Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, something we dimly sense
from the beginning. The author hints at it throughout the book,
building up the unease imperceptibly, until the truth is so
obvious that our realisation can be taken for granted. What
makes this story memorable is not the plot in itself (ingenious
as usual) but the atmosphere, the manner of the telling. The
most powerful clue to what's really going on is not any
material evidence, but the mind-set of one particular character
. (At the same time there is little violence, and none of the
wallowing in gore which lesser writers rely on.) This
spine-chiller shows the author at the height of her powers.

The story is ably read by Hugh Frazer, who manages to keep
the various voice-accents distinct throughout the extensive
dialogue! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, something we dimly sense
from the beginning. The author hints at it throughout the book,
building up the unease imperceptibly, until the truth is so
obvious that our realisation can be taken for granted. What
makes this story memorable is not the plot in itself (ingenious
as usual) but the atmosphere, the manner of the telling. The
most powerful clue to what's really going on is not any
material evidence, but the mind-set of one particular character
. (At the same time there is little violence, and none of the
wallowing in gore which lesser writers rely on.) This
spine-chiller shows the author at the height of her powers.

The story is ably read by Hugh Frazer, who manages to keep
the various voice-accents distinct throughout the extensive
dialogue! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hugh Fraser is a great choice, 23 Aug 2005
This Five disk set is well worth your money, you get so much more detail with the books than you do with the two hour TV shows with Six hours listening the unabridged Poirot is a joy to listen to.
Hugh Fraser is a great choice to read these books and if you like his voice he has a great gift for playing the different parts.
My only question is why did it take so long for someone to do away with Mrs Boynton!

Carole Boyd triumphs yet again, 05 Nov 2004
I've heard a lot of Carole Boyd's narration of other stories particularly Josephine Cox And wanted to hear her rendition of a Hercule Poirot mystery just out of curiousity ; I was very pleased with it . Carole has an impressive vocal variety and you can clearly distinguish all the different characters in the narration - it's almost like the next best thng to a BBC Radio Porduction ! The story however didn't quite make as much sense as all the other Hercule Poirot stories though the ending was quite unexpected & therefore very good .

Same old format, but one of the better Agatha Christie, 23 Jun 2004
The usual formula from Agatha Chrisite: set the scene, interview the suspects one by one then reveal the culprit. Easy reading and engaging, but not exactly challenging reading. That said, it's probably one of the best examples of Agatha Christie's that I've read.

Another wonderful BBC take on Agatha Christie., 15 Apr 2003
Once again, the BBC does a stellar job on an Agatha Christie book, one of my favorites no less! John Moffat is perfect as Poirot! My only complaint is the music that opens and closes this production. It's too modern a take on middle-eastern music. I'm sure it was done on a synthasizer. Otherwise- top notch.

Standing in a Queue with a Gun in My Hand*, 18 Mar 2003
Appointment With Death is a flashy Ags novel from her classic period in the 30s, memorable mostly for the setting (Petra, the Rose Red City) and the character of the gross, fat, nasty murder victim Mrs Boynton. Her children, cowed and stunted by their tyrannical mother, are a less interesting bunch of suspects than Christie usually gives us, which makes the body of the story a bit dull. Towards the end the plot gets so convoluted, with suspicion swapping so rapidly between all 8 suspects that I found it a bit difficult to follow. For once I thought: 'maybe Poirot actually is getting a bit gaga'. The solution though, when we finally get to it, is short and sharp, clever, extremely unexpected and very satisfying. Actually, this story's a bit like standing in a long queue at the post office for a single stamp - a boring wait followed by a swift and satisfying ending.

The adaptation is faithful to the plot and the characters are all very appropriately voiced. The ending of the adaptation is such an improvement to that in the original novel that I'd go so far to say I prefer it. I agree with the previous reviewer who said the setting wasn't particularly well represented - the most we seem to get is some vaguely Arabic street noise and a few opening and closing windows (which of course aren't particular to the Middle East). As for the performances: the actor who played Col Carbury sounded like he was reading the script for the first time (perhaps he was a last minute addition - the understudy???) John Moffat as Poirot was again brilliant and Mrs Boynton was played with a great deal of venem which was fun.

Some of the hour and a half BBC adaptations come across as rushed or cut about a bit, but this one doesn't, perhaps because there was less 'plot' in the middle section of the book to adapt. In short: another high quality, fan-pleasingly loyal adaptation. The only downfall? A doddery Col Carbury and a lack of local colour.

* Apols to 'the cure'

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, something we dimly sense
from the beginning. The author hints at it throughout the book,
building up the unease imperceptibly, until the truth is so
obvious that our realisation can be taken for granted. What
makes this story memorable is not the plot in itself (ingenious
as usual) but the atmosphere, the manner of the telling. The
most powerful clue to what's really going on is not any
material evidence, but the mind-set of one particular character
. (At the same time there is little violence, and none of the
wallowing in gore which lesser writers rely on.) This
spine-chiller shows the author at the height of her powers.

The story is ably read by Hugh Frazer, who manages to keep
the various voice-accents distinct throughout the extensive
dialogue! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hugh Fraser is a great choice, 23 Aug 2005
This Five disk set is well worth your money, you get so much more detail with the books than you do with the two hour TV shows with Six hours listening the unabridged Poirot is a joy to listen to.
Hugh Fraser is a great choice to read these books and if you like his voice he has a great gift for playing the different parts.
My only question is why did it take so long for someone to do away with Mrs Boynton!

Carole Boyd triumphs yet again, 05 Nov 2004
I've heard a lot of Carole Boyd's narration of other stories particularly Josephine Cox And wanted to hear her rendition of a Hercule Poirot mystery just out of curiousity ; I was very pleased with it . Carole has an impressive vocal variety and you can clearly distinguish all the different characters in the narration - it's almost like the next best thng to a BBC Radio Porduction ! The story however didn't quite make as much sense as all the other Hercule Poirot stories though the ending was quite unexpected & therefore very good .

Same old format, but one of the better Agatha Christie, 23 Jun 2004
The usual formula from Agatha Chrisite: set the scene, interview the suspects one by one then reveal the culprit. Easy reading and engaging, but not exactly challenging reading. That said, it's probably one of the best examples of Agatha Christie's that I've read.

Another wonderful BBC take on Agatha Christie., 15 Apr 2003
Once again, the BBC does a stellar job on an Agatha Christie book, one of my favorites no less! John Moffat is perfect as Poirot! My only complaint is the music that opens and closes this production. It's too modern a take on middle-eastern music. I'm sure it was done on a synthasizer. Otherwise- top notch.

Standing in a Queue with a Gun in My Hand*, 18 Mar 2003
Appointment With Death is a flashy Ags novel from her classic period in the 30s, memorable mostly for the setting (Petra, the Rose Red City) and the character of the gross, fat, nasty murder victim Mrs Boynton. Her children, cowed and stunted by their tyrannical mother, are a less interesting bunch of suspects than Christie usually gives us, which makes the body of the story a bit dull. Towards the end the plot gets so convoluted, with suspicion swapping so rapidly between all 8 suspects that I found it a bit difficult to follow. For once I thought: 'maybe Poirot actually is getting a bit gaga'. The solution though, when we finally get to it, is short and sharp, clever, extremely unexpected and very satisfying. Actually, this story's a bit like standing in a long queue at the post office for a single stamp - a boring wait followed by a swift and satisfying ending.

The adaptation is faithful to the plot and the characters are all very appropriately voiced. The ending of the adaptation is such an improvement to that in the original novel that I'd go so far to say I prefer it. I agree with the previous reviewer who said the setting wasn't particularly well represented - the most we seem to get is some vaguely Arabic street noise and a few opening and closing windows (which of course aren't particular to the Middle East). As for the performances: the actor who played Col Carbury sounded like he was reading the script for the first time (perhaps he was a last minute addition - the understudy???) John Moffat as Poirot was again brilliant and Mrs Boynton was played with a great deal of venem which was fun.

Some of the hour and a half BBC adaptations come across as rushed or cut about a bit, but this one doesn't, perhaps because there was less 'plot' in the middle section of the book to adapt. In short: another high quality, fan-pleasingly loyal adaptation. The only downfall? A doddery Col Carbury and a lack of local colour.

* Apols to 'the cure'

A Classic Agatha Christie, 18 Nov 2002
Set in an English village, and complete with the stock cast of suspects, the only surprise is that Hercule Poirot, rather then Miss Marple, arrives to solve this mystery.

In a world where dogs and gardening provide the main topics of conversation, the cast of characters is representative of the local gentry: the solicitor; the doctor; the farmer, the whimsical lady spiritualist - only the Rector is missing. The maids have adenoids, the barmaid is brassy, and the local constabulary show a proper respect for "their betters".

But the old order is breaking down in the aftermath of war. The gentry are feeling the pinch and their former benefactor has died, leaving a wealthy widow. She takes up residence among them, with her darkly mysterious brother. But is she his widow? Was she his wife? And is he really her brother? Suspicion naturally falls on the pair of outsiders - he is not a gentleman and she is certainly no lady, even her name is "bogus".

Foul play is committed with hardly any blood and no nasty gory details. And Hercule Poirot arrives, in a cloud of Gallic mist, to tell us "who done it", despite the red herrings that the author strews across his path.

Hugh Fraser's excellent reading evokes a politically incorrect world which has long vanished, if it ever existed. It is thoroughly archaic and utterly enjoyable.

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, something we dimly sense
from the beginning. The author hints at it throughout the book,
building up the unease imperceptibly, until the truth is so
obvious that our realisation can be taken for granted. What
makes this story memorable is not the plot in itself (ingenious
as usual) but the atmosphere, the manner of the telling. The
most powerful clue to what's really going on is not any
material evidence, but the mind-set of one particular character
. (At the same time there is little violence, and none of the
wallowing in gore which lesser writers rely on.) This
spine-chiller shows the author at the height of her powers.

The story is ably read by Hugh Frazer, who manages to keep
the various voice-accents distinct throughout the extensive
dialogue! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hugh Fraser is a great choice, 23 Aug 2005
This Five disk set is well worth your money, you get so much more detail with the books than you do with the two hour TV shows with Six hours listening the unabridged Poirot is a joy to listen to.
Hugh Fraser is a great choice to read these books and if you like his voice he has a great gift for playing the different parts.
My only question is why did it take so long for someone to do away with Mrs Boynton!

Carole Boyd triumphs yet again, 05 Nov 2004
I've heard a lot of Carole Boyd's narration of other stories particularly Josephine Cox And wanted to hear her rendition of a Hercule Poirot mystery just out of curiousity ; I was very pleased with it . Carole has an impressive vocal variety and you can clearly distinguish all the different characters in the narration - it's almost like the next best thng to a BBC Radio Porduction ! The story however didn't quite make as much sense as all the other Hercule Poirot stories though the ending was quite unexpected & therefore very good .

Same old format, but one of the better Agatha Christie, 23 Jun 2004
The usual formula from Agatha Chrisite: set the scene, interview the suspects one by one then reveal the culprit. Easy reading and engaging, but not exactly challenging reading. That said, it's probably one of the best examples of Agatha Christie's that I've read.

Another wonderful BBC take on Agatha Christie., 15 Apr 2003
Once again, the BBC does a stellar job on an Agatha Christie book, one of my favorites no less! John Moffat is perfect as Poirot! My only complaint is the music that opens and closes this production. It's too modern a take on middle-eastern music. I'm sure it was done on a synthasizer. Otherwise- top notch.

Standing in a Queue with a Gun in My Hand*, 18 Mar 2003
Appointment With Death is a flashy Ags novel from her classic period in the 30s, memorable mostly for the setting (Petra, the Rose Red City) and the character of the gross, fat, nasty murder victim Mrs Boynton. Her children, cowed and stunted by their tyrannical mother, are a less interesting bunch of suspects than Christie usually gives us, which makes the body of the story a bit dull. Towards the end the plot gets so convoluted, with suspicion swapping so rapidly between all 8 suspects that I found it a bit difficult to follow. For once I thought: 'maybe Poirot actually is getting a bit gaga'. The solution though, when we finally get to it, is short and sharp, clever, extremely unexpected and very satisfying. Actually, this story's a bit like standing in a long queue at the post office for a single stamp - a boring wait followed by a swift and satisfying ending.

The adaptation is faithful to the plot and the characters are all very appropriately voiced. The ending of the adaptation is such an improvement to that in the original novel that I'd go so far to say I prefer it. I agree with the previous reviewer who said the setting wasn't particularly well represented - the most we seem to get is some vaguely Arabic street noise and a few opening and closing windows (which of course aren't particular to the Middle East). As for the performances: the actor who played Col Carbury sounded like he was reading the script for the first time (perhaps he was a last minute addition - the understudy???) John Moffat as Poirot was again brilliant and Mrs Boynton was played with a great deal of venem which was fun.

Some of the hour and a half BBC adaptations come across as rushed or cut about a bit, but this one doesn't, perhaps because there was less 'plot' in the middle section of the book to adapt. In short: another high quality, fan-pleasingly loyal adaptation. The only downfall? A doddery Col Carbury and a lack of local colour.

* Apols to 'the cure'

A Classic Agatha Christie, 18 Nov 2002
Set in an English village, and complete with the stock cast of suspects, the only surprise is that Hercule Poirot, rather then Miss Marple, arrives to solve this mystery.

In a world where dogs and gardening provide the main topics of conversation, the cast of characters is representative of the local gentry: the solicitor; the doctor; the farmer, the whimsical lady spiritualist - only the Rector is missing. The maids have adenoids, the barmaid is brassy, and the local constabulary show a proper respect for "their betters".

But the old order is breaking down in the aftermath of war. The gentry are feeling the pinch and their former benefactor has died, leaving a wealthy widow. She takes up residence among them, with her darkly mysterious brother. But is she his widow? Was she his wife? And is he really her brother? Suspicion naturally falls on the pair of outsiders - he is not a gentleman and she is certainly no lady, even her name is "bogus".

Foul play is committed with hardly any blood and no nasty gory details. And Hercule Poirot arrives, in a cloud of Gallic mist, to tell us "who done it", despite the red herrings that the author strews across his path.

Hugh Fraser's excellent reading evokes a politically incorrect world which has long vanished, if it ever existed. It is thoroughly archaic and utterly enjoyable.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, something we dimly sense
from the beginning. The author hints at it throughout the book,
building up the unease imperceptibly, until the truth is so
obvious that our realisation can be taken for granted. What
makes this story memorable is not the plot in itself (ingenious
as usual) but the atmosphere, the manner of the telling. The
most powerful clue to what's really going on is not any
material evidence, but the mind-set of one particular character
. (At the same time there is little violence, and none of the
wallowing in gore which lesser writers rely on.) This
spine-chiller shows the author at the height of her powers.

The story is ably read by Hugh Frazer, who manages to keep
the various voice-accents distinct throughout the extensive
dialogue! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hugh Fraser is a great choice, 23 Aug 2005
This Five disk set is well worth your money, you get so much more detail with the books than you do with the two hour TV shows with Six hours listening the unabridged Poirot is a joy to listen to.
Hugh Fraser is a great choice to read these books and if you like his voice he has a great gift for playing the different parts.
My only question is why did it take so long for someone to do away with Mrs Boynton!

Carole Boyd triumphs yet again, 05 Nov 2004
I've heard a lot of Carole Boyd's narration of other stories particularly Josephine Cox And wanted to hear her rendition of a Hercule Poirot mystery just out of curiousity ; I was very pleased with it . Carole has an impressive vocal variety and you can clearly distinguish all the different characters in the narration - it's almost like the next best thng to a BBC Radio Porduction ! The story however didn't quite make as much sense as all the other Hercule Poirot stories though the ending was quite unexpected & therefore very good .

Same old format, but one of the better Agatha Christie, 23 Jun 2004
The usual formula from Agatha Chrisite: set the scene, interview the suspects one by one then reveal the culprit. Easy reading and engaging, but not exactly challenging reading. That said, it's probably one of the best examples of Agatha Christie's that I've read.

Another wonderful BBC take on Agatha Christie., 15 Apr 2003
Once again, the BBC does a stellar job on an Agatha Christie book, one of my favorites no less! John Moffat is perfect as Poirot! My only complaint is the music that opens and closes this production. It's too modern a take on middle-eastern music. I'm sure it was done on a synthasizer. Otherwise- top notch.

Standing in a Queue with a Gun in My Hand*, 18 Mar 2003
Appointment With Death is a flashy Ags novel from her classic period in the 30s, memorable mostly for the setting (Petra, the Rose Red City) and the character of the gross, fat, nasty murder victim Mrs Boynton. Her children, cowed and stunted by their tyrannical mother, are a less interesting bunch of suspects than Christie usually gives us, which makes the body of the story a bit dull. Towards the end the plot gets so convoluted, with suspicion swapping so rapidly between all 8 suspects that I found it a bit difficult to follow. For once I thought: 'maybe Poirot actually is getting a bit gaga'. The solution though, when we finally get to it, is short and sharp, clever, extremely unexpected and very satisfying. Actually, this story's a bit like standing in a long queue at the post office for a single stamp - a boring wait followed by a swift and satisfying ending.

The adaptation is faithful to the plot and the characters are all very appropriately voiced. The ending of the adaptation is such an improvement to that in the original novel that I'd go so far to say I prefer it. I agree with the previous reviewer who said the setting wasn't particularly well represented - the most we seem to get is some vaguely Arabic street noise and a few opening and closing windows (which of course aren't particular to the Middle East). As for the performances: the actor who played Col Carbury sounded like he was reading the script for the first time (perhaps he was a last minute addition - the understudy???) John Moffat as Poirot was again brilliant and Mrs Boynton was played with a great deal of venem which was fun.

Some of the hour and a half BBC adaptations come across as rushed or cut about a bit, but this one doesn't, perhaps because there was less 'plot' in the middle section of the book to adapt. In short: another high quality, fan-pleasingly loyal adaptation. The only downfall? A doddery Col Carbury and a lack of local colour.

* Apols to 'the cure'

A Classic Agatha Christie, 18 Nov 2002
Set in an English village, and complete with the stock cast of suspects, the only surprise is that Hercule Poirot, rather then Miss Marple, arrives to solve this mystery.

In a world where dogs and gardening provide the main topics of conversation, the cast of characters is representative of the local gentry: the solicitor; the doctor; the farmer, the whimsical lady spiritualist - only the Rector is missing. The maids have adenoids, the barmaid is brassy, and the local constabulary show a proper respect for "their betters".

But the old order is breaking down in the aftermath of war. The gentry are feeling the pinch and their former benefactor has died, leaving a wealthy widow. She takes up residence among them, with her darkly mysterious brother. But is she his widow? Was she his wife? And is he really her brother? Suspicion naturally falls on the pair of outsiders - he is not a gentleman and she is certainly no lady, even her name is "bogus".

Foul play is committed with hardly any blood and no nasty gory details. And Hercule Poirot arrives, in a cloud of Gallic mist, to tell us "who done it", despite the red herrings that the author strews across his path.

Hugh Fraser's excellent reading evokes a politically incorrect world which has long vanished, if it ever existed. It is thoroughly archaic and utterly enjoyable.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Does not Disappoint, 29 Mar 2008
This is an excellent read (or listen I should say) inspite of the strange cover design- a typical Agatha - a bit of a challenge to guess the murderer right to the end. No Piorot in it but very good nevertheless.

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, something we dimly sense
from the beginning. The author hints at it throughout the book,
building up the unease imperceptibly, until the truth is so
obvious that our realisation can be taken for granted. What
makes this story memorable is not the plot in itself (ingenious
as usual) but the atmosphere, the manner of the telling. The
most powerful clue to what's really going on is not any
material evidence, but the mind-set of one particular character
. (At the same time there is little violence, and none of the
wallowing in gore which lesser writers rely on.) This
spine-chiller shows the author at the height of her powers.

The story is ably read by Hugh Frazer, who manages to keep
the various voice-accents distinct throughout the extensive
dialogue! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hugh Fraser is a great choice, 23 Aug 2005
This Five disk set is well worth your money, you get so much more detail with the books than you do with the two hour TV shows with Six hours listening the unabridged Poirot is a joy to listen to.
Hugh Fraser is a great choice to read these books and if you like his voice he has a great gift for playing the different parts.
My only question is why did it take so long for someone to do away with Mrs Boynton!

Carole Boyd triumphs yet again, 05 Nov 2004
I've heard a lot of Carole Boyd's narration of other stories particularly Josephine Cox And wanted to hear her rendition of a Hercule Poirot mystery just out of curiousity ; I was very pleased with it . Carole has an impressive vocal variety and you can clearly distinguish all the different characters in the narration - it's almost like the next best thng to a BBC Radio Porduction ! The story however didn't quite make as much sense as all the other Hercule Poirot stories though the ending was quite unexpected & therefore very good .

Same old format, but one of the better Agatha Christie, 23 Jun 2004
The usual formula from Agatha Chrisite: set the scene, interview the suspects one by one then reveal the culprit. Easy reading and engaging, but not exactly challenging reading. That said, it's probably one of the best examples of Agatha Christie's that I've read.

Another wonderful BBC take on Agatha Christie., 15 Apr 2003
Once again, the BBC does a stellar job on an Agatha Christie book, one of my favorites no less! John Moffat is perfect as Poirot! My only complaint is the music that opens and closes this production. It's too modern a take on middle-eastern music. I'm sure it was done on a synthasizer. Otherwise- top notch.

Standing in a Queue with a Gun in My Hand*, 18 Mar 2003
Appointment With Death is a flashy Ags novel from her classic period in the 30s, memorable mostly for the setting (Petra, the Rose Red City) and the character of the gross, fat, nasty murder victim Mrs Boynton. Her children, cowed and stunted by their tyrannical mother, are a less interesting bunch of suspects than Christie usually gives us, which makes the body of the story a bit dull. Towards the end the plot gets so convoluted, with suspicion swapping so rapidly between all 8 suspects that I found it a bit difficult to follow. For once I thought: 'maybe Poirot actually is getting a bit gaga'. The solution though, when we finally get to it, is short and sharp, clever, extremely unexpected and very satisfying. Actually, this story's a bit like standing in a long queue at the post office for a single stamp - a boring wait followed by a swift and satisfying ending.

The adaptation is faithful to the plot and the characters are all very appropriately voiced. The ending of the adaptation is such an improvement to that in the original novel that I'd go so far to say I prefer it. I agree with the previous reviewer who said the setting wasn't particularly well represented - the most we seem to get is some vaguely Arabic street noise and a few opening and closing windows (which of course aren't particular to the Middle East). As for the performances: the actor who played Col Carbury sounded like he was reading the script for the first time (perhaps he was a last minute addition - the understudy???) John Moffat as Poirot was again brilliant and Mrs Boynton was played with a great deal of venem which was fun.

Some of the hour and a half BBC adaptations come across as rushed or cut about a bit, but this one doesn't, perhaps because there was less 'plot' in the middle section of the book to adapt. In short: another high quality, fan-pleasingly loyal adaptation. The only downfall? A doddery Col Carbury and a lack of local colour.

* Apols to 'the cure'

A Classic Agatha Christie, 18 Nov 2002
Set in an English village, and complete with the stock cast of suspects, the only surprise is that Hercule Poirot, rather then Miss Marple, arrives to solve this mystery.

In a world where dogs and gardening provide the main topics of conversation, the cast of characters is representative of the local gentry: the solicitor; the doctor; the farmer, the whimsical lady spiritualist - only the Rector is missing. The maids have adenoids, the barmaid is brassy, and the local constabulary show a proper respect for "their betters".

But the old order is breaking down in the aftermath of war. The gentry are feeling the pinch and their former benefactor has died, leaving a wealthy widow. She takes up residence among them, with her darkly mysterious brother. But is she his widow? Was she his wife? And is he really her brother? Suspicion naturally falls on the pair of outsiders - he is not a gentleman and she is certainly no lady, even her name is "bogus".

Foul play is committed with hardly any blood and no nasty gory details. And Hercule Poirot arrives, in a cloud of Gallic mist, to tell us "who done it", despite the red herrings that the author strews across his path.

Hugh Fraser's excellent reading evokes a politically incorrect world which has long vanished, if it ever existed. It is thoroughly archaic and utterly enjoyable.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Does not Disappoint, 29 Mar 2008
This is an excellent read (or listen I should say) inspite of the strange cover design- a typical Agatha - a bit of a challenge to guess the murderer right to the end. No Piorot in it but very good nevertheless.

A Christmas Carol, 02 Jan 2008
It seems that lots of Christmas traditions were born in the UK between 15th and 19th century. Charles Dickens cleverly used the background of the Victorian houses and societies and produced a splendid Christmas story.

The highlight of this classic is that Mr Scrooge gradually becomes aware of his selfishness and indifference whilst being hooked on earning a lot of money for himself, while his former colleague, Marley takes him to the world where an awful number of people are suffering from the poverty. Marley who died seven years ago feels extremely guilty for ever not helping the poor when he was alive. Having become a ghost, he begs Mr Scrooge to provide goodwill to the miserable people. Moreover, he is taken to various places, in line with Christmas in his past, present, and future.

A series of dramatic dreams shows him the moral of Christianity and conveys the true spirit of Christmas, i.e. peace and goodwill to all. Consequently, he changes his mind, presents a cheerful manner, and offers generous support to people, to the astonishment of his employee, Bob Cratchit who is told by his boss that his salary will be raised.


The classic Victorian Christmas story, 15 Dec 2007
A Christmas Carol is the classic Victorian Christmas story. Even though we know it well it continues to be a joy to read. Dickens creates some wonderful pictures of the bustling life in 19th century London. Some of the dialogue remains so fresh and still raises a smile in the reader no matter how many times you have read the book before. "You'll want all day tomorrow, I suppose" says Scrooge to his clerk on Christmas Eve. And the conversation between Scrooge and the two gentlemen who are asking him for donations to help the poor and destitute at Christmas is as funny (and poignant) as anything in any Dickens novel.

Although it is sometimes described as a children's book I do feel parents need to make an assessment as to how their children may react to some of the ghost scenes. Some adults I know say they had nightmares as a result of the appearance of Marley's ghost and the rattling chains!

It just would not be the same without it........, 03 Oct 2007
My all time fave story and I just have to re-read at least twice in the Xmas run-up. The writing just grabs you in a way that no other writer can and as for the characters, well they are already written into folklore.

Baa... Humbug, 02 Jan 2007
Christmas is a time to give and this story really gives the reader something!
Charles Dickens has a magical power over a reader and he used it over me!
Hope you enjoy this childrens classic!
One little point though... to everyone who doesn't like Dickens don't bother writing a review!

great classic novel, but difficult to read, especially for children, 17 Sep 2006
The review below is slightly misleading as this particular version is COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED.
I would recommend reading a simplified version first, if you are not familiar with the story. Then have a dictionary to hand as you read this one!
The classic story is timeless, and one of Charles Dickens' most well known tales. As with many of his stories, the pictures he conjures up are rooted in his own experience of life in Victorian Britain, with it's great contrast between rich and poor.

Amazon's Misleading Cover Image, 21 Apr 2008
I would urge buyers who wish a specific version of this book to beware the cover image Amazon display, as this is not the cover image they are supplying. Amazon, despite displaying the black-topped signature edition, substitute the book supplied for a newer version of the cover. For someone collecting a particular version this is a frustrating piece of mis-selling.

Cheating, 31 Oct 2007
This is a very enjoyable read, but has no-one else felt cheated by the revelation of the murderer's identity? Also I have always been less than convinced by the mechanics through which the crime was 'committed', (although the excellent adaptation of this story in the Poirot television series did make it appear more plausible.)

A really good murder mystery, 17 Apr 2007
Agatha Christie has done it again. This is the seventh Poirot book I've read and it's the best one so far. The whole story is really good from beginning to end I couldn't help but to keep on reading it till I completely finished it. The plot is really good and I was totally shocked at the identity of the murderer of Simeon Lee.

If no one has got round to reading Hercule Poirot's Christmas then please consider it as the next book to read. Who knows, but maybe you could be hooked on this book as well.

A cracking Christmas mystery, 05 Feb 2005
Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas in the country with his friend Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable of Middleshire, and suffering terribly from the lack of central heaintg ("Nothing like a wood fire", says Colonel Johnson, but Poirot disagrees). Disagreeable wealthy old tyrant Simeon Lee is bloodily murdered in mysterious circumstances, and Poirot is called in to investigate.

The house is full of Simeon Lee's put-upon sons and their put-upon wives, any one of whom might have had reason to do Simeon in, especially as he had just announced that he was about to change his will to include his beautiful young granddaughter Pilar, just arrived from Spain, whom none of the family had ever set eyes on before. The family are anxious to insist that the murder was an outside job, but Poirot is equally convinced that it was not.

This is one of the best Poirot mysteries, with lots of interesting characters, especially the delightfuly vivacious, high-spirited and unconventional Pilar, and a cunning murderer to unmask. A real Christmas treat.

Agatha Christie's locked room murder mystery., 21 May 2003
Although generally regarded as typifying the cozy murder mystery writer in whose books there is either a murder in a locked room or a murder at a family reunion in a country house, Agatha Christie rarely tried her hand at either of these murder mystery genres. In “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas”, however, she combines both.
The family is the dysfunctional Lee family, summoned to pass Christmas together in the house of old Simeon Lee, the patriarch. During this stressful reunion, a commotion followed by a blood-curdling scream is heard from the room on the first floor occupied by old Simeon. When the locked door is forced open, the furniture is found upended, the safe rifled, and Simeon is found lying dead with his throat cut. The door key is in place, on the inside of the door.

Having depicted how the family members despise, hate, or resent each other up to this point, Agatha Christie next allows the investigations and theories to develop. Poirot is on hand, but she cleverly allows other police inspectors and investigators to do most of the work and make most of the mistakes.

The solution is one you will never forget, but also one that you will probably never arrive at before Poirot reveals all. Agatha Christie is wonderfully clever at laying out all the clues in an arrangement that directs the reader away from the vital ones.

Apart from a few lines of description, almost everything in the text is dialogue. To anyone in the world who has not yet read this 1940 mystery nothing more need be said. To those who are re-reading it, I suggest they notice how cleverly it is plotted and planned.

Perfect, 28 Apr 2008
I bought this audio book to occupy me during a few days' 'holiday at home' and couldn't have chosen better - it's the perfect relaxation to sit back and have a very vocally talented actor tell such a dark, intriguing story. Although a great Christie fan, this is, amazingly it now seems, a story I've never read, but I shall now buy the book also, because as with all Christie stories, knowing the outcome doesn't detract from the rereading or relistening pleasure. The false leads and red herrings are dropped into the narrative with such skill that although they are small and subtle they still take you along a variety of wrong paths. The final unravelling is, whilst not completely unexpected by that point, satisfyingly dramatic and dark. And even at - almost - the very end, Agatha Christie dares to tempt you with the possibility of a near impossible alternative ending. Brilliant!

Dark, effective chiller from Agatha Christie, 11 May 2004
Quite often in a Christie story there is a sentimental romance
in the background; when the main mystery is cleared up we
frequently find that two of the minor characters end up engaged.
In "Endless Night" the author has become aware of this
little foible and is deliberately exploiting it to her readers'
downfall! The result is shockingly effective.

We are assured at the start that it's a love story, and it is.
There is something terribly wrong, som