Vickie Fee

Speaking of Agatha Christie

I’m going to introduce a subject I know could be contentious. But I think we’re beyond that.

If you come here often, I know you are already friends with the Chicks on the Case. And I also strongly suspect that you are a big Agatha Christie fan and have favorite Christie books and stories that are among your personal faves. I’ve recently discovered that there are numerous channels on YouTube that make lists of their favorite Agatha Christie books, which order they suggest you read them, and various plot arguments. I don’t think that will present any problems for us. We’re seasoned Christie fans and mostly mature adults.

I welcome you to tell us if you have an all-time favorite Christie story or if Agatha Christie has changed your life. I promise I will not criticize any of your selections. I ask only that you offer me and the other readers the same grace. Learning each other’s differences in opinion is part of the fun!

I plan to tread lightly for the most part. Firstly, there is a sizable contingent online that believe that Miss Marple stories are consistently better written and better puzzles than Poirot books or stories. I agree with this, but I won’t argue the point. There are certainly Poirot books that are exceptional puzzles and not all Marple stories are five-star. I have a feeling some of you won’t forgive me for suggesting such a thing. So, I’ll just leave this right here.

Is there a quintessential Christie story? If someone could only read one story by A. Christie, which one would you suggest?

Image Pixabay

I do have an opinion on this, as well. I know it won’t be universally agreed upon. But, I feel strongly about it. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. Guests are invited to a remote island, killed one by one, and they don’t know or trust one another. There is neither Poirot nor Marple to sort it out for them. It’s perfect.

What about which books to place on your TBR pile if you are new to Agatha Christie. I know this probably doesn’t relate to any of the readers here. But, I have met people who are new to Christie and even ask where they should start.

The easy answer is you can start anywhere and it will work just fine. Each mystery is self-contained. I’ll suggest a list, but it’s just some of my favorites, not necessarily the best or hardest to solve.

From Marple: 4:50 from Paddington, Nemesis, At Bertram’s Hotel, Murder at the Vicarage, Sleeping Murder, Halloween Party, A Murder is Announced, The Moving Finger.

I know that At Bertram’s Hotel is not a top favorite for many people. It is a bit quirky and maybe that’s why I like it so much. It’s not the first Marple book, but Murder at the Vicarage would be a perfect place for anyone to start. I would describe it as one of the most quintessentially “Marple” of books. The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first Poirot book Christie wrote, so it’s a logical place to start. Starting from the Poirot side, which is easily doable, I suggest: Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Cards on the Table, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, The Seven Dials Mystery, Lord Edgeware Dies, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Evil Under the Sun, Peril at End House,

35 thoughts on “Speaking of Agatha Christie”

  1. What a wonderful post, Vickie! A fun way to start the day. Candidly, I can’t pick a favorite Agatha Christie mystery, or choose Team Marple or Team Poirot. I’d have to come back several times during the week to change my choice. Ha!

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  2. All of your suggestions are perfect, Vickie.

    To me, the difference between Marple and Poirot isn’t the puzzle it’s the theme. Quite honestly, I feel some of the Marple books are much darker that Poirot. Maybe because she explores human nature, and her mysteries are solved that way. Poirot is often just the puzzle – although some of his are dark, too. Like Patricia, I’m not sure I’m on either Team Marple or Team Poirot. It really depends on my mood.

    What fires me up is when people insist Agatha is cozy. She is very definitely NOT cozy. Not in my book.

    I would also say your suggestion of AND THEN THERE WERE NONE is perfect. One of my favorites.

    After watching “Seven Dials” on Netflix, I have to go back and re-read that one.

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    2. Liz, I totally agree! I’m always saying that Christie is DARK. She has a child murderer in one book! And then kills her off! I feel like calling her cozy is a way of dismissing her because sadly, too many people are dismissive of the entire genre.

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  3. I want to start by saying we can always learn more about the Chicks. I am the founding (and probably only) member of the D.C. COTC fan club. I’ve read every chick book I’ve ever found (I’m going through yours right now Patricia). And I know Vickie was talking about me when she said we are “mostly mature adults”.

    I am a huge fan of Agatha. I know lots of trivia about her. Things like her favorite story she wrote changed over the years, she hated Poirot, she didn’t like to perform (hence never becoming a musician or wanting to give a speech) and her favorite car was a Morris Cowley. I’ve read the autobiography. I’ve read snippets of the Secret Notebooks (it’s a huge book). I’ve seen both movies “theorizing” her 10 day disappearance and read lots of articles about it.

    But….

    I’ve never read an Agatha Christie book.

    Don’t hate me! I have 14 of her books (some new, some old, some annotated versions), but never cracked any of them.

    Which one should I read first (when I get some time!)?

    Murder on the Links, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The ABC Murders, Ordeal by Innocence, Sleeping Murder, The Murder at the Vicarage, A Murder is Announced, A Caribbean Mystery, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Secret of Chimneys, Secret Adversary, And Then There Were None, 13 Problems, Man in the Brown Suit.

    Please don’t kick me out of the club! I will change. I promise.

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    2. Hestia, thank you for taking a chance on my books. You’re very kind. I hope you enjoy them. I love Jen’s suggestion of picking one at random to start. And we would never, ever kick you out. You’re lovely. Happy sleuthing!

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    3. I and ALL the Chicks love you, Hestia!! You really CAN start anywhere with Christie. I realized a couple of weeks ago there were a few short stories I had never read. I corrected that by ordering short story collection from Amazon (Thirteen Problems). I’m reading it leisurely since it’s a treat for me to read a Christie story for the FIRST time!

      I won’t pick for you. You can’t go wrong. If you decide to read one of the Thirteen Problems stories, you can discuss it with me if you like, since it will be fresh on my mind!

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  4. Hmm…I, too, rank Agatha Christie stories according to my reading mood. And Then There Were None (titled differently when I first read it) is probably my favorite. But I love Murder on the Orient Express because luxury train travel fascinates me. I prefer Miss Marple because she focuses on the human side, but…oddly, when I looked them up, the Hercule books generally ranked higher on my list. Even Christie wasn’t fond of the fussy little man, lol.

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  5. I’m glad you included Sleeping Murder because that’s a personal favorite. How can a theatre major like me not love a book where the pivotal clue is a quote from “The Duchess of Mallfi?” I don’t care that the motivation is the same as in Dead Man’s Folly. It’s a spooky, compelling read.

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  6. okay, I’m trying a third time to post, but will keep it short.

    Read the secret notebooks, the autobiography, articles about her disappearance, and know all kinds of trivia about her.

    I have never, ever read an Agatha Christie book. I have 14, but none have been opened.

    I will rectify this, so please don’t hate this “not mostly mature adult”.

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    2. Hestia, there is no limit to how many times you can post on Chicks. And no judgment on your reading schedule. There are an awful lot of Christie books out there!

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  7. Fun post!

    Our public library hosts a mystery book group and February’s topic was “mature sleuths.” One of the members chose “Postern of Fate,” featuring Tommy and Tuppence in their 70’s and the last book Christie wrote. I hadn’t read it before, so I did. Not my favorite frankly.

    I agree – “And Then There Were None” is high on the list! But I think my favorite might be “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd;” I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it is literarily perfect and what a plot twist at the end!

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  8. The first Christie I read was when my mom handed me the copy of Nemesis that she’d just finished. (I had to ask her what the word meant.) I loved the book–having it set on a coach (i.e., tour bus, to us Yanks) trip was fascinating to my young mind.

    But I think my favorite may be 4:50 to Paddington. I can still see the image of the person on the train which led to Miss Marple solving the murder…

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    1. I Leslie, I do enjoy 4:50 to Paddington. Your mom started you off well!!

      My only quibble with Paddington is that Marple disappears a bit too often from the story, letting surrogates step in. I always prefer MORE Marple!!

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  9. My mom was a huge Christie fan and I credit that fandom for me becoming a mystery writer. She always said, “It’s not about the murder, it’s about the puzzle.”

    I’m a huge fan of Evil Under the Sun. It’s one of the few Christie novels I’ve read more than once. I also love Murder at the Vicarage. The biting humor in that and other Marple stories is delicious.

    My hot Christie take is David Suchet is the one and only Poirot. Finney, Ustinov, and Branagh are all second stringers to me

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    1. Love David Suchet as Poirot, although I’m not sure Poirot as written was so likeable! And I have to say, the Ustinov versions of “Evil Under the Sun” and “Death on the Nile” are just so beautiful visually, and the ensemble casts were perfect!

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    2. I love your mother’s quote. Thank you for sharing it with us. And, with all due respect – I’m sure Kenneth Branagh is a lovely person – but I cannot watch another performance of him as Poirot. Can’t do it. Won’t do it.

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    3. J.C., your mom is obviously a brilliant woman of good taste! I agree with you and Robin that the Ustinov movies are fun. My only comment on Branoff is that he should shave off that moustache and never grow it again!!

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  10. I’m Team Marple, but I still love Poirot stories as well. My fave is The Mousetrap, not because of the craft but since it was the first of her written works that I read. I’m also fond of The Murder at the Vicarage since it was the first Marple I read. And I enjoy her short stories, like “The Witness for the Prosecution.”

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  12. So I guess it is true confessions time. I am not as familiar with Christie as I should be. I skipped over that part of the normal mystery lover progression (the Hardys/Nancy, Christie/Sayer/Holmes, modern mysteries). Having said that, I do love AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. My hot take on it? It’s the first slasher story.

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  13. I am definitely Team Marple…have had some wonderful discussions with students while teaching A Murder is Announced.

    Cat Among the Pigeons (even though Poirot) was set at a school–yay for academic mysteries! 🙂

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