Listen to Most Popular Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

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Title: By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-10-07

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

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 an unexpected adventure involving possible black magic.

Critic Reviews:

"The most macabre and eerie Christie I have read for a long time." (Sunday Express)

"Ladies disappearing from homes of rest, sinister empty houses, hints of gang-leaders mixed with black magic: mystery at the usual high Christie level." (Evening Standard)

"All beautifully plotted in the way that Mrs Christie is famous for. The title is from Macbeth: 'By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.' Wicked indeed!" (Best Sellers)

Members Reviews:

Effortless joy

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

By the Pricking of My Thumbs is a return listen for sure because it balances a wonderfully twisty whodunnit with genuine pathos.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tommy and Tuppence, two characters that Christie had used before, are now approaching old age and this device gives Christie the opportunity to make readers feel genuinely moved by their attempts to deal with this.

Which character as performed by Hugh Fraser was your favourite?

Hugh Fraser, a familiar voice to Christie fans, brings the characters to life with ease.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Danger and Old Age

Something special this way comes

I am a fan of AC. Its quite simple, she writes well, the plots are great and nowadays I feel transported to a simpler life when I read her stories.

So how did I get on with this one...? I rated it. Hugh Fraser is a splendid reader and has the knack down to a tee. His narration is concise and clear, the characters come to life and the pace/quality are spot on. No peaks and troughs here.

I could quite imagine our principle characters off having their adventures whilst being able to come home at the end to a nice roast chicken. I shall certainly be avoiding Anywhere named Sunnyridge in future.

Rather creepy

A rather elderly Tommy and Tuppemce (mainly Tuppence) investigate the disappearance of an elderly lady from a Rest Home; their only clue is a painting of a house. Before long they are wrapped up in a mystery involving historical child murders and a criminal gang. An interesting and creepy twist at the end - does this spell the end for Tuppence...? A rather unusual Christie with a good mix of characters. As always, beautifully narrated by Hugh Fraser - I wish it was possible to get every Agatha Christie read by him!

By the Pricking of my thumbs

To start with, this was a bit confusing, but once you got into it, the storyline, became very intriguing.

This is the first Tommy & Tuppence book I've listened to and I'm tempted to buy some of the other book's, in the same series I hope that when I'm their age, I've got the same enthusiasm for life

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Title: They Do it With Mirrors

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Joan Hickson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-27-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Miss Marple senses danger when she visits a friend living in a Victorian mansion which doubles as a rehabilitiation centre for delinquents. Her fears are confirmed when a youth fires a revolver at the administrator, Lewis Serrocold. Neither is injured. But a mysterious visitor, Mr. Gilbrandsen, is less fortunate: shot dead simultaneously in another part of the building. Pure coincidence? Miss Marple thinks not, and vows to discover the real reason for Mr. Gilbrandsen's visit.

©1952 Agatha Christie Limited. A Chorion Company. All rights reserved; (P)1997, 2002 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London UK

Critic Reviews:

"Brilliant." (Guardian)

"No one on either side of the Atlantic does it better." (New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Two incomparable ladies

It's such a joy to have the great Agatha Christie's Miss Marple stories ready by the definitive Marple herself. Joan Hickson is beyond all comparison.

They do it with Mirrors

Miss Marple, invited to see a friend she hadn't seen in 25 years, is it going to be a nice peaceful rest or is their something going on at Stoney gates?

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Title: The Hollow

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Lucy Angkatell invited Hercule Poirot to lunch. To tease the great detective, her guests stage a mock murder beside the swimming pool. Unfortunately, the victim plays the scene for real. As his blood drips into the water, John Christow gasps one final word: "Henrietta". In the confusion, a gun sinks to the bottom of the pool. Poirot's enquiries reveal a complex web of romantic attachments. It seems everyone in the drama is a suspect, and each a victim of love.

©1946 Agatha Christie Mallowan; (P)2002 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK

Critic Reviews:

"A grade-A plot, the best Christie in years." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Members Reviews:

Good entertainment to keep you guessing

Agatha Christie mysteries are some of my favourite ???comfort??? listening as they provide a good puzzle with larger than life characters who are usually aristocratic and affluent and live in beautiful English countryside settings. We can escape into these pleasant surroundings and even though a murder or two is bound to be committed we do not have to suffer gory details. This story is typical and, of course, includes a stately and faithful butler.

.

M'sieu Hercule Poirot of the sharp eyes, logical thinking, extreme vanity, kind heart and formidable moustaches is a much loved character and his dry comments always leave me smiling. He makes his appearance midway through this story, which starts with such well drawn and interesting descriptions of the main characters that they are easy to picture.

Lady Angkatell, in particular, is an absolute gem. She flows and floats around her country house home ???The Hollow??? continuously chattering on in a hilarious but apparently inconsequential flow. Despite this we begin to realise that she artlessly manages to plant certain pictures in the minds of her listeners ??? including us. Lady Lucy would be a nightmare to live with, but she alone could make this book worthwhile, although there is also plenty of surprise and entanglement to enjoy. So many times we think we know ???who dunnit???, but we are kept guessing again and again until the end

.

Hugh Fraser is an excellent narrator for all these books and always finds the perfect voice for each different character to bring them to life for us.

Cracking story

I really enjoyed this Agatha Christie. story, particularly the twists in the story before the identity of the murderer is finally revealed. Hugh Fraser does an excellent job of narrating as usual.

The Hollow

This is my favourite Poirot mystery. Not as gripping as the others - great narration though.

Brilliant, Thought Provoking and Captivating

Brilliant, Thought Provoking and Captivating. Also told incredibly well by Hugh Fraser. One of Agatha's best.

Just simply amazing

I love Agatha Christie and the way she writes bringing characters and storylines to life. Huge Fraser does the same as a great narrator. A story that gripped me straight from the beginning. Piorot is as amazing as always.

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Title: The Sleeping Murder

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Stephanie Cole

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-13-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

In fear, Gwenda turned to Miss Marple to exorcise her ghosts. Between them, they have to solve a "perfect" crime committed many years before.

Critic Reviews:

"Miss Marple is spry, shrewd, and compassionate." (Sunday Telegraph)

"A puzzle that is tortuous, surprising, and finally satisfying." (Sunday Express)

Members Reviews:

Miss M does a little weeding in the garden

Stephanie Cole has given a very good performance in this little gem from Christie.

Without doing a second reading, I think most of the clues are out there for us to wonder 'Who done it?' and maybe solve this mystery.

While Miss M still has her knitting, she engages in a little work in the garden in this story.

For me while the storms rage outside and the creek swells with water to flood the valley further down, and the power lines are down I have been able to curl up on the couch and listen to this great little story. Maybe this is why some people call such mysteries,'cozies'.

Perhaps not perfect, this was good and is the best Miss M story I have heard on Audible.

Miss Marple beckons

I hope to never meet Miss Marple as I am sure of certain death within the hour. However Agatha Christie has once again let Jane Marple solve another mystery with the style and panache that is all her own. Whilst Miss M is not the main character in this story, her hints from the background made this a good read. Stephanie Cole was an excellent narrator and her clear characters were well defined and in some cases most amusing. The pace was perfect, no notable changes in either the audio quality or the readers stamina. Highly recommended.

A brilliant drama, really enjoyed it :-)

Loved it, a brilliant drama well worth buying and listening to over and over thanks

Classic who done it ...

Excellent. Christie at her best. Superb narration. Downloading the next Christie whilst writing this ...

Just perfect!

Stephanie Cole reads this this brilliantly crafted story so well. Highly recommended and full of suspense.

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Title: Three Act Tragedy

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-09-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Thirteen guests arrived at dinner at the actor's house. It was to be a particularly unlucky evening for the mild-mannered Reverend Stephen Babbington, who choked on his cocktail, went into convulsions and died. But when his martini glass was sent for chemical analysis, there was no trace of poison, just as Poirot had predicted. Even more troubling for the great detective, there was absolutely no motive.

©1934 Agatha Christie Mallowan; (P)2002 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London UK

Critic Reviews:

"Makes uncommonly good reading." (The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Typical Christie, interesting structure.

A fairly typical Agatha Christie novel in which the characters don't seem terribly surprised or distressed by the sudden death of one of their dinner-party companions. The "theatrical" structure is interesting, but the outcome seems pretty obvious by today's standards. Poirot plays a relatively minor part in the story. Quality narration by Hugh Fraser. Would recommend for Christie fans.

Never tired of listening

Surprisingly there is no much of Poirot in the story but still it is work of A. Christie to wich one I like to come back.

Three act Tragedy

just before shutting down for supper they all had a cocktail, two had not had them before so tried one of them. Less than 5 minutes later one party members is dead.

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Title: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

But the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information. Unfortunately, before he could finish the letter, he was stabbed to death¿

Critic Reviews:

"The acknowledged queen of detective fiction." (Observer)

"A classic, the book has worthily earned its fame." (Irish Independent)

Members Reviews:

Brilliant twist..... brilliantly read!

This book is a classic! Would recommend to most readers, students to mystery addicts.

Classic Hercule Poirot -Agatha Christie's best.

Very well read, Hugh Fraser does a great job in impersonating voices.... that too fast paced and extremely interleaved.

one of A.C.'s best

Better than listening to an Agatha Christie mystery is listening to it narrated by Hugh Fraser or David Suchet. I wish ALL the collection was narrated by either of them. Hugh Fraser's voice is one of the most comforting things ever, maybe because I grew up with the Poirot TV series, where he plays Captain Hastings.

I know all of Agatha Christie's books, I remember most of the solutions, but I simply can't find other murder-mysteries so captivating and elegantly written. This is one of my favourites. I remembered who the murderer was, but I wanted to listen to it anyway. Loved it!

The ending will have your mouth wide open.

This is the first and only book written Agatha Christie that I've ever read.

Go ahead and read it. It is very much worth the hype.

Timeless excellence of Ms Christie

A superbly written mystery! The narration also outstanding. How can anyone fail to enjoy the works of Agatha Christie?

Totally unexpected ending

Where does The Murder of Roger Ackroyd rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Up with the best

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Kept me thinking, but not on the edge of my seat

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

I was shocked at the ending

Any additional comments?

Agatha Christie is always an enjoyable read

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Title: Murder on the Orient Express

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: David Suchet

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 90 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stopped the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train was surprisingly full for the time of the year. But by the morning there was one passenger fewer. An American lay dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

©1934 Agatha Christie Mallowan; (P)1989 Chivers Press Ltd. This edition published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK, 2002

Critic Reviews:

"Need it be said, the little grey cells solve once more the seemingly insoluble. Mrs Christie makes an improbable tale very real, and keeps her readers enthralled and guessing to the end." (Times Literary Supplement)

Members Reviews:

The only real Poirot David Suchet

Would you consider the audio edition of Murder on the Orient Express to be better than the print version?

Yes, because of Suchet. He is the real deal as Hercule Poirot. I have one other audio version of this book, but it does not compare to this one.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Murder on the Orient Express?

At the end when Poirot Show`s everyone why he is Poirot.

What does David Suchet bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Everything! I first listened to a Hercule Poirot mystery red by David Suchet about one year ago, when I listened to Death on the Nile. I was smiling the whole time listening to the book. Suchet is a great actor, you can really hear it. He brings every character to life in a great way, not just Poirot.

David Suchet.. The one and only Poirot

Brilliant writing by the greatest mystery writer of all time, narrated by the best... David Suchet. This man is a genius. He makes all the characters come to life and hearing the voice of the one and only Poirot is just brilliant!!

Amazing!

Christie is an flawless writer! Her stories make you guess and it feels like you are on the Edge of your Seat! Poirot is an super cool and interesting character and David Suchet who actually plays him in countless movies makes this experience Even better!!

Suchet reading Poirot - a perfect partnership.

David Suchet is practically synonymous with Agatha Christie's Poirot, so it's simply wonderful that this audiobook is read by Suchet. His characterisations are perfect, subtle and entertaining, which make these audiobooks great listening. This tale of murder and mystery is enthralling listening, so settle in - you're in for a real treat.

Good reading

Enjoyed this book. I saw the T V version first and the book is far better.

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Title: A Murder is Announced

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Joan Hickson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which reads: "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m." A childish practical joke? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out.

©1950 Agatha Christie Mallowan; (P)2001 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London UK

Critic Reviews:

"Joan Hickson: you can't beat her, you know. So enjoy this not-so-fluffy old lady doing her Marple thing. Genius." (Time Out)

Members Reviews:

Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon

I just love Agatha Christie's Miss Marple stories. And Joan Hickson is my favourite Miss Marple. Her voice has that very proper English lady sound while also sounding very inquisitive and intelligent.

This is the perfect audio book to sit back in the evening and just envelope yourself in the fascinating world that Agatha Christie creates.

As a book, this is my favourite Miss Marple story. It has such interesting characters and such devious twists and turns in the plot.

If you like little old lady murder mysteries you'll love this audiobook.

Wonderful.

One of Agathas best read by my favourite Marple; Joan Hickson. I love this story and the characters, the ingenuity of the plot and the setting. Murder in a cosy house surrounded by friends and one of them is the killer. Delicious Death........

Party games...

When a mysterious notice appears in the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette, the villagers don't take it very seriously.

A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m. Friends please accept this, the only intimation.

The prevailing feeling is that this is a rather odd invitation from Miss Letitia Blacklock, owner of Little Paddocks, perhaps to some kind of murder mystery evening. So all her friends decide to show up at the appointed time. Miss Blacklock knows nothing about it but, being a sensible woman, she realises the villagers are likely to descend on her and makes preparations for a little drinks party anyway. Once everyone is assembled, a shocking event occurs and the end result is that a man lies dead. It's up to the police, ably assisted by Miss Marple, to find out who he was and why he died...

This has always been one of my favourite Christies, mainly because I thinks she excels herself in both plotting and characterisation. It also has one of the best beginnings, as Christie ranges round the village introducing us to all the characters by means of telling us which newspapers they routinely have delivered.

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Title: 4

Subtitle: 50 From Paddington

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Joan Hickson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

For an instant the two trains ran together, side by side. In that frozen moment, Elspeth witnessed a murder. Helplessly, she stared out of her carriage window as a man remorselessly tightened his grip around a woman's throat. The body crumpled. Then the other train drew away. But who, apart from Miss Marple, would take her story seriously? After all, there were no suspects, no other witnesses...and no corpse.

©1957 Agatha Christie Limited; (P)1994 Original Sound Recording owned by EMI Records Ltd trading as Music for Pleasure. This edition published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK 1999

Critic Reviews:

"The acknowledged queen of detective fiction." (Observer)

Members Reviews:

Perfection in audio form.

I loved the story and Joan Hickson gives it life and soul, making it easy to visualize all the action.

Joan Hickson is perfect

One of my favourite Marple stories, even though the lady herself doesn't feature that much. Joan Hickson is fabulous - Marple to the bone :)

magnificent

excellent example of the wonderful Agatha Christie, and well read by the wonderful Joan Hickson, one of the best Miss Marple's.

Brilliant as Always

Yet again Joan Hickson surpasses expectation as both read, and having played Miss Marple I can see why Agatha Christie wanted her to play the role.

classic Jane Marple

Hickson was always the best Marple. Her narration is perfect. Possibly one of the best Marple stories.

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Title: The Big Four

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-06

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Classic Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Framed in the doorway of Poirot's bedroom stood an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man's gaunt face stared for a moment, then he swayed and fell.

Who was he? Was he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what was the significance of the figure four, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper?

Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life to uncover the truth about Number Four.

Critic Reviews:

"The acknowledged queen of detective fiction." (Observer)

Members Reviews:

unusual agatha

This story takes Hercules away from his usual local murders into the world of espionage. I loved it. Lots of little surprises keeping the pace moving along.

Poirot's most exciting adventure!

I loved this book from start to finish. It takes Poirot and Hastings into the world of international espionage and conspiracy. Time after time, they escape risky situations, as they seek the 'Big Four' of the title, individuals who between them make up a global superpower. Occasionally it is a bit silly, or even slightly ridiculous, but that just makes it all the more entertaining. The narration by Hugh Fraser (who plays Hastings in the ITV Poirot series) is excellent. Whilst it is an excellent book, I would not recommend it to those who have not read or listened to Poirot stories before - this book is likely improved by a good understanding of Poirot and Hastings, and the relationship between them, which is explored in Agatha Christie's earlier work.

The Big Four

Great, fantastic, amazing I don't know what else to say. I listened to it all then relistened in sections which was a good idea there is a lot going on Poirot even does thong you never thought he'd do

you could relisten to this book over again and still pick up things that you've nodded before

I really recommend this audio book

excellent!

I think that was the best Poirot yet, excellent twists and turns that kept me intrigued until the end!

The Big Four

If you read the Agatha Christie websites you'll know this is an emergency construct of several other plots.

It is very episodic, some of the storylines are derivitive of Sax Rhomer, some of the denouments are silly.

And the ending ........

But apart from that it's entertaining if you don't take it too seriously. Read the AC website, see why she wrote it, treat it as an historical story in the AC canon. The David Suchet adaptation will be interesting.

The reading by Captain Hastings (sorry - I've gone blank on his name) is excellent as usual.

Did I spell 'denouments' right?