Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Battle for the Truth

Towards Zero by Agatha Christie

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When I heard that BritBox had a new Agatha Christie adaptation, I almost just pressed play assuming I had already read the book. I’ve read so many of Christie’s novels I can’t actually remember them all, or even all their titles. But then I heard it wasn’t a Poirot or Marple, which meant there was a chance I hadn’t actually got around to it. The detective here is Superintendent Battle, who unlike the more celebrated Christie sleuths, has no real defining trait. He’s just a […]

A Few Twists, Some Predictable

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

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Best for: Fans of the genre. In a nutshell: Jane Finn has some important war-related documents. Unfortunately, she has been missing for years, and even though The Great War is over, those documents are important. However, through a few seemingly random interactions, friends Tommy and Tuppence end up trying to track Jane down. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I’ve been enjoying her books and plays, and so placed holds on whatever the library had, and this was the first to become available. Review: […]

A Classic With a Fantastic Final Line

The Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie

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Best for: Those looking for a quick, satisfying read. In a nutshell: Leonard is accused of killing an elderly woman, Emily. He believes his wife will serve as his alibi. Will she? Worth quoting: “Everything has something to hide, something they would do anything to protect.” Why I chose it: I enjoyed “The Unexpected Guest,” and have been checking out what is available of Christie’s at my local library. Review: I listened to this, and it was read by Christie’s grandson. Cool idea, but his […]

The Guest Isn’t the Only Unexpected Thing

The Unexpected Guest by Agatha Christie

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Best for: Those looking for a quick read that challenges one to think about who the real culprit is. In a nutshell: Michael Starkwedder has run his car off the road and is looking for a phone to use. He finds a house, lets himself in, and sees a woman with a gun and a man dead. Worth quoting: N/A (I listened to this as an audio book) Why I chose it: I’ve enjoyed the films based on Christie’s writings, and so wanted to read […]

“But afterwards you went on remembering.”

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

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Confession time: this is the first Agatha Christie novel I have read. I know, I’m surprised too. When thinking about where I wanted to jump in one of her standalone novels felt like the right choice, and since I had watched the adaptation of Why Didn’t They Ask Evans and remembered the plot I figured going into one without any preconceived notions was probably for the best. As it was the end of October one with spooky vibes (a group of strangers invited to an […]

Even If Unsuccessful, Attempted Murder Still Makes You a Murderer at Heart

Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

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An Agatha Christie novel is always a fun time, so when I got to Advanced Prompt #4, the 24th book of an author, Agatha Christie was an easy choice. I was also excited that it was a Poirot novel. I enjoy Miss Marple, but there’s something special about Hercule Poirot and the “little grey cells”. Dumb Witness did not disappoint. Hercule Poirot is hired by Emily Arundell to investigate what she believes to be attempted murder, but which her family and employees believe to be […]



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