Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Where to Start if You've Never Read Agatha Christie


Today's topic for Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish is Top Ten Books I'd Give to Readers Who Have Never Read X.  Obviously my X is going to be Agatha.  With 5 decades of writing and 80+ books Agatha is almost a genre unto herself but that massive back list can be intimidating.  Where do you start when you have a list of 85 books in front of you?

Even though Agatha has a few series (i.e. Poirot, Marple) this is not a true series.  The books have the same character but that's about it.  There is absolutely no need to read them in order if you don't want to.  I'm pretty uptight about series order so you can trust me on this one.  In fact several of her last books published were actually written in the 1940s so even she didn't care about series order. Also, many of her books have two different titles.  One was the UK title and one was the US title than as time has gone on both titles get published everywhere.  If you're trying to collect them all it can make you crazy.

So if you're an Agatha Novice here's where I think you should start:


1.  And Then There Were None (Ten Little Indians)
And Then There Were None is probably one of the best known and most recommended of Agatha's books.  There's a reason for this.  The concept is brilliant, the characters are well drawn and this is one of the most action oriented of her books.

2. The Thirteen Problems (The Tuesday Club Murders)
This is really a collection of Marple short stories but it is structured in a succession of Tuesday evenings with the same group of people.  Each one relays a mystery and the others try to solve them.  This is Marple at her best - unassuming and shockingly brilliant.  Plus, since it's short stories each mystery is very fast paced.

3.  The Man in the Brown Suit
This is Agatha's first stand alone and a really underrated mystery.  This is really the first of her exotic location adventure stories with a young intelligent woman who happens to be quick on her feet getting involved in an international mystery.  There's a classic Agatha plot twist and we get to meet the enigmatic Colonel Race.

4.  Sleeping Murder
This is probably my favorite Christie.  While it was her last book published it was actually written in the 1940s and put aside for her daughter's inheritance.  A newly married woman starts to doubt her sanity when she finds herself knowing things she shouldn't about the house she just bought.  Luckily Miss Marple is there to help her figure it all out.

5.  Death on the Nile
This is one of my favorite Poirot books.  The characters and the story are memorable and it's a fascinating take on the country house style murder.

6.  Sparkling Cyanide (Remembered Death)
We get to spend some more time with Colonel Race in this mystery about a murder that took place completely out in the open but is almost impossible to solve.

7. Destination Unknown (So Many Steps to Death)
Like #3 this is an adventure story in an exotic location with an attractive and adventurous woman.  However, the 3 decades of writing in between the 2 books are plain as Agatha puts quite a twist in this one.

8.  4:50 From Paddington (What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw)
I love this Marple mystery about a woman who sees a murder in a passing train.  Marple is excellent in this one in a puppet master type roll.

9.  Crooked House
This was one of Agatha's favorites and it's easy to tell why.  In this she explores one of her most visited topics - what suspicion does to the innocent.  Throw in a dysfunctional family, tons of motives and a likable detective and this one is a lot of fun.

10.  Murder on the Orient Express (Murder in the Calais Coach)
Here's another one of her most famous books and with good reason.  Poirot is excellent in this one as is the cast of characters.  

So are you an Agatha novice?  Did I leave  any of your favorites out?

34 comments:

  1. While I wouldn't consider myself an Agatha Christie novice I have not actually read her in ages! Some of her books are a bit harder to get into than most so I do love your list here! I may have to start over with AND THEN THERE WERE NONE very soon :)

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    1. And Then There Were None is a good one and definitely a great introduction! Hope you enjoy it!

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  2. I've only read one Agatha Christie (horrors!), but it it number one on your list. I'm going to bookmark this post so I remember where to turn next. Thank you!

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    1. For shame JoAnn! :) Agatha is comfort reading for me. I hope you're able to read a little more of her work.

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  3. This is a great list, Katherine. And I'm glad you shared both titles with each book--I know that has confused me on occasion. I know I keep saying it and have yet to do it, but I really do want to dive into my Agatha Christie books again. Maybe I should make that one of my goals next year. :-)

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    1. The 2 title thing used to drive me crazy when I was collecting way before the age of smart phones. I did almost all my buying in used book stores so I'd be all excited thinking I had found one I didn't have only to come home and be disappointed. It is always time to read Agatha!

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  4. I've only read one Agatha Christie novel and it was when I was super young and my mom just happened to have it on her shelf so I read it. I can't recall the title now, but I remembered being super enthralled by it. I need to pick up another one to see if my adult self is just as enthralled. Great list! :)

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    1. The Agatha books I really loved when I was a teenager for the most part aren't my favorites now. It'd definitely be interesting to see what you think of them now!

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  5. Thanks for thinking of doing this. I've never read a Agatha book before. Honestly I've not been that interested until more recently. I was thinking of starting with A Than There Were None since I would assume that's her most popular book. But now you've given me some other choices. :)
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. And Then There Were None is always a good introduction but it's a little different from most of her other books. She's definitely not for everyone but if you enjoy mysteries at all I think she's a must read.

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  6. I know a few of these books.

    Love Agatha Christie...I have only read two of these, though.

    THANKS for sharing.

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    1. I love Agatha and have been enjoying rereading her books.

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  7. Oh yes, my husband's favorite! I must share this list with him.

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    1. Really? How great! I'm sure he's read most of these - especially the Poirot's.

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  8. And Then There Were None is the only one I've read so far. I think I might have the audio for Orient Express but not sure. I'll book mark some of these others! 80+ books is insane. :)

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    1. Crazy right? The woman was a machine. Not all of them are superior quality (we don't even want to talk about the books from the late 60s/early 70s). I think an audio for Orient Express would be great. I'll have to look for one.

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  9. I've only read one Christie book, a Mrs. Marple one, though I can't remember which one. I've always wanted to read And Then There Were None but I've always put it off because I know the story (we did the play in high school, which was awesome).

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    1. I know in at least 1 play version the ending for And Then There Were None is different. Even if it isn't I've reread it more times than I can count and it's one of those that I always notice something different.

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  10. I put some of these on my library wishlist. My mother was a fan of Christie's work but somehow I never read any of her copies.

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    1. My grandmother was the Christie fan so I think I started reading her copies. How you enjoy them if you give them a try!

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  11. I am a Christie novice because in the past I didn't care too much for British mystery procedurals. Now I am a fan of almost any mysteries and enjoy stories set in the U.K. so I should read more of her titles. I've read Ten Little Indians and Murder on the Orient Express years and years ago. I am a fan of having watched several of her books that were made into b & w movies.
    Thanks for highlighting an author so obvious that I sometimes forget to think about reading her.

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    1. The great thing with Agatha is they're short books but mentally satisfying because they're so intricately plotted. I really haven't watched as many of the movie adaptations as I should have. I'll have to look for them.

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  12. I've read And Then There Were None and really enjoyed it. I'm going to have to check out these other books too. Thank you very much.

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  13. I have to admit I've never read an Agatha Christie book before, but I did purchase an adventure game that was based off And Then There were None. Thanks for sharing!

    Jeann @ Happy Indulgence

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    1. I loved that game! There was another game based on Murder on the Orient Express that was great too.

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  14. Agreed Ten Little Indians is a perfect starting place. I loved all of these Katherine :)

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    1. I definitely think Ten Little Indians is the most beginner friendly of her books. Even with as much as I love her I can admit that not all of her books are easy to get into.

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  15. I'm a huge Christie fan, and these are very good picks. I think I would have included The Mousetrap (even though it's a play), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (because it's another brilliant example of a totally unexpected ending, which she excelled at), and a few of my favorites: The Secret Adversary, Nemesis, and The Body in the Library. (Though Sleeping Murder is also a favorite.) Oh - and The ABC Murders.

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    1. Once again I'm pretty sure we're long lost sisters. All of those were on my original list except for Nemesis because that's kind of a sequel to The Caribbean Mystery. I kind of left of the Poirot's because I'm not sure how beginner friendly is. The Body in the Library would've been #11!

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  16. I know Agatha Christie has written lots of books, but 85?! Holy crap! I haven't read any Agatha books, can you believe that? But I'm really looking forward to reading Death on the Nile, thanks for your recommendation! :D
    my top ten tues: http://wp.me/p3v5T1-up

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    1. 85 is just the mysteries under her own name! If you count her autobiography, an archaeological memoir, and the romantic fiction she wrote under a pseudonym I imagine the number would probably be over 100! Death on the Nile is a good one. I hope you enjoy it!

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  17. Great list! My book club read Murder on the Orient Express a few years ago and I really enjoyed Christie. I have been meaning to read And Then There Were None and need to make some time for it! Glad to see that it was your first recommendation.
    Happy Reading,
    Rebecca @ The Key to the Gate

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  18. Great post and really helpful, I would love to have read more of her books and now I've got an idea where to start! Thank you. And for explaining about the series too.

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