Hercule Poirot's Christmas

By: Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by:  Hugh Fraser

Published: 1938 (this version 2012)

Genre: murder mystery

 

How delightful to find an Agatha Christie that was not a Tommy and Tuppence and one I've not read before! It was delightful and I did not figure out the murderer before Poirot's "reveal" at the end. 

 

Thanks to Wikipedia (and many other sites that have detailed Christie lore), here's the character list:

Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective

Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable

Superintendent Sugden, the investigating police officer

Simeon Lee, an old millionaire

Alfred Lee, Simeon's son, who lives with his father

Lydia Lee, Alfred's wife

George Lee, Simeon's son and an MP

Magdalene Lee, George's wife

David Lee, Simeon's son, the artist

Hilda Lee, David's wife

Harry Lee, Simeon's son, called the prodigal son

"Pilar Estravados", Simeon's only granddaughter, really Conchita Lopez

"Stephen Farr", son of Simeon's former business partner, really Stephen Grant

Horbury, Simeon's valet

Tressilian, the butler

Walter, the footman

 

 My notes to add: 

• When I first heard the name of the murdered man, I heard "Simian" and pictured an ape. It was later that I realized it must be "Simeon." But it made me giggle.
• "Pilar" was the daughter of Simeon's only daughter Jennifer, who died earlier.
• I suspected Lydia of the murder . . . sorry if that spoils it for any other readers. I found it fascinating to have all the clues come together at the end. The diamonds, Tressilian's confusion, suspicious behaviors, . . . a wonderful murder mystery story with great vocal work by Fraser.

 

Postern of Fate

Subtitled: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery

By: Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by: Hugh Fraser

Published: 1973 (this version 2012)

Genre: Murder mystery

This was Christie's last novel written before her death (though other stories were later published posthumously). It is NOT one of her better books. I confess that I had never even heard of Tommy and Tuppence Beresford before reading this book. (So clearly, there are several Christie novels I've not encountered.)

Basic elements of mystery, clues, suspects, etc. are present. But the story is so slow and so boring that I thought it was a knock-off written by someone else. Honestly, the dog Hannibal and the butler were the two best characters. 

Mary Jordan did not die of natural causes. Most of the people in the "case" are gone. Someone has coffee "problems." Tuppence looked through old children's books. Interviews. Old gardener murdered. Gossipy ladies. Blah blah blah. I can't recommend it. And I usually LOVE Agatha Christie stories!

And Then There Were None

By: Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Dan Stevens

Published: 1939 (this version 2013)

Genre: Murder mystery

I've read this before, but I didn't remember which of the dead bodies wasn't actually dead and who the real killer was, so I listened and tried to remember. I also had to do a little research, because I thought Christie had originally called it "Ten Little Indians." Imagine my surprise when I found that it was originally published as "Ten Little N***ers!" Wikipedia says that the book "used the title Ten Little Indians between 1964 and 1986." That makes sense! In any case, "And Then There Were None" is the superior title. It was also interesting that the story takes place on Soldier Island and the glass figurines are of little soldiers and the nursery rhyme involves little soldiers. From reading this in the 1970s, I remember all of this as Indians . . .

Listening to the story instead of seeing it in print made me want to have a copy of the rhyme to check off how each person died. Hearing the epilogue brought good closure, though I hadn't realized the work the killer went to in setting everything up! Not having a detective (like Poirot or Miss Marple), it was interesting to see how baffled the detectives were. 

 

The vocal work was well-done.  I don't remember what else I wanted to record here . . . I don't think I've seen the movie version of this book.

Off Wikipedia:

Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine.
Nine little Soldier Boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight.
Eight little Soldier Boys travelling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.
Seven little Soldier Boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.
Six little Soldier Boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.
Five little Soldier Boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four.
Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.
Three little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two.
Two little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one.
One little Soldier Boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

The Moving Finger

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Joan Hickson

Published: 1942 (this version 2012)

Genre: mystery

I couldn't listen to it! I tried multiple times, but reader Hickson sounds as though she has had a few sherries and has a mouth full of pebbles. It was so painful that I just had to stop. But I've never read this Agatha Christie book AND it's a Miss Marple! I love Miss Marple! Alas, I don't usually blog about books I've not finished, but I just wanted to remind myself not to get this version of this book.

Miss Marple in A Murder Is Announced

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 2 hours

read by: full cast

Published: 1950 (this version 2010)

Genre: murder mystery

 

I had to wait quite a long time for this one! It's classic Christie - lots of characters, lots of clues. I really enjoy Miss Marple. The cast was good.

 

Dora - old classmate, seems spacey but is actually pretty aware

Leticia / Letty and Charlotte / Lottie - sisters with an interesting history . . . 

Bunch and her husband, a member of the clergy (hosting Miss Marple, of course)

Mitzi - the foreign housekeeper with a penchant for histrionics

Lots and lots and lots of other characters. Three or four murders. Switched identities (Pip and Emma?!) and so much more. 

 

Classic Christie. I'm surprised I haven't seen this in print before.

4:50 from Paddington

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 1 hour

Read by full cast

Published: 1957 (this version 2010) 

Genre: Murder mystery, Miss Marple detective

This is another Miss Marple book I've read before but not blogged. I remembered many of the details, but not who the killer was! I love how Miss Marple used her friend Mrs. McGillicuddy's info to report the murder and then investigate. I also love how she got Lucy Eyelesbarrow to help. Such a great story with unexpected twists and turns. Greed is evil!

A Caribbean Mystery

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 2 hours

Read by full cast

Published: 1964 (this version in 2010)

Genre: murder mystery, Miss Marple detective

 

I know I've read this before, but since I didn't have a blog entry it was either one that I read before I started blogging or one that fell through the cracks . . . 

 

Although I liked the vocal work of the full cast, some of the necessary abridgements bothered me. Miss Marple is a favorite of mine, but this version made her seem like a horrid gossip who only knitted and chatted.

 

I ended up liking Mr. Rafael much better, though. I remembered who the murderer was, but not how the whole story came together. Now I'd almost like to re-read the full text for myself . . . 

 

"reminders of mortality" . . . I think those are helpful! Marriage and partners . . . interesting observations made by different characters. I'm glad I'm in a positive marriage!

 

St. Honore' and "West Indies" - does anyone refer to the Caribbean that way any more? (I thought this was an actual place. I googled it and learned about the pastry before I found that it is a fictional island. Part of my love of reading ties into my love of learning!)

 

Sorry for all my ellipses in this entry. I'm not feeling very expressive today.

The Body in the Library

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 5 hours

Read by: Stephanie Cole

Published: 1942 (this version 2012)

Genre: murder mystery

I am very confident I have read this book before, but I could not find a blog entry for it. I didn't actually remember who the murderer was, though I had vague recollections about the guilty parties. The vocal work was excellent. This was a wonderful Miss Marple story. I love how she solved the case! 

A dead blond is found in Colonel and Mrs. Bantry's library. The horrid gossips are sure that Colonel Bantry was complicit and murmured about him having an affair. Awful people! Then Dolly Bantry "enjoying" "her" murder . . . what a character! But really, she was cognizant of how the gossip and ill will would affect her husband. 

Ruby Keene and Pamela Reeves are both dead; what's the connection. Conway Jefferson's son-in-law Mark Gaskell and his daughter-in-law Adelaide Jefferson both have the most to gain from the death of Ruby, but they have air-tight alibis. Or do they? The "movie man" Basil Blake also seems suspicious but has an alibi. Or does he?

 

I enjoyed this story, though Miss Marple's tendency to find evil in human nature can be a bit disconcerting.

At Bertram's Hotel

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by: ???

Published: 1965 (this version 2012)

Genre: murder mystery

This is theoretically a "Miss Marple" mystery, but it wasn't really focused on her. She rocks! When Chief Inspector Davy (aka "Father") talked with her and realized her perception, those were the best parts of the book. Incidentally, Father was a great character! Deceptively laid back, he was an astute investigator.

Canon Pennyfather . . . dementia? WHY isn't anyone intervening?

Elvira - 17 yo? 19? death concern . . . not sure if she's the mastermind or an innocent bystander

Very interesting story with lots of characters. I enjoyed it but it's not one of my favorite Christie mysteries. The vocal work was great, even though I don't know who did it!

The Sittaford Mystery

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 2 hours

Read by: full cast (dramatized)

Published: 1931 (as "The Murder at Hazelmoor"), this version 2010

Genre: murder mystery

I usually really like Agatha Christie AND full cast adaptations. This one didn't work for me, though. Not sure if it was because of the role of the seance or that I thought the killer's motive was too much of a stretch, or I wasn't in the mood for this story. Perhaps I wasn't listening very carefully because I turned to Wikipedia to figure out the story line. 

As usual in a Christie mystery, there were LOTS of characters and things going on. The seance, the family that rented a house in an out-of-the-way part of the country, a huge snowstorm, a sudden death, an escaped convict . . . and the young fiancee of the accused killer is the one who solves the mystery. Oh. And the reporter working with her to uncover the truth (for a scoop, of course) declares his love for her and expects her to run off with him.

Not the best Christie story I've ever encountered.

 

The Murder at the Vicarage

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by Joan Hickson

Published: 1930, this version 2012

Genre: murder mystery 

I had never heard / read this book before and was excited that it was a Miss Marple story. It really should have been called a Vicar Leonard Clement story . . . I just checked on Wikipedia and this is the book where Miss Jane Marple is first introduced. That is too bad, because she is not the prime player in this St. Mary Mead story. Ah well.

Lots of characters and lots of clues. I guessed the wrong murderer, of course. I hated how dismissive the constable and others were of women and their mental faculties. Ugh!

Vicar Clement and his wife Griselda (old / young)

Colonel Protheroe and his wife Anne (old / young)

Lettice (his daughter - sounds like "lettuce")

Lawrence Redding (artist and gadabout)

Stone (archeologist? thief? imposter?)

Miss Cram (husband hunter?)

Mary, the vicar's servant - hilarious comic relief! Can't cook, serve, or communicate well.

Archer (poacher, Mary's sweetheart)

Mrs. Archer (his mom)

 

There were so many more characters and themes - punctuality, notes, gossip, . . . it was interesting but I will NOT re-read this title.

Midwinter Murder

By Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 10 hours

Read by Fenella Woolgar

Published:1920s - 1950s

Genre: Murder mystery short stories

 

This was okay but the common threads were Christie and winter. Who knew it snowed so much in England?! (Many of the plot lines dealt with people being snowed in.) Sometimes they were Poirot or Marple stories and sometimes there were other "detectives." Since they were short stories, my head has a jumble of characters, clues, and plots. It kept my attention during many hours of driving! 

<Above posted 2022. Below added 8.18.2025.>

I started blogging this but didn't save it! Arrgh. Helpful info from Goodreads. There are probably lots of ***spoilers*** below!

Introduction / Christmas at Abney Hall - I loved hearing about Agatha Christie's childhood! This was such a fun look into her life and storytelling.

Story #1 - Three Blind Mice - young couple / boarders / snowed in / dead woman in London / dead person at boarding house / detective shows up on skis . . . retribution for war crimes done to three young siblings. (Later made into play the Mousetrap.)

Story #2 - The Chocolate Box - Poirot is sharing about his one "mistake" in a case. I don't remember details now, but I do remember that poison was administered via a chocolate and there were two boxes with different colored lids.

Story #3 - A Christmas Tragedy - Miss Marple! Storytelling . . . Mrs. Bantry, Colonel Bantry, Sir James, . . . She knew that Mr. Sanders was going to murder his wife. The outfit / hat tipped her off about his alibi.

 

Story #4 - The Coming of Mr. Quin - New Year's Eve, big house. Mr. Satterthwait (not fond of big groups of young people). Listener . . . "play" and "parts" . . . Harley Quin (play on words with Harlequin) . . . how the house went from its previous owner to the current owner. Suicide? Or Murder?

Story #5 - The Clergyman's Daughter / The Red House - Tuppence & Tommy, the "poltergeist" and the potatoes buried in the garden.

Story #6 - The Plymouth Express - Poirot / Flossie murdered the maid . . . I honestly don't remember this story very well.

Story #7 - The Problem at Pollensa Bay - Mr. Parker Pine - renowned but on vacation. Mrs. Chester upset that her momma's boy Basil wants to marry Betty who is too modern. Parker basically pranks the situation with a ringer. Fun story.

Story #8 - Sanctuary - Julian (pastor) and Bunch (his wife / her nickname) - man dies in church. Jane Marple consulted. "Jewel" - Jill. Suitcase, costumes and jewelry, train, double trick . . .

Story #9 - The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge - Poirot. Uncle shot in locked room. Police can't prove case against nephew and niece. They inherit and karma gets them soon after. Fake housekeeper.

Story #10 - The World's End - Mr. Satterthwait, duchess (rich but cheap and rude and bossy), Naomi (artist), etc. Actress / necklace / box / innocent man jailed.

Story #11 - The Manhood of Edward Robinson - Maude (fiancee) and Edward (pushover). Prize money - car - road trip - diamond necklace - Edward's adventure.

Story #12 - Christmas Adventure - Poirot. Young people / generational divide. Ruby necklace, pretend death, etc.

Sleeping Murder

 by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 1 hour 

Read by: full cast

Published: depends on if you're referring to Christie's writing (1976 posthumous publication), the TV show (1987), or this audiobook version (2010)

Genre: murder mystery, Miss Marple

Gwenda is a bit freaked out by the house she has just purchased while preparing for her husband's return from New Zealand. Why does she see a dead woman in the hall? Why does she *know* how the small room used to be decorated when she's never been in England before? 

Miss Marple rocks this story! It was short and well-done. Miss Marple is the queen of asking the right questions and observing people around her.

Death on the Nile

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 9:15 hours

read by Kenneth Branagh

Published: 2020 (this recording) / book in 1937

Genre: murder mystery, detective Hercule Poirot

 

 I thought I had read this before, but it was not familiar to me . . . other than the ways it is similar to Murder on the Orient Express. The range of characters, the clues, the interwoven story lines, . . . and of course, Hercule's confident sleuthing.

Lynette Ridgeway is incredibly wealthy. After stealing her best friend's boyfriend, the newlywed honeymooners head to Egypt. I actually considered the true murder suspects before dismissing them. Then I was convinced it was someone else. It was interesting how the story progressed . . . with three murders total. (I would have become incredibly paranoid if I'd been on that boat!)

Branagh's vocal work was fine, but his "female" voices weren't that great. All in all, this kept my attention (even though I like Miss Marple better than Poirot.)

The Capture of Cerberus / The Incident of the Dog's Ball

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 1 hour

read by David Suchet

Published: 2011

Genre: murder mystery short stories

I had these on hold for a few months, not realizing that they were two short stories. Just now, reading the info about them on Libby, I find that they were among Christie's unpublished papers . . . the stories both feature Hercule Poirot. Suchet's voice work is superb. The stories are classic Christie but I preferred The Incident of the Dog's Ball. There's still a long waiting list, so I'm going to return it! What an amazing task someone had, archiving her papers and discovering new (though also old) stories.

Peril at End House

 by Agatha Christie

eBook on Libby, 396 pages

Published: 1932

genre: murder mystery, Hercule Poirot

I like having a book on my phone, just in case. I love Agatha Christie books, though I prefer Miss Marple to Hercule Poirot. In this story, Hercule is retired but gets drawn into a case when he encounters young "Nick" Buckley, a woman who has had numerous close calls. Her cavalier attitude toward her own safety and the constant refrain of Poirot's losing his touch made for an interesting but not necessarily enjoyable story. I didn't figure it out. I didn't love it as much as other Christie mysteries.

Mrs. McGinty's Dead

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 2 CDs
"Full Cast Dramatization"
genre: murder mystery, M. Poirot, detective

This was a quick little story that had Poirot trying to save the dead woman's lodger from hanging for a crime he didn't commit. In trying to find out who *had* killed Mrs. McGinty, Poirot uses his interviewing skills, powers of observations, and his "little gray cells" to find the real killer.

The vocal cast was decent, but I actually disliked John Moffatt as the "great Belgian detective" . . . which is ironic, since his name is featured.

I prefer unabridged versions of stories. And I prefer reading them in a book. But audiobooks help pass the time as I drive!

Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Dan Stevens
genre: Detective Mystery (Hercule Poirot)

Although I've read this book before (and seen the 1974 film), I like having an audiobook in my car and this one fit my mood. I love Agatha Christie, though I prefer Miss Marple to Hercule Poirot.

I had forgotten the details about the murdered man - Samuel Ratchett - but I remembered the conclusion. Still, it was fun to listen as the story unwound and the clues cropped up.

I've requested the "old" movie from the library. After I've watched it, I'll get the "new" one. I've not seen it yet and the cast looks pretty incredible.

Stevens vocal work was quite good.

Oh! I wanted to make note of this: The Daisy Armstrong kidnapping and murder, though fictional, made me think of the Lindbergh baby. I had to check. Charles Lindbergh, Jr. was kidnapped and murdered in 1932. Agatha Christie wrote this book in 1933 (published in January 1934 . . . ). It seems too coincidental, but I'm not going to research if she is on record as crediting that awful real-life tragedy for the storyline in this book. 

 

<Above published on 5.19.20. Below added 3.27.24.> 

I listened to a 2010 BBC full cast version. It was okay. The Poirot guy didn't sound like him to my ears! It was only two hours long and was the dramatized version, complete with train whistles, etc. A much abbreviated version, but kept the key points. I prefer an unabridged version, though.

<Below added 4.21.25.>

I listened again, this time to the unabridged story as read by Kenneth Branagh. (So a third audio version!) I enjoyed it and made a "cheat sheet" of the people on the train, their job / alias, and their connection to the Armstrong family. But I don't feel like including it here. It was also interesting to note their different nationalities. I liked Poirot's comment that you would see such an assemblage of different people in America. (But perhaps not in the future. I fear our current POTUS will do more to keep people away from our country than anything or anyone in our history.)

I've enjoyed listening to this story and seeing how Hercule puts "two" possible solutions before everyone. I also loved the doctor's amazement at how he figured things out.

Murder in Mesopotamia

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 2 CDs
a BBC 4 full-cast dramatization
genre: murder mystery fiction

This was delightful! I was taken aback at first that it was all dialog and sound effects with virtually no narration at all . . . except a very little diary-like communication from the nurse. Having read plenty of other Christie books, I can tell there is a LOT of abridged content (which of course makes me want to read the original book). Especially since a lot of what Poirot reveals in the clincher scene is stuff we've not even had a hint about!

"Just as Amy Leatheran is about to return to England, she is hired by the celebrated archaeologist Dr. Leidner to work as nurse and companion for his wife - who is subject to fits of nervous terrors. As they travel to an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert, Amy finds herself in a situation much stranger than she could ever have imagined. . . " I guessed the wrong killer (of course) but loved how the story and cast of characters played out the tale.

I loved the tiny twist at the end! When Nurse Leatheran and Monsieur Poirot are saying goodbye, he says he's going to get some rest and travel on a sleeper car on the Orient Express.

Crooked House

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by Hugh Fraser
genre: detective murder mystery fiction

I haven't read an Agatha Christie book in a while and I enjoyed this one. I won't give any spoilers, but I love the way the author makes it possible for *any* of the characters to be the murderer while also making it seem that each one would not have done so. There were lots of clues along with red herrings. Delightful! I was not surprised at the ending, but I enjoyed the circuitous route of getting there.

Charles Hayward - our hero
his dad - a commissioner at Scotland Yard
Sophia Leonides - Charles' fiancee'
Aristide Leonides - Sophia's grandfather and the charismatic patriarch of the clan, newly murdered
Brenda Leonides - Aristide's much younger wife
Roger Leonides - Aristide's nervous son who isn't very good at business
Clemency - Roger's austere wife who wants to get him away from the family
Philip - Aristide's other son - an intellectual, a bit of a recluse
Magda - Philip's wife, actress, dramatic
Eustace - Philip and Magda's son (Sophia is oldest), teenage, sullen
Josephine - Philip and Magda's youngest daughter - 12 years old, snoops, bratty
Edith de Havilland - Aristide's sister-in-law from his first marriage; came to help care for the children
Nanny - hired help? an actual grandma? elderly lady who cooks and looks after the kids
Inspector - I forgot his name
Lawrence Brown - the tutor engaged for Eustace and Josephine, a conscientious objector during WWII, nervous, in love with Brenda (and she with him)

The Crooked House - the house is itself a character of sorts. It sets the scene and adds to the intrigue.