As the fall season begins to draw to a close, I feel the need to take one final reviewing endeavor in the ultimate fall genre, mystery. I have such a deep love for mystery novels, specifically, Agatha Christie’s.
I have read over 15 books by the queen of mystery herself. Here is a countdown of my top four:
4) “Cards on the Table”
“Cards on the Table” is perhaps the single most underrated masterpiece in Christie’s novelistic oeuvre. This book is a part of the amazing Hercule Poirot series, with Poirot himself being one of the most well-known characters in literature. “Cards on the Table” takes place primarily in a single room during a card game, and the book is a wonderful examination of a few incredibly well-written characters.
This is one of those mysteries that you think is predictable until you’re slapped in the face with the fact that it isn’t. I won’t expand on that for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but this novel is just so well-paced and executed. It also features my favorite of Christie’s recurring characters — Ariadne Oliver, who is always a delight to read about.
3) “Murder on the Orient Express”
Perhaps the most iconic Christie novel, “Murder on the Orient Express” lives up to its icon status. Also featuring mustachioed Belgian detective Poirot, “Murder on the Orient Express” takes place on a train stuck in a snowstorm, featuring a cast of 12 suspects, plus a few investigation allies for Poirot.
This novel may seem formulaic at a glance, each character given their own chapter to explain their alibis for the murder, but each figure is so vividly written and interesting that this never becomes a problem. The fact that Christie even thought of this book is a marvel in and of itself. In my opinion, its concept and execution are perfectly done.
2) “Crooked House”
“Crooked House” is a bit of a sleeper hit in the Christie canon. It’s vastly different from most of Christie’s other work, being almost a mix of a traditional murder mystery and a psychological thriller. The novel focuses on the Leonides family, with the death of the family patriarch setting up the story right at the start.
This family is so dysfunctional and messed up, it’s fascinating. Each member of the family is absolutely captivating to read about, and the eerie, unsettling tone that Christie gets right from the beginning. “Crooked House” is also narrated by Charles, an outsider to the family who gets wrapped up in the investigation. This narrative choice is the cherry on top of the brilliance of this novel, allowing us to learn about this family as he does.
This book is truly a marvel in the mystery genre.
1) “And Then There Were None”
Okay, what other book would take my number one spot? “And Then There Were None” is the epitome of a book worth every ounce of its hype. This book is a masterclass in suspense, mystery and keeping your reader enthralled from page one until they close the book. The first time I read this book, I read it in one sitting — that is a testament to how much of a page-turner it is.
“And Then There Were None” begins with eight vastly different people receiving an invitation to an estate on a remote island off the English coast. From there, mystery ensues, with the reader constantly having to question who they can trust and who they can’t. I can’t say much more without spoiling it. All I can say is, just trust me, read this book, you won’t regret it!
