Tag: Hooked

Agatha Christie – Taken at the Flood | Review

November 12, 2020
Authors A-E (By Surname)Fiction

Title: Taken at the Flood

Author: Agatha Christie

Type: Fiction

Page Count: 192

Rating: 3.5/5

This was just okay but not great, although I always say that even Agatha Christie at her worst is better than most at their best. I think the issue here is that she did her usual thing of not introducing Poirot until towards the end of the story, and that only works if the story and the characters have got you hooked. Here, they unfortunately didn’t.

I did enjoy reading it though, I just can’t say that I enjoyed it as much as the other Christie books that I’ve read, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a seasoned fan. It’s one of the few times that I’ve been reading a Christie novel and asking myself when it was going to end because I wanted to hurry up and move on to something else.

So yeah, there’s my take on Taken at the Flood, although you should take it with a pinch of salt. Some people like some Christie books and some people like others. So there you have it.

Learn more about Taken at the Flood.

Daniel Smith – The Ardlamont Mystery | Review

April 1, 2020
Authors P-T (By Surname)Non-Fiction

Title: The Ardlamont Mystery

Author: Daniel Smith

Type: Non-Fiction

Page Count: 258

Rating: 3.5/5

This was a delightfully different kind of book, a non-fiction piece that looked into a real life mystery while showing how it led to the creation of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s a story that I was previously only vaguely aware of, and so it was a pleasure to read about what actually led to the creation of literature’s greatest detective.

What’s cool is that this is a beautiful little hardback with a stunning interior layout and a genuinely well-written non-fiction narrative. It’s basically true crime mixed with geeky stuff for Sherlock Holmes fans, and so if either of those things float your boat then you’re probably going to like it.

I’ve had this sitting around for a little while now and I’m not sure why it took me so long to get to it. When I finally picked it up, I got hooked, and I think it’s the non-fiction book that I’ve enjoyed the most since I got to Rebellious Spirits by Ruth Ball a year or so ago. But then I’m probably forgetting something.

So all in all, I’d definitely recommend this one if you’re into Sherlock Holmes or into true crime, because this has a lot of both. It’s also just a well-written non-fiction book in general. It’s the perfect subject matter and a great delivery and overall, just a good book. There’s a lot that I like here, so there’s that.

Learn more about The Ardlamont Mystery.