maybe for Hastings; who seems to be looking for a wife but has no luck in finding the right one. Ah! No problem, mon ami, perhaps in the next adventure?

My review is going to need a little explaining. First of all, I say you SHOULD read this book because, well, you should. It's not a matter of wanting to, it's just something that, if you're a Christie reader (even a little bit), you should force yourself to read this. (Kinda' like the obligation you have as a human being to read The Catcher in the Rye before you die.)

The reason I recommend this so strongly is because while I don't think this is exactly her BEST book, it probably has the best ending, psychologically speaking. This truly exemplifies pure evil.

Crooked House falls in the catagory that Endless Night and a few others inhabit--those books you wouldn't call superb, but have the acute awareness of human nature and the human pysche that all of her other books lack in somewhat.

So, in short, I would read this. The end will perhaps horrify you, but you must nontheless give in to it. It might remind you that evil inhabits all of us, no matter who we are.

Holly Burke, PhD. Clinical Psychologist, Johns Hopkins Inst.

Most of Christies books are rather similar up until the ending, where they all branch out and either become a good Christie, or an excellent Christie. It is often the final solution of an Agatha Christie book which makes or breaks it.

Up until the solution, there is little new to be had here. It is the typical Christie dysfunctional family haunted by the shadow of murder. Into the fray steps a detective, sleuthing around and discovering all sorts of misdemenours. Nothing wrong with that at all. Provides excellent enjoyment. However, it is with the ending that an Agatha Christie book can really provide more than enjoyment, and can inspire wonderment.

This is one which does just that.

It's really rather run-of-the-mill until the solution is propounded, whereupon the book explodes in an unexpected horror in the fact of almost pure, yet very simple, evil. You will never guess the solution. But when it comes, it is one of the most surprising she concocted. And shocking.

No one can ever underestimate her contribution to the genre. It is with books like this that she really redefined the nature of the crime novel.

And she has far more literary worth than most critics would have you believe. (Rather like critics of the excellent Stephen King.) Her writing is good, her characters well formed, and her psychology spot on. (Her adept hand at psychological acuteness is often overlooked, but all her books are truly excellent psychological thrillers, as well as classic detective stories.)

Having read all of the Agatha Christies at least twice, I can honestly say that "Crooked House" is my very favorite. One reason is that Agatha Christie does in this novel what she does best---gathers an extended family all under one roof, allows one of the family to be murdered, and shows quite clearly that all the others had motive and opportunity.

"Crooked House" is an excellent story of a complex family. The patriarch is Aristide Leonides, a Greek who has come to England and made a fortune in the restaurant and catering business. His mansion is home to his two sons, two daughters-in-law, three grandchildren, his first wife's sister, and now to his young and beautiful second wife plus the grandchildren's tutor. When the wealthy old man is poisoned, the reader learns that everyone had not only a motive but also an alibi. The characterizations are wonderful and the characters stand out as some of Mrs. Christie's most memorable ones.

The usual detectives are absent in this one, but the detecting is in the capable hands of Charles Hayward, the son of a Scotland Yard detective and the fiance of Aristide's granddaughter Sophia Leonides. When the blood-chilling ending occurs, one is shocked and yet, on careful reexamination, must admit that all the clues were clearly there.

Curl up with a cup of cocoa (unpoisoned, of course) and enjoy this classic crime with one of Mrs. Christie's most spectacular and unforgettable endings.

Agatha Christie, it is not often recognized, was a very good writer. Although her books never achieved the skin-tingling creepiness of John Dickson Carr, the best of the "Golden Age" mystery writers, and though Carr's books are perhaps more re-readable, the writing in Christie's best books (the 30s, 40s) was often as good as any other writer of the period.

She was also as good at writing cloak and dagger books as well as convention detective mysteries, though these books are not generally as well known.

"Cat Among the Pigeons" should be one of her cloak and dagger books. It veers into John Buchan territory with revolutions in foreign coutries and smuggled jewels. It is not, on the face of it, a Poirot novel. When he makes his appearance near the last third of the book, he is a welcome addition to a plot that's beginning to collapse under its own weight. Instead of being a novel of espionage or a novel of detection, it tries to be both. The result is a novel with three murders, but all of them coming late in the narrative and therefore bunched together. Because the set-up is so long, Poirot is forced to make some quantum leaps beyond his normal logic, that seem more like inspired guesses than deduction. One wonders why he was necessary at all.

The book is set at a girl's school and there are many extraneous characters. Christie helps us with her usual page of character descriptions at the start, but many of the names remain little more than names.

Christie was a good writer. She normally got to the point and didn't string plot threads together until her books got oppressive. And the two genres she tried to mix in this book could have been combined in a longer, more complex novel. An earlier introduction to Poirot might also have helped. He is anticipated, but, curiously, is never mentioned prior to his introduction and comes out of the blue.

It looks almost like two books that have run together. Christie normally didn't waste more than one good plot on a book, but here she has the jewel story, which would've made a crackerjack espionage novel along the lines of _The Secret of Chimneys_; and the murder mystery, in the last half, that would've made a fine, typical Poirot novel. A young detective who goes undercover in the book would've made a fine solver of the jewel story.

Too, many of the elements of this novel seem borrowed. The young detective's superior comes off as a lethargic version of Carr's H.M., for instance.

However, one warning: there is an element of the jewel plot that you will guess almost immediately, and wonder why Christie was so obvious with it. Further reading shows that to become more complex, and the reason she wants us to guess it early seems to be so she can take a sudden left-turn with it. But the element itself is not, it turns out, very important to the plot and she can allow us a few pages to think we're clever.

If you are a long-time Christie fan and want to read all her books, _Cat Among the Pigeons_ is a must; if you're just starting Christie, you might want to read a dozen or so others before getting to this one.

This is definitely my favorite Agatha Christie book. The element of a girls' school murder was classic. It was good without being to deep. Also, no matter how hard you try, you cannot guess the end, unti Mr. Poirot explains of course. Personally, I liked him not being in much of the book because it took a school girl to find out the mystery. I recommend this to anyone who wishes to read a frivolous, exciting, and definitely intersting book.

There was a time when I would honestly read this book about every two months. I simply HAD to be reading Cat Among the Pigeons, no matter what else I was reading at the time. I would alternate between two different Agatha Christies and this one, and it actually lasted about a year! That's my testimonial to how absolutely perfect Cat Among the Pigeons is.

And what makes this book so great and worth the money? Well, for one thing, Agatha did a flawless job of capturing atmosphere in this book. Ramat doesn't even exist, I don't think, yet I could feel myself there, feel the heat, practically see the opulence of the unfortunate young prince's palace, and feel the current of danger and imminent disaster present in every Ramat scene. I have no idea how she did it, because she was never one to give readers a lot of local flavor. And now, here is Agatha Christie making us feel the heart of an IMAGINARY CITY!

The same goes for the girls' school. I could clearly picture Meadowbank in my mind, with its lazy afternoons and young students concerned more with boys and hiding places for cigarettes, than the relationship between Iago, Desdemona, and Othello.

The characters could reach out and tap you on the nose, they are made so perfectly. There are no faceless, plastic people in this novel (not that there always are in other Christies.) I've often mentally applied Christie's wonderful description of Ann Shapland's hair to other people in my life: "hair that fitted her like a black satin cap." And even though there isn't much else to Julia Upjohn's physical description besides having a freckled face like her mother, she forms a distinct appearance in my mind because of Christie's description of her personality. I don't want to give too much away, but I'll say that she's the kind of girl that Poirot would respect.

And last but never least: How is the actual 'mystery' part? Well, as other reviewers have said, you will have NO IDEA who 'did it.' I can guarantee it. Truthfully. Honestly. You will pause for a second in that wonderful Agatha-Christie-Stupor while it soaks into your head. So don't worry about that part. Agatha didn't miss with this book. The shock effect for this one is one of the highest I've actually ever felt, higher than Death on the Nile, and actually getting up there with Roger Ackroyd and Orient Express. I'm serious! That's how surprising this mystery/thriller is.

To sum it all up: The atmosphere is great, the characters are great, the mystery is perfect, and oh yes! I nearly forgot! The thrill factor is VERY high! There is one particular scene toward the end (it involves a chair; that's all I'll say) that will make you AT LEAST a little paranoid that there is someone watching you. Very creepy and very well done. That happens many times throughout this book.

Cat Among the Pigeons is one of the best. To be fair, it is THE best of all the mystery/thrillers. Buy it and enjoy it!

It's the early sixties in what will soon be known as Swinging London. Mentions of Teddy boys, stove pipe pants and coffee bars help establish the ambience. I mention this, because some of Christies other forays into youth culture of the sixties (The Third Girl, for example) seem uninformed and inauthentic. This one is much more successful, probably because the narrator candidly describes himself as old-fashioned.

Seemingly unrelated deaths are related, and the means is quite clever. Peripheral characters are drawn more vividly than the young male narrater, but the pacing is good. With so many mystery writers intent on writing Literature--which seems to demand a tome of 400 pages at minimum--it is refreshing to have such an enjoyable read in under 200.

Yet even with an economy of means, Agatha Christie makes interesting general observations about the criminal mind and the nature of evil.

A priest is murdered immediately after hearing a dying woman's confession--and investigators soon discover a list of names concealed in his shoe. The people on that list all have something very, very unpleasant in common: they are dead.

From this beginning, Agatha Christie weaves an unusual tale that mixes murder-for-hire and black magic in a most unexpected way. The result is a novel with a good vs. evil edge so powerful that many readers will find it more than a little creepy. THE PALE HORSE is also memorable for its unusual characterizations, most particularly in the opposing figures of Mrs. Dane-Calthrop, a vicar's wife who fights on the side of angels, and Thyzra Grey, a woman who claims to possess dangerous mystical powers. As usual, Christie works her story toward a surprising conclusion--but on this occasion she offers a few shudders as well. Unique in the Christie cannon and strongly recommended.

First of all, I have to say that this was not like Agatha Christie's usual writing style, but, never the less, it was fantastic!! I won't make this review very long because I don't want to give away the plot, but any true Christie fan should read this. and also, moe811, Mrs. Oliver appears as a main character in Cards on the Table, which I'm currently reading.

Christie felt that The Mystery of the Blue Train was her weakest book and in fact stated on occasion that she hated it. While it is not one of her top ten books in my estimation, it is still an excellent book, with good writing, fascinating characters, good plot development and classic Christie style and flair.

Agatha Christie has the rare talent at protraying human character and illustrating with a shroud of spell binding mystery. This novel is a superb example of accurate identifiable characters amid a cloak of deep mystery.

Hercule Poirot unravels the web of intrigue slowly and the finale is a wonderful feeling of recognition and the juicy understanding of the author's prowess.

This book is great reading, buy it, pick it up, read it through and then smile as I did when it was over. Weep because your enjoyment and suspense cannot continue as Poirot wraps up the ending.

Do not weep, there is the 'Sittaford Mystery' and 'A Murder is Announced' and 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' and 'Curtain' and the very excellent 'Mysterious Affair at Style' to read.

I am sure Agatha Christie fans everywhere wish she could have kept on writting forever as I do. We shall miss her always.

I first read this book at the age of 13 and loved the story. I was also struck by the great atmosphere of England and the French Riviera created by Christie. I found the characters of Katherine and Derek sympathetic and believeable and that of Lenox, very sad. I also liked the way Poirot is able to bring them together while simulataneously pursuing the killer. My only complaint was that I felt the actual mystery was less complex than some of Christie's other works (like "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd"). However, the overall story was so enjoyable that I don't think anyone would care. Definitely one of my sentimental favorites for its happy ending and the way it leaves you with a feeling of optimism at the end.

i read this book a year ago when i was in 7th grade and it was just excellent. i am a great fan of agatha christie's books and i like all her detectives - hercule poirot, miss marple, tommy and tuppence. i like tommy and tuppence mysteries because it's so energetic. it's very different from poirot or miss marple who just hears the story, finds clues - mostly psychological - and solve the crime. Tommy and Tuppence actually run around, make a lota mistakes, etc. etc. fun to read. and i loved this book because it was very strange yet creative begging --> because of what tuppence heard an old lady asking a weird question, they get mixed up in a wEird mystery. like all her novels, this one also has UnexpecTed ending.. and.. i don't see why some ppl don't follow the plot. it's pErFectly clEAr.. and it just happens i can kinda guess the plot even if it's supposed to be "unexpected", when u read her novel a lot.. well, I highly recommend this one who's looking for some break from our lovely Poirot or Miss marple.

I first read this book when I was 13. Eleven years later it is still one of my favorites. The mysteries of the house involved and the murders surrounding it still bring shivers to my spine. The pages of the paperback copy I own are tattered and worn from numerous readings. It remains a "sleeper" agatha christie; especially since Tommy and Tuppence are often seen as passe by many diehard christie fans. Don't be put off. It peaks volumes about the darkest of human emotions. Well done!

I am a recent college grad who has just discovered the addicting Agatha Christie collections. By the Pricking of My Thumbs was the third Christie book I read and the first to feature the lesser known detevtive's Tommy and Tuppence. In my opinion this is one of her best novels, it is unusually chilling with a climax that will leave you breathless with surprise. It has a darker edge to it simply because it deals with murders of the truly innocent. A must read for any mystery fan and especially any Agatha Christie fan!