Book #69 The A.B.C. Murders

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first read The A.B.C. Murders back in the 70s. Last week I watched the BBC TV adaptation starring John Malkovich as Hercule Poirot - Poirot, but not as you know him! I had to read the book again just to confirm what a travesty the BBC airing was! The book for the most part is narrated by Poirot's old friend Captain Arthur Hastings, O.B.E. who has returned in June 1935 from his ranch in South America to see to various affairs at home. He looks up his old friend who is now retired but still practiced his profession on occasion. The BBC for reasons best known to themselves completely omit Hastings from the cast list! DCI Japp figures prominently in Poirot's previous investigations and he plays his usual rôle in the book - BBC have him retired and bump him off with a heart attack in the first scene... And Malkovich? Well - he is not David Suchet!

Despite all of this, reading the book again so soon after the TV show was very rewarding. It did not spoil my enjoyment in the slightest. I won't go into the details of the plot as I am sure most of you will be familiar with it. The book really is Agatha Christie at her best. And those little grey cells? Don't get a mention on the BBC!





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Book #73 The Mysterious Affair at Styles

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If I have read The Mysterious Affair at Styles before I really don't recall the occasion. The Christie book that introduces the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot was first published in January 1921 and in the original manuscript, Poirot gives his explanation of the crime from the witness box during the trial. The publisher, John Lane, opined that this courtroom scene was not convincing and he requested that she amend it. Christie agreed to a rewrite. The explanation of the crime remains the same where Poirot unveils the murderer in the drawing room of Styles in the kind of dénouement that would be replicated in many later books. This edition of The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first to restore Christie's original unpublished courtroom ending to her book. Was John Lane right in insisting on a rewrite? Well, the reader has the opportunity to decide as both versions of chapter 12 "The Last Link" are included in this new edition. A unique edition and a definite keeper for me.

TMAAS is a very well contrived, skilful tale - full of surprises as Hercule Poirot uses his little grey cells and powers of detection to find out who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorp. How did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? And the amiable Captain Hastings is on the scene to help (or one might muse - hinder!).

If you haven't read TMAAS and you enjoy a classic whodunit, treat yourself to a copy of this unique edition. It is worth adding that I bought my copy from Amazon USA as it is in America that this edition is published by William Morrow.

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Book #71 Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My first read of MOTOE was in the early 1970s with a second punt in the 1990s. This latest paperback edition is exclusive to Waterstones and it is a pity that the wonderful art-deco cover has not been reproduced. It was this that drew me to the novel, once again. It has been published to coincide with the latest screen adaptation directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot. He will find David Suchet a difficult act to follow!

There cannot be many, if any, in the Goodreads fraternity, who have not read Murder on the Orient Express so I won't dwell on the plot. It was a joy to read once more and reacquaint myself with the characters. Needless to say there were passages and events that I had completely forgotten and to follow the clue trail once again proved to be - difficult, even though I knew 'Who did it'!

Christie's evocation of the golden age of travel is sumptuous and it remains a desire of mine to travel on the Simplon-Orient Express, although I doubt that the romance, so endearingly described by Christie, could ever be the same.

I find myself now on a mission to revisit Christie's back catalogue. I have read most of them during the last forty years but the thrill, I am sure, will be the same. How about 'The Mystery of the Blue Train'. Anyone?

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Book #58 The Monogram Murders

The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The little grey cells are back in this resurrection of Hercule Poirot by Sophie Hannah. Not so sure that I like the rather irascible Poirot that she depicts here, often sarcastic in his rôle of mentor to Detective Edward Catchpool from Scotland Yard. Poirot leads and Catchpool follows - how on earth did he (Catchpool) become a detective I wonder. Nevertheless this has a wonderful, intricate plot, something of a locked-room mystery, set in 1929 at the Bloxham Hotel in London. Poirot’s powers of deduction have not diminished at all in the hands of Hannah.

Agatha Christie would probably have endorsed this new mystery but I am not so sure that David Suchet could be persuaded to reprise his portrayal of the Belgian detective in a TV dramatisation.

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N or M?

N or M? by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this quickly in anticipation of the next episodes of Partners In Crime airing on BBC TV starting on Sunday. Mind you, the first three episodes covered The Secret Adversary, which bore little resemblance to the book, save perhaps the names of the characters. N or M is another delightful romp through the thrills of espionage during the 2nd World War. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are appointed by the Intelligence Service as two unlikely spies to seek out a man and a woman among the guests at a seaside hotel, suspected of being Fifth Columnists. It's fun, it's fast paced and full of quaint language as one would expect being first published in 1941. And it has a nice surprise finish. A gem from the pen of Agatha Christie.

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The Secret Adversary

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A thrilling romp takes place against the backdrop of World War 1 with our intrepid duo Tommy Beresford and Prudence Cowley, better known as Tuppence, "stony broke". Delightful, quaint language abounds: "Tuppence, old bean!" as Tommy greets Tuppence at the Lyons Corner House (aah, I remember those) and they discuss ways to make some money. The result is the formation of The Young Adventurers Ltd. A conversation overheard, a clandestine approach from Mr Whittington with an offer of employment and our two chums soon find themselves involved in a world of espionage that rattles along at a breathtaking pace and draws them into a diabolical political conspiracy. It's all great fun and a most enjoyable read and soon to appear on BBC TV as "Partners in Crime" with David Walliams and Jessica Raine in the starring roles. Anyway, if you haven't read this I highly recommend that you do!

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8:59 to Bristol

No, it's not the title of an Agatha Christie mystery; that was '4:50 from Paddington' featuring Miss Jane Marple. The 8:59 to Bristol features my wife Rosalind, who is going to see her family and celebrate her niece's 40th birthday. She is on her way now travelling on First Great Western trains.

And I love train journeys. This one take 3 hours 45 minutes. Me? At home looking after 'the boys' - Oliver and Bertie. Keeping a mindful eye on Oliver who has not been well and is on a course of probiotics. So, it's a boys weekend for me and a fun weekend for Ros.

Do wish I was on the train though....