I have finally managed to gather my thoughts from the wonderful Bookstagram 2017 meet up I attended last weekend in Hay-on-Wye. Fair warning, this post is going to be a long one so make sure to grab yourself a cup of tea!
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Agatha Christie
Book of the Month: Murder on the Links
The past comes to haunt a wealthy gentleman in Agatha Christie’s novel the Murder on the Links. In the story Poirot faces a surprising adversary and an old murder mystery is used as the key to solving a new crime.
Book of the Month: At Bertram’s Hotel
Entering the beautiful Bertram’s hotel in London is like travelling back in time; for Miss Marple it is a trip down memory lane. But what truly lies behind the polite smiles of the staff and impeccable service? Is the elegant décor and the charming atmosphere a front for something rotten and horrible?
Book of the Month: The Hollow
When Hercule Poirot arrives at The Hollow – home of the Angkatell family – he is greeted by what he perceives to be an artificial murder scene staged for his amusement. Soon the world famous detective understands the horrible truth: in front of his eyes lies a dying man uttering his last words.
The Crime Museum Uncovered
Except for the odd footprint and the few remnants of Turkish cigarette butts, Agatha Christie rarely gave us a murder mystery that wasn’t driven by the basic human nature of people. She once said, “Every murderer is probably somebody’s old friend” which makes me think that criminals do, in fact, exist among us and could potentially be one of us. More than that, a sensationalised crime sparks the curiosity of the general public and soon we’re all hooked to our tellies or furiously scrolling down our screens looking for the latest update on the current case gripping the nation. Human nature, then, has a natural tendency to be fascinated by the macabre.
The Women of Christie (Part 1)
Agatha Christie was born a Victorian but grew up in a time when women had one foot in a crinoline and the other down a trouser leg. The Great War came and people started toppling off their Victorian pedestals into a steadily germinating modernity. More and more women were learning how to drive, volunteering as aid during the war, running establishments and basically entering what were predominantly patriarchal roles; finally, sexual stereotypes and gender roles were being renegotiated.
