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Original poster

Any Agatha Christie fans about?

244 replies

wineoclockthanks · 16/12/2019 19:57

I read them all avidly about 40 years ago and am rediscovering them via Charity shops atm.

One of my favourites was about a group of people living in a shared house, possibly a student house and there were letters written in green ink. I've had a google but can't find the name of the book. Any ideas please?

No spoilers please because I can only remember the murderer in a few and don't want to spoil the rest.

OP posts:
ADogInTheManger · 16/12/2019 19:58

Google suggests Hickory Dickory Dock.

ADogInTheManger · 16/12/2019 19:59

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HickoryDickoryyDock(novel)

Original poster
wineoclockthanks · 16/12/2019 20:00

That's it!! Thank you so much. Flowers

I did google but I think I'm obviously a bit rubbish at it Blush

OP posts:
PhilomenaChristmasPie · 16/12/2019 20:00

Yes, I think that's it. Great book.

ADogInTheManger · 16/12/2019 20:02

You're welcome.Smile

IJustWantToWearDungarees · 16/12/2019 20:06

I LOVE Christie! Really like A Murder Is Announced and Sleeping Murder and And ThenThere Were None and also love The Thirteen Problems - a collection of short stories. Poirot is my favourite and I like Marple but Tommy and Tuppence set my teeth on edge!

WeirdPookah · 16/12/2019 20:08

I am reading my way through them in order, currently reading A Murder at the Vicarage.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 16/12/2019 20:09

Yes! I read them all as a teenager. Especially loved The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

susiella · 16/12/2019 21:53

I have every book she has ever written including the Westmacott novels, the autobiographies and the unofficial biographies. My favourite is the Pale Horse. My favourite 'tec' is Ariadne Oliver

susiella · 16/12/2019 21:55

Sorry, she didn't write the biographies obviously. I am tired

soberish · 16/12/2019 21:57

Also loved them ! so does 11yo dd, who was nearly called Lettice !!

Catalonia · 17/12/2019 07:41

Yes! Im a newcomer to reading Christie (had always assumed they were great puzzles but shallow characterisation etc.). How wrong I was! She just writes so economically but can nail a character in a couple of witty, pithy lines. And the library shelves are lined with them, all for free! Years of happy reading stretch ahead!

dancingbadger · 17/12/2019 07:52

Slightly changing the subject (another Christie fan) does anyone know if they are making a Christmas special this year. I was quite disappointed by last years poirot but a few years ago they did 'and then there were none' which was excellent? I haven't seen or heard of anything but usually they do something over xmas.

MakeUpGirl · 17/12/2019 08:03

I think I read they’re making The Pale Horse for Christmas this year. One of my favourites so I’ll definitely be watching and hoping it’s better than the last couple

bluebells1 · 17/12/2019 08:06

There is a movie about Agatha Christie on Netflix. Can't remember the name. It is about when she went missing. The movie imagines it as she went missing because she had an actual murder to solve. I really enjoyed it!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 17/12/2019 08:10

Radio Times says The Pale Horse will be on BBC in 2020, not at Christmas. Sad

I love Agatha Christie. Have read all the whodunnits many times. My favourites are The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None, but there are lots of other good ones. I re-read Five Little Pigs recently, after catching the ITV Poirot version on catch up. Very striking storyline.

Her later books are a disappointment. I get the impression that by the time the 1960s dawned her publishers were taking the approach that the public would buy anything with her name on it so no quality control was needed.

MushroomTree · 17/12/2019 08:30

Agatha Christie fan here too! So much so I used her as one of my authors for my dissertation.

I scored a jackpot a few years when I was at a car boot sale and someone was selling Christie books by the carrier bag full for about £1 a bag. I bought them all!

dancingbadger · 17/12/2019 08:41

Also went to see 'witness for the prosecution' last year for my birthday, it was brilliant I would definitely recommend. Aww I hope they release pale horse soon, xmas won't be the same without a decent Christie to watch, might have to break into my poirot box set...again!

Squigean · 17/12/2019 08:42

Love a Christie. Didnt read them as a child (oddly as reading was my escapism so read a lot. Just recently discovered my mother has never read one - despite claiming to be a fan.) This does mean I got to read them for the first time as an adult; wonder if that makes a difference!!

Sarah Phelps is doing the Pale Horse isn't she. I've liked her other adaptations but she messed up Poirot completely in my opinion. (Though I think it'd have been fine if she hadn't changed who Piorot was - ridiculous thing to do. Quite a pointless addition to the storyline.)

plunkplunkfizz · 17/12/2019 08:43

The alternative history drama on Channel 5 the other night was surprisingly good. I’d rather they made more of them than the utter dross Sarah Phelps rolls out annually.

Furey · 17/12/2019 08:45

Hickory dickory dock

Furey · 17/12/2019 08:48

Same here, Tommy and tuppence are irritating.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 17/12/2019 08:53

Oh, I love an Agatha Christie - read all bar seven as a youngish teenager. I used to keep a list, so should really know which ones I didn't manage to track down from the local library but can't remember now.

Loved The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (first example of the unreliable narrator genre?), Murder on the Orient Express and Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (it made me cry!). Is The Pale Horse the one that has an occult vibe to it? Sure I've seen it on TV relatively recently but can't really remember the plotline.

Worldshohohokayestmum · 17/12/2019 08:58

My DP wants to try an Agatha Christie book. I've had the murder of Roger Ackroyd in my amazon basket for awhile to get him for Christmas. Is it OK as a stand alone book? He hasn't read or watched any agatha christie before. Thanks

wraithberry · 17/12/2019 08:59

The Netflix movie bluebells1 mentioned is called Agatha and the Truth of Murder. I haven't seen it yet but it's on my Christmas watch list.

My favourites are Sleeping Murder and Endless Night.

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