Title: Ordeal by Innocence
Author: Agatha Christie
Type: Fiction
Page Count: 224
Rating: 3.5/5
This one was okay, but it was a little bit of a letdown after reading and enjoying Parker Pyne Investigates. Christie is at her best when she’s writing short stories, at least in my opinion, and when she writes novels she’s best when she’s writing about Marple or Poirot. This one had none of the features that make something a standout Agatha Christie novel, at least for me, but then it’s still an Agatha Christie novel and so there’s still plenty to love.
I don’t think it’s the best that she has to offer and I wouldn’t recommend it to people who are new to her work, purely because I think she can do so much better. But it is still a pretty cool book and decent enough for my default rating, and certainly not the worst that she’s written. It’s just nowhere near the best, and in fact I’d say it’s easily in the lower half.
For me, it was worth reading it, but only because I’m a completionist. It’s definitely not the right book for everyone, and even as a Christie fan, I thought the mystery was just okay and the characters were forgettable. So take that as you will, I guess.
