Friday, May 23, 2014

Friday 56 and Book Beginnings



It's time for Book Beginnings, a linkup with Rose City Reader and the Friday 56 with Freda's Voice.

We're back to Agatha this week with her book from 1945 entitled Sparkling Cyanide or Remembered Death depending on if the publisher is using the UK or the US title.

This is classic Christie.  A different twist on a locked room murder - this time a table at a nightclub that no one outside the party could have approached.  There's a beautiful rich heiress, her various lovers and other groupies, her shy younger sister, her pompous older husband. I'm really enjoying this reread.  Here's what it starts with:

"Iris Marle was thinking about her sister, Rosemary.
For nearly a year she had deliberately tried to put the thought of Rosemary away from her.  She hadn't wanted to remember."

And now for the Friday 56:

Pretty simple rules - flip to page 56 or 56% on your e-reader and find a passage that grabs you (no spoilers!).

Here's a passage from page 56 of my copy:

"She didn't realize.  She didn't care.  She took no interest in his work, in his ambitions, in his career.  All that she wanted was to her him reiterate again and again that he loved her. "Just as much as ever? Tell me again that you really love me?""

So what do you think?  Interesting?  Would you keep reading?

30 comments:

  1. She must be talking about her pompous husband. I haven't read a lot of Christie, but I enjoy her work. I would keep reading.

    Thanks for your earlier visit to The Busy Mom's Daily. Hope you have a nice weekend.

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    1. Actually it's a lover who starting to realize she may not be as great as he thought. This is definitely a good one. Even better it's one I forget how much I enjoy until I reread it so it's always a pleasant surprise.

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  2. I have read most of Christie's mystery novels and always enjoy them again when I re-read. Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories. Here is my post: Mixed Book Bag

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    1. Oh you're welcome! I'm always glad to meet another Agatha fan! This is one of my favorites but one I always forget about.

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  3. I'd keep reading. There's no one quite like Dame Agatha Christie.

    My Friday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2014/05/friday-focus-friday-56-book-beginnings_23.html

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  4. I haven't read Agatha Christie in ages! I love the title Sparkling Cyanide, it really fits with the whole nightclub theme! The F56 sounds really tragic, not only because it's sad she doesn't really care for his life but also because she needs so much affirmation! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great weekend :)
    Juli @ Universe in Words

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    1. I prefer the Sparkling Cyanide title myself! You know I'd never really thought of that as tragic for HER until you mentioned this but you're so right. It's definitely tragic that she needs so much affirmation and that that's all there is to her. Thanks for giving me a new perspective on a book I've read and reread!

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  5. Ooh, those are definitely a captivating excerpts! I want to know more. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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    1. This is a good one! I always enjoy it. Thanks for visiting!

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  6. Sounds like an interesting Agatha Christie read. Have a lovely weekend.
    My Friday 56

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    1. This is a particularly good one. Have a great weekend!

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  7. Agatha Christie's stories are always enjoyable. This one sounds like a winner.
    Here's the link to my Friday post: THE DOCTOR'S INDISCRETION.

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    1. I do love a good Agatha and this is a good one and not one that's super well known! Thanks for visiting!

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  8. Nice bits, they sure would keep me reading ;)

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  9. I agree, it sounds like she desperately needs his love... perhaps revealing some insecurity. I'm curious to know more. Hope you're enjoying the book and have a happy weekend!

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    1. I've read this book at least 3 times and never really thought of it from Rosemary's perspective. It's so fun to have a different way of thinking about a book I've read so many times! Have a great weekend!

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  10. I'd like to know the back-story behind Rosemary.

    Happy weekend!

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    1. This is a good one. Rosemary is a really interesting character even though she is actually already dead by the time the book starts

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  11. I love Agatha Christie! I own almost all her novels!!

    Here is my Book Beginning post!!


    What a 56!!

    Here is my Friday 56post!!

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    1. Oh yay! I love meeting other Agatha fans! This is a particularly good one!

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  12. Oooh I definitely want to know more. Great teasers!

    Check out my Friday 56.

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    1. Thanks! It's a particularly good one. Thanks for visiting!

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  13. Oooh, I haven't read this one yet, and I am such a Christie fan :)

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    1. You must read this one! It's one of my favorites!

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  14. Ooo! I love a good locked room type mystery!

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    1. Me too. I'm not sure anyone does them as well as Agatha!

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  15. I still haven't read any Agatha Christie but this sounds promising.

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    1. This is a good one! The twists are great and the premise is brilliant. Happy reading!

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