Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie Narrator: Fenella Woolgar
Series: Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot
Published by HarperAudio on October 20, 2020
Genres: Mystery
Length: 9 hours, 54 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
An all-new collection of winter-themed stories from the Queen of Mystery, just in time for the holidays—including an Agatha Christie short story never before published in the USA, "Christmas Adventure."
There's a chill in the air and the days are growing shorter . . . It's the perfect time to curl up in front of a crackling fireplace with this winter-themed collection from legendary mystery writer Agatha Christie. But beware of deadly snowdrifts and dangerous gifts, poisoned meals and mysterious guests. This compendium of short stories, some featuring beloved detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, is an essential omnibus for Christie fans and the perfect holiday gift for mystery lovers.
I love Agatha Christie and have read her works extensively so it was a treat to have these winter and holiday stories. I had read some of these stories previously but it was far enough in the past I didn’t remember them well.
All of my favorite characters, as well as lesser known ones, have representation here. Miss Marple, Hercules Poirot, Tommy and Tuppence, Parkey Pyne, Bunch, Inspector Japp and Mr. Harley Quinn all have adventures in Midwinter Murder. The mysteries are all cozy as is the style for Christie.
One would think that short stories would be ideal for when one is interrupted and can only read a bit at a time, but I have read an ebook by a different author and listened to this audiobook this month and it was not easy for me in either case. Both were authors I had read nearly all their work and was familiar with their settings. Yet I had some difficulty focusing at the start of each story, which while this was still true for longer books, once I had engaged I could jump in and out of the story comfortably until finished. This is nothing to do with the review, other than maybe shorter stories are not the easiest reading for me right now.
These are charming cozy stories and I enjoyed the clever mystery aspects. Because they are in a historical settings, and in England, there are many more class distinctions, and some prejudice. It is a time before most forensics and solving the cases relies on observation and sometimes witness testimony. Although this makes the structure more simple, the criminals are no less ruthless.
I really enjoyed these classic mysteries and would recommend them to any Agatha Christie or cozy historical mystery fans. The diverse characters will surely include some of your favorites.
Narration:
Because the stories are set in England, I expected and got a British accent. The voices for each character were distinct. I enjoyed the female voices and some of the male voices. Other of the male voices were uncomfortable, seeming a bit too high or arduous. The one for Hercule Poirot was the most so, perhaps with the combination of a Belgian accent? I did slow my listening speed slightly to 1.25x speed.
Listen to a clip:
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- COYER-20
Its been years since I read Agatha Christie. I like the sound of a collection of short stories, though?
I’ve read the books in different versions over the years and recently I’ve started to listen to some of them on audio. I like the PBS versions of them too especially Miss Marple.
Wow, I don’t think I’ve read a Christie book in close to 40 years. They are the first mysteries I started reading when I was 9 because my mom was a big fan. The British TV shows are so well done, I haven’t felt the need to read them again, but this sounds like it might be a fun, nostalgic read for the holiday season if my library has the audio or paper version.
You should! I’ve been listening to audio versions and occasionally I reread some of my favorites or watch some PBS mysteries.
As a big Dame Christi fan, these do sound fun! Excellent review, Anne?
Thank you! I enjoyed them, some of them a lot. I’ve always been partial to Miss Marple.
Neat that someone pulled together several of the holiday shorts. I’ve probably read them as part of other collections in the past, but still neat to see them bundled like this.
I didn’t remember them very well so it was a great listen. When they are short stories, I always like it when they put them together.
I love Agatha Christie as well, and have read almost all of her mysteries, but like you it’s been long enough for me that I’ve forgotten enough that I would enjoy the re-reads and maybe not know the culprits right away. I recently listened to At Bertram’s Hotel and didn’t remember quite a bit. The audio was a treat and I’ll probably re-read a bunch that way. I also have to slow my speed down a bit for some of the English or other accent audios to 1.25x. I do love the accents, though! They add so much.
Yes exactly. I have read and loved almost all if not all myself. I usually don’t have to slow things down but in these trying times my distraction level has been high.
I devoured Agatha as a teen. This would be fun as a winter selection for the HoHoHoRAT. Adding to my list 🙂
I can’t imagine anyone not liking it!