One of the nicest things about the internet and especially the world of blogging is that you can find others who like the same things you like. So, it shouldn’t surprise me to learn there are bloggers (and other readers) who like reading the works of Agatha Christie. Several challenges have been formed for this purpose. I’m going to join the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge.
This is an on-going challenge in which the reader attempts to read all of Dame Christie’s books in order. There is not a timeline to it, so it can be an on-going project. The idea of reading all the books in order appeals to me. As Kerrie, the sponsor of the challenge said, she wanted to read them in order so she “can get some idea of what she is doing, problems she is attempting to solve, and her development as a writer.” Works for me, too.
I’m going to read the first nine books this year, all written in the 1920′s. I had already selected Mysterious Affair at Styles for the Decades Challenge so it just seems appropriate to add that whole decade to my list.
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles
- The Secret Adversary
- The Murder on the Links
- The Man in the Brown Suit
- The Secret of Chimneys
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
- The Big Four
- The Mystery of the Blue Train
- The Seven Dials Mystery
I hope you will join me in reading some of these fun mysteries. At least follow along as I review each one. If you want more information on this challenge visit Mysteries in Paradise.
I haven’t made my mind up on the challenge but reading Agatha Christie in order is an excellent idea for a longer term project. Have you come across Laura Thompson’s biography of Agatha Christie I wonder…..I read it last year and really enjoyed it.
Thank you for your comment on my book blog http://quambrevetempus.wordpress.com. I also love Agatha Christie, especially her Poirot mysteries. I think I enjoy him better than Sherlock Holmes. I’ve been working through the poirot mysteries in order, and it’s been fun.
This sounds like a great idea. I’ve been thinking about reading all the Miss Marple and then all the Poirot books in order but maybe I will join this and just read them all in publication order. I’ll have to ponder it some more.
Thanks for the promo. Jeanette, your idea sounds a good one too. One of the things that has struck me in reading them in publication order is that Christie seems to be searching for a satisfactory/suitable protagonist, and hence there are a number of contenders that she tries out.
The Laura Thompson biography is new to me but I think it would be a good addition to this project (this many books is definitely a PROJECT.)
I hope you will all go to Kerrie’s blog and join in. All Agatha-lovers should have a forum to talk to each other.
Holy cow – didn’t she write a gazillion mystery books? How many years might this little project take? I can’t read one after another in a row from the same author – but I do like to read their works chronologically.
I love all the Poirot mysteries. For myself I love watching the movies….AND Miss Marple She is just so clever.
Do feel free to contribute reviews to the Carnival
http://acrccarnival.blogspot.com/
gives all the details.
It will continue all year so whenever you post a review on your site pop over and add it to the next Carnival
Oh golly! I’m going to save this one for another year. I would love to read the whole series in order. I’ve read the first one, The Styles. I’ve also read some of her other titles. Just can’t remember the titles. I’ll wait for this challenge. Thanks for your help.