Suggestions for an Agatha Christie novel for my book group please!

[BaconAndAvocado]

I’ve never read any AC but always meant to!

I need to choose a book for book group and thought I would suggest something completely different to our usual fare.

Any suggestions for a good one please?

Death on the Nile is a good one

If you like reading, I rather fear you might find Christie a bit....simplistic.

N or M is my favourite

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Hercule Poirot's Christmas if you want something seasonal

The Murder at the Vicarage is one of my favourites- it’s the first of her books to feature Miss Marple. I remember it being quite funny & strangely comforting (for a book about murder!).

And Then There Were None.

Not really a book group kind of author though - not really a lot to discuss! She’s not a very nuanced writer…

The Pale Horse is interesting because it inspired a real life murderer, Graham Young, the school boy poisoner.

The Murder at Stiles? Tbh they're all quite similar! But I'd go for one that hasn't had much tv or film treatment.
Really interesting to discuss how technology has changed detective fiction; how society changing has shaped it. Some weird stuff about 'foreigners' in AC books.

Bertrams Hotel (think that's the name)
Then there were none

A Murder is Announced is full of social commentary as well as featuring and excellent central crime. It's a Miss Marple.

Evil Under the Sun or Five Little Pigs would be the ones I'd go for.

Murder on the Orient Express is a classic - that's Poirot. My favourite Miss Marple is The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side.

One of my DC did Evil Under The Sun as a class reader one term, and there seemed to be plenty to talk about (and write essays about)

Otherwise, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, as the twist was innovative then

Having said that, I think I've read pretty much all of them, so it's different for choosing one for somebody for the first time.

I like Poirot better than Marple.

This!

Some of these suggestions are not vg tbh. Agree you may find little to talk about! How about a really good classic Christie (HP Christmas, Roger Ackroyd, And then there were none, Five little pigs, the moving finger) AND then a crappy later one for comparison - how careless she got re plot etc - eg Nemesis, posters of fate, elephants can remember - those three are all v poor. All short so not too much of an ask.

Christie is fab if you’ve never read her. The problem you’ll have is there are a few really famous ones, and you’ll struggle to find people who don’t know the ending. If you’ve never read these, they’re Christie at her best and brilliant examples of playing around with the detective fiction genre, but I would think it is highly likely that some of your book group have read them already.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Murder on the Orient Express
And Then There Were None (this has been retitled as the original titles were extremely racist)
The ABC Murders

I like The 4:50 from Paddington, or A Murder is Announced.

And ignore the comment that if you like writing you may not like Agatha Christie. She makes it look easy but nobody else can do what she did.

I've never been to a book club but if the focus is on brilliant literary style Agatha Christie is not a good choice. However, if your members are prepared to branch out and talk about plot, specifically how the best whodunit writer of all time plants her clues and misleads her readers, she's an excellent choice! For those purposes, I would say The Murder of Roger Ackroyd or Death on the Nile or A Murder is Announced would all be good.

Another suggestion would be The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham. I just googled to check I'd got the title right and find that J. K. Rowling has said this is her favourite crime novel. It's one of my favourites too. Set just after WW2. It explores something I've often thought about - how reckless, ruthless psychopaths were sought out and made use of during the war, but afterwards couldn't find their way in civilian life and became a liability.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd would give you lots to discuss. It's absolutely brilliant.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd , it’s a classic . I also like The Mysterious Affair at Styles , The ABC Murders and A murder is Announced

And Then They are None. You can team with Daisy Darker too.

Otherwise I'd go classics with Murder on the Orient Express/Nile and explore why they are so popular/brilliant. There's an interesting discussion in there about how we decide what isb' important' and worth studying. Arthur Conan Doyle is starting to appear. Why not Agatha Christie?

I like the labours of Hercules. There is also a short story where Miss marple is asked to join a dinner party and solves mysteries that is good.

Sparkling Cyanide