Agatha Christie is synonymous with Cozy Mystery. I’ve referenced cozy mysteries a few times here on the blog, but I’ve never spelled out what they are, mostly because the words have an almost onomatopoeic quality to them. But mainly, it’s a mystery that is particular for its intimate setting. So maybe a weekend party at a country estate, or a train car, or a small village, you get the idea. It’s close quarters, a dozen players, a murder, and an (amateur) detective.
Agatha Christie was prolific. And her novels, stories, and plays are perpetually adapted for the screen. We are all familiar. As is the tradition with cozy mysteries, Christie’s stories often occur in small villages or on weekends in the country. And murders are solved by persons other than the authorities. Hercule Poirot is her most frequent detective. But close behind is Miss Marple. And of course, there are others.
As October comes to a close, I want to share her works that have stuck in my memory. I haven’t read the entire canon. And even the ones I have read I can’t recall in their entirety. But below are the ones I read decades ago and still remember the plots and my state of mind while reading them.
And Then There Were None
I must have read And Then There Were None back in middle school. The book felt so adult in comparison to mysteries of Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown. I remember reading this in bed on Friday night and finishing it well into Saturday morning. The plot inviting ten strangers to stay on a remote island by unknown persons was too incredulous to put down without knowing the end. I haven’t re-read it, but it’s part of our pop-culture fabric. It’s often referenced and inspires plots to this day.
Hallowe'en Party
Hallowe’en Party was my introduction to Inspector Poirot. Although, I must admit I did not know that he is a celebrity literary character at the time. Another middle school read the reason the book sticks with me is simple. At the very beginning of the novel, there is a scene involving bobbing for apples at a Halloween party. Within weeks of reading the book, I attended a Halloween party and bobbed for apples. I remember not being thrilled at the idea of grabbing floating apples from a bucket with only my teeth. And now the two memories are intertwined, as one. One of her later novels, I remember thinking it was a strange book. And perhaps the reason I didn’t revisit Poirot until recently.
Sleeping Murder
Written years earlier, Sleeping Murder was published posthumously and is amateur detective Miss Marple’s final appearance. I love Miss Marple as a character and remember looking for any stories that may feature her. But this book is different than other Marples; it’s actually different than other Christies. The trippiest of Agatha Christie’s books. Both spooky and psychological. It’s a ghost story, or is it? All I know is that it’s creepy from the start, and I remember being too scared to sleep after reading just the first few chapters. If you think you’ve outgrown Agatha Christie but haven’t read this one, I highly recommend it. Also, shoutout to my sister that picked up a first edition hardback of the book on her travels to England and let me use it for my photo.
