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Title: Cat Among the Pigeons

Subtitle: A Hercule Poirot Mystery

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 217 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A revolution in the Middle East has a direct and deadly impact upon the summer term at Meadowbank, a picture-perfect girls' school in the English countryside. Prince Ali Yusuf, Hereditary Sheikh of Ramat, whose great liberalizing experiment - hospitals, schools, a Health Service - is coming to chaos, knows that he must prepare for the day of his exile. He asks his pilot and school friend, Bob Rawlinson, to care for a packet of jewels. Rawlinson does so, hiding them among the possessions of his niece, Jennifer Sutcliffe, who is bound for Meadowbank.

Rawlinson is killed before he can reveal the hiding place - or even the fact that he has employed his niece as a smuggler. But someone knows, or suspects, that Jennifer has the jewels. As murder strikes Meadowbank, only Hercule Poirot can restore the peace.

Members Reviews:

Christie at Her Best

If you could sum up Cat Among the Pigeons in three words, what would they be?

Clever, engaging, surprising

What was one of the most memorable moments of Cat Among the Pigeons?

The unveiling of the mystery at the end was the best part. It was more difficult to discover the murderer although clues were fairly given.

Which character as performed by Hugh Fraser was your favorite?

He did a great job on all characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not one particular moment, but the characters' lives held my interest.

Any additional comments?

This Christie mystery is definitely worth the money.

5 hours in and still no Poirot

I love all Agatha Christie novels, but my favorite part them is the quirky character of Poirot, who adds humor and wit to the narrative. The mystery was great, but Poirot didn't come in to solve it till the last moment.

Different style of Poirot mystery

This audio book is 6 hours and 49 minutes long. Poirot's character does not come into the story until the last part, about four and a half hours into the story. So, he actually is not really even needed to tell this mystery story. There are many, many characters in this story ( more than 25) and it was hard for me to keep up with all of them. This was a very busy story line and well, not that good. I am a huge fan of Christie novels, but this just did not get going for me. Poirot's character is bland and does not have much of a personality. And because there are so many characters in this tale, character development is one-dimensional.

A wonderful book for a hot day or any day!

I love Poirot's entrance in this book and all of the amusing conspiratorial cooperation between so many different figures of authority. Another multi-layered triumph,

A cracking Christie

A really exciting, intriguing, and well-narrated Christie. A bit more of an adventure story than her usual domestic, psychological murder plots, but a fun ride, with an engaging cast and a satisfying conclusion. Recommended!

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Title: Parker Pyne Investigates

Subtitle: A Parker Pyne Collection

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 160 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Mrs. Packington felt alone, helpless, and utterly forlorn. But her life changed when she stumbled upon an advertisement in the Times that read: "Are you happy? If not, consult Mr. Parker Pyne."

Equally adept at putting together the fragments of a murder mystery or the pieces of a broken marriage, Mr. Parker Pyne is possibly the world's most unconventional private investigator. Armed with just his intuitive knowledge of human nature, he is an Englishman abroad, traveling the globe to solve and undo crime and misdemeanor.

Members Reviews:

Not a detective in sight

What did you love best about Parker Pyne Investigates?

The different stories and characters. Not a real detective story per se

What did you like best about this story?

The period details. Flappers and such like. One of Pyne's employees referred to as a 'vamp'

Which character as performed by Hugh Fraser was your favorite?

The 'vamp'.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It did both. I very much enjoyed this book and also The Mysterious Mr. Quinn.

Any additional comments?

As much as I enjoy her detective novels I think a lot of readers/listeners miss the boat by not checking out Miss Christie's short stories. She had a real gift for writing them especially ones with a twist in the end.

Stories a bit dated

Hugh Fraser does a fine job, but many of the stories were less than gripping. They were all fairly comic, though, so the book is amusing, and occasionally, Christie's delightful sense of humor and self-deprecation peeks through, as when a character takes a break from Greek ruins to spend an afternoon reading a thriller.

Love Agatha Christie

Excellent narrative of the usual great Agatha Christie story. Worthy of a re- listen at a later date and time.

Super

This is by far the most fun I've had with Agatha Christie! It is a bit predictable, but really entertaining.

Throughly enjoyable, beginning to end!

I have never read a Parker Pyne book before, nor have I heard of this character. He is a bit different than most of her other crime solving heroes. But, just like all of her books, each story keeps you involved in every page of the tale right up to the end.

What else can be said that hasn't already been said...it's an Agatha Christy book and she's an amazing writer.

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Title: Endless Night

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Strapped by a chauffeur's wages, Michael Rogers' want of a better life seems out of reach. Especially elusive is a magnificent piece of property in Kingston Bishop - until a chance meeting with a beautiful heiress makes his dreams possible. Marrying her is the first step. Building the perfect home is the next. Unfortunately Michael ignored the local warnings about the deadly curse buried in the tract of land, and living out his dreams may exact a higher price than he ever imagined.

Praised as one of Agatha Christie's most unusual forays into Gothic psychological suspense, this novel of fate, chance, and the nature of evil was a personal favorite of the author's as well.

Members Reviews:

Unusual

Very different from the usual style and plotting of an Agatha Christie novel. This is dark and, IMHO, rather unpleasant. And, unfortunately, it wasn't very suspenseful; it seemed that Dame Agatha, nearing the end of her long careers, was borrowing / recycling plot twists from previous stories. I credit her with trying something different, even if it didn't work for me. As always, Hugh Fraser's narration was excellent.

Hugh Fraser is amazing

He does such a good job with this book! The ending made me tear up.

This book....

This book is perfectly crafted.

I need twenty words so I am writing another sentence.

Excellent!

This book was very clever. It is one of my favorites written by Christie. The narrator is excellent as well. An exceptional plot.

Great Ending

Won't forget this one. Great ending. The narration was very good. No disappointments with this story.

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Title: Towards Zero

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

What is the connection among a failed suicide attempt, a wrongful accusation of theft against a schoolgirl, and the romantic life of a famous tennis player?

To the casual observer, apparently nothing. But when a house party gathers at Gull's Point, the seaside home of an elderly widow, earlier events come to a dramatic head. As Superintendent Battle discovers, it is all part of a carefully laid plan - for murder.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

One of her best books. So totally different and still same good Christy.

It's a very good read.

It's the typical Christie Novel. Enjoyable. but some readers might find it a bit "dated" at this stage. However, It's a very good read.

One of my favourite Christie books

I've always loved "Towards Zero." It's just that little bit different from many of her other books, so that even after a re-read (also, it's one of only a few of her's that I've read only a handful of times), it feels refreshingly new. Not to mention the empathy I have for Battle's daughter's type... Though, luckily for me, I've never *acted* on those similar feelings - I've only been tempted to...

~kieblan

Engaging

I liked till the unexpectedly final situation. Enjoyed it since the beginning with some curiosity about the characters that seemed do not have any connection

Easy Read

This book was an interesting read, classic Christie, a great plot & as usual it keeps you guessing until the end!

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Title: Ordeal by Innocence

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 59 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment. But when Dr. Arthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko's innocence, it is too late - Jacko died behind bars followinga bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor's revelations reopen old wounds in the family, increasing the likelihood that the real murderer will strike again.

Members Reviews:

Good Englis h Murder Mystery

Christy does it again. All the ingredients of a solid mystery are in this book

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Title: Sad Cypress

Subtitle: A Hercule Poirot Mystery

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: David Suchet

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 252 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Beautiful young Elinor Carlisle stood serenely in the dock, accused of the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. The evidence was damning: only Elinor had the motive, the opportunity, and the means to administer the fatal poison.

Yet, inside the hostile courtroom, only one man still presumed Elinor was innocent until proven guilty: Hercule Poirot was all that stood between Elinor and the gallows.

Members Reviews:

Poor audio detracts from otherwise good narration

I was terribly disappointed that this well-read Agatha Christie novel was blemished by poor audio quality. The wonderful David Suchet, who played Hercule Poirot on the tv series narrated it wonderfully, only the sound quality was poor. (It was recorded over 20 years ago, so that could be part of the reason, though I've listened to radio programs from the 40's and 50's that sound great--so I don't know what happens).

I think this is one of Agatha's better books--where only the genius of Hercule can save Elinor from being charged with the murder of Mary Gerard. By now it is a classic I suppose, so I don't have to describe the mystery, but I had hoped to enjoy the performance as much as the story itself, which I already knew. I would never happily give anything read by the marvelous David Suchet only 2 stars, unless there was a serious problem with the quality of the recording. His narration is fine--just difficult to hear. His voice has just come to be associated with Christie's books, (much like Hugh Fraser's). So I'd say it's definitely worth a listen, but be prepared to strain to hear it all clearly.

Strange Plot Twists

If you could sum up Sad Cypress in three words, what would they be?

Suspenseful, perflexing, frustrating

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sad Cypress?

When Piriot came forward with a rather complicated explanation of how the murder was committed.

Have you listened to any of David Suchets other performances before? How does this one compare?

Dave Suchet does an excellent job in bring Christie's characters to life. He did an excellent job this him and I'd rate this performance up to his usual standards.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's a book that moves rather slowly, I definitely would not say I was on the edge of my seat at all times--but the plot unfurles like a flower blossom opening until it is fully in bloom.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book a great deal, but I don't think it's one of the best Piroit Mysteries. It is unusual in that it has rather long court scenes, which is different in a Christie mystery. The ending was rather complicated and I actually had to listen to it twice to fully understand the relationships of the people involved and why the crime was commited. The herione falls to pieces in the end, she was not particularly sympathetic or empowered, she kind of let events overtake her in the name of unrequited love. By contrast the young woman in Christie's Sparkling Cyanide seemed to have it more together and the ending of that story easier to grasp.

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Title: By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Subtitle: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 67 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When Tommy and Tuppence visit an elderly aunt in her gothic nursing home, they think nothing of her mistrust of the doctors; after all, Ada is a very difficult old lady.

But when Mrs. Lockett mentions a poisoned mushroom stew and Mrs. Lancaster talks about "something behind the fireplace," Tommy and Tuppence find themselves caught up in a spine-chilling adventure that could spell death for either of them....

Members Reviews:

Something wicked...truly

Would you listen to By the Pricking of My Thumbs again? Why?

Yes, I would listen to this again. Hugh Fraser (Hastings from Poirot stories) does a very good job with the reading. And the story is quite creepy enough.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Albert, the slightly excitable butler, who must read American crime novels in his spare time.

What does Hugh Fraser bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Fraser has the nuances we have come to enjoy from his role as Hastings. His voices are very well done.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The description of Mrs. Packard's face - if hairs rising can be called "moving."

Any additional comments?

It's been a while since I read any Tommy and Tuppence and I was not disappointed in this audio version.

Tommy & Tuppence, Christie & Fraser

Where does By the Pricking of My Thumbs rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

It really is fantastic! I love the story and I love how much trouble Tuppence always seems to get into. The relationship between these two only progresses with age and I love that they are very real as a couple. The mystery was very different and I enjoyed listening to it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of By the Pricking of My Thumbs?

One of the most memorable scenes for me was that of Tommy leaving for his conference and telling Tuppence to keep out of trouble while she isn't listening to him and is immediately plotting her adventure as he's walking out the door. I LOVE them!

What about Hugh Frasers performance did you like?

Mr. Fraser is perhaps the most talented performer of audio books I have heard. His vocal range is brilliant and he completely understands Christie's writing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I don't include spoilers, but the scene that reveals the killer was very intense.

Any additional comments?

Fantastic listen!

good

great narrator love his voice and the way he makes characters come alive want more

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Title: Passenger to Frankfurt

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 59 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A classic from the queen of mystery: Agatha Christie.

Members Reviews:

Bizarre Story

Bizarre story. Will not read/listen to again.

Hugh Fraser's performance was flawless (as always).

This story could be speaking of today.

A.C. tale is the story of the world today. Destruction of countries around the world. Anarchy and heat destroying with out thought of rebuilding.

Don't bother.

Read the other reviews. Confusing, boring, total waste of time.

I like her other work. Not this. So, don't bother

Not one of Christie's Best

I am one of Agatha Christie's biggest fans and have read just about all of her books. Passenger to Frankfurt did not live up to Christie's other novels. I would not recommend this book, as it was slow and fairly boring, and even after listening to it, I'm not really sure what happened because there was so little that actually grabbed my attention. Ending this review on a positive note- Hugh Fraser is one of the best Christie narrators in my opinion and always does a good job even when the content is dry.

Divergent

This book is not the usual mystery Christie excels at writing. The plot centers more or less on how ideas or political/philosophical ideologies have always been part of mankind's history across all cultures . Nonetheless, it is quite clever and engaging to read.

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Title: Death Comes as the End

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Emilia Fox

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 71 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

It is Egypt in 2000 BC, where death gives meaning to life. At the foot of a cliff lies the broken, twisted body of Nofret, concubine to a ka-priest. Young, beautiful, and venomous, most agree that it was fate - she deserved to die like a snake!

But at her father's house on the banks of the Nile, the priest's daughter Renisenb believes that the woman's death is suspicious. Increasingly, she becomes convinced that the source of evil lurks within their household - and watches helplessly as the family's passions explode in murder.

Members Reviews:

Very different

An interesting and unexpected story from the queen of mystery. The story is set in ancient Egypt, which for some reason removes a bit of the charm that is usual in her books. I would still recommend this book to any Agatha Christie fans

Classic Christie with an authentic Egyptian twist

What made the experience of listening to Death Comes as the End the most enjoyable?

Christie gets the details of Egyptian life right! From Ka priests, to the names of people, to the descriptions of life on the Nile, she really did her research here.

After listening to this, I also found out that her husband was an Egyptologist, so I guess that helped =)

Egypt rivals England

A great story once I embraced Agatha's departure to ancient Egypt and could recognize the characters' names!

Intriguing

I really enjoyed this book set in Egyptian time. It has great characters and holds the interest until the end. Another great work by Christie!

Enjoyed it!

Not the usual period work by Agatha Christie but just as enjoyable. Definitely one of my favourites

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Title: The Man in the Brown Suit

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Emilia Fox

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 83 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Pretty, young Anne came to London looking for adventure. In fact, adventure comes looking for her - and finds her immediately at Hyde Park Corner tube station. Anne is present on the platform when a thin man, reeking of mothballs, loses his balance and is electrocuted on the rails.

The Scotland Yard verdict is accidental death. But Anne is not satisfied. After all, who was the man in the brown suit who examined the body? And why did he race off, leaving a cryptic message behind: "17-122 Kilmorden Castle"?

Members Reviews:

Started out great

...with some really fun characters, but then it just started to ramble, losing the fine construction most Christie mysteries are known for, and soon became more of a steamy romance novel than a detective mystery. I finished it but had lost interest in it long before the last chapter.

Too much

This just seemed a bit too much. A combination of the narration and writing, the characters were so trite and cloying. Simple adventurous girl, mysterious man, daring police, and conniving villain all on a boat to Africa.

Prototypic Christie

I enjoyed the story but didn't care for some of the voices employed by the narrator for different characters.

awful narration of male voices

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The only readers who might like this story are those who have a goal of listening to every Agatha Christie novel available. This one is a girl's own adventure, written with a running commentary about what similar heroines in the movies would do. It is not one the author's better efforts.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The theme of the bold, unprotected young woman off on an adventure to South Africa and what was then Rhodesia by rail and steamship had some moments, but the author 's approach of relating the story through the journal entries of two of the characters was ineffective and at times annoying.

How could the performance have been better?

Novels read by a single author almost always suffer a bit when the narrator does characters of the opposite sex. I have had listen to some pretty strange woman's voices when male narrators lack the ability to do female voices adequately. But this female narrator's efforts to perform the male parts of this novel were the worst screechings I have ever heard. She tried to mimic a "gruff" male voice for the journal entries of a male character that constitute almost half the novel. The result was terrible. This is a bit surprising because her voices and readings for the female characters were generally good. But I tried to get though this audiobook twice and couldn't stick it out to the end either time because the male voices were so bad. Perhaps the narrator should compare her performance to Joan Hickson's narration of a Miss Marple novel. Hickson does not try to imitate a male voice; she just uses a small variation in order to indicate a male voice. Likewise, male narrators who use a slightly higher voice for a female character instead of a falsetto seem to me much successful. After all, this is narration of a novel, not a one-person radio drama. Most readers accept the difference and buy accordingly. Few narrators are talented enough to correctly mimic a wide range of male and female voices, and this narrator is not the exception. The narrator could do much better.