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silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The first five stories in this book were not really mysteries, and while they did all have a kind of a twist at the end, I found the twist incredibly obvious in a way that made the whole story dull.
Of the remaining nine stories however, seven were true mystery stories of one type or another, ranging from reasonably entertaining to quite fun. The other two were of the non-mystery type at the beginning of the book, but with character arcs that made them fun to read anyway.
I would definitely re-read this book, but in future I will skip the first five stories.
Of the remaining nine stories however, seven were true mystery stories of one type or another, ranging from reasonably entertaining to quite fun. The other two were of the non-mystery type at the beginning of the book, but with character arcs that made them fun to read anyway.
I would definitely re-read this book, but in future I will skip the first five stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Kidnapping
Minor: Racial slurs, Alcoholism, and Racism
charlottiec's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-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
4.25
lovely collection of Agatha Christie's short stories. The Death on the Nile story is nothing like in the modern film adaptations but still a great collection of nice little mysteries, a mix of murder and others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Minor: Colonisation, Racism, Misogyny, and Murder
ruthie_the_librarian's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
This has dated quite a bit but still an interesting read. Even if we never really do get to know much about Parker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
mer_reads_books's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
I think I prefer Christie's short stories to her novels, four times out of five. The painfully dated and offensive biases in her writing have less time to live on the page, the plotting is more focused… they're just more enjoyable reads! In this case, though, I'm not sure her protagonist could carry a whole book. Parker Pyne is another Christie character fixated on psychology, but where Poirot uses his understanding of psychology to solve crimes, Pyne is interested in using psychology to manipulate his clients into… being happier and more fulfilled!
It's an unusual concept, and I'm guessing a bit limiting past a certain point — AC abandons it in favor of more straightforward mysteries in the later PP stories — but I find it refreshing. A reader can sometimes tire of murder after murder after murder… Pyne sets up meet-cutes and foils heists, saves marriages and lives, and his clients may not thank him for it, but they are all better off in the end!
It's an unusual concept, and I'm guessing a bit limiting past a certain point — AC abandons it in favor of more straightforward mysteries in the later PP stories — but I find it refreshing. A reader can sometimes tire of murder after murder after murder… Pyne sets up meet-cutes and foils heists, saves marriages and lives, and his clients may not thank him for it, but they are all better off in the end!
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism and Colonisation
stirlitza's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism and Racism
midwifekt's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
Definitely one of the books that shows Dame Agatha's weird personal feelings about relations between men and women as universal absolutes in the advice that Parker Pyne states.
Some casual colonialism, exoticism, and ableism, as expected from all Christie stories abroad, especially in the stories set in the Middle East.
I am *incredibly fascinated* by the throwaway mention in the story "The House at Shiraz" about the German pilot regarding the fact that he's seen madness before, in the eyes of his submarine captain. I just finished reading about the Lusitania and have been on a general post-WWI reading kick, and now I'm curious about if contemporaneous British thought was that u-boat captains were some sort of special evil, so that other Germans, including those who served on the u-boats, could be re-integretated into society without stigma.
Some casual colonialism, exoticism, and ableism, as expected from all Christie stories abroad, especially in the stories set in the Middle East.
I am *incredibly fascinated* by the throwaway mention in the story "The House at Shiraz" about the German pilot regarding the fact that he's seen madness before, in the eyes of his submarine captain. I just finished reading about the Lusitania and have been on a general post-WWI reading kick, and now I'm curious about if contemporaneous British thought was that u-boat captains were some sort of special evil, so that other Germans, including those who served on the u-boats, could be re-integretated into society without stigma.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
Parker Pyne investigates is a collection of short stories about Parker Pyne, a retired civil servant. Unlike Poirot and Miss Marple, however, Pyne is not a detective. Parker Pyne is a fixer, mostly of people's unhappiness or boredom. I thought this was an interesting premise. The book, however, was not. Some of the stories varied from mediocre and boring to downright awful. I just could not get past the racism, xenophobia and sexism. I will still give Agatha Christie another try but next time I will stick to what are considered her top novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Xenophobia and Sexism
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