March 2022 Books I Read

 

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie (library) Another thriller style mystery from her early writing career. Full of crazy nicknames, folks called Bundle and Pongo and Socks

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie short stories featuring the eccentric Belgian detective 

The Hollow by Agatha Christie (library) Lots of star-crossed lovers in this book. A is married to B but loves C.  X also loves C.  Y loves A but A loves C, D loves Y but Y loves A. Etc Etc Etc. So when A is murdered who done it???

Agatha Christie the Finished Portrait by Dr. Andrew Norman (library) If you look at the Agatha Christie Autobiography and think, oh dear, I'll never read all that! This is the book for you. Dr. Norman condenses it all down to a few chapters AND he analyzes her 1926 disappearance, comparing it to her book, Unfinished Portrait (written under the name, Mary Westmacott. Unfinished Portrait is basically autobiographical. The story is the story of Christie's life only the names are changed.) 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet twin sisters: one passes for white and one remains light skinned black. Very good.

The Patriotic Murders by Agatha Christie aka One, Two Buckle My Shoe, aka An Overdose of Death  why oh why did they feel the need to change the titles for the USA market? Several Agatha Christie books have different titles for the USA and I can get confused as to if I have read the book already or not. This book has 3 titles. UGH. But is is a good read. Who would kill the dentist?? 

Endless Night by Agatha Christie This one is more like a romantic melodrama than a mystery. Poor boy and Rich girl meet and marry and build their dream house on property with a Gypsy Curse! 

The Blue Tattoo by Margot Mifflin (library) the story of Olive Oatman who was kidnapped by Indians and lived among them for many years before being liberated and returned to white society. 

The Boys by Ron and Clint Howard (library) Their memoir about growing up as child actors in Hollywood. I enjoyed it. 

Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie this is the one where they blame the death on the dog (who is the dumb witness) but Poirot figures out who done it. 

Second Wind by Dick Francis in this mystery, the protagonist is a weatherman/meteorologist. I like how Francis would use all sorts of different professions and still tie them to horse racing. 

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (library) quite fun. I had seen the mini series and so I just had to read the book. And the book is wonderful.