A storyteller known for the classic detective stories most of us have grown up reading, Agatha Christie is a popular name all around the world. The best-selling novelist of all time, Christie’s murder mysteries have their own fandom. With over 60 novels and 14 short story collections, it is difficult to choose the best out of the Agatha Christie mystery universe. Popularly classified as British cozies or cozy mysteries, books by Christie have some really famous characters that reappear in a number of novels written by her. This includes the beloved Miss Marple and an ex-cop turned detective Hercule Poirot. With memorable endings and remarkable plot twists, some of the best reading suggestions from Agatha Christie’s work, are as follows-
One of the most thrilling murder mystery book, ‘Death on the Nile’ features our beloved detective Hercule Poirot. He meets Linnet Doyle, who has married Simon Doyle recently. Linnet requests Poirot to deter her friend Jacqueline from stalking her. Poirot is not really interested in the offer, but he tries to dissuade Jacqueline on his own. When the group is visiting Abu Simbel, Linnet is attacked and escapes death by a narrow mark. Jacqueline is the prime suspect for this event. While on the return trip, Poirot meets Colonel Race, an old friend, who has boarded the steamer at Wadi Halfa. Colonel tells Poirot that he is looking for a murderer aboard. When two murders take place on the steamer, Poirot gets to the task of finding out the culprit.
Another one in the list of popular Agatha Christie book, ‘The ABC Murders’ includes Poirot and Japp. What makes this book, one of the best Agatha Christie novels, is its narrative style. Written in first and third person, it is a reconstruction of the story being told by Arthur Hastings. People are being murdered owing to their alliterative names. The victims include- Alice Ascher killed at Andover, Betty Barnard murdered at Bexhill and Carmichael Clark at Churston. And there appears to be no clear motive for the series of murders. But Poirot is bent on finding out, what connects these strange serial crimes being committed, in a frenzied fashion.
Hercule Poirot again makes this murder mystery exciting with his presence in the Orient Express. The Orient Express on which Poirot gets a second class birth, is fully booked. The passengers on board include- a widow, a governess, a missionary, a businessman, his secretary and his valet, a car salesman, a princess, the princess’ maid, a doctor , a Hungarian count and his wife. While on its course, the train gets stuck between Vinkovci and Brod and the next morning Poirot is informed that Ratchett, an American businessman aboard has been found murdered in his compartment. Hercule Poirot decides to interview everyone on the train.
Another classic on the list of Agatha Christie books, this is yet again a Hercule Poirot mystery plot. Poirot is requested by Caroline’s daughter Carla, to investigate the murder of Caroline’s husband Amyas, which took place sixteen years back. Carla wants to prove her mother’s innocence, for which she needs Poirot’s help. After agreeing to her request, Poirot comes to know that on the day of Amyas’ death, there were five more people present. He calls them the five little pigs and starts investigating the case from scratch.
Now adapted into a mystery series, ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie, is a popular name on the list of thrilling murder mystery books. When eight people collect on the island off the Devon coast, after receiving a mysterious invitation each, they meet the butler and housekeeper appointed by Norman Owen and Nancy Owen. The hosts of this little island rendezvous are not themselves present on the location. After being welcomed when they sit together to dine, a phonograph record accuses them of being murderers. After dinner, one of the guests is found dead due to cyanide poisoning. The next morning, another guest is found dead in her bed. Later a third guest dies as a result of a fatal injury. The group decides to find the hosts, before they lose their lives.
Thrillers get every reader glued to the story and munching on snacks, before they even realize. While you enjoy reading another classic murder mystery from the Hercule Poirot mysteries, make sure that your paperbacks and Kindle reading devices are protected with Handivity’s booksleeves and Kindle Paperwhite sleeves.