Crib Notes-Long Live The Queen!

Agatha Christie is not just a famous mystery writer; she is the bestselling novelist of all time.  Of all time!  Not to mention prolific. The Grande Dame of red herrings and mis-directions, she can always be counted on to provide unexpected twists and unforeseen denouements. All this in trim volumes that focus on plot, dialogue and setting in order to maximize intrigue.

Although I would say all of Christie’s masterful mysteries are worth reading, I have collected just four of the best, each distinct from the other, to get you started!

THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD

This is widely considered her best.  A masterful use of narration and sleight of hand.  Roger Ackroyd is a wealthy widower whose fiancée has recently committed suicide after being blackmailed.  Then after receiving a mysterious letter revealing the identity of the blackmailer, Ackroyd too is murdered in his locked study.

Contemporary Matches…Malice (Keigo Higashino), Woman In Cabin 10 (Ruth Ware), Lock Every Door (Riley Sager)

CROOKED HOUSE

A standalone mystery surrounding a deeply strange family.  The patriarch is dead, and his much younger wife is the prime suspect. With three generations of family living in his sprawling mansion, there are ample motives and opportunities for someone else to have committed the crime. 

Contemporary Matches…Everything I Never Told You (Celeste Ng), The Secret Place (Tana French), All The Devils Are Here (Louise Penny)

CARDS ON THE TABLE

Mr. Shaitana is famous as an exuberant party host. He is also a man who everyone is just a little afraid of.  So, when he boasts to Poirot that he considers murder an art form, the detective has some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitanas “private collection”.

Contemporary Matches…Think Of A Number (John Verdon), Eight Perfect Murders (Peter Swanson), Dominance (Will Lavender)

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

On a private island, ten strangers convene at the request of a mysterious gentlemen.  Upon arrival they discover their host is nowhere to be found.  And to make matters worse, when one of them is found dead, the group realizes that there’s a murderer in their midst. And then more start to die…

Contemporary Matches…An Unwanted Guest (Shari Lapena), The Hunting Party (Lucy Foley), In A Dark, Dark Wood (Ruth Ware)