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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A stage play by Christie, converted to a novelette by a third party. Not living up to expectations.
4 Stars
I really just love these Agatha Christie books. Hercule Poirot is hilarious and the mysteries are fun, especially when you can't figure out the culprit. 4 Stars for consistency and always be a fun read.
I really just love these Agatha Christie books. Hercule Poirot is hilarious and the mysteries are fun, especially when you can't figure out the culprit. 4 Stars for consistency and always be a fun read.
As a devoted fan of [a:Agatha Christie|123715|Agatha Christie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589991473p2/123715.jpg]'s works, I approached [b:Black Coffee|16352|Black Coffee (Hercule Poirot, #7.5)|Charles Osborne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1391663816l/16352._SY75_.jpg|3342061] with cautious optimism. This novel, adapted by [a:Charles Osborne|5477352|Charles Osborne|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1611930394p2/5477352.jpg] from Christie's original play, came with its own unique challenges, particularly as it was written two decades after Christie's death. To my pleasant surprise, Osborne did justice to the essence of Christie’s storytelling, crafting a fabulously well-paced and engaging mystery that feels largely in line with her distinctive style.
Osborne captures the mannerisms, sharp wit, and meticulous brilliance of Christie’s iconic detective. Poirot reads very much as he would in any of Christie’s original works, making this novelization feel authentic. However, Captain Hastings, Poirot’s loyal friend and chronicler, feels somewhat flat in comparison. His usual charm and dynamic presence are muted here, which stood out to me given that we are at the stage in his life where he’s living in Argentina with his “Cinderella” of a wife. Curiously, this relationship isn’t explored, and Hastings' familiar weakness for pretty women resurfaces, raising questions about his character continuity.
Given that this is a novelization of a play, there are moments where the stage origins are evident. Certain scenes and interactions are clearly designed to work well in a theatrical setting, which occasionally impacts the flow of the narrative in novel form. However, this doesn’t detract significantly from the overall experience. That said, two aspects of the book were slightly jarring. First, the name-dropping of other Poirot cases felt a bit heavy-handed. While nods to Poirot’s illustrious career can be delightful, directly referencing the exact titles of Christie’s previous works pulled me out of the story at times. Secondly, the character descriptions seemed oddly inserted, disrupting the natural flow of the text. These moments didn’t ruin the story for me but did create some unnecessary distractions.
Overall, Black Coffee is an enjoyable read, and I believe Christie herself would have been satisfied with this adaptation of her work. While not perfect, it successfully captures the spirit of her writing and offers another fun ride along with Poirot.
Osborne captures the mannerisms, sharp wit, and meticulous brilliance of Christie’s iconic detective. Poirot reads very much as he would in any of Christie’s original works, making this novelization feel authentic. However, Captain Hastings, Poirot’s loyal friend and chronicler, feels somewhat flat in comparison. His usual charm and dynamic presence are muted here, which stood out to me given that we are at the stage in his life where he’s living in Argentina with his “Cinderella” of a wife. Curiously, this relationship isn’t explored, and Hastings' familiar weakness for pretty women resurfaces, raising questions about his character continuity.
Given that this is a novelization of a play, there are moments where the stage origins are evident. Certain scenes and interactions are clearly designed to work well in a theatrical setting, which occasionally impacts the flow of the narrative in novel form. However, this doesn’t detract significantly from the overall experience. That said, two aspects of the book were slightly jarring. First, the name-dropping of other Poirot cases felt a bit heavy-handed. While nods to Poirot’s illustrious career can be delightful, directly referencing the exact titles of Christie’s previous works pulled me out of the story at times. Secondly, the character descriptions seemed oddly inserted, disrupting the natural flow of the text. These moments didn’t ruin the story for me but did create some unnecessary distractions.
Overall, Black Coffee is an enjoyable read, and I believe Christie herself would have been satisfied with this adaptation of her work. While not perfect, it successfully captures the spirit of her writing and offers another fun ride along with Poirot.
This was a fun story. You could tell it was originally written as a play which made it different from the other Poirot stories. In the end it was very straightforward and simple. No sudden twists or surprises at the end.
Only recommended for Christie completionists looking for something different.
Only recommended for Christie completionists looking for something different.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The mystery was engaging enough but the process of turning this into a novel meant that the prose was rather clunky
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A classic Christie. Listened as an audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced