My Top 4 Agatha Christie Novels
Agatha Christie is an icon for good reason. Her cleverly crafted mysteries have stood the test of time and remain the gold standard to this day. When I was a young bookworm, my grandmother suggested I pick up my first Christie novel. I quickly devoured the rest of her works from there. Aside from a few of the short stories, I believe I have read all of her books. While I completely understand why “Death on the Nile” and “Murder on the Orient Express” are the among the most popular and best known of her novels with multiple big budget movie versions apiece (as a side note, I am excited for the upcoming remake of the former with Gal Gadot), these aren’t my top picks. Much as I enjoyed them, here are my favorite four:
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
It is hard to go wrong with Hercule Poirot’s debut novel. This classic whodunnit sets the stage for the famous detective’s crime solving streak in England and introduces his backstory as a Belgian refugee. In true Holmes and Watson fashion, Poirot meets up with his old friend Hastings at the home of a wealthy older lady well known locally for her charity work. When the hostess is murdered, Poirot and Hastings must sort through the suspects among the victim’s friends and family. Poirot displays his mental muscles and fabulous mustache while showing affectionate tolerance for Hastings who gets every theory wrong and falls in love with every damsel in distress. Lovable leads and a cleverly constructed plot. A must read!
The Secret Adversary
My typical favorite Christie stories feature Poirot. His brilliant mind and quirky mannerisms never fail to amuse me. However, this novel steps away from the usual murder mystery genre into a fast-paced thriller. Tommy and Prudence (nicknamed Tuppence) are old acquaintances who met during World War I and who become caught up together in a spy game against the mysterious villain “Mr. Brown” after advertising their services as “young adventurers.” The plot keeps the reader engaged with a charming but suspicious millionaire, a missing young woman, a kidnapping plot, and more. And, of course, I can’t resist a plot where the two long time friends finally realize their feelings for each other. I could not get quite as invested in the rest of the stories in this series, but the first one is fantastic.
Sparkling Cyanide
This seems to be one of the lesser known Christie novels. It has a slow methodical pace and is a little different from some of the other whodunnit plots, but I loved it. The potential murder (or was it a suicide?) took place years ago. The characters all reflect on their memories of (and potential motives to kill) Rosemary, a radiant socialite. Could it have been her married lover, her kid sister, her unassuming husband? When another suspicious suicide occurs, the characters start to realize there might still be a killer in their midst after all this time. I found this one entirely unpredictable, and the big reveal had me intrigued. Without any spoilers, one of the main characters initially appears to be a likely suspect and ends up the hero of the piece.
Murder at the Vicarage
I am usually more partial to Poirot than Ms. Marple, but I have revisited this Marple mystery multiple times because of the supporting cast. Ms. Marple in her usual gentle way, arrives at the truth by using her knowledge of human nature and comparing the suspects to people she has known in her small-town life. The plot is, as always, an interesting mystery with plenty of red herrings. What sets this one apart for me is the narrator, a local vicar attempting to maintain his prim and proper image while he is, nevertheless, an avid reader of thrillers and married to a feisty younger woman. The vicar clearly has a flare for the dramatic and a deep love for his unconventional wife despite his recognition that he should probably present a more formal face to his community. It is hard not to feel fond of him by the end.