#61: Endless Night

Christie, Agatha: Endless Night. New York: HarperPaperbacks, 1967. Print. 245 pages.

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SETTING: Centered around Gipsy [sic] Acre, the name of a newly built home in a small village in England.  Small scenes also take place in other European countries (France, Germany, etc.). 

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SUMMARY: Michael Rogers, a self-proclaimed adventurer, finally makes it big: he marries a beautiful woman, becomes rich, and owns the home of his dreams.  But the cliched saying holds true for Michael: all good things come to an end...

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "What a mysterious thing sleep is.  You go to bed worrying about gipsies [sic] and secret enemies and detectives planted in your house and the possibilities of kidnapping and a hundred other things, and sleep whisks you away from it all.  You travel very far and you don't know where you've been, but when you wake up, it's to a totally new world.  No worries, no apprehensions." - Chapter 17, page 169.

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So... I know I said I wouldn't be back until August.  Well, I lied!  I realized that it isn't possible for me to study 24/7, and I found a used bookstore near the place I just finished rotating through!  I bought two books, including this one for $2.50 (!!!), and am so glad I did.  I love reading!
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Agatha Christie book!  I love everything she's written that I have had the pleasure of reading.  I love her writing and narrating style, and although I prefer her Poirot novels, I've recently been trying out her other series, and have really enjoyed them too (but not as much as the Poirot ones, of course, because those are the best).
2. The murderer!  Oh.  My.  Goodness!  Such a twist.
3. The ending!  The murdered got what he deserved.  Unfortunately, no justice for the victim.
4. Ellie.  So sweet and naive.  She was knowledgeable about business matters, but the underlying naivete allowed so many to take advantage of her.  I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and make sure no harm came to her, especially by the end of the novel.  She was only ever surrounded by greedy sharks.
5. The murderer's personality after he is caught.  He has a mental breakdown of sorts and his personality changes.  Well, I'm not sure if "changes" is the right word, actually... Might be more accurate to say that the details of his personality are finally revealed, and he is shown to be a complete narcissist.  This part of the book was written very well, and was very fun to read.

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People/things I didn't like about/in this book:

1. Michael Rogers.  He's such a lazy bum.  He became incredibly annoying at times and Ellie deserved someone who worked harder, not someone who lived off of her money.  I just wanted to slap some sense into him.
2. All the characters who took advantage of Ellie.  I won't name any names, of course, because that would give away the story, but I really hated them.
3. A little slow.  I was bored for about half the book, but the ending definitely made up for the boredom.  If this book was written by any random author, I probably would have at least contemplated giving up on it, but a Christie book?  Never!  I will always finish any book written by Agatha Christie.  She is the Queen of Mystery and my experience has taught me that she always delivers. 

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I loved this book!  The beginning was blah and I didn't think I'd like it, but I shouldn't have had any doubts.  The ending is incredibly sad, but such a great twist.  I finished reading the book at night, and was still thinking about it the next day.  Agatha Christie is Queen and excellent in her trade.  My favorite author of all time :)

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Recommend?  Yes!!!!!!

#55: Dead Man's Folly

Christie, Agatha: Dead Man's Folly. New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 1956. Print. 226 pages.

SETTING: Nasse House in Devon, a county in South West England.

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SUMMARY: The successful Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is suddenly called upon by famous mystery author, Ariadne Oliver, to come to Nasse House, a beautiful country property where she is a guest.  A crime has yet to occur, but Ms. Oliver feels an impending evil is upon Nasse House.  She is unfortunately correct...

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'I think when one is old, the death of anyone who is young upsets one out of proportion.  We old folks expect to die, but the child had her life before her.'

'It might not have been a very interesting life.'

'Not from our point of view, perhaps, but it might have been interesting to her.'" - Chapter 16, part 2, page 187.

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With just a little more free time than before, life has become so relaxing!  Our school bookstore was recently revamped and now provides a very comfortable place to sit and read.  I missed reading a good Poirot novel, so decided that this would be the next book of choice!
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The storyline.  It was very simple, but I was hooked from start to finish.
2. Poirot's methods of deduction.  It's not explained all the way until the end, as in any good mystery novel, but when the grand reveal happens, Christie manages to tie everything together very nicely.
3. The subtle clues scattered throughout the book.  Piggybacking off of the last point, she brings all the little clues she gives the readers together at the end, and everything makes sense, as it always does.
4. Christie's writing style.  But you already know this :)
5. Hercule Poirot himself.  One of my favorite detectives, only in close competition with Sherlock Holmes.  He is eccentric and has his own unique methods of successfully completing his work, and most importantly, he stays true to his character, regardless of what other people say about him. 

Things I didn't like about this book: 

1. We aren't given any information as to the fate of the criminals.  It made the story feel a little incomplete to not know what the final outcome was.

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I love Christie's novels, especially ones featuring Poirot, and I rarely have any dislikes.  I pick these novels when I want a good book without having to go through the effort of shopping around for one.  My book soul was successfully satisfied.

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Recommend?  Yes!

#48: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Christie, Agatha: The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Project Gutenberg, 2008. Ebook.

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SETTING: Styles Manor in Essex County, England, north-east of London, during WWI.

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SUMMARY: Arthur Hastings, the narrator of this story, is invited to spend some time at Styles Manor by his good friend John Cavendish.  Within a day of his arrival, John's stepmother, who inherited the manor upon John's father's (her husband's) death, is found dead in her locked bedroom.  Enter the famous Belgian detective, Mr. Hercule Poirot, who brilliantly solves the mystery.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "Poirot was an extraordinary looking little man.  He was hardly more than five feet, four inches, but carried himself with great dignity.  His head was exactly the shape of an egg, and he always perched it a little on one side.  His mustache was very stiff and military.  The neatness of his attire was almost incredible.  I believe a speck of dust would have caused him more pain than a bullet wound." - Chapter 2.

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There's a huge possibility that I read this book once before.  The story felt new, but the title was familiar, and this is also the first Hercule Poirot book written by Christie.  It's quite possible that I read it so long ago that I forgot the story.  My forgetfulness regarding which books I have and haven't read was the main inspiration for starting this blog, so I guess from this point forward, I won't forget.  I picked that quote as my favorite because it is such a perfect description of Poirot, and a description that Christie fabulously maintains in all of her Poirot novels.  

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Things I liked about this book:

1. Poirot!  My favorite detective!  I love his style, both personal and professional.  Working with a person like that would be productive and constantly entertaining.
2. The culprits.  Just like the last Christie book I wrote about, I was again wrong about who did the deed.  
3. The romantic relationships in this novel.  They became one of the main themes, and it was a nice fit in a crime/mystery novel.  I usually find romance in a crime novel annoying, but not this time around.
4.  Incorporation of real life activities in the novel.  The story was written during WWI and, as Christie usually does, she incorporates that as the backdrop of this novel.

Thing I didn't like about this book:

1. The amount of time spent detailing different poisons that can be used to murder someone.  Seemed extraneous and unnecessary.

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I really enjoyed this book, as I usually do.  Agatha Christie has a formula that I enjoy, and she has yet to disappoint me.  Even when I branched out from the Poirot books, I was still satisfied. 

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Recommend?  Yes!

#47: The Secret Adversary

Christie, Agatha: The Secret Adversary. Project Gutenberg, 2008. Ebook.

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SETTING: London, England in the year 1919.

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SUMMARY: Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley are both bored, out of work, and dying for an adventure, especially after having experienced life as a soldier and a war hospital volunteer, respectively.  As fate would have it, they find themselves in the midst of a big mystery after Tuppence receives a strange job offer from an even stranger man.  Their curiosity in finding out who this man is eventually leads them into the service of the British intelligence, as they are on a hunt for this same man!

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'What fun it will be,' responded Tuppence. 'Marriage is called all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage, and lots more.  But do you know what I think it is?' 

'What?' 

'A sport!' 

'And a damned good sport too,' said Tommy." - Chapter 28.

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I finished reading this book at least a month ago, if not longer, but I haven't had time to write about it until now!  I realized today that I'd already forgotten quite a bit about this book, and if I didn't type down my thoughts now, I'd forget everything!  This entry is very sparse, but I did my best.  One of my hopes for 2015 is to read more, and hopefully with that, write about the books I read in a more timely fashion. 

On a different note, I downloaded this book onto my iPad via iBooks, and all I could find regarding publication information is what I have above.  I'm not even sure if this is the right way to cite this book, but oh well...

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Things I liked about this book:

1. Tommy and Tuppence!  I loved them in the last Agatha Christie book I read, and loved them again in this one.  This book provided me with their backstory, and I really appreciated that.  If I had to pick a favorite though out of the two, it would definitely be Tuppence.  She's such a strong and creative character!  But they are a fabulous team, and I'm sad that there are only four Tommy and Tuppence books.
2. Julius Hersheimmer and Jane Finn. I thought I wouldn't like them, each for their own reasons, but they surprised me in the end. 
3. Annette.  All I can say is... what?? A twist I didn't anticipate at all.  In retrospect, though, I probably should have...
4. The culprit.  I thought I had an idea of who it was, but I was completely wrong!  I've become better at identifying the culprit, especially in Agatha Christie's books, but I guess I'm not quite the expert I thought I was!
5. Where the treaty was hidden at the end.  The best hiding place oftentimes is right in front of your nose.

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As you can see, I don't have a dislikes section for this book.  As far as content is concerned, I didn't have any dislikes.  This is an easy, comfortable read, and if you're looking for anything grand or mind-blowing, you've reached for the wrong book.  

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Recommend?  Yes!

#46: N or M?

Christie, Agatha: N or M?. Glasgow: William Collins Sons & Co, Ltd., 1990. Print. 217 pages.
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SETTING: The hotel Sans Souci in the small seaside resort of Leahampton, England during World War II.
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SUMMARY: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford were once a star team for the British Intelligence, accidentally discovered after the First World War.  With the coming of World War II, the pair find themselves without any work, dying of boredom, until a chance mission gives them the opportunity to hunt down two German spies, only known by the code names "N" and "M."
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'...The man who said explanations were a mistake was quite right.'" - Chapter 13, pages 188-189.
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If you've been following my blog, you know that I LOVE Agatha Christie novels.  I would only read Hercule Poirot's stories for the longest time, but once I exhausted all of them (or at least I think I have), I started on the rest of her novels.  Luckily, there are a lot, and I've learned to like her other detectives (of course not as much as Poirot :P).  This book is very short, but my free time has also been short, and it took me nearly a month and a half to finally finish it!
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.  They're great together!  I do favor Tuppence a little more; she's hilarious and really matter-of-fact about everything. 
2. The ease of keeping track of each character.  There are a lot of characters in this novel, as there should be in any good mystery novel, in my opinion, in order to successfully keep the reader guessing the culprit.  The characters in this book are described fully and in a satisfying manner, and if I ever lost track of one of them, it was my own fault.
3. Who "N" and "M" are.  It actually wasn't much of a surprise, and the reader figures out who N is about 3/4 of the way through the book.  But the way that these two characters disguise themselves as harmless Brits on vacation is very creative!
4. That the book was written during WWII.  It was published in 1941.  This point is one that I like about all of Christie's novels.  If the plot is during some major historical event, then it's very likely she wrote it as that event was happening.  It's pretty cool to think that what she wrote in this novel could very well have been happening in reality at the exact same time she was writing it.
5. Morse code via snoring.  Won't say more on that, but very clever!
6. Betty's fate.  It makes for a nice ending :)

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The revelation of "N" and "M."  Going back to #3 above, it really wasn't a surprise who those two characters were.  I like mystery novels where there's a little more of a *gasp* factor. 

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Hercule Poirot books are still my absolute favorite, but I did enjoy this novel, and I have put the first Tommy and Tuppence novel written by Christie, The Secret Adversary, on my list!  Hopefully with the Christmas holiday rolling around soon, I'll be able to read it in a more timely fashion... 
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Recommend?  My answer for all of Agatha Christie's novels: YES!

#34: And Then There Were None

Christie, Agatha: And Then There Were None. New York: Berkeley Books, 1993. Print. 204 pages.
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SETTING: Indian Island, a fictional island off the Devon coast (South West England).
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SUMMARY: A random, mismatched group of ten individuals are invited, each for a very different reason, to Indian Island by the illusive Mr. U. N. Owen.  Once there, they quickly realize that all is not as it seems, and a fortuitous chance at an all-expense-paid escape from reality is actually bringing them closer to realities that they would rather forget.
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "They were five enemies linked together by a mutual instinct of self-preservation." - Chapter 13, page 143.
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A friend came to visit me in DC last week, and during the shutdown, unfortunately, which crushed her plan to visit the Smithsonians.  But she was still able to check a substantial amount off the trip's to-do list, including a trip to New York City.  Luckily, this was a fairly free weekend for me compared to most, and I was able to accompany her!  I decided I needed a slimmer and less involved book to occupy my time during the trip there and back so when I took her to Dupont Circle, my favorite neighborhood in DC, we stopped by my favorite secondhand bookstore where I found this little gem!  I've been wanting to read another Agatha Christie book for a while, and I have a vague memory of reading this one once before when I was very young.  However, since I didn't remember the story, and more importantly the ending, I figured it wouldn't hurt to reread it.
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Agatha Christie!  Enough said.  I've loved every book I've ever read authored by the Queen of Crime.
2. Short, quick, fun, stress-free read.  It took me all of 6ish hours to read it.
3. Varied group of characters that the reader is able to get to know well in a short period of time.  I was able to grasp the salient points of each character's person within the first few pages, and by the time I finished the book I had a very clear idea of each character's personality.
4. You're kept guessing the entire time as to who the culprit is.
5. The poem that is the basis for the events in the story.
6. The murderer's reason for committing the crime.  A disturbing reason, but interesting nonetheless.  And it gives an incite into just HOW varied people's personalities are.  Completely sane individuals who are acting within social boundaries could actually have very horrible and nefarious reasons for their actions.  A troublesome thought...

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The racist undertones (against all non-European, non-Christian groups).  Whether or not Christie was racist or some of the language is just the norm from that time, I cannot say.  I read her biography a long time ago for a grade school book report, but I've forgotten everything I learned from that project, and a quick Wikipedia search didn't shed any light on the topic.
2. No Hercule Poirot!  No detective at all until the end, actually.  In my book, a Hercule Poirot-centered novel is always preferable.

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I absolutely love Agatha Christie's writing style.  It's simple, to the point, and perfect for those times when I want a purely entertaining read.  Because the novels are usually relatively short, I also don't feel guilty when I take out chunks of studying time to read, because I know it'll be over fairly quickly.  On a different note, I also like that after finishing each of her novels, I'm usually left with some type of important reminder about human nature.  In this novel's case (and many of her other novels), the reminder is that nothing is as it seems, that trust must be earned and is not something to be handed out lightly to strangers.  Especially in present times where social media makes it incredibly easy to become "friends" with people without actually having any quality interactions, this is a necessary concept to keep in the back of our minds.
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Recommend?  Yes!  Fun, easy, light reading will always be recommended by me.

#26: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Christie, Agatha: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. New York: Berkeley Books, 2004. Print. 358 pages.
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SETTING: King's Abbott, England (a fictional village).
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SUMMARY: The deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Ferrars approximately one year apart (evidence pending, they are believed to be a murder and suicide, respectively) have brought more intrigue and life to the little village of King's Abbott than it has ever felt before.  However the death of Roger Ackroyd, a wealthy individual known to have had a romance with Mrs. Ferrars after her husband's death, brings the famous detective Hercule Poirot out of his newfound retirement to solve this baffling case.  Dr. James Sheppard, a friend to all of the recently deceased, serves as our narrator and Poirot's unofficial assistant.
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'Now that you remind me of the fact, it is true that there is one more thing.  It would be unwise on your part to attempt to silence me as you silenced Mr. Ackroyd.  That kind of business does not succeed against Hercule Poirot, you understand.'" - Chapter 26, page 353.
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First off, HAPPY SPRING!!!  The weather in DC is finally beautiful and the birds are chirping, even on the gloomy days (like today)!  

I gave this book to a friend as a present, but seeing as he was not going to read it anytime soon, I quickly took the chance to borrow it.  I've been looking for a lighthearted, quick read, and this was a most convenient acquirement!  Not to mention it took me approximately six hours over two days to finish the book (it's very short and the font is fairly large), so I don't feel too bad taking it away from his company.  Before heading to my likes and dislikes of this novel, I have one thing to say: This is THE MOST BRILLIANT NOVEL I HAVE READ IN MY LIFE THUS FAR.  And I'm not saying this from my biased stance of loving all things Christie.  This book is just fabulous.
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The narrator.  He will blow your mind into the depths of space, and open it up all at the same time.  But not until the very end of the novel, mind you, so you'll have to be patient while reading.  I don't want to give away too much, so apologies if this is vague.  I will forever be thankful for having read this novel because it gave me an entirely different perspective on narrators, narration, and who to trust when being told a story.  
2. It is a great display of how storytellers have the ultimate power to manipulate what is being related to the listener(s).  Speech, sentence formation, grammar, etc. are dangerous tools in the right hands.  Enough can be said without giving anything away at all, while just the right words can put you on the entirely wrong track.  Again, absolutely brilliant.
3. Hercule Poirot.  He is my favorite out of all of Christie's detectives.
4. The ending.  IT IS GREAT.
5. Poirot's characteristic step-by-step method of revealing the criminal at the end of the novel.  It never gets tiring.

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The unnecessarily long Mahjong scene.  It could have been cut in half, maybe even one-third.
2. Not necessarily something I didn't like about the book, but Mrs. Ackroyd (Roger Ackroyd's sister-in-law) is incredibly incredibly incredibly annoying.  I wanted her to go away every time she started speaking.

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I LOVED THIS NOVEL!  Hands down my favorite mystery out of all of the Christie novels I have read.  I always enjoy her novels, but I can't ever remember being this excited and so ready to recommend one of her novels to others as I am right now.  It's been a long time since I've finished a book with a new perspective on how to read books, and I loved that it is a great reminder of the importance of being a critical reader.  As a reader, you must always analyze and be skeptical of every word you read, even in fiction.  True, it can be argued that fiction is fiction and thus not reality, but we learn a lot about our reality from fiction (at least I do), so why not look at it with the most critical eye possible?  You'll finish the book having learned more, and, as Poirot says, your "little gray cells" will probably thank you for it.  And you'll hopefully find yourself a tad bit smarter as a result.  
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Recommend?  YES!!!  Very short and quick read, so no excuses will fly!

#22: Cat Among the Pigeons

Christie, Agatha: Cat Among the Pigeons. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, 1959. Print. 297 pages.
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SETTING: Majority of the novel takes place at the Meadowbank School for Girls (fictional institution) in England, but significant parts also occur in Ramat, an incredibly wealthy country in the Middle East.
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SUMMARY: The murders of teachers at the prestigious Meadowbank School for Girls are believed to be tied to the earlier death of the Prince of Ramat and a set of missing jewels worth three-quarters of a million pounds (assuming this is the 1950s value; worth multiple millions in today's currency, at the very least).
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "Miss Johnson had had a sizable dollop of brandy administered to her to pull her together after her discovery of the body.  The result was a slightly added loquacity." - Chapter 8, page 111.
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I thought I had read all the Hercule Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie because I read the Hercule Poirot Casebook, but I idiotically failed to pay attention to the fact that those are a collection of 50 Poirot short stories Christie wrote, and not a collection of all of her novels featuring Poirot.  In retrospect, that was a VERY stupid thing to miss, seeing as I had read some of her Poirot novels before, and they were all definitely lengthier than any of the individual stories in the Casebook.  Anyhow, I'm glad I was mistaken because Poirot is my favorite detective in Christie's mystery novels, and it's great to know I haven't exhausted all of the Poirot novels in existence.  I checked this book out of the local library in my hometown yesterday and finished it yesterday.  Yes, that should be an indication of how much I love Agatha Christie's work.  I eagerly fly through them in a single day if given the time!  And, might I add, it's fantastic having so much time on hand!  Winter break is AWESOME.
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Agatha Christie!!!  One of my favorite authors.  Hands down.
2. Hercule Poirot!!!  One of my favorite detectives.  Hands down.
3. The espionage element of the book.
4. Parts of the book take place internationally.  Christie's novels are great because they take you to different parts of the world.
5. Julia Upjohn's character.  She's one of the few sharp pupils introduced from the School.
6. What they end up doing with the stash of jewels.  The story concludes nicely :)

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. Poirot is not brought into the novel early enough.  I really love his character, and was patiently waiting for him to pop up, and he did so in the last quarter or so of the novel.  I was disappointed by that!  The more Poirot, the better.
2. The storyline was a bit too simple.  Would have enjoyed a more complex mystery.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  It's a very quick and satisfying read, and Christie delivered, as usual.  I LOVE AGATHA CHRISTIE.  I did a book report on her in 4th or 5th grade after my mother introduced me to one of her novels, and I've been in love with her books ever since.  When I'm looking for a comfortable read that'll take me to a fantastical place, Christie's books are my first go to.
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Recommend?  YES!  I love all Hercule Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie, so a definite, hearty YES!