Death on the Nile - Book Review

I am reading through the novels of Agatha Christie in the order in which they were written and writing a review on each one.

Death on The Nile

1937

Description

Agatha Christie’s most exotic murder mystery, reissued with a striking cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.

The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything – until she lost her life.

Hercule Poirot recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: ‘I’d like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.’ Yet in this exotic setting’ nothing is ever quite what it seems…

My Thoughts

This is the 29th book by Agatha Christie and the 16th Poirot Mystery

It is one of the best known Christie books and possibly because of that and the number of adaptations that have been produced it is not among my top Christie stories.  

As with most of her books it is very cleverly written but at one stage I do feel that I can not quite get round the intricate plot because I feel that just one strategic action is not properly explained even having read it a couple of times and having seen all the adaptations, so I do know the full details of it.

She loves villains and heroines and so do I and here you definitely have a special villain and heroine.   I do love the way we are allowed to see the concern and the disdain for them both emanating from Poirot.

We also see several other storylines running through the book some of which have no bearing on the solution of the murder and some which do, not exactly red herrings though.

It has to be noted that this is one of her books that even if it was not one of the most wellknown it still would be one that once read the victim and murderer will not be forgotten. 

There is one thing missing in this one - no Captain Hastings!

If you would like to know more about this book then click on the title or picture above.

 Here is a link to a list of her novels on Amazon
Books by Agatha Christie


If thinking of reading this book in the future why not pin this pic to go back to later.

Murder in Mesopotamia - Book Review

I am reading through the novels of Agatha Christie in the order in which they were written and writing a review on each one.

Murder in Mesopotamia

1936

Description

An archaeologist’s wife is murdered on the shores of the River Tigris in Iraq…

It was clear to Amy Leatheran that something sinister was going on at the Hassanieh dig in Iraq; something associated with the presence of ‘Lovely Louise’, wife of celebrated archaeologist Dr Leidner.

In a few days’ time Hercule Poirot was due to drop in at the excavation site. But with Louise suffering from terrifying hallucinations, and tension within the group becoming almost unbearable, Poirot might just be too late…

My Thoughts

This is the 26th book by Agatha Christie and the 13th Poirot Mystery


Is it awful of me to say that I was happy about who was the victim in this murder mystery?

I do like this book and feel for many of the characters in it.  Miss Christie wrote it well giving us positions and timings to consider carefully for alibis and has carefully portrayed relationships between many different characters.

As usual if we read it carefully we will see the clues but as is the case in the best books there are many facets to the characters here which mean that we do have quite a few suspects to dwell on.

How long does it take to wear down someone before they snap?

How long ago can an incident have happened but still have repercussions now?

Can we recognise people years later?

How long can someone wait to take revenge?

Which types of people can plan for a long time before acting?

Which types of people can act on the spur of the moment?

These are all questions to be considered in this one. 

If you would like to know more about this book then click on the title or picture above.

 Here is a link to a list of her novels on Amazon
Books by Agatha Christie

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What God is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids - Book Review

Disclaimer:
There is an affiliate link on this blogpost.

I was very excited when I saw that this book was being written.

Then I was even more excited when I was given the opportunity to review a free copy from the author Anne Marie Gosnell

Anne Marie blogs at Future Flying Saucers  and I had dropped in to her blog on and off during the last few years so I was somewhat familiar with her work.


I'm often happy to see new materials for Children's Work but also I'm often disappointed because they are very costly and because they are just so apparently appealing to look at but when you get down to reading and reading and reading everything that is written for each lesson they are not as appealing at all.


As a Kids Church leader for more than 40 years I have always been on the lookout for new materials that are kid friendly and teacher friendly as it does make a difference if both sides involved are really hooked by the products for the best reasons.


For me as a teacher, mother and grandmother those reasons have always been good solid Bible teaching in a way that is easy for me to work with and to encourage others to work with.  I need to know that it is not difficult to get materials to follow someone's lesson plan or to remember just how to make these materials fit in with the Bible Truth I'm teaching.

For the children the products we use need to be entertaining without distracting from the lesson and relevant so that it is the Bible message they go out remembering rather than just the visuals or fun time they have had.

Teachers for Sunday School and Kid's Church etc. are usually people who want to teach the Bible Truths but do not have days and days to read and prepare for each lesson they teach.

We need good, brief, to the point, easy to follow lessons that we know we will actually feel competent about doing with our children.
We do not want to find that the materials we are expected to use will involve us spending hours in shops trying to find.

This book is definitely in the former category and not the latter.

Here we have a product that is easy to follow, not complicated to put into practice and will certainly entertain but throughout it the Word of God is obviously at the centre and there will be no doubt that the children are pointed towards what God is doing in the Old Testament and therefore also to what Jesus has done for us all.

Looking for more info?
Then head on over to  What God is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids

Oh and did I forget to mention there are beautiful posters to accompany 
each of the

25 Object Lessons.  

I can envisage this book being used to form the main part of a Children's Church lesson, or a Sunday School lesson or as the Bible Truth for Messy Church or a Kid's Craft Day.

AND

I can also envisage using this book with my grandchildren in the years to come.

Interested in purchasing?

Then head on over to

Disclaimer:
I received a free copy of this ebook, however this review has been written not because I was obliged to do so but because  I know I will use this book with my grandchildren as well as with children from church.
Also if buying on Amazon I get a little commission but that does not mean any extra expense to you.

Three Act Tragedy - Book Review

I am reading through the novels of Agatha Christie in the order in which they were written and writing a review on each one.

Three Act Tragedy

1934

Description

At an apparently respectable dinner party, a vicar is the first to die…

Thirteen guests arrived at dinner at the actor’s house. It was to be a particularly unlucky evening for the mild-mannered Reverend Stephen Babbington, who choked on his cocktail, went into convulsions and died.

But when his martini glass was sent for chemical analysis, there was no trace of poison – just as Poirot had predicted. Even more troubling for the great detective, there was absolutely no motive…

My Thoughts

This is the 23rd book by Agatha Christie and the 10th Poirot Mystery

Not one of my favourites.  Mainly because there is one part of the story line which I either just don't read or follow properly or is not explained properly but I have felt (on the both occasions that I have now read it) is not compatible with the rest of this murder mystery.  

This is one of Miss Christie's books to have multiple murders and speculation of even more murders so there is a lot to take in as we go through this book.

Friends are a feature of this novel too on both the murderer's side and the sleuth's side.

It is indeed a tragedy for more than one person and in more than one way but will bring the reader a great deal of satisfaction if they can not only work out who the murderer is but can work out exactly how it all was orchestrated or performed.

If you would like to know more about this book then click on the title or picture above.

 Here is a link to a list of her novels on Amazon
Books by Agatha Christie


If thinking of reading this book in the future why not pin this pic to go back to later.

The Cry - Book Review

Firstly I want to say that I did not receive a free book or ebook of this novel  "The Cry" from the publishers as is sometimes the case for my reviews.


I saw "The Cry"  originally on Amazon and the kindle version was a really good price.

I was intrigued

• by the cover and 
• by the title and
• by the description

and that is something that rarely happens to me.

The Cry

So from my opinion


            Is it worth reading or not?

Yes it is!  If you like mystery novels and families.

(UPDATE on 18/10/18:
THIS BOOK HAS BEEN MADE INTO A SERIES FOR TV so I am eager to watch it too.)



Happy that ebooks are available almost instantly I downloaded it from the cloud into my kindle and my kindle app for the ipad and was ready to read but of course I didn't get to it straight away because too many other things had been going on in my life so it had to wait a few days.


Well we were getting ready to go on holiday!


But when we did get away on holiday -

I was hooked from the very start of this novel!

Perhaps because of the fact that we have travelled a lot and I'm always so careful about having all my liquids in my checking luggage as opposed to my husband who having travelled for his work for many, many, many years still always has that little clear plastic bag to bring out of his carry on as he goes through security even when he has a bag checked in.

I was actually hooked when I saw this original cover picture on Amazon.

Here you are your first hint to the incident that starts off the narration of this novel.


I just needed to know what had happened and why.

It is always refreshing to read something that is different and to me that is exactly what this book was. There were things I didn't like about the people and the relationships and the events; but without these this book would not have been the different one I so much enjoyed.


Perhaps another reason I was hooked is that we were travelling when I started reading it and also I love babies and mysteries. Normally I am not keen on sad stories because I don't want to waste time on something that will depress me and would much rather be amused, uplifted or challenged to solve a mystery but this time I wanted to read on through the sadness because

I wanted to know the "why?"

I wanted to know the "why?" when I read this novel

The Cry can be found at Amazon at the link below




 Kindle  &  Paperback

Parker Pyne Investigates - Book Review

I am reading through the novels of Agatha Christie in the order in which they were written and writing a review on each one.

Parker Pyne Investigates

1934

Description

A collection of short stories featuring the ‘heart specialist’, Parker Pyne.

Mrs Packington felt alone, helpless and utterly forlorn. But her life changed when she stumbled upon an advertisement in The Times which read: ‘ARE YOU HAPPY? IF NOT, CONSULT MR PARKER PYNE’.

Equally adept at putting together the pieces of a marriage or the fragments of a murder mystery, Mr Parker Pyne was possibly the world’s most unconventional private eye – and certainly its most charming.

My Thoughts

This is the 22nd book by Agatha Christie and the 1st Parker Pyne Book 


I love this book.

I know I'm a Christie fan but this is one of my favourite books of hers.

Soft hearted Parker Pyne (but with a strict eye for a business which of course must make a profit) just has to be liked.

Usually we are reading murder mysteries by Miss Christie but this time we are reading mystery adventures which are not really mysteries but 
are the best adventures for the people who turn to Parker Pyne.

He simply solves your problems that are making you unhappy - who could not like that type of person.

An easy book of short stories to enjoy and relax with.

If you would like to know more about this book then click on the title or picture above.

 Here is a link to a list of her novels on Amazon
Books by Agatha Christie


If thinking of reading this book in the future why not pin this pic to go back to later.

Why didn't they Ask Evans?

I am reading through the novels of Agatha Christie in the order in which they were written and writing a review on each one.

Why Didn't they Ask Evans?

1934

Description

When a man plunges down a cliff, two adventurous young friends decide to find his killer…

While playing an erratic round of golf, Bobby Jones slices his ball over the edge of a cliff. His ball is lost, but on the rocks below he finds the crumpled body of a dying man. With his final breath the man opens his eyes and says, ‘Why didn’t they ask Evans?’

Haunted by these words, Bobby and his vivacious companion, Frankie, set out to solve a mystery that will bring them into mortal danger.

My Thoughts

This is the 21st book by Agatha Christie and the 4th Stand Alone Mystery 

I have read this one a few times now and there are things I really like - the two main characters who are not sleuths but are very willing to become amateur sleuths and plunge in headlong to find out everything they can without completely thinking it all through.  

I love to see this different side to Miss Christie's writing where there are silly blunders but also intuition worked into the storyline.  Frankie and bobby may set out as naive friends who are just ready for an adventure but the way they actually care about the person who had died (even though Bobby had only met him briefly) is what really keeps them going through it all to get at the solution. 

If you would like to know more about this book then click on the title or picture above.

 Here is a link to a list of her novels on Amazon
Books by Agatha Christie



If thinking of reading this book in the future why not pin this pic to go back to later.

Murder on the Orient Express - Book Review

I am reading through the novels of Agatha Christie in the order in which they were written and writing a review on each one.

Murder on the Orient Express 

1934

Description

Agatha Christie’s most famous murder mystery.

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

My Thoughts

This is the 19th book by Agatha Christie and the 9th Poirot Mystery

One of the best known of her mysteries and perhaps even the best known especially because it had already had 3 TV/Movie adaptations (with 3 different actors playing Hercule Poirot) before they brought out the latest one with Kenneth Brannagh.

It can't be easy to confine your story to one location and also the confines of a train.

Yes you have the characters and the location but having them all in such close proximity must have added constraints to the setting of clues and the movement of the characters just showing how good our famous author is at her craft.

Is there anyone left who does not know the perpetrator of this crime?
This is the second most well-known of Miss Christie's books (first being "And Then There Were None"

Many people who haven't even read the book or seen any of the adaptations already know the outcome of this story but if you do not then you definitely should read it as it is a very well-written book and brings out compassion and hatred together.

I always thought it was so famous that everyone must know but more recently there was a new adaptation of the story and I had to realise that there is a different generation of people who are being introduced to Agatha Christie's works just now.  I suppose that is the joy of books that they can go on for generations being enjoyed by more and more people.

If you do know the outcome and have not read it you still should to see how she links everything together.

 Here is a link to a list of her novels on Amazon
Books by Agatha Christie



If thinking of reading this book in the future why not pin this pic to go back to later.