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A review by callum_mclaughlin
Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie
5.0
It's easy to see why she's considered the master of the genre. The characterisation in this was great; better than a lot of modern crime books it has to be said. The way she introduced each of the suspects, set out their possible motives and connections to the victim, and established the complex web of secrets and lies that connected them all was fantastic and instantly engrossing.
There was just the right amount of twists along the way to keep readers on their toes without overdoing it, and the way she's able to keep you guessing right up until the end as to 'whodunit' is proof as to why she's called the Queen of Mystery. (Seriously, I changed my mind about who I thought the killer was in just about every chapter).
Was it perfect? No, as by modern standards things wrapped up a little quickly, and though everything was explained and cleared up very well, we didn't get to see much fallout after the revelations. Did that stop me loving it? No, as it perfectly encapsulated the whole mood and feel of the classic crime genre and the era in which it was written, giving the whole thing a charm of its own. As with each Christie novel I've read so far, it left me even more excited to pick up another of her works.
There was just the right amount of twists along the way to keep readers on their toes without overdoing it, and the way she's able to keep you guessing right up until the end as to 'whodunit' is proof as to why she's called the Queen of Mystery. (Seriously, I changed my mind about who I thought the killer was in just about every chapter).
Was it perfect? No, as by modern standards things wrapped up a little quickly, and though everything was explained and cleared up very well, we didn't get to see much fallout after the revelations. Did that stop me loving it? No, as it perfectly encapsulated the whole mood and feel of the classic crime genre and the era in which it was written, giving the whole thing a charm of its own. As with each Christie novel I've read so far, it left me even more excited to pick up another of her works.