When in a reading slump, pick up the Agatha Christie books. They work like magic every time. I thought I’d do a little ranking of the ones I’ve read recently. Maybe I’ll do an infinite ranking in the future but for now it feels easier to just do the most recent reads.
One thing I’m learning about Christie is she loves the word acquiescence. We all have a favourite word and I’m starting to think this is hers. I think she would have been a big fan of Acquiesce by Oasis.
5. The Seven Dials Mystery
My thoughts:
This wasn’t my favourite Christie. I can see what she was trying to do but I found the story and pace of the book a bit slow. The start intrigued me and pulled me in and I liked how it wrapped up but I found the main chunk of the book to be less exciting than her other ones. The story begins with a prank that goes wrong. I felt like it went on a wild ride that I found difficult to get my head around. If you’re a fan of spy novels rather than cosy crime, this would be perfect. There are about three mysteries to solve in this one, not just the murder but also who and what the Seven Dials are. This did keep the story interesting but compared to other Christie books, it felt a bit all over the place and I didn’t want to pick it up as much as the others I read.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. Cat Among the Pigeons
My thoughts:
The setting of this one was fascinating and had me hooked from the start. There are a few things going on in this one that intertwine neatly at the end. It is set in a boarding school where a teacher is murdered and the police struggle to find out the reason. One thing I didn’t love about this one was the lack of Poirot. He was only in it for the last few chapters of the book. I enjoyed the characters in this one too – from the headteacher and the staff, the spy pretending to be the school gardener, and the school children. The possibility of the murderer being any one of them was a great way to keep the reader guessing until the very end. There are some things in this one that haven’t aged wonderfully but that is to be expected with Agatha Christie’s novels. I liked how this story was told, fleeting from various character’s perspectives while still being written in the third person.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. The Murder at the Vicarage
My thoughts:
Set in a cosy, small town but riddled with gossip. Think Emma by Jane Austen with an added murder to solve. Miss Marple is on the case and uncovers who is behind the murder at the vicarage. There are a lot of suspects in this one but enough evidence is given that it made it quite fun to see if any clues led me to the right conclusion and suspect. Nothing is ever as it seems in a Agatha Christie book and this one was no exception. I was intrigued from start to finish. While not the most satisfying ending, it was still a great mystery that I didn’t manage to guess.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
My thoughts:
I have read this one before but wanted to reread it as it’s a classic for a reason. The only reason this isn’t ranked higher is because I wasn’t surprised by the outcome of the plot the first time I read it. That being said, it’s still a brilliant read. The book is narrated by a local doctor who is trying to help Poirot and the other villagers find their culprit. I quite enjoyed the first person narration of this one as it’s a different way of seeing how the detective works from an outside perspective. The writing in this is top tier and it’s easy to see after reading this one how much influence Christie had on crime media after this was published.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
1. Evil Under the Sun
My thoughts:
This was easily my favourite of the five I read. I loved the setting at a holiday resort near the sea. It was filled with interesting characters and Hercule Poirot is a master at solving the cases and making them intriguing. This one kept me guessing until the very end. It was quite impossible for me to see that ending coming. But it was a great twist. It’s the classic Agatha Christie of ripping the rug from under your feet when you think you’ve discovered your suspect. I had a great time with this one and have realised I think I prefer these types of novels over the spy themed murder mysteries she has written.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
What’s your favourite Agatha Christie book? Let me know in the comments. I’m also on Instagram, Twitter and Threads – @bookwormgirl_24
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