The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie
Paperback, 240 pages
1991, Berkley
ISBN: 042513024X
Synopsis
Alice Ascher, a shopkeeper in Andover, is bludgeoned to death at her place of work. Next to die is Miss Bernard in Bexhill, then Mr. Clarke in Churston. More disturbing than the alphabetic sequence of the killings or the ABC Railway guide that the killer leaves at the scene of each crime are the taunting notes Hercule Poirot receives each time the killer is about to strike again. It is one of Poirot’s most challenging cases yet.
Review
The A.B.C. Murders was an average mystery, which is to say that is was good, but not Agatha Christie good. It had the possibility of great excitement and tension due to the notes Poirot was receiving before each murder but failed to capitalize on it. There was no real thrill.
Poirot is known for using his "little gray cells" instead of doing typical physical detective work. A reader is used to seeing Poirot ponder while others scurry looking for "real" clues. In this novel, everyone seemed to ponder, with no real action of any kind. While the killer was surprising, if perhaps a bit improbable, the book itself was ultimately forgettable.
Rating
Yay, Agatha Christie! I love her, but agree with you on this one. It definitely isn't her best.
ReplyDeleteEmidy
from Une Parole
Great review. I'm wondering...what should my first (or second) Agatha Christie read be?
ReplyDeleteThis is really a good book. The premise behind it is amazing. AC could write simply but her skill and forte was the plot and her main characters.
ReplyDeleteann
I really need to read my 1st AC, I have And Then There were None.
ReplyDeleteI still need to read another of hers, but maybe not this one? Great, honest review :)
ReplyDeleteI really need to read a Christie mystery at some point. Too bad that this one didn't live up to its potential.
ReplyDeleteI really like the Agatha Christie mysteries. Even though this one may not be one of her best, she still has enough really good ones to keep me reading her work. Nice review--very well done I think. And I'm glad to see someone else reading A.C. besides me!! LOL
ReplyDeleteAre they re-releasing AC books? I started reading them in early 60's and think I only missed 4-5 books. Have an old file box where I use to keep all my books by authors and by titles, somewhere. I always enjoyed reading her books. In fact I kinda, sorta remember this title..Sorry this one is not very good. I will have to ck on this one. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeletemisskallie2000 at yahoo dot com