Rating :4 stars
Blurb
A conjurer of skill with an instinct for detection, Mr. Harley Quin has an almost magical flair for appearing at the scene of the most remarkable crimes. But is it just a trick of light that haunts his shadow with a ghostly apparition? Is it fate that invites him to a New Year's Eve murder? And what forces are at work when his car breaks down outside Royston Hall, an isolated estate with a deadly history? With fantastic intrigue, uncanny procedure, and Agatha Christie's most charismatic creation, these dazzling stories remain personal favorites for the queen of crime.My thought
I've read over 20 books from Agatha Christie. She really deserves to be "The Quin of Mystery", she really is so! You can't predict what will happen next in her stories.It contains 12 short stories and introduces Mr Satterthwaite and the rather shadowy presence of Mr Harley Quin.
The titles are
- The Coming of Mr. Quin
- The Shadow on the Glass
- At the "Bells and Motley"
- The Sign in the Sky
- The Soul of the Croupier
- The Man from the Sea
- The Voice in the Dark
- The Face of Helen
- The Dead Harlequin
- The Bird with the Broken Wing
- The World's End
- Harlequin's Lane
The thing that is different in this book is that unlike most of her books, she didn't write a long story; but short stories that are approximately 20 pages or so. Only two characters are always the same in each of the stories. If you are a mystery lover, we should read this book! On the other hand, sincerely, I think some of her other books are much more better than this one. Her ancient English makes it hard to understand, too.
Christie builds wonderful depth into the scenarios with very few words and leaves the reader feeling the sort of queer ache that the best faery stories evoke.
I really liked this book, for all its predictability. It was sweetly written, and although it was a departure from Poirot or Marple, the personalities she wrote about were enjoyable and intriguing. It's a short story collection, so I might recommend reading it with spaces between the stories to make sure it doesn't get too repetitive.
