Ranking Every Agatha Christie Book from Worst to Best
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
- All righty, it's that time... now that I've read every Agatha Christie book & short story, I am ranking all of them from my least favorite to my favorite
Looking for more (and newer/more complete) Christie videos?
My latest FAVORITES ranking that includes ALL Agatha Christie works is here: • Ranking Every Agatha C...
My latest BEST ranking of the Top 15 Christie novels is here: • The Top 15 BEST Agatha...
My latest collection video on my Agatha Christie books is here: • Agatha Christie Book C...
Where to Start with Agatha Christie is here: • Where to Start with Ag...
Where to Start with Miss Marple is here: • Where to Start with Mi...
Where to Start with Hercule Poirot is here: • Where to Start with th...
The playlist of all Christie videos is here: • Agatha Christie Review...
The playlist of Mission Marple videos is here: • Mission Marple - Agath...
The playlist of Project Poirot videos is here: • Project Poirot | All T...
MERCH: shop.spreadshi...
PATREON: / bookslikewhoa
Join the channel:
/ @bookslikewhoa
~*~
ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE - amzn.to/3bOUCv1
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION & OTHER STORIES - amzn.to/3bL56eW
MURDER ON THE LINKS - amzn.to/2YoVMu1
DEATH IN THE CLOUDS - amzn.to/2ZZWzSw
DUMB WITNESS -
DEATH COMES AS THE END - amzn.to/3BMPcLC
THE HOLLOW - amzn.to/3bMzi9x
THE ABC MURDERS - amzn.to/3GWqyvR
PARKER PYNE INVESTIGATES - amzn.to/3ke6AmG
THE MOVING FINGER - amzn.to/3keHUKq
THE MIRROR CRACK'D FROM SIDE TO SIDE - amzn.to/46qxBsw
THEY DO IT WITH MIRRORS - amzn.to/305tjdC
MISS MARPLE'S FINAL CASES - amzn.to/3o6xhL1
MURDER IS EASY - amzn.to/3o7J1wF
4:50 FROM PADDINGTON - amzn.to/3onTepd
A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED - amzn.to/3CTBJTD
DEAD MAN'S FOLLY - amzn.to/3EPMGWQ
THE LABORS OF HERCULES - amzn.to/3wm9SsR
PARTNERS IN CRIME - amzn.to/3wpH1na
A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY - amzn.to/31xKvIZ
THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY - amzn.to/31xKvIZ
N OR M? - amzn.to/3GVhC9Y
MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA - amzn.to/3kcWsua
THE UNDERDOG & OTHER STORIES - amzn.to/3ESQJSh
THE BIG 4 - amzn.to/3kejT6s
THE SITTAFORD MYSTERY - amzn.to/305uJVu
ONE TWO BUCKLE MY SHOE - amzn.to/3bPPU04
TOWARDS ZERO - amzn.to/307qnwX
HERCULE POIROT'S CHRISTMAS - amzn.to/307qnwX
THE SECRET OF THE CHIMNEYS - amzn.to/3CPfIVU
THE PALE HORSE - amzn.to/3mSit3m
CURTAIN - amzn.to/307qnwX
A POCKET FULL OF RYE - amzn.to/3CVpRAm
FIVE LITTLE PIGS - amzn.to/3woGyld
MURDER IN THE MEWS - amzn.to/3D0AJgE
THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT - amzn.to/3bLRsYU
THE SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY - amzn.to/3GYAR2A
SPARKLING CYANIDE - amzn.to/3ENo0y0
THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD - amzn.to/3EScJMX
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES - amzn.to/3EWQxl5
EVIL UNDER THE SUN - amzn.to/3H1itGj
APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH - amzn.to/3H1Czju
POIROT INVESTIGATES - amzn.to/3kcXOoK
THE THIRTEEN PROBLEMS - amzn.to/3bOCKAA
LORD EDGEWARE DIES - amzn.to/3EWQQML
MURDER AT THE VICARAGE - amzn.to/3qdpPAi
SLEEPING MURDER - amzn.to/3wqvowE
AFTER THE FUNERAL - amzn.to/3ER0jox
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS - amzn.to/3wpxoFb
CROOKED HOUSE - amzn.to/3EWfXPQ
DEATH ON THE NILE - amzn.to/3bOz3e1
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE - amzn.to/3mTJQdo
CARDS ON THE TABLE - amzn.to/3o8Cq5c
~*~
Podcast: changelingcast...
Goodreads: goodreads.com/bookslikewhoa
Instagram: / bookslikewhoa
**Amazon shop with Penguin Clothbound Classics: amzn.to/32hC969
**Try Audible: www.amazon.com/...
**Try Kindle Unlimited: www.amazon.com/...
~*~*~
Disclaimers: Unless specifically noted by me in this video, title, or description, this video is not sponsored and I have not been compensated for its creation or publication. If I receive any form of compensation, or if I am provided with any books or goods discussed in this video for promotional consideration, I will disclose that in the video or description. All links with a "**" in front of them are affiliate links, and I will receive compensation for using any of those links or codes.
Any video on my channel is reflective solely of my opinion and is for entertainment purposes only. Any copyrighted materials or excerpts are for "fair use" for such purposes as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. (Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976)
Looking for more (and newer/more complete) Christie videos?
My latest FAVORITES ranking that includes ALL Agatha Christie works is here: th-cam.com/video/Dkqxv__te08/w-d-xo.html
My latest BEST ranking of the Top 15 Christie novels is here: th-cam.com/video/RK2j-ixdghY/w-d-xo.html
My latest collection video on my Agatha Christie books is here: th-cam.com/video/SAlqEN3rvVQ/w-d-xo.html
Where to Start with Agatha Christie is here: th-cam.com/video/XtEn9NsSODQ/w-d-xo.html
Where to Start with Miss Marple is here: th-cam.com/video/mzUXcE7MLp4/w-d-xo.html
Where to Start with Hercule Poirot is here: th-cam.com/video/Nbyw3aBqEMw/w-d-xo.html
The playlist of all Christie videos is here: th-cam.com/play/PLgcRd060HFyckFb8lnAME8ZfoTW3zue0G.html
The playlist of Mission Marple videos is here: th-cam.com/play/PLgcRd060HFyciUQfczJqY8-GYL6r6UcMR.html
The playlist of Project Poirot videos is here: th-cam.com/play/PLgcRd060HFydbM0Jom95Dw0QQA8AUde8D.html
Watching this brings home to me just how many wonderful books Christie wrote. She's truly peerless.
💯
‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ is a master class.
True one of my favorites 🤩
It's good but mainly reliant upon the twist, and is just yet another country house chamber piece without it (imo) of which she did too many. I think Dame Aggie finally got that the combination of a big location or set piece, with hard to guess twist, gave her novels distinction and flavor.
Guys ., five little pigs is the best for me😅
It must have been the most difficult of her novels to write because -- given the limitations she set for herself -- it would be extremely difficult not to give away the game clear until the end.
Well... Do you think that one has a twist that's a little unfair?
And Then There Were None was my first Agatha Christie read and when I finished the book I haven't slept soundly for a few days. I have read 5 books of hers so far and I'm wanting more. Thanks for this ranking
I'm glad someone else likes Cards on the table so much, it's such an underrated novel, one of my favourites!
I so love Cards on the Table. The plot twist, it has a lot of red herrings and Poirot plus Madame Oliver.
Agree
I knew the killer
Yesss
This bring back the memories of how I found your chanel more than 2 years ago. I remember seeing those deep analysis of individual mysteries. I thought "Damn! that lady found so much in a detective story, God knows what she will find in a Dostoevsky" lol. Subscribed even before the end of the first video.
Of course with such a massive body of work, there will be lots of different ranking. I have the same 2 & 3, but my number 1 is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which you are already aware that it is lots of people favourite.
Mild surprises are : A Murder is Announced, and Evil Under The Sun. Expected them to be little bit higher. My biggest surprise is probably how high is Pale Horse.
A very solid top 3!!
You re-ignited my middle school love of Christie for me, and my thirties have been oh so cozy ever since! Can’t wait to enjoy this while doing dishes 😜
Yaaaasss 🙌
I know this a two year old post-but--here is my take: Since so many of us were introduced to Christie at a young age, we think we should leave her behind when we get older. However, when we’re older we have better skills of picking apart and if we give her a go, the books get better.
I remember reading a lot of Christie books in my middle school / highschool years. The ones that kept with me over the years were The Sercret of Chimneys, which I think is the first one I read and made me fall in love with murder myster as a genre, and Crooked House, which I found very disturbing. I also still remember the deciding piece of evidence that lead to the discovery of the murderer in Evil under the Sun. I think the description of the house and seaside sorroundings in that book helped me make up a very detailed picture in my mind, which I can still see flashes of.
Fantastic ranking, loved hearing your thoughts! MY FAVORITE IS ALSO 'CARDS ON THE TABLE'!!! I keep getting more excited when you didn't bring it up, and whooped when you put it at #1! Such a good book...
Yay, thank you!
i recently binged a lot of Christie and I noticed that in the ABC murder Poirot and Hastings are musing about what murder they would like to investigate to indulge themselves. Hastings, of course, wants a big dramatic murder, but Poirot kind of scoffs and says his ideal murder case is just some people playing bridge and one of them dying.
I just looked up the publishing dates and ABC mystery was published on the 6th of januari, 1936, and Cards on the table was published on november 2th, 1936. So. I guess that was a wink to the audience of that time, that's so sweet
What an amazing accomplishment reading all Agatha Christie books! I have only read a few so far, my favourite so far is Murder on the Orient Express. What a great video, now I have more of an idea of which ones to read next and which ones to maybe leave until later on.
Loved this video. I recently read Evil Under the Sun and it skyrocketed up the list to become one of my favorites. Crooked House is up next for me.
Crooked House‼️‼️‼️☺️I know you enjoyed it.
I love hearing you talk christie. Maybe one day you'll do a deep-dive into your favourite adaptations or what you think is necessary for a good christie adaptation
I actually did a video like that a couple of years ago! It has my favs and my shameful admission that I don't like most Marple adaptations :)
@@bookslikewhoa I must have missed it. I love adaptation talk especially from people so passionate about the source material.
This stage of the global pandemic finds me on a Christie audiobook jag. I was pleased to realize that I have heard or read most of hers. Cards on the Table was a pleasant surprise this summer on a three day 1600 mile drive and launched the audio craze. As a schoolgirl in the ‘50s I ordered many Christie paperbacks books for 35 cents and I still have them, yellowed and fragile. I love all the Poirot in Arabia books especially. And I find it interesting that while the curtain falls on Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple is immortal.
I love how you gave three descriptions for each!
As much as I adore the best of the best Christie mysteries like The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, And Then There Were None, The ABC Murders
I must say
That
DEATH ON THE NILE IS PERFECTION AND IS SO DAMN UNDERRATED AND I LOVE YOU FOR LOVING IT TOO
I’ve only read two Christie (and then there were none and murder on the orient express) so I super appreciate your full ranking and the “three thoughts” for each book. Definitely still some gems for me to pick up I think!
Certainly there are lots of treats ahead!
I’ve been eagerly anticipating this update! I am a lifelong reader of Agatha Christie and have your previous ranking video saved for reference. So happy to have an update. There are still some books I have yet to read. I think your Agatha Christie videos are how I found you a couple years ago and have enjoyed your channel ever since. Thanks.
Edited to add that I admire your ability to rank these. So many great ones that I would probably not be able to order them. Love hearing other people’s opinions on these wonderful books.
I am a masochist, so I seem to love the pain of forcing myself to rank them :D
@@bookslikewhoa Haha Well done!
Loved this video. When I was a tween ages ago, my grandmother (RIP) let me read one of her Agatha Christie books. When others were reading Judy Blume, I was reading about Miss Marple and Hercule. I was then wrapped up in reading her books, watching movie adaptions, etc. I even started writing my own "Agatha Christie inspired" murder mystery....though I didn't get very far. Throughout my adulthood, me and my grandmother would sit and watch the movies together when I would visit (or we'd watch Snapped...LOL). This video has inspired me to go back and re-read some books I haven't picked up in years and years. So thanks!
A very good review of Christie's books indeed. It matches my rating of her books. The worst of Christie's books that you mentioned in the beginning were those that she had written in the last years of her life. She had become scatty, her text meandering , and her memory unreliable , she would write that a murder happened twenty years ago and in the next chapter she would say it happened twelve years back , also she had become endlessly repetitive . Her best works were those that she'd written in th 1940's and 50's when she was in her element. "Sleeping Murder " is my favorite Miss Marple book too.
This is a brilliant list, and I love the way you summarize the books and highlight the closed-circle and 'twisted family dynamics' elements in several of the books! And I completely agree with all of your rankings, especially in placing Cards on the Table first on the list. I was so happy to find the book, with the same cover you incorporated here, in London, and I wish the novel had a better adaptation than the one they did for the Suchet series, which altered too much of the plot and added a really homophobic edge. Christie never receives enough credit for the psychological depth of her characters (Poirot's experiment proving that Anne Meredith is a thief in COTT is a great example, as well as the brother in Sleeping Murder), and even her seemingly light-hearted productions, like The Mousetrap, build on dark, complex traumas. As a history professor, I'm also struck by how effectively one could use her novels, read chronologically, to chart English social history in the century, especially the effects of WWII on neighborhood relationships and of decolonization on the British homeland. If you've not been to Torquay and her home at Greenway in Devon, I would strongly recommend them for a future trip--together with an excellent cream tea!
Gosh...love ur videos! I am currently reading Mystery of the Blue Train. 60 pages in, not her best work indeed, but still nice so far. I would listen to you NON STOP! You are amazing!
Oh thank you!
@@bookslikewhoa Thank YOU! 🤗🤗
I love when you talk about Christie 😍 always so excited to see a video from you about her. Especially because I can tell we don’t always agree and I like seeing other peoples opinions. I have only read 27 so far but my least favorite has been Sittaford Mystery (painfully predictable) and my favorite is Crooked House (that ending KILLS me)
It is truly an amazing ending!
I don’t know how I missed Crooked House 30+ years ago, but I just listened to it recently. Wow! Then I watched a late 2010s adaptation. Thanks for your older list @bookslikewhoa that turned me on to it. ☺️Loved this list too. 👍🏼
Hardest who-is-the-murderer is cat among the pigeons, before Poirot arrives.
You are the reason I have read any Agatha Christie. My fave so far is Death on the Nile. Looking forward to reading more 🕵🏻♀️
Yay, hope you enjoy the journey!
The titles are amazing too!
Loved the ranking! Can't wait to read more Christie. I loved And Then There Were None and the Pale Horse got a little lower of a rating from me, because I didn't love the way supernatural elements were added in, but I agree that the twist did surprise me!
Yeah those supernatural elements can definitely be hit or miss!
So pleased to come across this. I have been binge-reading (actually re-reading) Agatha Christie recently. In my opinion the later books (late 60's onwards) were nowhere near as good as her earlier work. Both the plots and the writing.
People have asked in the comments about adaptations. I say that if you are going to take a perfectly good Christie and mess around with it (including adding Miss Marple where she doesn't belong) don't bother! Write your own story!
This is great! I even disagree with you on a lot of the ones I've read (and agree on others), but with Christie it just feels like it's hard to really go wrong so there's a big matter of personal preference. And great to hear I still have a lot of good not-yet-read ones to look forward to.
Agree, it is very hard to go wrong with Christie!
Really fun listening to your rankings. I especially liked that you offered a few sentences, and didn’t belabor your reasons. I too am a fan of Bundle.
Loved your ranking. I finished my last Christie earlier in the year and honestly do not think I could manage to rank them all- I found it hard enough to choose a top 10. Lots of your top 10 are in my top 10 too but in different places. I think Christie has so many different books there’s something for everyone to love! 😊
I agree!
Oh man! This was great. I’ve read a little more than half of her books at this point, and you’re making me want to read more! Lol I’m too tired right now to post my full list, but I’ll mention my favorite, APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH. I’m glad to see you have it ranked pretty high! My least favorite are honestly here short story collections, they just don’t do it for me, with the exception of Partners in Crime, that one was fun. But probably my least favorite was Parker Pyne, I couldn’t tell you a thing about it, it was incredibly forgettable haha. My favorite miss Marple is Body in the Library, my favorite stand-alone is Crooked House. Great video!
Fair enough! I love short stories, so I like hers a lot, but I totally see why they aren't everyone's cup of tea - they are very low on characterization
By 15 I just started sighing and looking misty eyed. God I love these books! (And so glad I still got a few great ones left to read!)
My personal biggest surprise is how much I loved the big four. Finally a book where I liked the dynamic between HP and Hastings. (I really don't like him, I think he is so brainless it borders on parody.)
I personally didn't enjoy the pricking of my thumb. It felt really boring to me. But I remember being blown away by the ending!
Totally agree with your list from what I've read (about 50 of them! 😂😁)
Yeah, I get why people don't like The Big Four but... I can't help it! I love it :)
@@bookslikewhoa u r superb without any doubt..my cousin too has read big four he told it's great ...so thinking to buy that book next time
Hi Mara, I just read the moving finger I loved it. It had everything, including Miss Marple at the end which I wasn't expecting. And a romance I wasn't expecting, and one I was. I was sure I knew the murderer. Wrong again. Happy New Year
this is how i found you!! can’t wait to see the updated version ❤️
This was lovely to watch and makes me want to read a mystery immediately
DO IT ;)
I'll have to read Sparkling Cyanide as I love a cold case nearly as much as a locked room (my favorite) or isolated closed circle (close 2nd) mystery. Cards on the Table is still my absolute favorite by Christie, but The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is truly excellent also. I'm not a Tommy and Tuppence fan. It's just a personal taste thing as I don't like the whole spy subgenre at All. Plus the war backdrop is also Not a setting/trope I enjoy. For me, there is but One Poirot and that is David Suchet. His performance was perfection. 😘
Hi Mara, I have to re-read a few of these to make up my mind. I know I love Caribbean mystery because it was different in the way that Miss Marple had to be so active instead of using her village gossip etc. you made me want to read a few I’m pretty sure I never read. Aloha
Loved this video! Can’t wait to read Cards on the Table later this year!
The Bengali film adaptation of ‘The Mirror Crack’d From Side To Side’ is great fun! It’s called ‘Shubho Mahurat’.
I will look for that adaptation on YT. 🙂
Unfortunately, I haven’t found an English subtitled version. 😕
I've been waiting for this video! I'm going to have to re-watch it with my list in front of me!
Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for taking the time to do this one!
Death on the Nile getting the love it deserves! I'm so in agreement that it belongs in the Top 3 and I'm always confused why others don't rank it there also. The purist in me does feel the need to also have Orient Express in the Top 3. This video also serves as a very nice, succinct, catalog of her work for new readers or for those of us that have read all of them. Sometimes when seeing just the title of the book I'm like "what was that one about again?" i.e. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, and now I revisit this video when having such a moment. Thank you for making this :)
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yes, that top 3 is so hard to settle on... so many possible options that are worthy
Agreed. Death on The Nile is also my number 3. I think the who/why is not super hard to guess if you have read enough books by her, but the plot of how it was done and putting everything neatly in order is amazing.
I am putting Cards on The Table onto my April TBR (I read Sparkling Cyanide and Death on the Nile, this month for March Mystery Madness).
I also really love The Big Four even though it's incredibly dated! Thanks for this! I'm slowly making my way through Poirot and enjoyed hearing your thoughts.
Oh, it is a great idea to be doing the rankings of Christie books every year or two. It is very interesting to see how your taste changes with time. Please do it again in a year!
The plot twist on Roger Ackroyd was the best for me and IT WAS THE BEST BOOK FOR MEEE LOLL
SPOIL BELOW--
Dr. Sheppard as the murderer? Woah
...
He was acting way too innocent
It was the winner as the best crime novel voted by famous authors.
watched. liked. saved. 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
of those i’ve read i agree for the most part. which is neither here nor there, really, because… personal opinions are personal opinions, imho.
my all-time favorites (so far, though can hardly imagine that to change) are
1. “and then there were none”
2. “the murder of roger ackroyd”
3. “crooked house” / “endless night”
i thought the audiobook of “and then there were none” was especially fabulous. though generally anything read by hugh fraser is on point.
loved your three words/phrases-characterizations and reasons as to “why” what was ranked how!
lots of love from tiny-town austria, monica 📚🐾🐾
Great list. I would have ranked The Pale Horse higher. It gave me the creeps and really kept me guessing.
I just read And Then There Were None and I loved it soo much! I have a book from B&N that has 3 stories in 1. I can’t wait to read Crooked House and Endless Night.
After watching this, I added so many to my TBR list 😁
My fav is Cards on the Table as well. I especially like Ariadne Oliver in this one.
This was fun! I've only read a few of Christie's books. You've inspired me to try more now!
Great video, very informative and well structured
Glad you liked it!
So happy to see Seven Dials rank so high, it is my favourite and I don’t think it gets enough love.
Agreed!!
I must reread/listen to it soon. 🙂Thanks!
As a middle aged man I feel confident to tell you that you undervalued "The mirror cracked from edge to edge" and "Curtain" - but hey I can't be bothered to keep that charade up longer than 1 sentence. Fun list, hopefully the algorithm will tell me when you make another updated list in a couple of years!
loved this and your interpretations!! i haven't read a christie in years - i should pick one up. this may be a request that is far above and beyond your calling as a booktuber, but, my grandma loves christie. she's started to read her again and was telling me that she loves mysteries, but feels like most mysteries published these days are very non-linear, have multiple perspectives and can be super hard for her to follow. do you have any christie-esque recommendations for like, linear mysteries? (i feel like you'd have a video on your channel somewhere, i should go look!)
It’s honestly hard to find straight up mystery these days that don’t have those elements. I think Ruth Ware’s One by One is pretty straight forward, or maybe The Cat Who series? I’ve also heard Louise Penny’s series is very Christie like
@@bookslikewhoa my mum has read a few louise penny's so i will check in with her, thank you so much for this
I'm so glad I'm not the only one with love for Bundle!
I ranked Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Then There Were None, Evil Under the Sun, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side and Five Little Pigs 5 stars. My least favourites were Passenger to Frankfurt, Endless Night and The Big Four. We have some overlap but I think I liked the Tommy & Tuppence books more than you do. Love the video and thanks for sharing your opinions.
I just read Cards on the Table because you said it was your favorite! Definitely liked it, would probably put it in my top ten Christie books. But I just love Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and And Then There Were None. I don't have a single complaint about any of those books. Also really love Sparking Cyanide, Seven Dials Mystery, Endless Night, and the Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I was only so-so with The Man in the Brown Suit. And I agree that The Clocks was boring and an annoying waste of potential.
i’m glad to see you read the man in the brown suit! i loved the narrator, i thought she was very likeable. it’s the only thriller of hers i’ve read so i had to manage my expectations a little but i really liked it!
Do you play bridge? That was why a friend loaned me Cards on the Table when I was eleven or twelve.
So many top-three worthy titles; I doubt many who'd read them all would have anything in the top three I couldn't defend.
**lizzo voice** I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE!
Your wish is my command!!
Definitely agree with your And Then There Were None and Crooked House placement. Those are top tier Christie for me.
The Thirteen Problems was the first Agatha Christie book I read when I was a pre-teen and it's super special to me. So I'm so happy it was so high on your list. Can you tell me what the real life crime The Mirror Cracked from Side to Side was based on? Thanks for the video.
Very interesting review!
I have not read Christie almost at all, but getting to it. Five little pigs has been one of my favourite books EVER! I also liked death on the nile, however i didn't really like the book "The hollow", so i took a break. This video has been kind of a "what you should read video" for me. One thing that slightly dissapointed me, was that the cold case books aren't so great, because usually I LOVE COLD CASES. Will a 100% be checking out Cards on the table tho!!
Have you done a video with other authors to try if you love agatha christie? I think you have talked about it but insure if you have a whole video. Would be a great video😃
My first Christie read was 'elephants can remember' and I found that it had many criticisms regarding its execution...but I find that from the novels I've read of hers this novel tried to convey a more emotional side of the mysterious event and to not necessarily point out the dark shade of the culprit...like it seemed fresh coming from a detective fiction...
Thanks a lot for this video!
Death Comes as the End will forever be one of my favourite books.
Genuinely surprised at the ranking of Endless Night, I thought the suspense of knowing someone was going to die but not knowing who or when (barring the fact that I successfully guessed the killer and the victim) worked very well for what was otherwise a fairly chill, almost wish-fulfilment feeling story.
Also surprised at Sparkling Cyanide; now maybe I didn’t enjoy this one that much because school got in the way and it took me longer to read it, but I really didn’t like the almost jarring style change and the slightly lame (to me) conclusion.
I should note I have *not* read nearly every Christie, just 11 of them, and also that I do agree with your ranking and reasoning of The Clocks; I bought it because the premise (and the aesthetic of time has always been fun to me) and it was fairly disappointing in the end, though there are still elements I enjoy.
I have a fondness for "Passenger to Frankfurt" because it was one of the first, if not possibly the first Christie that I ever read. I just finished listening to an audio book of "Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life" by Laura Thompson. She gives her interpretation of what prompted the "Disappearance" and it is an interesting take. The book is very much based on Christie's texts.
Been anticipating this video! I wanna say that The ABC Murders is my favourite since I love the solution, themes and characterization in it so much but I’m due for a reread. I still have a few really good ones to get to so I’m exited about those. Also agreed Cards On The Table is very awesome!
I did like ABC better the second time I read it - I think it was overhyped to me when I first read it, so it ended up disappointing me :/
Surprised to see "Pale Horse" ranked so high, can't wait to read it now. I also have a fondness for the Bundle Brent novels, wish she would have written a few more, but perhaps Bundle is out of place in the post Roaring Twenties world. I love the phrase 'Jolly Japes" by the way.
I have yet to read an Agatha Christie book so I feel like I'm a fake bookslikewhoa fan LOL in all fairness I'm making my way through psychangling with you! Definitely going to give your top 3 Christie's a try some time in 2022 hopefully and see how I feel about them since I've been curious about her work for a while. Thanks for the video it was very comprehensive and to the point which I really appreciated ♥
Yay, I'm so glad it was helpful!
Omg how dare you not put my favourite book at number one!!!..... LOL i am just kidding, dont hate me. I loved your list and your reasoning behind it. Thank you for taking the time to make this one.
Strange how opinion over her books differ. The Pale Horse is one of my least favorite books, while Peril at the End House is one of my top 3 (among "And then there was none" and the Murder of Roger Ackroyd).
By The Pricking of My Thumbs is higher on my personal list but what an entertaining video. "Great Job."
I need to read The Thirteen Problems again. I remember really enjoying it the first time I read it, which was around a decade ago lol
I'm still confused as to what is Mr. Quinn. Is he a human? Angel? The ending of one of his short story (the one with the ballerina) got me hella confused. I couldn't picture that ending.
And the twist in Crooked House, did not see that coming!
I think he's some kind of angel or spirit? IDK, but it's definitely a change of pace for Christie
Serendipitous timing! Hunt a Killer released a murder mystery game based on Agatha Christie’s short story “The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge.” I plan to play the game before reading the story, which I have in the Midwinter Murder short story collection 🙂
I saw that! It looks so cool - I'm tempted to get it
Have you ever read any Wodehouse?
Where would you recommend someone start with her books? I've never read any, though I've seen some adaptations due to inheriting a love for David Suchet as Poirot from my mother.
I've got a couple of "where to start with" videos for her up... one is for all her books, one is where to start with Poirot, and one is where to start with Marple. Hopefully one of those can help! 💚
Well, You can start from anywhere ...though the first book published was "The Mysterious Affair at Styles"
@@bookslikewhoa yes I have seen yours ...thanks for that
I'm excited to read more Christie novels!
Glad I looked this up, on the off-chance that I don't enjoy The Clocks(I'm 95 pages in and Poirot has only just been mentioned), I don't think it pertinent for Hallowe'en Party to be next on the Christie pile.
Five Little Pigs is my absolute favourite (so far) . So glad it wasn't too low on the list.
Interesting to see how different your rankings would be to mine; I ranked Taken at the Flood as my 10th favorite, but put death at a funeral and Cards on the table (one of the first i read, so maybe i remember it poorly) close to the bottom. I should do a video like this, i made a tier list in 2019 but didn't write why i liked/disliked them so i don't even remember why i ranked them that way now >_
I felt Passenger to Frankfort was unfinished and my least favorite of all her works. When I finished reading it I made a mental note. It appeared to me that all her books are about the same size and could it be when she got to that point in her writing she just felt "I'm done". My other next to least favorite was her play Akhnaton, the lines didn't feel ancient Egyptian but somewhere in 1920's. I did read all of her work and her auto biography.. She was an amazing woman and writer. At a used book sale I found a copy of The New Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Agatha Christie Edited by Dick Riley and Pam McAllister which for me is a must have.
By the Pricking of my Thumbs and Halloween Party are very high on my ranking. Peril at End House is my favorite Poirot so far. I agree that The Clocks is the worst Poirot. It's just awful. I also love the Angela Lansbury adaptation of Mirror Crack'd, it's so camp! I did not like Pocket Full of Rye, Seven Dials, or Sparkling Cyanide. I still need to read Evil Under the Sun but I just bought it today! Excited to read it ASAP!
Ooo you are in for a treat - Evil Under the Sun is a great one!
I suggest to read The Secret Notebooks of AC by John Curran. I would have put A Murder is Announced higher, since it's my favourite one and I believe it's the best Marple, along with The Moving Finger. I agree with N or M, Pale Horse, Cards on the Table and Seven Dials being that high, something not that usual to see. As to my favourite thriller, I can't decide between Came to Baghdad, Ask Evans and Death Comes as the End (it's not a puzzle mystery since it's almost impossible to figure out).
I really love how you film and edit these, would you be willing to share what equipment and software you use?
Sure, I've got my equipment linked in the description and then I have a video about how I make a video showing my process from a few months ago :)
@bookslikewhoa You are truly a wonderful example of kindness. Thank you. 🙏🏼
You have the Graphic Novels too? I LOVE THEM!
Assorted thoughts and opinions I want to share. SPOILERS AHEAD, as I assume most people will have read a good amount of Christie's work.
...
...
...
...
...
1. Lord Edgware Dies is one of my absolute favorites. As you said, fantastic view of upwardly mobile/performer class London society in the 30s. Perhaps the greatest thing about the book is how ironic the title is, given which of the victims we care about or feel deserve justice the most by the end. Lord Edgware himself is a thoroughly detestable figure, all the more so compared to Carlotta Adams. It's also a standout as the women of the novel are the ones asserting agency, with most of the male characters being consigned to the roles of sex object or milquetoast. Definitely a must for any examination of Christie's own version of feminism.
2. There's an old quote attributed to Suleiman: "every man has his own way of eating yogurt". This definitely applies to reading Christie, too. I like to construct Christie triptychs from her works. For example, there is a strong link between Peril at End House, Lord Edgware Dies, and Three Act Tragedy. The first two share quite a bit in common structurally with a request for assistance from a woman with dubious motives, while the latter two align thematically with a focus on the profession of acting and the desire to escape an unhappy marriage. Another one for me would be Lord Edgware Dies, Sad Cypress, and The Hollow, with a common linkage being deceptively strong female characters in the spotlight. This seems to work especially for Christie given the way her mind worked while writing, ie. not settling on a guilty party and continuing to imagine different scenarios until submitting the final draft.
3. I definitely understand your feelings about Endless Night, but for me it's incredible to think that an upper-class, septuagenarian woman was able to write a novel from the perspective of a working-class, 20-something man and have it feel credible. Many people struggle to give voice to characters only slightly outside of their own milieu, myself included. I'd like to think that as we age we accumulate more personal experience, observational acuity, and empathy, but that's not always the case.
4. That said, Hickory Dickory Dock...man, this novel. What a mess. And yet, in its own way, it's a fantastic tool for teaching novice/amateur writers the perils of attempting to tell a story about a group, setting, time period, etc. they don't fully understand. It's clear that Christie had the best of intentions trying to capture the international students coming to study in the UK in the 50s. Also speaks to the need for more voices and experiences in the writing profession.
5. MISS GILCHRIST!! What a fantastic villain! She almost speaks more to our own time of intense wealth disparity, increasing competition for class signifiers like prestigious university admissions and internships, and the corrosive need to construct external identities on social media. I know some people balked at the idea of a hatchet murder, thinking it was a desperate device to compete with increasingly violent stories by Christie's peers, but it really reads true here. FWIW, Monica Dolan's portrayal in the ITV adaptation is superb.
I discovered Project Poirot and Mission Marple after you'd finished both, but I do want to thank you for the tremendous work you've put in and all the discussion you've nurtured on your channel.
Ah so many great thoughts! I'll try to hit some responses: 1) I love the counterpoints of actresses in this one! Christie has so many "interesting" portrayals of actors in her fiction, so it is interesting to see her show two sides of the coin, as it were. 2) that's part of the joy of reading Christie for me, or has been up til this point (now that there's none I haven't read, I'm sure I'll have to find new pleasures)... I love that reading her previous books gives you metatextual clues of whodunnit via the repetition of her character types and themes. 3) totally see that- I know I'm wildly unpopular with my take on that one 🙃 4) agreed, this is a great illustration of the difference between intention and impact. You can have great intentions, but the impact can still be negative. 5) She is maybe my favorite perp in Christie? Either her or the killer in Crooked House. Such a serve when she is revealed! And I LOVE Monica Dolan in that adaptation! That's probably my favorite episode they ever did
I love After The Funeral. It was the third Christie I ever read and it was so enjoyable and innovative. But And then there were none is my number 1.
And then there were none. Good list.
Because I haven’t read your #1, my number 1 would have been And Then There Were None. I have not read more than 1/3 of AC’s novels or collections and therefore added some to my TBR. I’ve no argument with your list at all. After all it is your opinion! I suspect mine would be very similar.
Endless night was amazing read for me, shocking ending
Where can I find Murder In Retrospect? I like that name more than 5 little pigs
I think appointment with death is the only Christie book that genuinely creeped me out, but I just couldn’t put it down
Helloo, I've become an avid reader of Christie in the past year kinda, because of my mom, she has read most of her work and loves it very much. (note: all the books I've read were translated in brazilian portuguese as that is my native language)
Passenger to Frankfurt definetely is the worst Christie and at the moment the worst book I've ever read.
The Clocks didn't work me either, though I love the setting, just the solution being stupid and Poirot appearing very little (until watching your videos I didn't even remember him being in the book)
Surprisingly, I read one that's not on this list, because the book was a play novelised by an author called Charles Osborne. It's a very short Poirot and Hastings, feels more like a short story that a full novel tbh, I personally liked the side characters a lot, but Hastings barely appears.
One I rank higher is Ordeal by Innocence, and one I rank lower is Cards on the Table, but since watching your older video I plan on re-reading it!
Some random stuff:
A Murder is Announced in Brazil is called Invitation for Murder, and personally I prefer the Brazilian version lol
A lot of titles were adapted, like Hickory Dickory Death, the rhythm of the name simply doesn't work
I might add something later if I remember, Thanks for reading!
My favorite is also Cards on the Table so I'm not complaining 😃
I like The Clocks.