Tag: Setting

Agatha Christie – The Hollow | Review

Title: The Hollow

Author: Agatha Christie

Type: Fiction

Page Count: 224

Rating: 3.5/5

This is pretty much just your bog standard Agatha Christie book, but there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s also one of those books that, for me at least, is more about establishing a sense of place and time than it is about someone solving a murder mystery.

This is also a Hercule Poirot book, although the detective doesn’t necessarily get too much page time. For me, that’s no bad thing, as Poirot can be a little insufferable at times and so he’s generally best in moderation.

This was also a cracking little piece because of its dialogue, which made me chuckle quite a lot. It’s unusual for me to actually laugh out loud when reading a book, but it happened here and took me by surprise. Sure, the mystery itself isn’t one of Christie’s most gripping, but the dialogue and the setting more than make up for that.

Overall, I’d say that this is a decent enough Agatha Christie book, but it’s pretty mid-tier when you compare it to some of her big hitters. It’s worth a read and I would recommend it, but not for your first foray into her work. It’s more one for completionists or people who are reading the whole Poirot series.

Learn more about The Hollow.


Agatha Christie – The Murder at the Vicarage| Review

Title: The Murder at the Vicarage

Author: Agatha Christie

Type: Fiction

Page Count: 192

Rating: 4/5

I was automatically a little bit biased in favour towards this one because it’s a Miss Marple book and I’ve always preferred Marple over Poirot. In fact, I think it’s the only Marple book that I’d never read, although I couldn’t swear to that, and indeed I thought I’d already read them all. Because of that, it was like going back to meet up with an old friend.

But on top of that, it’s just a cracking little murder mystery with a lot to offer the reader. In particular, I loved the vicarage as the setting, and I loved Jane Marple being a badass and poking her nose into places where she risked it being chopped off. It’s what she’s best at, and it was delightfully entertaining here.

So would I recommend it? Yeah, for sure, even if you just happen to spot a copy of it going spare in a second hand shop. If you want to, feel free to track it down, ‘cause it’s worth it.

Learn more about The Murder at the Vicarage.