Dear Agatha,
I am always entertained when reading your books. This one included, but I had a harder time getting through it. It's probably me, not you. Distractions abound.
Early on I suspected the killer, but not with any real rhyme or reason - just because he wasn't on the official suspect list. I was still surprised when it turned out to be him (or her!).
I think now it's time to spend a little time back in your autobiography before I go on.
Always with admiration,
Beth
Wednesday, September 14
Friday, September 2
8. The Big Four (1927)
Oh, dear Agatha,
After being completely entertained by The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, I really hesitated to start The Big Four. I wasn't sure anything would compare, and I really didn't want to end up disappointed, you know. But since we had this reading competition going and it's my quest to read all your works anyway, I picked it up while we were in California and got going on it.
And... I loved it! This was so much fun! I wonder of the theme of people trying to take over the world is really a thing in the past in literature and movies these days. I don't recall much current work like that. I'm trying to think, even among superhero movies and such that are set in present day... Well anyway, because of that (and some of your descriptions that today would be considered very politically incorrect and even racist), I felt like this was very old-fashioned - but still, totally fun.
You make me really love to read again, Dame Agatha. I don't know why I don't do it more. I'm lazy to the core. While we were in California, I made it a point to go down to bed early every night, specifically so I could read. Now that we're home and back into our routine, I find myself going to bed every night and playing on my stupid phone! What the heck, Agatha? Ridiculous. I'm going to start tonight getting back into the habit I had in California.
Can't wait,
Beth
After being completely entertained by The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, I really hesitated to start The Big Four. I wasn't sure anything would compare, and I really didn't want to end up disappointed, you know. But since we had this reading competition going and it's my quest to read all your works anyway, I picked it up while we were in California and got going on it.
And... I loved it! This was so much fun! I wonder of the theme of people trying to take over the world is really a thing in the past in literature and movies these days. I don't recall much current work like that. I'm trying to think, even among superhero movies and such that are set in present day... Well anyway, because of that (and some of your descriptions that today would be considered very politically incorrect and even racist), I felt like this was very old-fashioned - but still, totally fun.
You make me really love to read again, Dame Agatha. I don't know why I don't do it more. I'm lazy to the core. While we were in California, I made it a point to go down to bed early every night, specifically so I could read. Now that we're home and back into our routine, I find myself going to bed every night and playing on my stupid phone! What the heck, Agatha? Ridiculous. I'm going to start tonight getting back into the habit I had in California.
Can't wait,
Beth
7. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)
Dear Agatha,
This summer, our little family had a little reading competition. We each put $10 into the pool, and read our little hearts out to see who could read the most pages by the time school started. Even Robert, who never really takes much time to read for pleasure any more, read a couple of novels. Christianne came in 4th place; she really wasn't very focused. :) I managed a solid third place, but I'm happy with that, reading over 2400 pages from June through most of August. Grace passed me at over 4000, and Joshua won the pot with over 5000 pages read.
We read everything from CS Lewis to Bradbury, Snicket to Shakespeare, you of course, and more. I was so tickled... Early in the summer while we were camping we took a (very challenging for me) hike up to Kruger Rock in Estes Park. The kids of course would be ahead of us, and stop every once in awhile to wait for us to catch up. Whereas most kids would wait and play on the rocks, poke bugs, or enjoy the scenery, Joshua would invariably have his paperback copy of The Merchant of Venice out of his pocket, reading away.
I had some other reading to catch up on so sadly you weren't all that I read, but I was happy to finish (although I enjoyed it) Veronica Roth's Divergent series while we were vacationing in California and get into The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - which is my favorite writing of yours so far!
You got me, Dame Agatha. I sensed something was off, but I didn't see that coming, and I was absolutely delighted in the end. This was definitely a fun, fun ride.
I love that just a few years ago, 87 years after its publication, the British Crime Writers' Association voted this the best crime novel ever. And I believe that I read somewhere that it was the nosy little sister in the story that became the basis for your future Miss Marple. ::sigh:: Love.
With admiration,
Beth
This summer, our little family had a little reading competition. We each put $10 into the pool, and read our little hearts out to see who could read the most pages by the time school started. Even Robert, who never really takes much time to read for pleasure any more, read a couple of novels. Christianne came in 4th place; she really wasn't very focused. :) I managed a solid third place, but I'm happy with that, reading over 2400 pages from June through most of August. Grace passed me at over 4000, and Joshua won the pot with over 5000 pages read.
We read everything from CS Lewis to Bradbury, Snicket to Shakespeare, you of course, and more. I was so tickled... Early in the summer while we were camping we took a (very challenging for me) hike up to Kruger Rock in Estes Park. The kids of course would be ahead of us, and stop every once in awhile to wait for us to catch up. Whereas most kids would wait and play on the rocks, poke bugs, or enjoy the scenery, Joshua would invariably have his paperback copy of The Merchant of Venice out of his pocket, reading away.
I had some other reading to catch up on so sadly you weren't all that I read, but I was happy to finish (although I enjoyed it) Veronica Roth's Divergent series while we were vacationing in California and get into The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - which is my favorite writing of yours so far!
You got me, Dame Agatha. I sensed something was off, but I didn't see that coming, and I was absolutely delighted in the end. This was definitely a fun, fun ride.
I love that just a few years ago, 87 years after its publication, the British Crime Writers' Association voted this the best crime novel ever. And I believe that I read somewhere that it was the nosy little sister in the story that became the basis for your future Miss Marple. ::sigh:: Love.
With admiration,
Beth
Saturday, July 2
6. The Secret of Chimneys (1925)
Dear Agatha,
It took me awhile to get through this one. I enjoyed it, as always, when I read it, but it was too complicated for a quick, light read - too much going on in the story and too much going on around the Wiggins' house.
I was also interrupted by joining a new book club and read The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, which I enjoy more on this side of the reading than I did as I read it, if that makes any sense.
Now I'm off to finish the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, and then The Island of the Blue Dolphins, and then... back to you, my dear friend.
Always admiringly,
Beth
It took me awhile to get through this one. I enjoyed it, as always, when I read it, but it was too complicated for a quick, light read - too much going on in the story and too much going on around the Wiggins' house.
I was also interrupted by joining a new book club and read The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, which I enjoy more on this side of the reading than I did as I read it, if that makes any sense.
Now I'm off to finish the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, and then The Island of the Blue Dolphins, and then... back to you, my dear friend.
Always admiringly,
Beth
Saturday, June 18
The competition
Dear Agatha,
We Wigginses have embarked on a summertime reading challenge. All 5 of us are participating. We are each contributing $10 and upon completion in August, the winner will receive the pot.
Josh is by far in the lead at around 900 pages; Grace has done about 300. Ro, Chris, and I are all below that.
I'm frustrated with myself because I have the perfect "excuse" to indulge in your writings and I haven't turned a single page of The Secret of Chimneys since we started 18 days ago. AGH! I need to finish it, too, as I have joined a book club and have a book due for that next week.
Anyway, I wanted to check in and let you know that I'm still here. I still carry you most everywhere. I just haven't done much actual reading. Ugh.
Soon,
Beth
We Wigginses have embarked on a summertime reading challenge. All 5 of us are participating. We are each contributing $10 and upon completion in August, the winner will receive the pot.
Josh is by far in the lead at around 900 pages; Grace has done about 300. Ro, Chris, and I are all below that.
I'm frustrated with myself because I have the perfect "excuse" to indulge in your writings and I haven't turned a single page of The Secret of Chimneys since we started 18 days ago. AGH! I need to finish it, too, as I have joined a book club and have a book due for that next week.
Anyway, I wanted to check in and let you know that I'm still here. I still carry you most everywhere. I just haven't done much actual reading. Ugh.
Soon,
Beth
Friday, April 1
5. Poirot Investigates (1924)
Ah, dear Agatha,
I loved all the stories in this collection, but I have to tell you that this wasn't my favorite work of yours. I'm sure it's not you; surely it's me. I think each of these stories could have lent themselves to a full-length novel. Each one was a fun read, but left me unsatisfied and wanting more. Still, I chuckled throughout the book and loved every page.
I stumbled across this blog post when trying to learn more about the Laverguier method to combat seasickness mentioned in the book (and, it seems like I've heard it mentioned in another book of yours as well). I thought it was pretty neat and made some great points, although his version of the book only contains 11 short stories. https://therealchrisparkle.wordpress.com/tag/poirot/
For funsies I made a list of all the words I had to look up in the course of this work. It actually doesn't feel like there were as many as usual, but still, quite a few:
colleen
dernier cri
courez
hein
epatant
joss-stick
celui-la
rook / rook rifle
widow's weeds
pecuniary
doucement
Michaelmas
tisane
bagatelle
punctilious
skinflint
voluble
dragoman
prefet
ignominiously
charlady / charwoman
punt
scarfpins
trinitrin
novitiate
But there was one thing in your book that made me gasp, dear Dame Agatha! I'm not even sure what to make of it. This book, published March 1924, pre-dates your own disappearance of December 1926. I wish there was more out there about that, and it's my understanding that it isn't even addressed really in your autobiography (although admittedly, I'm not that far with that yet.) In the story "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim," Poirot said of disappearances:
"They fall into three categories: First, and most common, the voluntary disappearance. Second, the much abused 'loss of memory' case - rare, but occasionally genuine. Third, murder, and a more or less successful disposal of the body."
What, Agatha?! What does this mean?
Still with admiration,
Beth
Friday, March 25
Plan interrupted
Dear Agatha,
I wonder what you would think, if you were alive today, about the works of JK Rowling and her world of Harry Potter. She is the dame of British writing today, at least I think so, and at this moment I can't recall another single contemporary British writer at all off the top of my head. I know that the world of wizardry isn't your genre, but I suspect you were quite well read in all genres and I'm sure you would have at least read these.
Well, Christianne bought me a book written by Rowling under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. It is very, very different from the Harry Potter series! Although I didn't feel like I was reading children's literature per se when I read the Potter books, this book is definitely more grown up. It has lots of F-words. And - the genre is also far different from the others: a crime drama.
So naturally I can't help comparing her work to yours. And naturally she falls short. But there are similarities that I wonder if extend even beyond the two of you. Will I always need a dictionary by my side when reading British writers?
She crafted the novel well enough. I certainly did not guess the ending. I enjoyed her characters and her writing style and finished the book definitely wanting more, considering a reread of this one before moving on to the sequel.
A few days ago a post from my old (not old, but you know what I mean) English professor showed up on my Facebook feed referencing an upcoming writer's conference. I haven't written in so long. I used to be part of that world, or at least part of the atmosphere of would-be published writers who desired to support their family with their art. But life. Life happens and there is a husband, a very supportive husband who still would love for me to write, but there's also babies to raise and bills to pay and obligations to meet and dreams to put on hold. And so, except for an occasionally lengthy Facebook post and irregular submissions to my blog, I stopped writing.
But what's funny, to me at least, is that the day after I saw that post from Professor Haake, I picked up Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling to finish it, and I felt this desire rekindle inside of me to write. I'm sure the message from Haake put something into my subconscious perhaps, but Galbraith's style of writing reminded me of mine - not that I could ever write that well, mind you - but, except for her perhaps-excessive descriptioning, I resonated with her tone and the flow of her words.
Every time I finish one of your works I think to myself: I could never write a detective novel. There are just too many pieces to figure out. Nor do I really have any desire to, honestly. But the novel by Galbraith made a sort of bridge in my mind ~ that a detective novel at least *could* be written the way that I write... if I could fit all the pieces together anyway.
Are you following me? It makes sense in *my* head.
Next up is Poirot Investigates. Here we go.
With admiration,
Beth
I wonder what you would think, if you were alive today, about the works of JK Rowling and her world of Harry Potter. She is the dame of British writing today, at least I think so, and at this moment I can't recall another single contemporary British writer at all off the top of my head. I know that the world of wizardry isn't your genre, but I suspect you were quite well read in all genres and I'm sure you would have at least read these.
Well, Christianne bought me a book written by Rowling under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. It is very, very different from the Harry Potter series! Although I didn't feel like I was reading children's literature per se when I read the Potter books, this book is definitely more grown up. It has lots of F-words. And - the genre is also far different from the others: a crime drama.
So naturally I can't help comparing her work to yours. And naturally she falls short. But there are similarities that I wonder if extend even beyond the two of you. Will I always need a dictionary by my side when reading British writers?
She crafted the novel well enough. I certainly did not guess the ending. I enjoyed her characters and her writing style and finished the book definitely wanting more, considering a reread of this one before moving on to the sequel.
A few days ago a post from my old (not old, but you know what I mean) English professor showed up on my Facebook feed referencing an upcoming writer's conference. I haven't written in so long. I used to be part of that world, or at least part of the atmosphere of would-be published writers who desired to support their family with their art. But life. Life happens and there is a husband, a very supportive husband who still would love for me to write, but there's also babies to raise and bills to pay and obligations to meet and dreams to put on hold. And so, except for an occasionally lengthy Facebook post and irregular submissions to my blog, I stopped writing.
But what's funny, to me at least, is that the day after I saw that post from Professor Haake, I picked up Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling to finish it, and I felt this desire rekindle inside of me to write. I'm sure the message from Haake put something into my subconscious perhaps, but Galbraith's style of writing reminded me of mine - not that I could ever write that well, mind you - but, except for her perhaps-excessive descriptioning, I resonated with her tone and the flow of her words.
Every time I finish one of your works I think to myself: I could never write a detective novel. There are just too many pieces to figure out. Nor do I really have any desire to, honestly. But the novel by Galbraith made a sort of bridge in my mind ~ that a detective novel at least *could* be written the way that I write... if I could fit all the pieces together anyway.
Are you following me? It makes sense in *my* head.
Next up is Poirot Investigates. Here we go.
With admiration,
Beth
Monday, March 7
4. The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)
Dear Agatha,
Wow.
I don't know much what else to say. I love this book.
Love, love, love, love, love.
I never have you figured out - I'm always caught off-guard at who the culprit is, and who is actually innocent.
I loved the character of Anne Beddingfield. She is so fun, sarcastic, independent, and yet soft enough to fall in love. And how the men love her! I actually wish she was a recurring character in your novels. I'd love to read more of her.
I've been so busy working that I haven't had any time to read for pleasure. I re-started this book last Friday while at work. While I'm working a lot, we've certainly slowed down and I have more time for reading. Anyway, I re-started this Friday, and finished it yesterday morning before church. Grace said, "Mom! You read fast!" Not really. I just enjoyed reading it so much that I turned off the TV and read. I took a hot bath and read. I even read while riding the stationary bike.
It felt so good to read for fun again and this book was such a delight, dear Agatha. I'm hoping to read some more of your autobiography soon before I start the next book you published, some short stories of Poirot. (Actually Christianne bought me a book, recently, so I should read that sometime soon as well.)
I decided on a plan. I want to read all your published works, then visit England and see where you've lived. If money is not an object, I'd like to travel to Africa and other places you write about. But after that I want to read all your works again. Sounds like a good plan to me. Robert only smiled when I told him.
Thank you, dear Agatha, for another beautifully crafted work.
With admiration,
Beth
Thursday, February 4
Monday, January 25
3. Murder on the Links (1923)
Dear Agatha,
So twisty, this one! Serious twists and turns at every advancement of the plot. I thought we were wrapping it up, to find that, no - way off - let's just turn it the other direction. Craziness. I seriously couldn't believe it.
And this is your third novel?
This one is currently my favorite.
I finished this novel at work just before closing time, and I came home to have dinner and watch the BBC adaptation. Ro watched with me. He liked it, but I was once again disappointed. This one stayed closer to the plot than The Secret Adversary did, but it just wasn't nearly as good. Although I do love David Suchet as Poirot. He's pretty perfect.
Thanks again for the fun.
Admiringly,
Beth
So twisty, this one! Serious twists and turns at every advancement of the plot. I thought we were wrapping it up, to find that, no - way off - let's just turn it the other direction. Craziness. I seriously couldn't believe it.
And this is your third novel?
This one is currently my favorite.
I finished this novel at work just before closing time, and I came home to have dinner and watch the BBC adaptation. Ro watched with me. He liked it, but I was once again disappointed. This one stayed closer to the plot than The Secret Adversary did, but it just wasn't nearly as good. Although I do love David Suchet as Poirot. He's pretty perfect.
Thanks again for the fun.
Admiringly,
Beth
Monday, January 4
2. The Secret Adversary (1922)
Dear Agatha,
This was the most fun novel of yours I think I've read, at least in quite awhile.
I remember starting a Tommy & Tuppence mystery before, but think I never finished it for some reason, and what little I remember about it made me not as eager to begin The Secret Adversary (I'm also not a big fan of spy / political conspiracy tales) - but I LOVED it!
Did I figure it out? Kind of. I suspected the bad guy... but once again, talked myself out of it only to be surprised in the end that I was right. Really a guess more than improvement of my little gray cells, I'm sure. And I thought the end was coming much earlier than it did, so twisty and turny was your plot.
My favorite scene, I think, wasn't even about the mystery itself, but when Tuppence comes to terms with her feelings for Tommy, after declining a marriage proposal by Julius. For some reason it reminded me of my Christianne:
"Fool," murmured Tuppence at length, making a grimace. "Little fool. Everything you want - everything you've ever hoped for, and you go and bleat out 'no' like an idiotic little sheep. It's your one chance. Why don't you take it? Grab it? Snatch at it? What more do you want?"
As if in answer to her own question, her eyes fell on a small snapshot of Tommy that stood on her dressing-table in a shabby frame. For a moment she struggled for self-control, and then abandoning all pretense, she held it to her lips and burst into a fit of sobbing.
"Oh, Tommy, Tommy," she cried, "I do love you so - and may never see you again..."
At the end of five minutes Tuppence sat up, blew her nose, and pushed back her hair.
"That's that," she observed sternly. "Let's look facts in the face. I seem to have fallen in love - with an idiot of a boy who probably doesn't care two straws about me." Here she paused. "Anyway," she resumed, as though arguing with an unseen opponent, "I don't know that he does. He'd never have dared to say so. I've always jumped on sentiment - and here I am being more sentimental than anybody. What idiots girls are! I've always thought so. I suppose I shall sleep with his photograph under my pillow, and dream about him all night. It's dreadful to feel you've been false to your principles."
This is also the first book in a long time that I've stayed up late to finish, just because it was much fun. And I can't wait to read more from The Young Adventurers.
Admiringly,
Beth
This was the most fun novel of yours I think I've read, at least in quite awhile.
I remember starting a Tommy & Tuppence mystery before, but think I never finished it for some reason, and what little I remember about it made me not as eager to begin The Secret Adversary (I'm also not a big fan of spy / political conspiracy tales) - but I LOVED it!
Did I figure it out? Kind of. I suspected the bad guy... but once again, talked myself out of it only to be surprised in the end that I was right. Really a guess more than improvement of my little gray cells, I'm sure. And I thought the end was coming much earlier than it did, so twisty and turny was your plot.
My favorite scene, I think, wasn't even about the mystery itself, but when Tuppence comes to terms with her feelings for Tommy, after declining a marriage proposal by Julius. For some reason it reminded me of my Christianne:
"Fool," murmured Tuppence at length, making a grimace. "Little fool. Everything you want - everything you've ever hoped for, and you go and bleat out 'no' like an idiotic little sheep. It's your one chance. Why don't you take it? Grab it? Snatch at it? What more do you want?"
As if in answer to her own question, her eyes fell on a small snapshot of Tommy that stood on her dressing-table in a shabby frame. For a moment she struggled for self-control, and then abandoning all pretense, she held it to her lips and burst into a fit of sobbing.
"Oh, Tommy, Tommy," she cried, "I do love you so - and may never see you again..."
At the end of five minutes Tuppence sat up, blew her nose, and pushed back her hair.
"That's that," she observed sternly. "Let's look facts in the face. I seem to have fallen in love - with an idiot of a boy who probably doesn't care two straws about me." Here she paused. "Anyway," she resumed, as though arguing with an unseen opponent, "I don't know that he does. He'd never have dared to say so. I've always jumped on sentiment - and here I am being more sentimental than anybody. What idiots girls are! I've always thought so. I suppose I shall sleep with his photograph under my pillow, and dream about him all night. It's dreadful to feel you've been false to your principles."
This is also the first book in a long time that I've stayed up late to finish, just because it was much fun. And I can't wait to read more from The Young Adventurers.
Admiringly,
Beth
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920), revisited
Dear Agatha,
Let's try this again, shall we? For 3 1/2 years ago I had great intentions but... But what? I have no idea what happened except that I fell off the planet I guess. Or bookshelf. ;)
I have missed you. And while I've read a few other novels of yours since my last blog post here, for some reason I lost sight of my mission to read your works in order, all of them. My 2016 reading goal is to read at least half of them by the end of the year.
This book is funny. I read it before, of course, but as my memory is short,
I didn't remember a lot of it. Actually I thought I remembered who the murderer was, only to talk myself out of it, only to find that indeed I had remembered correctly. I do love it and plan to watch the movie of it again as well. This has been a great way to start my new year.
With great admiration,
Beth
Let's try this again, shall we? For 3 1/2 years ago I had great intentions but... But what? I have no idea what happened except that I fell off the planet I guess. Or bookshelf. ;)
I have missed you. And while I've read a few other novels of yours since my last blog post here, for some reason I lost sight of my mission to read your works in order, all of them. My 2016 reading goal is to read at least half of them by the end of the year.
This book is funny. I read it before, of course, but as my memory is short,
I didn't remember a lot of it. Actually I thought I remembered who the murderer was, only to talk myself out of it, only to find that indeed I had remembered correctly. I do love it and plan to watch the movie of it again as well. This has been a great way to start my new year.
With great admiration,
Beth
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