Two "deaths by misadventure."
Three amateur sleuths.
It all adds up to murder in Agatha Christie's delightful Seven Dials Mystery. (And with a number in the title, this book also counts as one of the 5 books I need to read for the What's in a Name 2014 Reading Challenge.)
I'll give you three.
FIRST, it's really funny. Christie's wit and humor shine throughout--she pokes fun at the English aristocracy, and the things her characters say and do made me laugh out loud more than one. SECOND, the characters themselves are likeable, memorable, and never dull. Especially Bundle Brent. (Isn't that the best name?) "Bundle Brent was a resourceful girl--she was also a girl of imagination." She's not one of those annoyingly stupid heroines; she has nerve and daring. "You never know what mad thing she won't be up to next. She's so frightfully unexpected. And the worst of it is, she's so astonishingly successful. I tell you, keeping Bundle out of mischief is a whole-time job." And the THIRD reason to read this book is Christie herself, specifically her masterful misdirection. Just when you think you've figured things out and solved the mystery, Christie yanks the rug out from under your feet. Talk about superior sleight-of-hand! That's what makes her novels, with their complicated plots, so much fun. One of her characters gives some good advice, and I second it: If you do choose to read this book... "SUSPECT EVERYONE!"
Happy Reading!
What's in a Name 2014 Reading Challenge Update: 1 book read; 4 more to go.
Category Completed: Read a book with a title that has a number written in letters in it.
I happen to have this one on my e-reader and I was planning on reading it whenever I needed one of Dame Agatha's clever plots and great writing. You can never (well, almost never) go wrong with Agatha!
ReplyDeleteKind regards,
I agree. She's a great writer and her mysteries are a lot of fun.
DeleteI love Agatha Christie and have been wondering which of her books I should read next. This one sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteIt is. I kept putting off starting it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down.
DeleteI need to read Agatha Christie already. I'm pretty sure they are about to revoke my reading privileges for not getting to her sooner!
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt last year, which is why I've been trying to read more of her books. She wrote so many it's not hard to find a good one.
DeleteI've never actually read any Agatha Christie, although I want to. I have Death on the Nile, so I'll probably start with that one.
ReplyDeleteMy first A. Christie was And Then There Were None...and I've never forgotten it. Let me know how you like Death on the Nile; I've never read that one.
DeleteThis may be the year I break down and read an Agatha Christie. This one sounds like a fun one to start with (plus the added advantage of filling a category on the reading bingo chart!) Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteAny time. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteGone on to my ever growing AC list of must-read books. For years I thought these books would be dull and they are anything but.
ReplyDeleteThis one, especially, was a lot of fun!
DeleteHopping over from the What's In a Name Challenge.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like fun! I'm reading books about England this year but hadn't thought to pick up any Agatha Christie, but I think I would enjoy this.
Joy's Book Blog
It's a lot of fun...I never expected to laugh reading an Agatha Christie novel, but I did with this one.
DeleteSuspecting everyone sounds a good idea here! And I agree, it's a good character name, it gives you the mood of the book. Well done on What's In A Name.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm really enjoying this reading challenge.
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