Agatha Christie....Any good?

[E65Ross]

I recently watched the BBC adaptation of "and then there were none" and quite enjoyed it; it's got me thinking about reading some of Agatha Christie's books. I am traditionally a DIckens fan and, having recently read Bleak House I fancy something different....

Any specific recommendations?

Many thanks!

[Hamish Finn]

Any of then really, all very readable and engaging, and you'll be surprised they were written so long ago.

[ATG]

That adaptation doesn't really give you the experience of reading an Agatha Christie. Its style had nothing much to do with the novel (and was a far, far better bit of TV as a result). They are light and quick to read, so not much of a commitment is required to dip your toe in the water. Great literature they ain't, but a lot of people enjoy them.

[Zad]

She isn't great at scene setting and flashing out 3D characters and contexts, that sort of thing is much easier to add with TV, pop the characters in an old house and hey presto, instant atmosphere. I find Dorothy L. Sayers much better for generating the atmosphere of a scene, with more interesting people.

You know those rules of detective novels that they supposedly came up with back in the 1920s? (That the murderer must be introduced near the start, the reader must have sufficient evidence to deduce the murderer etc?) Agatha is forever breaking those rules!

Having said all that - give her a go!

[AW111]

I would in general steer clear of her short stories : they can be a bit mechanical, but I did enjoy reading "sparkling cyanide" the other day.