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Original poster

Agatha Christie

43 replies

BabeRuthless · 23/06/2011 16:35

God knows why, but I've never really read her before & have suddenly realised what I'm missing out on. Read "And Then There Where Three" which I loved & I understand there's a few more stand alone ones.

Where do I start with Miss Marple & Poirot? Does it matter if I read them out of order?

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 23/06/2011 22:58

I like the Tommy and Tuppence books - at least the early ones.
I think i might have to invest in some Agatha for my holiday. I've read tons but mostly from the library years ago.

Pandygirl · 23/06/2011 22:55

I love Agatha Christie, huge soft spot for Miss Marple as they were the first ones I read (lent by my great aunt, who was very Marplesque). As well as Poirot and Tommy and Tuppence there are also a number of short stories including Harley Quinn which are good and a book of short stories with a supernatural theme which are really good.

hocuspontas · 23/06/2011 22:43

I never read them in any order and I still wouldn't have any idea which book came before or after another. Apart from And Then There Were None I think the Miss Marple and Poirot stories are miles better than the rest. Tommy and Tuppence are dire.

lottiejenkins · 23/06/2011 22:37

There is also a lovely book of Miss Marple short stories which are great too!!

Original poster
BabeRuthless · 23/06/2011 22:31

That could have been it. My mum loves her & we always had some of the books around the house. Kicking myself now for all the time I wasted in my teens doing daft stuff when I could have been reading.

OP posts:
bullet234 · 23/06/2011 20:37

Well, there's Three Act Tragedy, that might have been it.

Original poster
BabeRuthless · 23/06/2011 19:49

Wow, thanks for all your replies. Especially to you bullet234. I did mean "And Then There Were None" and have no idea where I got the "Three" from (blames son for talking while I was typing).

Might do "Death on the Nile" next & do all the best known ones first. Our local library seems to have an excellent selection so I'm spoilt for choice. The book geek in me is so excited!

OP posts:
bullet234 · 23/06/2011 18:28

That one is good, even if it does have a ridiculous explanation as to how the murderer got away with it. But not as ridiculous as the third murder committed on "Death on the Nile".

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 23/06/2011 18:23

bullet impressive!
My fave is 'After the Funerall' which I read first when I was about 13. In fact... think I'll re-read it tonight Grin

bullet234 · 23/06/2011 18:11

No, I just like reading them. A lot.

Vroomfondel · 23/06/2011 18:07

impressive bullet. do you have a family tree type chart above your bookcase? 9i'd rather like one of those)

bullet234 · 23/06/2011 18:02

You can read them in any order if you like. They are mostly all connected up. Inspector Japp is mentioned in the Tommy and Tuppence story "The Secret Adversary." He appears in a lot of Poirot stories. Poirot connects with Ariadne Oliver in several stories, who in turn connects with Rhoda Dawes in the same story, who connects with Mark Easterbrook in The Pale Horse. He then connects with Mrs Dane Calthrop, who was in that story and The Moving Finger, which was a Miss Marple story. Ann Beddingfield in "The Man in the Brown Suit" connects with Colonel Race, who connects with Poirot in Cards on the Table and I think Death on the Nile. Superintendant Battle connects with Poirot as probably being the father of Colin Lamb, who appears in The Clocks with Poirot and Battle also appears in Cards on the Table. Battle also appears in a few stand alone or very short series stories, including The Secret Adversary and The Seven Dials Mystery.

meditrina · 23/06/2011 18:00

It doesn't matter what order, really.

But you might like to start each with the first book in which they appeared (so your introduction to them on the page is indeed their debut) For Miss Marple, the first full length on is "Murder at the Vicarage", for Poirot "The Mysterious Affair at Styles".

I'd also recommend "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" early on.

ZZZenAgain · 23/06/2011 17:59

her autobiography and her book afbout accompanying her dh on archaeological digs are good reads too IMO

RustyBear · 23/06/2011 17:57

You need to read Cards on the Table before The Pale Horse

And one of the Poirot books names several murderers from previous books, but I can't remember which offhand.

I'll let you know if I remember...

bullet234 · 23/06/2011 17:53

Do you mean "And then there were None"?

Vroomfondel · 23/06/2011 17:52

no but keep a record of which ones you have read or you'll suddenly realise half way through that you 've read that one before.

ashamedandconfused · 23/06/2011 17:46

There are a few stories where reference is made to similarities in another case, or an old friend reappears, but they are pretty much stand alone stories and it doesn't matter to read them out of sequence.

Enjoy!