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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
3.5 a few too many characters and it dragged a little but still overall a fun mystery with some nice meta moments with Mrs Oliver the mystery writer.
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I never thought of the murderer as a suspect, but I also felt I wasn’t given much of a reason to. I just didn’t think this was one of Christie’s best. See my complete review here: https://whatmeread.com/2025/04/21/review-2569-1952club-mrs-mcgintys-dead/
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The story:
The murder of Mrs McGinty in the small village of Broadhinny is not one to cause national interest, and certainly not that of famed detective Hercule Poirot. A sad affair of an old woman being killed in a burglary for her meagre savings.
The case itself, led by Superintendent Spence, is a simple one, and Mrs McGinty’s lodger is soon convicted. So why isn’t Spence himself satisfied? He has done all he can… but perhaps an old acquaintance from a previous case can help…
My thoughts:
This month’s theme for #ReadChristie2025 is ‘authors’, and this time I picked “Mrs McGinty’s Dead”, mainly as an excuse to add one of the few Christie books I don’t own to my collection! It is a good match for the prompt, featuring the excellent Ariadne Oliver—detective novelist and fictionalised version of Christie herself, with her dislike of her work being praised and her own unlikely detective in the form of Sven Hjerson.
“How do I know why I ever thought of the revolting man? I must have been mad! Why a Finn when I know nothing about Finland? Why a vegetarian? Why all the idiotic mannerisms he’s got? These things just happen. You try something—and people seem to like it—and then you go on—and before you know where you are, you’ve got someone like the maddening Sven Hjerson tied to you for life.”
”Mrs McGinty’s Dead”, by Agatha Christie
Ariadne is in the village of Broadhinny working with a local playwright adapting one of her novels into a play, and is happy to distracted herself from this frustrating activity by trying to help Poirot get to the bottom of who, if not the lodger, really killed Mrs McGinty. The case hinges around various near-forgotten crimes of the past that might be connected to the village locals, and Poirot puts his skills to the test to uncover the truth by delving into the various personalities that make up the community of Broadhinny.
This is a very enjoyable entry in the Poirot series I think—the presence of Ariadne Oliver always adds comic relief to a story, as does Poirot’s suffering in the badly run house he lodges in for the duration of the book! The plot is complicated enough to keep you guessing to the end, and a great example of Poirot’s skills and flair for drama!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This story focusses on Poirot doing investigative work in a country village whilst staying at a slightly dysfunctional bed and breakfast. A mildly implausible motive but still a good twist ending that somehow still fitted with clues that we had been led along with.
"Se detuvo un momento ante el portillo del jardín para, atusarse el bigote. Y en aquel instante, un automóvil serpenteó muy despacio, cuesta abajo, y el corazón de una manzana que alguien había comido, dirigido con fuerza, le dio en la mejilla.
Poirot, sobresaltado, exhaló un grito de sorpresa. El coche se detuvo y una cabeza asomó por la ventanilla.
- Lo siento. ¿Le dio a usted?
La señora McGinty ha muerto, 1952
Agatha Christie
@editorialmolino
Traducción de Guillermo López
Hercule Poirot recibe la vista de un viejo conocido, el superintendente Spence, intranquilo con el veredicto del asesinato de la sra McGinty.
James Bentley, el huésped de pago de la sra McGinty, ha sido juzgado y hallado culpable, siendo condenado a muerte.
A pesar de una impecable investigación y de las pruebas, Spence no está convencido de que él sea el asesino y acude a Poirot como medida desesperada para llegar a la verdad.
Así pues, Hercule Poirot, bon vivant y amante de las comodidades y buena cocina, se ve temporalmente instalado en una pensión familiar incómoda y fría y poco a poco, va desenterrado secretos referidos a varias mujeres del pueblo, donde contará con una inesperada aliada, su vieja amiga, la escritora Mrs Oliver.
He disfrutado muchísimo de esta relectura.
Seguimos leyendo #poirotenorden con #lasdamasdelcrimen
#mrsmcgintysdead #agathachristie #queenofcrime #crimefiction #goldenageofcrimefiction #murdermystery #herculepoirot #leeresvivir #leermola #leoautoras #womenwriters #britishnoir
Poirot, sobresaltado, exhaló un grito de sorpresa. El coche se detuvo y una cabeza asomó por la ventanilla.
- Lo siento. ¿Le dio a usted?
La señora McGinty ha muerto, 1952
Agatha Christie
@editorialmolino
Traducción de Guillermo López
Hercule Poirot recibe la vista de un viejo conocido, el superintendente Spence, intranquilo con el veredicto del asesinato de la sra McGinty.
James Bentley, el huésped de pago de la sra McGinty, ha sido juzgado y hallado culpable, siendo condenado a muerte.
A pesar de una impecable investigación y de las pruebas, Spence no está convencido de que él sea el asesino y acude a Poirot como medida desesperada para llegar a la verdad.
Así pues, Hercule Poirot, bon vivant y amante de las comodidades y buena cocina, se ve temporalmente instalado en una pensión familiar incómoda y fría y poco a poco, va desenterrado secretos referidos a varias mujeres del pueblo, donde contará con una inesperada aliada, su vieja amiga, la escritora Mrs Oliver.
He disfrutado muchísimo de esta relectura.
Seguimos leyendo #poirotenorden con #lasdamasdelcrimen
#mrsmcgintysdead #agathachristie #queenofcrime #crimefiction #goldenageofcrimefiction #murdermystery #herculepoirot #leeresvivir #leermola #leoautoras #womenwriters #britishnoir
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes