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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
A nice collection of stories from most of her lead characters.
As in the detectives' respective novels, the five stories in this collection about Hercule Poirot are of variable quality, the one about Miss Marple is a touch stronger, and the two about Parker Pyne are a bit worse. (The latter's whole schtick is that he can effortlessly read people via sexist and racist stereotypes and sets up confidence schemes to trick his clients into fixing their own problems. When he does solve a mystery, it's typically via key evidence that he knows and we don't, which doesn't yield the most satisfying reading experience.) There's also a ninth unrelated entry, mostly interesting for the anonymous narrator and the supernatural element that author Agatha Christie generally eschews.
On average these items are on the weaker side, and the book suffers further for the disjointed feeling of the assortment overall. Were these just the latest works that the writer hadn't already published elsewhere in 1939? They don't appear to have any special commonalities suggesting a shared group identity, particularly given the three different series that they draw upon. Ultimately I would say that the title can safely be skipped.
[Content warning for gun violence, domestic abuse, and suicide.]
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On average these items are on the weaker side, and the book suffers further for the disjointed feeling of the assortment overall. Were these just the latest works that the writer hadn't already published elsewhere in 1939? They don't appear to have any special commonalities suggesting a shared group identity, particularly given the three different series that they draw upon. Ultimately I would say that the title can safely be skipped.
[Content warning for gun violence, domestic abuse, and suicide.]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
the queen popped off with these short stories. ‘in a glass darkly’ will stick with me forever
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
more predictable and less well written than her usual stories
mysterious
fast-paced
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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