Look out for flying marrows

[cheesygirl]

Embarrassingly, I've read only one Agatha Christie novel in my life, and that was "Sad Cypress" many many years ago. I wasn't terribly impressed. But, I decided I needed to try her again, mostly because I was in the mood for some fluffy 1920s English fiction with lots of manor houses and afternoon tea and whatnot. I'm reading "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" and it really is quite funny, in that delightfully dry, English way. Par example:

"I thank you, no," said Poirot, rising. "All my excuses for having deranged you."
"Not at all, not at all."
"The word deranged," I remarked, when we were outside again, "is applicable to mental disorder only."
"Ah!" cried Poirot, "never will my English be quite perfect. A curious language. I should have said disarranged, n'est-ce pas?"
"Disturbed is the word you had in mind."

:D

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

When this book came out, critics flew into a rage because of who the killer is. So I won't spoil it but let me know what you think...

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

I just finished it and you know, I had a suspicion that's who it might be because I do know she likes to pull murderers seemingly out of the air (which is one reason I didn't like Sad Cypress), but then I was no, maybe not. But yes! Overall this wasn't a bad read.

And of COURSE you have a Poirot icon handy. ;D

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

My favorite tale is Five Little Pigs which is a murder tale in reverse, you know who was sentenced to death for the murder and Poirot picks up the case years later.

And I'm with beadattitude, Saki and Laurie R. King for a fine period read.

[chase820.livejournal.com]

Christie's pretty awesome, though I prefer Nero Wolfe when it comes to classic mysteries. Archie Goodwin (Wolfe's wisecracking assistant) is teh awesome.

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

I'm generally not into mysteries, but I do like a period whodunit now and then.

[padawanpooh.livejournal.com]

Have to admit I never liked Christie - my idea of a good mystery is a Holmes story.

BTW if you like this period of English lit have you tried Wodehouse? Jeeves & Wooster are the most famous of course but I adore the Blandings books.

I'd also rec Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome and the American author, Connie Willis' time-travel comedy that links to it beautifully called 'To Say Nothing of the Dog' :-D

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

OH MAN, Pooh is right, and add H.H. Monroe or Saki and Laurie R. King, who writes a Sherlock Holmes pastiche that is fantastic.

[padawanpooh.livejournal.com]

Ooh - I don't know those authors - thanks for the recs :-)

[padawanpooh.livejournal.com]

I've just ordered the first couple of King's Sherlock Holmes books off Amazon :-)

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I most definitely have read Wodehouse! Bertie Wooster is so my flaky, wealthy, interwar period fictional British boyfriend. What ho! :D

I'll have to give Jerome a look-see.

[padawanpooh.livejournal.com]

Bertie Wooster is so my flaky, wealthy, interwar period fictional British boyfriend. What ho!

LOL!!!!!

I hope you enjoy Three Men in a Boat- be aware JKJ goes off into purple prose - in this book it's endearing, but in his other stuff it becomes deeply annoying. Boat though I read again and again.

(And then you MUST read Connie Willis' book!)

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

I love Poirot, and you will love the David Suchet Poirot Mysteries from PBS. He plays such a beautifully fussy Hercule.

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

Poirot has never been my favorite fictional detective, I must say. I do like him better on the page than on film, I think.

[kaydee23.livejournal.com]

My middle school students love her! They love "Ten Little Indians" the most.

[scarlettgirl.livejournal.com]

My favorite Christie run are the Tommy & Tuppence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_and_Tuppence) story. As the books progress the young detectives meet, romance, marry and grow older together. The wit and snark is adorable. They're my Christie OTP!