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d_hryniuk's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. It seems to me that I'm a bit tired of Poirot and his grey cells, so I was relieved to see that it has totally new characters for me.
I liked Mark Easterbrook with his desire to get to know the truth. I loved to see his relationships developing. The mystery itself was quite unpredictable for me, although this time I at least managed to make a few connections by myself. This idea with witches was really creepy, but I don't like such things in thrillers and detective stories.
I liked Mark Easterbrook with his desire to get to know the truth. I loved to see his relationships developing. The mystery itself was quite unpredictable for me, although this time I at least managed to make a few connections by myself. This idea with witches was really creepy, but I don't like such things in thrillers and detective stories.
anaidelawless's review against another edition
4.0
I have read a lot of Christie´s books, but yet again I am caught off guard. I once again completely missed the mark and was led astray. I would not be a good detective.
So in this story we have a lot seemingly natural deaths, dark magic rituals, man on a wheelchair that was seen running around and other suspicious occurences, yet the solution is quite simple. Well, maybe not simple, but it all makes sense. It is like all the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly and when you look at it you think to yourself how did I not see that? That is the magic of Agatha Christe´s books.
So in this story we have a lot seemingly natural deaths, dark magic rituals, man on a wheelchair that was seen running around and other suspicious occurences, yet the solution is quite simple. Well, maybe not simple, but it all makes sense. It is like all the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly and when you look at it you think to yourself how did I not see that? That is the magic of Agatha Christe´s books.
mielbio's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
funny_bunny_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
in_and_out_of_the_stash's review against another edition
4.0
It is interesting working my way (slowly) through her bibliography that her books are in keeping with the era that they are written.
Very convoluted which is oftern the case with Ms. Christie but philosophical conversation between characters.
Very convoluted which is oftern the case with Ms. Christie but philosophical conversation between characters.
charlieswrittenadventures's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tessie825's review against another edition
dark
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
4.0
claireallyse's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book and would actually give it a 3.5 if that was an option -- only reason it's not a 4 or 5 because I've read a lot of other Christie novels and there are just so many others I love more than this one, but I still really appreciated this novel overall!
Interesting blend between the old and new, the religious and occult, the classic golden-age detective story and the thriller genre. For a Christie book, it definitely feels more sinister and serious, lacking some of the light-hearted tone and humor of her Poirot or Miss Marple stories. However, the subject matter lends itself to that and I don't see this departure as a negative thing. In fact, her exploration of darker themes and general air of "spookiness" made an intriguing read.
What I wasn't crazy about was the way the story builds (or doesn't), especially as we get closer to the end of the novel. We learn relatively early about the 3 witches that operate what seems to be a murder-to-order business. By request of their clients, these 3 witches enact seances and rituals that curse their victims (TLDR; a death potion). We know who has been or who is projected to be murdered by this method, through a list of names conveniently left by one of the victims before her death. The presence of the list creates the feeling of suspense and impending doom, especially since none other than our narrator, Mark Easterbrook, is named specifically on that list. We figure all of this out fairly soon in the book. BUT, we also know that there has to be a scientific or logical explanation of these deaths because ... well, it's Christie and that's just how it works. She uses things like curses and dark magic as misdirection and ways of obfuscating the truth, not as an explanation of it.
So, if victims are dying of illnesses like flu and other apparently natural causes, there's only one logical explanation: it has to be some kind of poison or chemical, body-altering substance. There also is a very short list of suspects, since everyone in this novel, (minus the people directly implicated in the murder ring) all appear very helpful and interested in helping to solve the case. But if there's one thing I've learned through reading Christie, it's that the murderer is never the one you actually suspect it to be. Following both of these assumptions to the end can help lead you in the right direction of the murderer. Let's also not forget the common Christie trope that anyone who says they're an actor or has somehow been involved with the stage, is not to be trusted.
I felt the final revelation of the murderer made sense, but (and maybe this is weird to say) it felt so mundane and ordinary compared to all the mystery and drama of the occult coverup. It was clever, but not as satisfying as some 'Ah-HA' moments as some of her other mystery novels. What's more, the convoluted story that Mark and Ginger fabricate as a way of getting TO the secrets of the Pale Horse seems a little outlandish and unnecessary. There's a fine line between artful misdirection and excessive convolution, and sometimes this book strays into the latter.
This book seems to fit into the same category as "Crooked House" and "Endless Night," which don't rely on Christie's staple characters like Poirot and Marple, but exist in their own independent universe. Because of this fact, they are more free to explore darker themes and veer away from typical puzzle mysteries and more into the territory of psychological thrillers.
Interesting blend between the old and new, the religious and occult, the classic golden-age detective story and the thriller genre. For a Christie book, it definitely feels more sinister and serious, lacking some of the light-hearted tone and humor of her Poirot or Miss Marple stories. However, the subject matter lends itself to that and I don't see this departure as a negative thing. In fact, her exploration of darker themes and general air of "spookiness" made an intriguing read.
What I wasn't crazy about was the way the story builds (or doesn't), especially as we get closer to the end of the novel. We learn relatively early about the 3 witches that operate what seems to be a murder-to-order business. By request of their clients, these 3 witches enact seances and rituals that curse their victims (TLDR; a death potion). We know who has been or who is projected to be murdered by this method, through a list of names conveniently left by one of the victims before her death. The presence of the list creates the feeling of suspense and impending doom, especially since none other than our narrator, Mark Easterbrook, is named specifically on that list. We figure all of this out fairly soon in the book. BUT, we also know that there has to be a scientific or logical explanation of these deaths because ... well, it's Christie and that's just how it works. She uses things like curses and dark magic as misdirection and ways of obfuscating the truth, not as an explanation of it.
So, if victims are dying of illnesses like flu and other apparently natural causes, there's only one logical explanation: it has to be some kind of poison or chemical, body-altering substance. There also is a very short list of suspects, since everyone in this novel, (minus the people directly implicated in the murder ring) all appear very helpful and interested in helping to solve the case. But if there's one thing I've learned through reading Christie, it's that the murderer is never the one you actually suspect it to be. Following both of these assumptions to the end can help lead you in the right direction of the murderer. Let's also not forget the common Christie trope that anyone who says they're an actor or has somehow been involved with the stage, is not to be trusted.
I felt the final revelation of the murderer made sense, but (and maybe this is weird to say) it felt so mundane and ordinary compared to all the mystery and drama of the occult coverup. It was clever, but not as satisfying as some 'Ah-HA' moments as some of her other mystery novels. What's more, the convoluted story that Mark and Ginger fabricate as a way of getting TO the secrets of the Pale Horse seems a little outlandish and unnecessary. There's a fine line between artful misdirection and excessive convolution, and sometimes this book strays into the latter.
This book seems to fit into the same category as "Crooked House" and "Endless Night," which don't rely on Christie's staple characters like Poirot and Marple, but exist in their own independent universe. Because of this fact, they are more free to explore darker themes and veer away from typical puzzle mysteries and more into the territory of psychological thrillers.
nmorin's review against another edition
3.0
kinda fun?? kinda witchy, spooky-ish? a little confused by ending but i did like the gotcha.