Book Review: Murder at Hazelmoor

Murder at Hazelmoor by Agatha Christie

Murder at Hazelmoor
by Agatha Christie
3 out of 5 stars

Major Burnaby takes part in a séance, even though he doesn’t believe in such foolishness. But when a supposed “spirit from the beyond” tells the group that the Major’s best friend has been murdered, Major Burnaby decides to trek through the snow to check on his friend. He discovers the body, brutally murdered.
When her fiancé is accused of the murder, Emily Trefusis sets out to assist the police in tracking down the true killer.

I guessed the solution of who the real murderer was at about page 65. The mystery was sort of obvious. However, that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book! There were a couple of other little minor mysteries that were fun, and I loved all the character studies. I was a little bored by the red herrings though. They all seemed to lead nowhere, and they were full of coincidences.

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Book Review: Funerals are Fatal / After the Funeral

After the Funeral by Agatha Christie

After the Funeral (Hercule Poirot, #33)
by Agatha Christie
4 out of 5 stars

(Also published as “Funerals are Fatal”)
Strange old Aunt Cora shocks everyone at her brother’s funeral when she lets it slip that she thinks he must have been murdered. The family tries to hush it up, but when Cora herself is murdered the very next day, only Hercule Poirot can unravel the clues that led to her death. Did she know too much? As Poirot investigates, one person is nearly poisoned, and another is “coshed” on the head. Can Poirot catch the murderer before more people are attacked?

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Book Review: Murder on the Links

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie

The Murder on the Links
by Agatha Christie
5 out of 5 stars

Hercule Poirot and his friend, Captain Hastings, have been called to a small village in France, where a millionaire is in fear for his life. But when Poirot arrives, the man has already been murdered. The body was discovered nearby on a golf course, and a myriad of conflicting clues surround the murder.

I loved this mystery! All the clues and red herrings kept me guessing and wondering, and it was amazing to see the methodical way in which Poirot sifts through the evidence to find the truth.

When I read the final reveal of who the murderer was, I literally yelled out, “WHAT?!?!” I was completely surprised and amazed, but once I read the explanation, I realized that it made perfect sense. I love being surprised at the end of a Christie novel!

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Book Review: The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories

The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie

The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories
by Agatha Christie
Kailey (Luminous Libro)‘s reviewSep 26, 2021  ·  edit
really liked itbookshelves: owned-books, books-read-in-2021, favorite-mystery

This collection of short stories includes stories with Miss Marple, Poirot, and Parker Pyne. I enjoyed these so much! It’s amazing to me how Agatha Christie can create this little puzzle in just a few pages, and lay out all the clues and a few red herrings, then cleverly reveal the solution in an entertaining way.

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Book Review: Sad Cypress

Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

Sad Cypress (Hercule Poirot, #22)
by Agatha Christie
5 out of 5 stars

Elinor has been accused of murder. Young Mary Gerrard was poisoned with morphine, and Elinor was the only one who had access to the sandwiches that Mary ate. Only Hercule Poirot can sift through the evidence and find the truth. There are various suspects: Elinor’s ex-fiancée who was fascinated with the dead girl, the doctor who attended Mary’s last moments, and two nurses who love to gossip. Who had the motive to kill an innocent young woman just turned twenty-one?

I loved this mystery! The clues really had me guessing, and I had no idea who the murderer could be until close to the end. I guessed that something was amiss with the nurses, but I also suspected the ex-fiancée, and I couldn’t figure out what the doctor was up to. They are all so slippery and everybody lies to Poirot.

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Book Review: Pocketful of Rye

A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie

A Pocket Full of Rye
by Agatha Christie
4 out of 5 stars

A businessman collapses in his office, poisoned by a rare substance. His widow has been hiding an affair, and the police inspector sees her smiling behind her fake tears. Miss Marple comes into the case to investigate the involvement of her former maid, and notices that the murdered man had rye grain in his pocket. Several other facets of the case seem to mimic the nursery rhyme about a king in his counting house, the queen eating bread and honey, and the maid in the garden hanging out the clothes. Inspector Neele will need Miss Marple’s help to unravel the clues!

I liked the way this murder mystery followed the nursery rhyme, “Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, four and twenty blackbirds baked into a pie…” There were so many red herrings and each of them were memorable and interesting! The plot really had me guessing, and I was fascinated by the way Miss Marple figured it all out.

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Book Review: Twelve Girls in the Garden

Twelve Girls in the Garden by Shane    Martin

Twelve Girls in the Garden
by Shane Martin
3 out of 5 stars

Professor Challis is invited into a garden with statues of twelve girls, and is intrigued by the mysterious disappearance of the sculptor. He meets one of the models, a Greek girl named Polly, and he begins to inquire into the mystery. Challis is plunged into the world of art dealers, audacious fake art, blackmail, and murder. But the mystery always goes back to the twelve girls who modeled for the statues in the garden.

I liked this murder mystery! It was interesting and kept my attention. I liked the writing style and the way the author paints this picture of sultry models, glamorous artists, and shady art deals in Paris or Athens. With just one paragraph, the reader is plunged into a world of glamor and deceit.

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Agatha Christie: The Hollow

The Hollow by Agatha Christie

The Hollow: A Play (Acting Edition)
by Agatha Christie
5 out of 5 stars

A group of people get together for a weekend in the country, and one of them is murdered. Everyone is a suspect, and they all are hiding something from the police. One man is known for having various affairs, while his poor wife is clueless that his mistress is in the same house. Edward worries that his relatives resent him for inheriting the estate where they all grew up. Midge is tired of being seen a child, and tries to attract Edward’s attention. Lady Angkatell is so scatter-brained that no one can follow her silly conversations. They all have a motive for murder, but which one of them actually did it?

I loved this amazing mystery! I was surprised at every plot twist, and I had no idea who the murderer really was until the very end. It was wonderful to see how every clue was laid out, bringing speculation and suspicion on each character in turn.

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