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Original poster

Agatha Christie....where to start?

93 replies

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 27/01/2025 08:14

I'm thinking of reading my first Agatha Christie - any recommendations for what you would consider to be her 'best' book?

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Dolamroth · 24/03/2025 08:24

CharlotteLightandDark · 27/01/2025 08:19

I like Endless Night but it’s v different to her usual, no detectives in it! It’s folk horror tinged with an unreliable narrator so v up my street.

That's the first one I ever read! I was totally gripped!

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 17/03/2025 21:29

My first was The Body in the Library, which is brilliant. The others that stick in my mind as awesome are The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Murder in Mesopotamia.

Although now, about 35 years on, I couldn't tell you much about what happened in them 😂 Fingernails were significant.

AgualusasLover · 17/03/2025 21:21

@Mylittlebobble i think those podcasters might be there actually. I was too intimidated by theme full festival in Sept (plus it clashes with the Jane Austen festival) but they have a nice one day event in Spring.

I have no idea at all what to expect.

kumamon · 17/03/2025 20:45

For Miss Marple I love: The Moving Finger, Sleeping Murder, 4:50 from Paddington

For Poirot: Death on the Nile (which is my favourite of ALL her books), Murder on the Orient Express, Cat among the pigeons, Evil Under The Sun

Then, like many others, I think ‘And then there were none’ is a must read.

Mylittlebobble · 17/03/2025 20:34

@AgualusasLover I would love to go to the Agatha Christie festival. Let us know hiw it goes and whether you'd recommend. Have you listened to the Singing Christie's podcast? You might like that. The books about Agatha Christie by Mark Aldridge are very good.

Not2identifying · 17/03/2025 20:29

That does sound exciting @AgualusasLover. Hope you have a good time. I've been to her beautiful house, Greenway.

AgualusasLover · 16/03/2025 21:39

I have read quite a few of her books and have a nice collection - I love kitsch covers and have a few Crime Club ones.

This year I am starting from the beginning - I was strictly Poirot but have done Murder at the Vicarage and am on The Body in the Library.

I have been trying audible for these (and for Sherlock Holmes) and have not been disappointed - so far I’ve had Richard E Grant and Stephanie Cole for the Marples and it’s been wonderful.

I am even doing some organised Agatha Christie events this year in Torquay which is very exciting.

StMarie4me · 16/03/2025 21:28

NotinToTintin · 27/01/2025 08:18

Don’t read the murder of Roger ackroyd first! It will be much better if you read that after you’ve read some of the others. Read the Mysterious Affair at Styles perhaps - one of the earlier Poirots. Or Death on the Nile? A classic.

Agree with the Mysterious Affair at Styles. It is the first Poirot and excellent!

DaisyDukesAuntie · 16/03/2025 20:54

I’m nearly done with The Big Four. Why on earth has no one made it into a film?!!?? It’s so good! I’m working my way chronologically through the Poirot books on Audible which is slightly cheating I know but they are such a good listen

Not2identifying · 13/02/2025 23:39

And I adore David Suchet as Poirot.

Not2identifying · 13/02/2025 23:39

@ChonkyRabbit you might enjoy one of the others then as they are very different. My favourite is Joan Hickson but my second favourite is Geraldine McEwan. Third is Julia McKensie.

KIlliePieMyOhMy · 13/02/2025 19:30

The first Poirot is The Mysterious Affair at Styles

ChonkyRabbit · 13/02/2025 19:29

napody · 13/02/2025 18:57

Which one is this?

Show quote history

Murder in the Vicarage.

Which tv version? Joan Hickson is the definitive Miss Marple. The others aren't a true representation of the character Agatha Christie wrote.

Joan Hickson is the one I've seen and don't enjoy.

meala · 13/02/2025 19:15

Another vote for sleeping murder. It’s very clever. Once you’ve read it the Joan Hickson BBC adaptation is also really good.

MissRoseDurward · 13/02/2025 19:12

I was hesitant about Miss Marple as I don't like the character on TV

Which tv version? Joan Hickson is the definitive Miss Marple. The others aren't a true representation of the character Agatha Christie wrote.

napody · 13/02/2025 18:57

ChonkyRabbit · 27/01/2025 10:27

I read Murder on the Orient Express first, then went back and started from the first Poirot. I recommend it as it's fascinating to see her writing get better and better over the years.

I then read the Tommy and Tuppence books and some of the standalones.

I was hesitant about Miss Marple as I don't like the character on TV, but I recently started the first one. It's from another character's perspective and I'm enjoying it a lot, though I haven't yet warmed to Miss Marple.

Edited

Which one is this?

Carouselfish · 13/02/2025 18:56

We have all the books, very old editions.
(Also live in a little village of about 25 houses that has seen 4 murders over the last 100 years. I feel like that is quite a proportionally high amount.Very relate to Marple).

Carouselfish · 13/02/2025 18:53

By the Pricking of my Thumbs as well. Creeeepy

Carouselfish · 13/02/2025 18:50

I like Sleeping Murder

cansu · 13/02/2025 18:38

So many to choose from. I am envious of you! I liked Hickory Dickory Dock, Evil under the Sun, Death on the Nile abd Murder on the Orient Express. I also liked Nemesis. In fact I loved most of them.

tobee · 07/02/2025 20:01

tobee · 07/02/2025 20:00

I got a few on eBay a year or so ago for the somewhat kitsch paperback cover designs from the 60s/70s/80s

Think they are Fontana and Pan

tobee · 07/02/2025 20:00

I got a few on eBay a year or so ago for the somewhat kitsch paperback cover designs from the 60s/70s/80s

Mylittlebobble · 06/02/2025 14:16

KIlliePieMyOhMy · 06/02/2025 10:21

I worked it out. There is a line/paragraph which I thought just didn't fit; I can remember reading that page a few times and thinking well that's obvious now. I was probably 13 or so.

I really liked The Mirror Cracked - especially if you have not sene the film and how it was based on Gene Tierney incident which made it so much more real for motive etc.

Show quote history

Well, I never knew that about the inspiration for The Mirror Crack'd. Fascinating but sad.

KIlliePieMyOhMy · 06/02/2025 10:21

WinterFoxes · 29/01/2025 09:19

I was going to suggest Roger Ackroyd. I thought it was her first novel. Why do you think leave it until later? I'm curious.

OP I loved The Mirror Cracked.

Show quote history

I worked it out. There is a line/paragraph which I thought just didn't fit; I can remember reading that page a few times and thinking well that's obvious now. I was probably 13 or so.

I really liked The Mirror Cracked - especially if you have not sene the film and how it was based on Gene Tierney incident which made it so much more real for motive etc.

Phase2 · 05/02/2025 19:53

AgentCooperdreamsofTibet · 29/01/2025 09:01

To add another option into the mix, I'd suggest starting with Crooked House, which is not only a brilliant book but gets you into Christie's writing style without the "baggage" of any of the main detectives being involved. And Then There Were None also works for the same reasons but although I loved reading this, I already knew a lot about it, including the ending, just from popular culture, whereas CH was a cold read for me.

I took on a quest to read as much Christie as possible last year, having never read any before. I was recommended Crooked House as a starting point for this reason. Once I got into reading AC, I was surprised by how much I preferred Marple to Poirot (don't get me wrong, the latter is still excellent), and also how much I enjoyed Tommy and Tuppence (I had assumed they were forgotten for a reason).

I also recommend The Decagon House Murders which is a Japanese book, available in translation, which is a modern adaptation of And Then There Were None. It is fabulous.

Yes I love this one! And the adaptation was so good.
I really like the non detective ones might reread those.

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