Agatha Christie's EVIL UNDER THE SUN was immensely respected when it debuted in the 1940s. Today it pales a bit alongside the truly great Christie novels of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s--but it is still a tremendously entertaining read that will appeal to both new and long-established fans.

The novel is cast in a "classic English mystery" mold: a group of vacationers at an exclusive resort with limited public access fall under suspicion when a beautiful femme fatale is found strangled to death on an isolated beach. Is the killer a jealous husband, a jealous wife, an unstable step-daughter--or is it connected with the occult, a possible serial killer, an unknown blackmailer, or a member of a drug distribution ring? The plot complications come tumbling one on top of another, but fortunately for the innocent the island resort is host to a private detective on vacation: the celebrated Hercule Poirot.

The novel is particularly memorable for the way in which Christie requires readers to interpret the personality of her characters... and in the process leads you completely astray. Long time fans may recognize the plot device on which the solution rests, for Christie used it earlier in a number of celebrated short stories and would repeat it in a number of later works as well--but to give the Queen of Crime her due, she so neatly works the story that even the most astute reader is unlikely to arrive at the full truth until Poirot deigns to expose it. Tremendous fun, and well recommended.

This book is set in a lonely seaside resort in England with a very mixed cast of characters, from the rich clothing-designer Rosamund Darnley to the garrulous American Mrs. Gardner to the beautiful man-chaser Arlena Stuart and her husband Captain Kenneth Marshall. Arlena's reputation of beauty and ruining marriages precedes her and indeed she does have an affair with young Patrick Redfern at the resort, despite his marriage to Christine Redfern. Therefore, when Arlena is killed, there is a long list of suspects: Kenneth Marshall, Patrick Redfern, Christine Redfern, and Linda Marshall (Arlena's step-daughter). Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective, is at the resort and discovers the murderer in a completely unexpected ending.
I love the suspense of this book and the way all of the little seemingly insignificant clues eventually come together, leaving me amazed at the brilliance of Agatha Christie. I read this book in about two days because I couldn't put it down. This is definitely one of the best Agatha Christie books that I have ever read and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a great mystery.

I AM A 15 YEAR OLD GIRL .I OWN 22 BOOKS OF AGATHA CHRISTIE .I LOVED THIS BOOK CUZ UNTIL PORIOT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING ONE DOESNT GET THE TRUTH EVEN BY THINKING HARD.I LOVE THE CHARACTER OF POIROT .THIS STORY IS ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO A BEACH HOTEL AND A BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IS MURDERED.THEN ITS UPTO POIROT TO FIND THE MURDERER.WELL I WONT SAY MORE AND SPOIL THE FUN 4 THE READERS.THERE IS NO ONE MORE FASCINATING WRITER THAN AGATHA CHRISTIE.

This book was very funny and wacky!!

As a recent college graduate, my obvious concerns are doing well at my job and moving up the ladder. As i realized networking was going to be a key I didn't know how and this is the book that shows you how. The appendices have a great list of books and web sites that proved to be helpful. A definite read for any profession in this market place.