The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie - what starts with the unexplained death of a priest leads to some spooky goings on at an old pub turned residence named The Pale Horse. There, three women live who claim they can influence others to believe they will die. And there are some innocent deaths that may not be so innocent. The story is narrated mostly by Mark Easterbrook, an author and friend of Ariadne Oliver. He begins digging and finds what he believes to be true evil. Christie has some fun using Mrs. Oliver to talk about writing.
3.5 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie - Miss Marple is having a little holiday, courtesy of her nephew and his wife, at Bertram's Hotel. A well established, old fashioned hotel that seems to have the ability to not change with the times and provides the kind of English service the elderly and Americans love. But Miss Marple overhears some things that lead her to wonder if everything is so wonderful as it seems. And when Canon Pennyfather disappears she has some important information for the police.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Third Girl by Agatha Christie - a young woman comes to Poirot, dazed and distraught, claiming she may have murdered someone. She then leaves, saying he is too old to help her. Feeling slightly offended, Poirot enlists his friend Ariadne Oliver to help him find the young woman. A rather convoluted plot. I found the descriptions of the 60's young people rather amusing. Mrs. Oliver is at her finest though.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Endless Night by Agatha Christie - Michael Rogers falls in love with a plot of land with a derelict house on it and also a curse. Without any money, he is sure his dreams will never come true. But then on that very plot of land he meets a young woman and falls in love. And she happens to be a very wealthy American. They marry, build their dream house, and live happily ever after. But this is Christie, so of course they don't. Narrated by Michael, this is an ever darkening novel. Somehow I've never read this. One of Christie's favorites.
4.5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie - Mrs Mcgillicuddy witnesses a murder as her train slowly passes another. She can get no one to believe her until she arrives at her friend Miss Marple's house. Miss Marple does some actual physical sleuthing and then recruits some help to investigate a large house and its occupants.
4 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager - fifteen years ago Emma Davis, the youngest girl in a cabin of four, wakes to find that her cabin mates have disappeared. In spite of a massive search, they are not found and Camp Nightingale has closed down. Now a successful artist, Emma is asked by the owner of the camp to come back as an instructor as she reopens the camp. Emma has reasons of her own to want to return. Boy, did this have twists and turns. The story from fifteen years ago is gradually revealed and things in the present get scarier and scarier. The twists keep going until the very end. Some language, I suppose it's the way girls talk to each other now.
5 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie - Tommy and Tuppence are visiting an old aunt at a rest home when one of the other residents asks Tuppence if it was her child hidden in the chimney. Soon, Tuppence is drawn into the mystery of a missing elderly woman, a mysterious house, and a crime ring. Lots of repetition in this. And all the talk about being old made me feel old too.
2 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Murder at the Mansion by Sheila Connolly - Asheford Maryland is a dying community with only one asset, the Barton Mansion. Katherine Hamilton is asked by her friend to come up with some ideas to resuscitate the town and it looks like the mansion is the best bet. But the body on the front steps isn't going to help. This book needed some serious editing. Lots of repetition, word for word only pages apart. And the main character was almost as unlikable as the murder victim, imo.
1 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie - Miss Marple has been sent to the Caribbean by her nephew and feels a little out of her element at first. And when she suspects an elderly man's death is not natural causes, she's not sure who to turn to. And she is very much worried that there is more murder to come.
3 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment