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silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Book twenty-five of my personal read through of Agatha Christie in (American) publication order.
While the tone was still on the cozier side, as you would expect, the structure of this one screamed thriller to me. The murder didn't happen until after ramping up the tension a bit, and once it did it was clever locked room type mystery. (I had some suspicion about where the red herrings lay, but that probably just means I read it as a teen and slightly remembered it from then...)
Definitely recommended if you like Agatha Christie but want a change of pace from her cozier and more English feeling stories.
While the tone was still on the cozier side, as you would expect, the structure of this one screamed thriller to me. The murder didn't happen until after ramping up the tension a bit, and once it did it was clever locked room type mystery. (I had some suspicion about where the red herrings lay, but that probably just means I read it as a teen and slightly remembered it from then...)
Definitely recommended if you like Agatha Christie but want a change of pace from her cozier and more English feeling stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Bullying
lydiaaa's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Welp, I knew it. I didn't know how or why, but I had a feeling about who. I also found the narrator a little annoying. Who doesn't want to be on an archeological dig in the thirties!! But anyway. A solid Agatha.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Racism, Homophobia, and Murder
sop17hie's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Death, Murder, Vomit, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicide, Bullying, Addiction, Violence, Stalking, and Infidelity
kloughlin's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Addiction, Murder, Infidelity, Gore, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Racism
cozylifewithabby's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Infidelity
mithren's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It is a pretty good book with a plot twist I did not see coming. A rather solid and entertaining mystery overall.
However I did not see what was so great about Louise Leidner and what made so many people worship her and all that. I appreciate that we are dealing with a biased narrator here, but still. This was a case of more Telling rather than Showing.
I had more sympathy and liked way more Sheila Reilly (she is fun) and David Emmott (I think I've got a book crush) than Mrs Leidner and Richard Carey. But then again, I've got no sympathy for cheaters whatsoever. And although Dr Leidner turned out to be Frederick Bosner and a murderer, they definitely did not know it at the time and betrayed their husband and friend, respectively, with each other. So no, no sympathy coming from my corner at all for them.
However I did not see what was so great about Louise Leidner and what made so many people worship her and all that. I appreciate that we are dealing with a biased narrator here, but still. This was a case of more Telling rather than Showing.
I had more sympathy and liked way more Sheila Reilly (she is fun) and David Emmott (I think I've got a book crush) than Mrs Leidner and Richard Carey. But then again, I've got no sympathy for cheaters whatsoever. And although Dr Leidner turned out to be Frederick Bosner and a murderer, they definitely did not know it at the time and betrayed their husband and friend, respectively, with each other. So no, no sympathy coming from my corner at all for them.
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity and Addiction
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