First Quarter Faves | Top picks since we began our mission in January!

(image from our instagram!)

We started this project right after New Years 2016, and we cannot believe that we've already read almost 30 #GASP of Dame Agatha's iconic mysteries! So today we wanted to go ahead and report on our quarterly favorites (though there's no telling how many more favorites we might develop as the year goes on). For those of you who are just getting started with your foray into Agatha-dom, this could be a good starting list!

EMILY'S TOP THREE FAVES #SOFAR
These are in no particular order, b-t-dubs...
1)  The Man in the Brown Suit
GIANT SURPRISE right? I mean, I loved this one. So caper-y and adorable (and caper-y like cute adventures not like the salty food accessory [though no one here is demeaning capers they are wonderful, especially when combined with lox, cream cheese, and red onions I DIGRESS]).

From the book: "I would put all my eggs in one basket. 'First class,' I said. I was now definitely committed to the adventure." - The Man in the Brown Suit, p. 46

From the YOA review: "There's something fresh and sprightly about these early stories where the main character (in this case, narrator) is a plucky young girl whose curiosity and yen for romance and adventure gets the better of any sense of practicality. Agatha does such a nice job of creating these clever girls who remind me of no one so much as Clara Oswald from Doctor Who: the smartest, most charming, and cutest girl in the room but no one can help but like her anyway #soufflegirl."

2) The Secret Adversary
Again, another major surprise, but I LOOooOOOooVE Tommy & Tuppence, and especially this, their first appearance in print. They're charming and clever and fun, and keep you on the edge of your seat!

From the book: "You must stifle this longing for vulgar sensation, Tuppence. Remember that if Mr. Brown is all he is reported to be, it's a wonder that he has not ere now done us to death. That's a good sentence, quite a literary flavor about it." "You're really more conceited than I am--with less excuse!" - Tommy & Tuppence banter exhibit 4 million from The Secret Adversary, p. 57

From the YOA review: "In her autobiography, Agatha mentions how one of her grandmothers was always complaining of some vague ailment or another, which Agatha eventually divined was really just an act to demonstrate the feminine frailty deemed attractive in the 19th century. Agatha recognized this as an antique mentality; 20th century girls were made of heartier stuff. In Tuppence she created a leading lady who not only embraced the bobbed hair and ankle-baring fashions of her day but also the why-not-me spirit of the post-war girl."

3) IT'S A TIE! HaHA! The Secret of Chimneys and The Mystery of the Seven Dials
I didn't want to pick between these two, because they are both so fun and perplexing and have terrific protagonists, then I realized that since they were both set in the same place, the country estate of Chimneys, maybe it was cool for them to be a tie! So convenient.

From the book (Chimneys): "He was still some distance from the house. Not a sound could be heard anywhere. Some fast yellowing leaves detached themselves from one of the trees overhead and fell with a soft rustling sound that was almost sinister in the stillness. Anthony started; then smiled. 'Nerves,' he murmured to himself. 'Never knew I had such things before.'" - The Secret of Chimneys, p. 226

From the YOA review (Chimneys): "One thing about this story that really kept the intrigue going was the narrator situation. Even though the story wasn't written in the first person, we mostly see things through Anthony's perspective. We filter the red herrings, the scary home invasions, the mysterious gunshots, and the tense situations through his lens. But all the while, Agatha drops hints that there's something Anthony knows that he isn't telling us."

From the book (Seven Dials): "I never faint," said Bundle. "But you might as well get me a cocktail. I shall certainly need it. Then lock the door of the room again -- don't forget -- and take all the door keys back to their proper doors. And, Alfred -- don't be too much of a rabbit. Remember, if anything goes wrong, I'll see you through." - The Seven Dials Mystery, p. 109

From the YOA review (Seven Dials): "Despite people (men) constantly fussing that she shouldn't be involved with solving the mysteries at hand on account of DANGER, Bundle takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of things. When trying to track the baddie, she puts on her riding pants and climbs down a trellis (after being told to stay safely ensconced in her room while the  men handle things). When she can't figure out what the mysterious Seven Dials entails, she insists on hiding in their lair to figure it out straight from the source (despite a fella telling her she musn't risk it; she just asks for a gimlet [both cocktail and tool varieties]."

AUDREY'S TOP THREE FAVES #SOFAR:

1) The Thirteen Problems
This was a surprise favorite for me. I had never read this first introduction to Miss Jane Marple before, and, as someone who is not historically a fan of short stories, I assumed it would not be up my alley. HOWEVER, I totally fell in love with the premise, and delightful Miss-Marple-ness of each story.

From the book: "'I know human nature,' said Miss Marple. 'It's impossible not to know human nature living in a village all these years.'" -The Thirteen Problems, p. 198

From the YOA review: "In Thirteen Problems, Miss Marple is at first seen as a background observer (muttering to herself as she counts her knitting stitches) to a group game of Raymond, Sir Henry, and a few others as they each present a sort of cold case they observed or heard about from their past, with the idea that their brain powers combined can deduce the culprit. However, it's unassuming Miss Marple who schools everyone with the correct solution every time (#madrespect #yaskween)." 

2) The Murder at the Vicarage
I always thought I was a Poirot girl, but I think the last four months might have turned me into more of a Miss Marple fan! When I was reading The Murder at the Vicarage I found myself literally laughing out loud, quoting long passages to my family and friends, and ready to pack up and move to St. Mary Mead.

From the book: "If I were at any time to set out on a career of deceit, it would be of Miss Marple that I should be afraid." - Leonard Clement, The Murder at the Vicarage, p. 194

From the YOA review: "Agatha seemed to take particular pleasure in writing Miss Marple, and her readers found a connection with her new character as well. Vicarage is considered one of Agatha's best works and even her contemporary, Dorothy L. Sayers, wrote to #DameAgatha to give her approval: "Dear old Tabbies [speaking of Miss Marple and her old lady cronies] are the only possible right kind of female detective and Miss M is lovely...I think this is the best you have done - almost.""

3) Sad Cypress
Though sans Hastings, Poirot is a somber delight in this novel. The case is more serious, but still so wonderfully clever. I have a feeling this will stay on my favorites list throughout the year.

From the book: "One does not practice detection with a textbook! One uses one's natural intelligence." -Hercule Poirot, Sad Cypress, p. 166

From the YOA review: "Agatha is said to have thought this book would have been better without Poirot. I highly disagree. I enjoyed this book immensely, and it made complete sense to have Poirot as the investigating mind to prove Elinor Carlisle guilty or not guilty, because this is just the kind of case he would enjoy solving."

Have you read any of our faves? Thinking of picking one up after perusing this post? We think any of these titles would be a great place to start.

-A. & E.

Death by Fish Paste?: Sad Cypress | 1940

(image from here)

"One does not practice detection with a textbook! One uses one's natural intelligence." -Hercule Poirot, Sad Cypress, p. 166

The Sum of It:
We begin this week's first book, Sad Cypress, in the company engaged-to-be-married cousins (#cousinlove #ohlala) Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Welman. The pair is slightly distressed because they have received an anonymous letter indicating a mysterious someone is nosing their way into their very sick aunt's favor. As it is likely that their aunt will die soon, they should be, the letter says, a bit concerned about the large inheritance they will inherit from said ill aunt. Elinor and Roddy don't really think much of the letter, but decide they should pay a visit to Aunt Laura anyway. Off they go, and find a house full of nurses and doctors and housekeepers and a childhood friend of theirs, Mary Gerard, who is all grown up now and has become very attractive. Roddy, not necessarily being Britain's best and brightest to begin with, turns into a complete goob, becomes entranced by lovely Mary, and basically forgets he has a cousin fiancee at all. Elinor tries to push aside the drama of brazenly unfaithful Roddy and focus on dying Aunt Laura who does, in fact, die like right away, but does so WITHOUT A WILL. So Elinor inherits all, but wins the award for Being the Bigger Person, and agrees to give fiancee-thief Mary Gerard a chunk of cash because Aunt Laura liked her so much. Elinor and Roddy break up and Elinor decides to clean out Aunt Laura's house and have one last quick tea party of fish paste sandwiches with Mary Gerard and one of her Aunt's former nurses, Nurse Hopkins. At the end of the tea party, who turns up dead? MARY GERARD! Since they all ate the same things at #deadlyteaparty, the police surmise that Elinor must have, in a jealous rage, secretly put poison in Mary's favorite sandwich paste, ensuring her demise.

Everyone assumes that Elinor is super guilty, except darling Dr. Peter Lord, who has a tiny bit of a crush on Elinor and enlists the help of Hercule Poirot to find the truth! Note, as Poirot tells Dr. Lord to on several occasions, that might mean confirming Elinor's guilt. Poirot embarks on his usual Interview Tour of all those involved, and does in fact, find the truth. The book is in three parts, the first all the events surrounding Aunt Laura and Mary Gerard's deaths, the second part focusing on Poirot's investigation, and the third is from the perspective of Elinor Carlisle during her trial for murder. The third part is particularly interesting, because it is another instance (like Witness for the Prosecution) where Agatha shows her compelling skillz for courtroom drama!

Agatha is said to have thought this book would have been better without Poirot. I highly disagree. I enjoyed this book immensely, and it made complete sense to have Poirot as the investigating mind to prove Elinor Carlisle guilty or not guilty, because this is just the kind of case he would enjoy solving.

The YOA Treatment:
One of the side Agatha Christie books we are reading this year is Poirot and Me by David Suchet. I highly recommend this book for any Agatha lovers (particularly those who enjoy the television adaptations as well!) because David Suchet gives such delightful insight into the process of becoming an on-screen Poirot for nearly 25 years. One particular story stood out to me from his memories in his chapter about filming Sad Cypress. Suchet talks about visiting a local hospice while filming and visiting many of the elderly residents in costume (and character!) of Poirot, most of whom were huge Poirot fans! (#preciousmoment #GodblessDavidSuchet) Suchet was still getting used to being famous for being Poirot, but his iconic-ness didn't totally hit him until a moment that happened around the same time. He was on the Tube in London and a nun came hurrying up to him, yelling "It's Poirot!" He was slightly mortified at first, but the nun went on. I'll let him tell the rest:

The nun explained to me that she had just 'come out of silence' and could not wait to express her joy at seeing me. She then went on to tell the entire carriage, pretty much at the top of her voice, that she and the other nuns at her convent liked to watch Poirot after dark on Sunday evenings, even though the rules of the convent did not really allow them to do so.
'It is one of our forbidden secrets,' she chortled, with a broad smile on her face. 'It is quite wonderful.'
...Looking back, it serves to remind me just how lucky I am to have so many different kinds of fans around the world, all of whom seemed thrilled by Poirot.

Thrilled by Poirot! We couldn't agree more.

-A.