Tag: Crime

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie (Review)

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

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Blurb

A healthy young man dies in his sleep, despite the ringing of eight separate alarm clocks… Gerry Wade had proved himself to be a champion sleeper; so the other house guests decided to play a practical joke on him. Eight alarm clocks were set to go off, one after the other, starting at 6.30 a.m. But when morning arrived, one clock was missing and the prank had backfired with tragic consequences. For Jimmy Thesiger in particular, the words ‘Seven Dials’ were to take on a new and chilling significance…

Review

This is my next book in my Agatha Christie challenge and it did not disappoint as I do love a Superintendent Battle mystery. 

Superintendent Battle isn’t really the main character in the books that he features in and it is more the delightful Bundle. Battle was in this book and he always seemed to be in just the right place at just the right time and although he appeared a clumsy country policeman with no clue what is going on that is all a front because actually he is shrewd, sharp and very clever. He lulls the enemy into a false sense of security. 

However, Bundle is my absolute favourite character in this book, closely followed by her father, Lord Caterham. Bundle is a super fast driver with no fear behind the wheel or in life. She is definitely a character who takes life by the horns and isn’t even phased by sleeping in the same bed which a man died in literally a few days before. She also loves a mystery and soon starts to investigate what is going on following the death of Gerry Wade. 

The other character I loved was Lady Coote. There was a very melancholy air about Lady Coote. She longed for a simpler life, a life before her husband made millions. She was quiet and often came across as socially clumsy and awkward but really she was very good at managing her husband and winning at bridge. She was a very cleverly written character who really added to the story. 

I loved how this mystery developed and how it built up and I loved Christie’s little subtle digs at the ridiculous in the aristocracy and new money in the 1920’s. The comedy in this book was also brilliant and I couldn’t help laughing out loud whilst reading this book. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons. 

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About the author

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. She also wrote the world’s longest running play, The Mousetrap. She also wrote 6 novels under the name Mary Westmacott.

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The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths (Review)

The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

Blurb

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Ali’s work seems like a safe desk job, but what her friends—and even her beloved son—don’t know is that her team has a secret: They can travel back in time to look for evidence.

So far Ali has made trips only to the recent past, so she’s surprised when she’s asked to investigate a murder that took place in 1850. The killing has been pinned on an aristocratic patron of the arts and antiquities, a member of a sinister group called “The Collectors.” She arrives in the Victorian era during a mini ice age to find another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions. But when her son is arrested, Ali attempts to return home only to find herself trapped in 1850.

Review

I’ve only ever read one book by Elly Griffiths that wasn’t a Ruth Galloway book so I was very excited to read something very different from Griffiths. This book was definitely something different and not what I was expecting at all. 

This book revolves around the character Ali Dawson who is part of a cold case team who investigates old cases and these cases can be very old. However, there is something quite different from the way this team solves the crimes. This team uses time travel to look for evidence and this leads to Ali going further back in time than she has ever been before. Ali finds herself investigating a murder whilst stuck in 1850. 

I loved the character of Ali as she is a strong independent woman who has fought the odds to better herself. Oh and she is also a cat owner. Ali worked cleaning jobs to provide for her son and at the same time she gained a degree in history. She then got a job with the police and she worked her way up the ladder. Ali works every problem she is faced with methodically and nothing seems to phase her. Whilst Ali is stuck in 1850 there is also a murder mystery happening in the present day which involves Ali’s adult son. 

I really enjoyed this book and I would love to learn more about Ali’s team. John is a true gentleman who we do get to see more of and you can’t help but root for. Once I got over how different this book is from Griffiths’ usual work I thoroughly enjoyed it and found the concept fascinating. There were also some big questions left that I would love to get answers for so I really hope there will be a second book. The narrative of this book was quite busy and there was a lot going on. I will be honest and say that I actually enjoyed the Victorian sections more than the present day and preferred the Victorian characters. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly’s husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece’s head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton.

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A Three Dog Problem by S. J. Bennett (Review)

A Three Dog Problem by S. J. Bennett

Blurb

Amateur detective Queen Elizabeth II is back in this hugely entertaining follow-up to the bestseller The Windsor Knot, in which Her Majesty must determine how a missing painting is connected to the shocking death of a staff member inside Buckingham Palace.

At Buckingham Palace, the autumn of 2016 presages uncertain times. The Queen must deal with the fallout from the Brexit referendum, a new female prime minister, and a tumultuous election in the United States—yet these prove to be the least of her worries when a staff member is found dead beside the palace swimming pool. Is it truly the result of a tragic accident, as the police think, or is something more sinister going on?

Meanwhile, her assistant private secretary, Rozie Oshodi, is on the trail of a favourite painting that once hung outside the Queen’s bedroom and appears to have been misappropriated by the Royal Navy. And a series of disturbing anonymous letters have begun circulating in the palace. The Queen’s courtiers think they have it all ‘under control’, but Her Majesty is not so sure. After all, though the staff and public may not be aware, she is the keenest sleuth among them. Sometimes, it takes a Queen’s eye to see connections where no one else can.

Review

I read the first book in this series a few years ago but for some reason I have taken ages to pick the next book up despite loving the first book. I will not be making the same mistake with the third book. 

I absolutely love the idea of this series and find the idea of the Queen being a super sleuth fantastic. I also love how this book really links in to events that were happening during the year 2016. The Queen has a new Prime minister to deal with, and it is uncertain times for Buckingham Palace the last thing the Queen needs to deal with is a dead body in the swimming pool and one of her paintings missing. 

Rozie the Queen’s assistant private secretary knows what the Queen is like and knows her ability as a secret super sleuth. Rozie is on the hunt for the missing painting but at the same time she is also picking up little clues that help the Queen build up a picture of what is exactly going on within her kingdom. 

As with the first book in the series the thing I love most about this book is the interactions the Queen and Prince Philip share. We have no idea what exactly went on between the Queen and Prince Philip behind closed doors but I can just imagine all the exchanges from this book actually happening. Each interaction made me smile and have a little giggle. Princess Anne also makes an appearance in this book which I hugely enjoyed. I also throughly enjoyed the scenes with the Queen and her dogs. 

There are some wonderful characters in this book, each with their own histories and personalities. However, the real star of the book other than the Queen is Rozie. Rozie is loyal to the Queen and to her family. She helps people and tries her best to be friends with everyone. She defends the weak and does everything she can to help the Queen keep her sleuthing secret. 

I love this book and I have bought the next book in series ready to read next month. I give this book a big 5 out of 5 Dragons.

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

SJ Bennett was born in Yorkshire, England in 1966, and lives in London. An army child, she grew up travelling around the world. Her first novel was published when she was 42, after a varied career and lots of procrastination. She is the award-winning author of several books for children and teaches and podcasts about writing.

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Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani (Review)

Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani

Blurb

It’s Christmas at The Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London’s winding streets featuring handcrafted delights unavailable anywhere else. Tinsel coils around the wooden beams, lights sparkle in the windows and the open fire crackles comfortingly. As closing time approaches after a busy trading day, only a few customers drift towards the exit – but they find they cannot leave. The doors are locked.

What initially seemed an innocent mix-up turns sinister as the shopkeepers seem strangely uninterested in lending assistance. The festive cheer has all but disappeared among a growing feeling of unease – and then a chilling discovery is made in Santa’s grotto.

For those that survive the night, it will be a Christmas to remember.

Review

This is my first book by Cordani and I chose it because I loved the cover and the title of the book. Thankfully I was not disappointed! 

I loved this book because it gave me real Charlie and the Chocolate Factory vibes with Agatha Christie vibes. It was a weird concoction which worked brilliantly together and although it was set in modern day London, at times you could almost say it was set in Victorian times with a bit of Dickens Christmas thrown in as well. 

Montagu Verity is definitely the Willy Wonka character in this book. He is a born and bred showman but he also has a sinister side to him which starts to emerge as the story goes on. He also knows a disturbing amount about his special guests. 

This book has historical flashbacks which helps build up the story and connects all the modern events together. Each chapter builds on what has happened before and starts to create a rich tapestry of facts for the reader to try and unravel. 

I really liked the mix of characters in this book and although I struggled with Merry’s character to begin with she definitely became a favourite. I also really liked Fran and Knives. The descriptions in this book were stunning and it really made me want to visit a Christmas Emporium. I could not put this book down and give it 5 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Andreina Cordani is a writer and journalist who writes fiction for adults and young adults. 

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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (Review)


The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Blurb

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

Review

I have recently been going through some bookshelves in our house that have basically been neglected since we moved into the house seven years ago. Due to this I have discovered a load of books that I had forgotten about and this is one of them. I can’t believe I waited so long because once I started this book I could not put it down. 

There were so many twists and turns in this book which really kept me on my toes. This book just kept surprising me and I loved it. I had a few suspicions about who the guilty party was. Some of my early thoughts were way out but I slowly started to work out who it was. The first thing that hooked me in was the prologue to the book. It really set the scene and made me want to know what it all meant. So of course I had to keep reading. 

The other element I loved about this book was how it was written. The story is mainly told from Rachel’s point of view but we also have the point of view of other important characters as well and it really added an extra element to the story and threw in a few red herrings. The book is written as diary entries and in Rachel’s case she has a morning and evening entry to go with her train commute. 

Rachel is such a tragic character who just needs someone to love her again and care for her. She desperately needs to find meaning and purpose in her life again but she can’t find the way so when she sees something from the train she finds a way to be part of something again and starts to find meaning in life again but the process is not pretty. I felt desperately sorry for Rachel but at times she really did frustrate me. I just really wanted her to succeed and become a better version of herself. Due to Rachel’s problems she doesn’t always remember things very well which adds to the story because the reader is left wondering what actually happened in those blank moments. 

I can’t quite believe this is Hawkins’ first thriller novel because it is so accomplished and beautifully written that I would have thought she was a well established thriller writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and give it 5 out of 5 Dragons and I can’t wait to read another book by Hawkins. 

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Paula Hawkins (1972) is a British author best known for her book The Girl on the Train. 

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Crimson Lake by Candice Fox (Review)

Crimson Lake by Candice Fox

Blurb

How do you move on when the world won’t let you?

12:46: Claire Bingley stands alone at a bus stop

12:47: Ted Conkaffey parks his car beside her

12:52: The girl is missing . . .

Six minutes in the wrong place at the wrong time—that’s all it took to ruin Sydney detective Ted Conkaffey’s life. Accused but not convicted of a brutal abduction,Ted is now a free man—and public enemy number one. Maintaining his innocence, he flees north to keep a low profile amidst the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake.

There, Ted’s lawyer introduces him to eccentric private investigator Amanda Pharrell, herself a convicted murderer. Not entirely convinced Amanda is a cold-blooded killer, Ted agrees to help with her investigation, a case full of deception and obsession, while secretly digging into her troubled past. The residents of Crimson Lake are watching the pair’s every move… and the town offers no place to hide.

Review

I came across this book because my husband and myself really enjoy the TV series Troppo and when I found out it is based on a series of books I knew I needed to read them. 

It took me a little while to get into this book and at first I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it but I am glad that I persevered because I soon really started to enjoy it and started to really like the characters. 

Ted and Amanda were quite different in the book to the TV series but I think I actually liked them more in the book once I got used to the differences and their quirks. I really liked how you got to see Ted and Amanda’s vulnerabilities as the story goes on and how much they really do need each other. Ted’s lawyer really knew what he was doing when he threw Ted and Amanda together. 

Ted and Amanda are working on a case together and their every move is being watched by the people of Crimson Lake. However, as they work on the case Ted begins to realise that something is also not quite right with the murder that Amanda was convicted for when she was a teenager. 

I really liked how this book was written with the different threads of the story weaving together. We see flashbacks of Ted’s trial, and the events leading up to Claire Bingley going missing. We see flashbacks of Amanda’s crime and events leading up to it. I really liked how it all worked together and started to give the reader an idea of the bigger picture. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series as I want to see what Amanda and Ted get up to next. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Bookshop.org | Waterstones | WH Smith

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Candice Fox is the middle child of a large, eccentric family from Sydney’s western suburbs composed of half-, adopted and pseudo siblings. The daughter of a parole officer and an enthusiastic foster-carer, Candice spent her childhood listening around corners to tales of violence, madness and evil as her father relayed his work stories to her mother and older brothers.

As a cynical and trouble-making teenager, her crime and gothic fiction writing was an escape from the calamity of her home life. She was constantly in trouble for reading Anne Rice in church and scaring her friends with tales from Australia’s wealth of true crime writers.

Bankstown born and bred, she failed to conform to military life in a brief stint as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy at age eighteen. At twenty, she turned her hand to academia, and taught high school through two undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees. Candice lectures in writing at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, while undertaking a PhD in literary censorship and terrorism.

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The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths (Review #9)

The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

Blurb

When builders discover a human skeleton while renovating a café, they call in archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway, who is preoccupied with the threatened closure of her department and by her ever-complicated relationship with DCI Nelson. The bones turn out to be modern–the remains of Emily Pickering, a young archaeology student who went missing in 2002. Suspicion soon falls on Emily’s Cambridge tutor and also on another archeology enthusiast who was part of the group gathered the weekend before she disappeared–Ruth’s friend Cathbad.

As they investigate, Nelson and his team uncover a tangled web of relationships within the archaeology group and look for a link between them and the café where Emily’s bones were found. Then, just when the team seem to be making progress, Cathbad disappears. The trail leads Ruth a to the Neolithic flint mines in Grimes Graves. The race is on, first to find Cathbad and then to exonerate him, but will Ruth and Nelson uncover the truth in time to save their friend?

Review

In 2019 I discovered Elly Griffiths and her wonderful Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and since then I have been hooked. I will be honest I still haven’t read all the books but I plan to read them all this year. I had this book preordered for months so I was so excited when it arrived in the post. 

As usual there is a lot going on in this book. Poor Ruth is worried about the threatened closure of her beloved archaeology department, she isn’t sure what her relationship with DCI Nelson’s going to come to and now she has a body to excavate. Plus she also has added worries about friends and work colleagues. 

Nelson finds himself finally making up his mind about Ruth and Kate but then not getting the response he was looking for from Ruth. Added to this he now has a murder investigation to run and it is anything but simple. He also has to find Cathbad who has gone missing and who is also connected to the murder case. 

The thing I loved about this book was how it kept moving. From the first page there is something going on. The murder investigation keeps moving and more and more leads are found and more suspects and some very complicated relationships. There is the story of Ruth’s professional life and where her career is heading. We also follow Ruth make decisions regarding her personal life and see her love for her friends as she tries to help find Cathbad. 

Norfolk is as usual heavily featured in this book and I have an even longer list of places I want to visit there. My best friend lives in Norfolk and I am constantly asking her where such and such place is as I want to visit all these places. I also want to visit Ely cathedral because of this book. 

I loved this book so much and I couldn’t put it down. It was a fantastic book to end the series with and I will really miss these wonderful characters. The book has detailed and beautiful descriptions and a brilliantly written story. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Elly Griffiths is the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and the Brighton Mysteries. She has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted five times for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and long listed for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men. Elly has two grown-up children and lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband. 

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Darkness Rising by A. A. Dhand (Review #6)

Darkness Rising by A. A. Dhand

Blurb

Detective Inspector Harry Virdee has a lot on his plate. His team is facing government cuts, tensions are building between Bradford’s two rival drugs gangs and his wife Saima is due to give birth any day now.

So when bodies start turning up in the old industrial district, the pressure is on to get the case wrapped up as quickly as possible, or risk a full-scale gang war.

But the man behind the murders is ruthless and pushy. And things are getting personal. Harry must think fast and bend the rules if he wants to keep his city, and his family, safe . . .

Review

I picked this up because I was craving a quick and easy read and I always find the Quick Reads series perfect for this. As soon as I picked this book up and started reading it I couldn’t put it down. 

I really like the character of Harry Virdee. Harry wants to protect Bradford, he wants to make it a good place again because it is his home and he has happy memories there as well as painful ones. However, Harry doesn’t always play by the rules that a man of the law should play by. He likes to bend them slightly to get the results he needs. 

Along with cleaning the streets of Bradford from crime with a skeleton team due to cuts he also has a heavily pregnant wife at home who could go into labour at anytime. This can lead to quite a stressful situation when multiple murders suddenly take place and Harry must try and find the murderer.

This book is fast paced and action packed and keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. And unlike certain Quick Reads books it feels like a proper story and not a cut down or rushed story. Although the book doesn’t give much chance for the characters to develop or for the reader to learn the characters’ history, it is a perfect introduction to the series where you hope that you will learn more about the main characters. 

I really enjoyed this book and I plan on reading the next book in the series as soon as it arrives because I am not willing to abandon the characters just yet. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Book Depository | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

A.A. Dhand was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired his Harry Virdee novels.

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The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie (Review)

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie 

Blurb

‘I want a change. To be in the midst of things – exciting things – even if I’m only the looker-on. You know, things don’t happen in St Mary Mead.’

When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again – for a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing.

The prime suspect is Ruth’s estranged husband, Derek. Yet Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie re-enactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board…

Review

I read quite a lot of this book sat on a very fancy train and yes I chose to read this book because I knew I would be sat on said train.

I must be honest I remembered seeing this one on TV but the TV version is nowhere near as good as the book. The TV versions just never get Poirot right or should I say Papa Poirot! 

Christie starts to set the scene with Van Aldin getting the renowned rubies and giving them to his daughter Ruth Kettering. Once Ruth gets on to the Blue train things soon take a sinister turn. Ruth is found dead in her cabin with her head so badly smashed in she is unrecognisable and the rubies are gone. Then Poirot appears on the scene to help the French police solve the crime because as he happily tells people he is possibly the greatest detective in the world. 

As the story progresses there are a lot of red herrings that the reader and Poirot have to work through and with this story Poirot doesn’t have his usual Hastings to rely on and bounce ideas off. However, Poirot does find a new sidekick to help him solve the crime. Miss Grey has been a companion most of her adult life and now she has come into a fortune she is free and wants her life to start so she leaves the quiet little village of St Mary Mead and goes on the Blue Train to start her first adventure. Poirot befriends Miss Grey and they work together to get the answers they need. 

I really enjoyed how this story developed and how Poirot worked through all the clues and also used some careful guesswork to get the answers he needed. All this builds up to the very dramatic ending which has you sitting at the edge of your seat. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Miss Grey as I really liked her character but I really enjoyed how she and Poirot interacted. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down so I give it the full 5 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. She also wrote the world’s longest running play, The Mousetrap. She also wrote 6 novels under the name Mary Westmacott.

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The Big Four by Agatha Christie (Review)

The Big Four by Agatha Christie

Blurb

A ruthless international cartel seeks world domination…

Framed in the doorway of Poirot’s bedroom stood an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man’s gaunt face stared for a moment, then he swayed and fell.

Who was he? Was he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what was the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life to uncover the truth about `Number Four’.

Review

I haven’t read many Agatha Christie novels this year which is bad because I am trying to read all of her novels in order of publication so this one has been on my TBR pile for a very long time. 

My first impression of this book was wow what a lot of characters! Christie is a master of juggling many plot lines and lots of characters but this book is overflowing with characters. I know Christie liked to include a lot of characters because this was perfect for creating red herrings but it seemed like every chapter there were another new load of characters to get to grips with. To be honest I struggled at times to keep up with all the characters in this book but I think I managed it. 

In this story Hastings has returned which I am very pleased about because he always makes me laugh. He is always convinced he knows more than Poirot but of course he has no idea at all. It is also very clear that Poirot has been missing his good friend Hastings. 

The story begins with a strange man somehow turning up in Poirot’s bedroom and collapsing but not before giving Poirot a vital clue which will set the scene for the rest of the book. As the story continues Poirot finds just how far the Big Four are willing to go to take control of the world. The story sees Poirot travelling all over the place and encountering any number of characters from Professors to Government officials, from Criminals to Nobility. 

The one thing I did find with this story was it didn’t flow like Christie’s usual books and it felt at times like it was pieced together. After some research I found out that this book was actually made up of 12 short stories that Christie had written and published in a magazine. This made a lot of sense for me because once I knew I realised that this was why I struggled with the pace of the book and sheer amount of characters. 

Although I felt the amount of characters was overkill and struggled with the lack of fluency with the story I still thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. Poirot was on his usual fine form and Hastings was still his bumbling self and I loved every minute of it. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons. 

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Purchase Links

Book Depository | Bookshop.org | Foyles | Waterstones | Wordery

(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)

About the author

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. She also wrote the world’s longest running play, The Mousetrap. She also wrote 6 novels under the name Mary Westmacott.

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