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A review by tiffyb
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.25
My very first Agatha Christie Novel!! Since this was the only currently available A.C. mystery at the library, I worried it would be lackluster, but that’s not the case at all!
I can’t give a plot overview without spoiling some of the fun (so I wont!!!). We quickly get into the meat of our mystery: a potential murder 👀. There were loads of
possible murderers, plus several characters using varied sleuthing methods (I enjoyed the old lady’s gossip sessions especially!).
I’ve heard that Christie’s books are usually incredibly twisty and end with a bang, but that was not the case in Sleeping Murder. While the murderer was a suspect from the beginning, it became clear around 50% that they were likely the most obvious suspect, and there was no doubt by 80%. This book managed to make it fun to watch the story unfold and meander through possibilities that I didn’t even consider - we get extensive dialogue from the young couple, discussing all the potential murderers and their potential methods, means, and motives. Imo, the extra dialogue helped pinpoint the real villain, since it slowed down the rushing plot and gave you time to consider that all other possibilities had unexplainable plot holes. As much as it was a *little* draggy past 80% (since I was confident of our murderers identity), something about the slower pace was unique compared to many contemporary thriller/mysteries I read - Ive noticed that many authors use fast-paced storytelling to gloss over plot holes and faulty narrative elements.
I’m so excited to dive into more Agatha Christie mysteries because I’m sure they will be even better than this one!! To me, this book *almost* falls into the category of cozy mystery because, while it was a bit creepy at times, it is nested inside of a gorgeous house and gardens with a bunch of old people gossiping. 😊
PS I was also a bit annoyed throughout portions of the book about the narrative surrounding women being villains and “loose” and jealous, so it was nice to see Mrs. Marple squash that at the end. 🥰
I can’t give a plot overview without spoiling some of the fun (so I wont!!!). We quickly get into the meat of our mystery: a potential murder 👀. There were loads of
possible murderers, plus several characters using varied sleuthing methods (I enjoyed the old lady’s gossip sessions especially!).
I’ve heard that Christie’s books are usually incredibly twisty and end with a bang, but that was not the case in Sleeping Murder. While the murderer was a suspect from the beginning, it became clear around 50% that they were likely the most obvious suspect, and there was no doubt by 80%. This book managed to make it fun to watch the story unfold and meander through possibilities that I didn’t even consider - we get extensive dialogue from the young couple, discussing all the potential murderers and their potential methods, means, and motives. Imo, the extra dialogue helped pinpoint the real villain, since it slowed down the rushing plot and gave you time to consider that all other possibilities had unexplainable plot holes. As much as it was a *little* draggy past 80% (since I was confident of our murderers identity), something about the slower pace was unique compared to many contemporary thriller/mysteries I read - Ive noticed that many authors use fast-paced storytelling to gloss over plot holes and faulty narrative elements.
I’m so excited to dive into more Agatha Christie mysteries because I’m sure they will be even better than this one!! To me, this book *almost* falls into the category of cozy mystery because, while it was a bit creepy at times, it is nested inside of a gorgeous house and gardens with a bunch of old people gossiping. 😊
PS I was also a bit annoyed throughout portions of the book about the narrative surrounding women being villains and “loose” and jealous, so it was nice to see Mrs. Marple squash that at the end. 🥰