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?

Roger Ackroyd really is great.

Also Hercule Poirot’s Christmas - this fits the time of year too.

It’s called the thirteen problems.

And Then There Were None or
Pocket Full Of Rye in a build up to
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - not sure you should read this first.

If people have neither read nor seen it - I’d agree with And then there were none.
I love her. Poirot and Marple both great characters.

Rodger Akroyd or Lord Edgeare Dies are my favourites.

Edgware*

I agree with Death on the Nile: re-read it recently after seeing the film and there are a few extra sub-plots that got cut from the film.

I also recommend reading Agatha Christie's biography and a biography (in that order). Gives a lot of insight and information about her life and how she worked, so a lot to talk about there. Lucy Worsley has just done a new biography (not yet read but she has some new photos); otherwise I recommend the one by Janet Morgan.

(Having spent lockdown near Wallingford where she lived and died, and Cholsey where she is buried I've been having a bit of an extended Agatha Christie spell. Visited Greenway (another home) in March and have been to see The Mousetrap earlier today)

Sorry: that should say "autobiography" and a biography. Would make more sense.

Cat among the pigeons is full of twists.

By The Pricking of My Thumbs, I always found quite chilling.

And Then There Were None is my favourite. If you want Marple or Poirot, I'd choose Marple and go for A Murder is Announced

One that hasn't been mentioned - Murder in Mesopotamia. Some of the characters are (supposedly) based on real people, and the setting ties in with Agatha Christie's real life, so there's quite a lot of background to look at.

Along with her autobiography, I recommend her memoir Come Tell Me How You Live, a light hearted account of life on archaeological digs in the Middle East between the wars.

Why?

Endless Night written in 1967. Excellent tome done in the first person of a 28 year old man.

Roger Ackroyd is actually on the A level Eng lit syllabus.
Can I also add to my good ones list mirror cracked and murder is announced, as others say. Not 4.50 from Paddington tho unless you want to discuss solving a murder through esp as there is zero detection in that one. Miss m just “knows”

Especially the 1 giveaway line.

Agree 100%. Very narrow minded to think otherwise.

Roger Ackroyd! Brilliant.

Roger ackroyd is the only discussable one. I love AC but there's not a lot to talk about in her books. You could do one of the Westmacott books - the rose and the yew tree - and probably have more to think about.

Also agree with this, Christie is an easier read than say Dorothy L Sayers (who I also love) and I can see why she can be dismissed as a bit lightweight in some quarters but I don’t agree. A Murder is Announced is my favourite.

Cards on the Table,
Five Little Pigs,
The ABC Murders,
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,
Endless Night.

I always rather fancied Colonel Race ...

<<lowers tone of thread>>

The Hollow. Slightly different, and one of the best.

Endless Night is underrated.

Having said that.

Christie is horrifically, casually racist and antisemitic. Mostly you can ignore it - and more modern editions tend to cut it out discreetly - but you might get a shock if you're reading a second hand copy.

Or you could read a Dorothy L Sayers instead?

(Look up the original title for 'And then there were none')