All About Agatha Christie

We've got another light, flirty Christie adventure on our hands here, and while normally we'd say that hijinks ensue, there is so little going on in this short story that perhaps we have only a single hijink? Maybe two? In any case, this is a pleasant enough tale of automotive and fructiferous tomfoolery. Please enjoy, as the year winds down in these final few days of 2018!

Well if the Grinch's heart can grow three sizes bigger, why not Mr. Parker Pyne's?? 'Tis the season for such character arcs, after all. Join us as we learn a bit more about Christie's heart specialist of a detective. You just may find a new appreciation for him. (Or, if you are cynical like Catherine… you may not.)

Rejoice or beware, per your preference, because Tommy & Tuppence, those alliterative lovebirds, are back! And in wartime no less: the spring of 1940, to be exact (and Christie is very exact). Join us as we discuss this mid-career thriller of Christie's, which is in many ways quite typical (poor Tommy and his poor head!), but in others quite unusual....

This week we revisit a familiar-seeming love triangle, and while it’s true that this Poirot short story and the Poirot novel we just covered--Evil Under the Sun--share many similarities, they also share some key differences…. Join us for our 100th episode (!!) as we use this little exercise in compare and contrast to marvel yet again at the fecundity of Dame Agatha’s nimble brain.

We were thrilled to have bestselling—and Poirot-continuing!—author Sophie Hannah on the podcast for a wide-ranging chat about all things Agatha. Please revel in the Christie fandom, as we did.

Are you ready for an oh-so-European tale of despair, betrayal, and misplaced pride? Would it help if you listened to some Edith Piaf while we told it to you? Okay, then. Time to sit for another soulful spell with Mr. Harley Quin and his dessicated sidekick, Mr. Satterthwaite, this time on the shores of Monte Carlo. Bon voyage!

While this one is something of a fan favorite, we were surprised by the simplicity of the central mystery upon a reread, given all the Christie puzzles we've solved thus far.... Add to that a number of characters who are never really suspects, plus a few absurd side-plots that don't quite hang onto the main action as they should, and we come out a bit more critically on this one than we expected, despite retaining a healthy affection for some of this Poirot novel's better elements.

How have we not covered Christie’s first published short story yet?! (A Poirot, naturally.) Consider this a master class in some of the fundamental tropes she would go on to use many, many times. Actors, costumes, a temporal deception, even the harlequinade! Add to that a real-world, “ripped-from-the-headlines” analogue, and what more could two Christie podcasters want? (Well, we could always use more Miss Lemon in the Suchet adaptation, but we can't have everything.)

While we can't pretend this is a special Hallowe’en-themed episode, there is perhaps nothing scarier than being in want of a job…. We were also rather frightened by the flimsiness of this early Christie thriller when it came to its establishing concept, its plot, and its romantic intrigue. So take a listen... if you dare.

Given the ceaseless flitting of that winged and mysterious fourth dimension known as time, we have managed to pass the two-year mark for our podcast... which means it's time to check in on our rankings! In other words, we were given a great excuse to nerd out yet again over those Christie creations we've already covered, and boy, did we capitalize on that opportunity. We hope you enjoy, as we did.