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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Listened to the audio for this one, and really enjoyed the narrators and stories. Looking forward to re-reading or listening to others.
2 February 2023
With the exception of The Dressmaker's Doll, which seemed more Muriel Spark than Agatha Christie, I enjoyed this strong short story collection.
31 January 2023
Here is another of those wonderful, vintage Dell pocket books! And again, I am reading the physical book for that wonderful old book scent, but I am also listening to the audiobook to give these aging eyeballs a break.
Double Sin
Wasp's Nest
The Theft of the Royal Ruby (Also published as The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding)
The Dressmaker's Doll
Greenshaw's Folly
The Double Clue
The Last Séance
Sanctuary (Also published in Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery)
With the exception of The Dressmaker's Doll, which seemed more Muriel Spark than Agatha Christie, I enjoyed this strong short story collection.
31 January 2023
Here is another of those wonderful, vintage Dell pocket books! And again, I am reading the physical book for that wonderful old book scent, but I am also listening to the audiobook to give these aging eyeballs a break.
Double Sin
Wasp's Nest
The Theft of the Royal Ruby (Also published as The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding)
The Dressmaker's Doll
Greenshaw's Folly
The Double Clue
The Last Séance
Sanctuary (Also published in Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery)
This was the BEST short story compilation!! From ghosts to jewels, it was an absolute delight to read.
All these stories are in other collections. I had read them already.
fast-paced
Entertaining enough. I have read some of the stories in the collection already and others weren't Christie's best work. I enjoyed the last one though.
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Stories in collection:
1-Double Sin, 2-Wasp's Nest, 3- The Theft of the Royal Ruby, 4- The Dressmaker's Doll, 5-Greenshaw's Folly, 6- The Double Clue, 7- The Last Sйance, and 8- Sanctuary.
A collection of Agatha Christie short stories featuring two of her most loved detectives. Miss Marple and Monsieur Poirot! This was a wonderful selection and the stories fit well with each other. They were all quite intriguing and I found myself guessing till the end. All but two were proper detective mysteries but the two that were not do seem to be the ones that have stuck with me the longest. The dressmakers’ Doll and The Last Sйance were part of Mrs. Christie’s walk into the paranormal and they were delightfully spooky! A must-read for any fan of hers!
Double Sin- Hercule Poirot is forced to go on vacation. Hastings convinced him to take a carriage ride into the country. While on the ride they meet a nice young lady, who dabbles in antiquities. Her current artifacts that she is transporting to a buyer get stolen right out from under their noses and it is up to Monsieur Poirot to solve the case.
Wasp’s Nest- Can Hercule Poirot solve a murder before it starts? He sure aims to try. He visits an old friend to warn him of the impending murder as a means of warning. Can he reach him in time before the culprit strikes?
The Theft of the Royal Ruby- This was later titled The Adventures of Christmas Pudding. Hercule is asked to take a winter holiday in the English countryside to try and find a stolen ruby. As much as he hates the English countryside during winter, he accepts the challenge. Making friends with hosts, he quickly learns who the other guests in the house are and set his sights on the culprit. Through some clever playacting, he can uncover the truth and if he does not catch the person to bring them to justice, he vows to get them soon. Luckily, he was able to save the ruby!
The Dressmaker’s Doll- The first paranormal story in the bunch. A popular dressmaker has a lovely doll in her shop. The issue is no one in the shop can recall when or where it came from. Furthermore, the doll has a mind of its own as it moves from the sitting room couch to the dressmaker’s desk, all on her own. Where she came from, we never do find out, but the story is one that will live rent-free in my mind for years.
Greenshaw’s Folly- Miss Marple’s nephew is visiting Greenshaw’s Folly with a friend when the owner asks him to be a witness to her will. Unknowing that this one act would thrust him and his family into the middle of a murder investigation. As the old woman is shot a few days later with an arrow. The only issue is that the only two people in the house have both been locked in a room. Who could have done it? Leave it to Miss Marple to quickly find out the answer and solve the case.
The Double Clue- Hercule Poirot is called in to stealthily solve a robbery of a very wealthy man. As this man deals with many rare objects, he has asked for Poirot’s help in finding the robber of his rare jewels as discreetly as possible. They were stolen out of a seeming impenetrable safe, and it had to be one of the high-profile guests at his last party. Will Poirot be able to do it? Of course, he can, and the way he does so is thanks to a double clue left behind by the culprit.
The Last Sйance- The Second paranormal story in the collection. We follow a medium as she gives what is to be her last sйance before retiring to a normal life to be married to the love of her life. She has a foreboding feeling of doom to come and asks her fiancй to cancel the appointment, but he urges her to continue as it will bring them a large income. The ending is still baffling to me as I am still not sure what occurred.
Sanctuary- A man is found half dead in a local church. His last words were a mystery to the woman who found him. She also can’t quite put her finger on why his grieving relatives do not sit right with her. Especially their absolute need to get his clothing back! So as any good parish woman would do, she enlists the help of Miss Marple! Through clever deceiving, they can catch the culprits and solve the mystery of the dying man’s last words.
A great collection of stories featuring Christie's two best-known detectives, Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. In this book, Hercule Poirot first encounters the flamboyant Russian emigre Countess Vera Rossakoff, and Miss Marple unravels a complex story of family vengeance. There are even two bonus stories of suspense which leave the reader feeling genuinely chilled. Highly recommended.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated