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In the first Hercule Poirot novel to appear in over 20 years, perhaps Christie's most famous and beloved detective returns to bring his 'little gre...
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Aug 07, 2011
Christie biographer Osborne's adaptation of the grande dame's 1930 play has been blessed by the Christie estate & heartily endorsed by her grandson Michael Prichard. It's a classic "someone in this room is the murderer" tale set in 1934. Scientist Sir Claud Amory invites Hercule Poirot to his estate to collect a formula for a new atomic explosive. Prior to Poirot's arrival, Sir Claud discovers the formula is missing from his safe. He offers the thief one minute of darkness to return it
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Sep 19, 2011
Maria
rated it: 
Sou completamente fã de Agatha Christie tendo sido a escritora britânica a fazer-me adorar ler policiais. E quando pensava que já tinha lido todas as histórias do meu detective favorito, Poirot, há sempre uma surpresa agradável: Café negro, um livro que Christie tinha inicialmente escrito para uma peça de teatro e que foi adaptado posteriormente por Charles Osborne, no meu entender de uma forma bastante satisfatória.
Nesta nova aventura detectivesca, Poirot é levado a investigar um suposto More...
Nesta nova aventura detectivesca, Poirot é levado a investigar um suposto More...
Aug 26, 2011
Barbara
rated it: 
For an avid Agatha Christie fan, I remember being so excited--a "new" book!
And then I read it. It was based on a play Christie wrote--an early play. Too many elements reminded me of other, better novels (actually written by Dame Agatha Christie herself). There were no surprises, no Christie prose; Poirot didn't sound or act like *my* Poirot, and Hastings wasn't Hastings. The language was terribly forced; putting stage directions into a paragraph does not a novel make.
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And then I read it. It was based on a play Christie wrote--an early play. Too many elements reminded me of other, better novels (actually written by Dame Agatha Christie herself). There were no surprises, no Christie prose; Poirot didn't sound or act like *my* Poirot, and Hastings wasn't Hastings. The language was terribly forced; putting stage directions into a paragraph does not a novel make.
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Jan 31, 2011
Ruth
rated it: 
This is a novelization of a play by Agatha Christie. The adapter, however, is not Agatha Christie and does not have her skills. The writing is clunky at best and the characters are stereotypes through and through. It's a testament to Christie's original plot though that this is essentially enjoyable if taken on its own terms as a simple, conventional English-country-house mystery.
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Aug 17, 2011
Amber
rated it: 
Within the first several pages, I recognized a difference in style from the other Agatha Christie books I have read: namely, after several pages, I was not yet engrossed in the story. A closer look at the title page gave me my answer. This is not an Agatha Christie novel. It is an Agatha Christie play that has been adapted into a novel. Personally, I would much rather read it as a play. As it is, in many places it reads almost as stage directions, so clearly that I found it painfully awkward.
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Mar 11, 2011
Emily
rated it:
I kept thinking that this would make a really excellent play. Come to find out, from the afterword, that it actually was a play, adapted to novel form by the author of The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie. This is fortunate, because, really it would be better seen than read.
This tale seemed quite sophomoric and the murderer was revealed to any careful reader near the beginning of the book. I kept thinking it would turn out differently in the end, or perhaps I'd read it wrong, but app More...
This tale seemed quite sophomoric and the murderer was revealed to any careful reader near the beginning of the book. I kept thinking it would turn out differently in the end, or perhaps I'd read it wrong, but app More...
Jun 11, 2010
Tori
rated it:
Black Coffee, by Agatha Christe takes place in the small town of Market Cleve located on the outskirts of London. When Sir Claud notices the sudden dissappearance of his beloved formula for a revolutionary explosive, he automatically calls Detective Hercule Poirot. However, the stolen formula quickly becomes somewhat irrelevant when Sir Claud is spontaneously murdered. Throughout the book, Poirot utilizes his wit and strategy to trace the killer, who is thought to be living right in Sir Cla
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Nov 02, 2009
Kelsey
rated it:
Don't get me wrong, I love Agatha Christie novels. I enjoy Hercule Poirot books especially.
THIS BOOK WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE A NOVEL.
It was written as a play, and reads more like a play than a classical Christie novel. The dialogue is lacking and description is less rich- obviously the actors are supposed to bring life to the emotions rather than having a clear picture in our minds as most of Agatha Christie's novels inspire one to imagine. This book was published after Ch More...
THIS BOOK WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE A NOVEL.
It was written as a play, and reads more like a play than a classical Christie novel. The dialogue is lacking and description is less rich- obviously the actors are supposed to bring life to the emotions rather than having a clear picture in our minds as most of Agatha Christie's novels inspire one to imagine. This book was published after Ch More...
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Jul 24, 2009
Debbie (Readerbuzz)
rated it:
I’m not much of a mystery reader, but I’ve never read Agatha Christie and I wanted to, so thus, this book. I read the first fifty pages in a flash. This is not what I’d expected from Agatha, I thought. This is light reading. Lots of dialogue, minimal action.
As I looked more carefully at the book, I found out why. Despite the enormous AGATHA CHRISTIE written on the front cover, Black Coffee, the book, was not actually written by Christie. It is derived from a play Christie wrote, but More...
As I looked more carefully at the book, I found out why. Despite the enormous AGATHA CHRISTIE written on the front cover, Black Coffee, the book, was not actually written by Christie. It is derived from a play Christie wrote, but More...
Sep 30, 2011
Daga
rated it:
I was very curious how it would be to read a book which was not written by AC. To be honest, I could feel it. Though I can't complain. The plot and the dialogues are obviously hers, which is great, as nobody could imitate Hercules Poirot's speech, neither Hastings' :p It is a pleasurable reading, though quite short. The story itself was good, though for the first time I had impression that something went very wrong, as it is clearly shown (told/written) how did it at the very beginning of the bo
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Jun 24, 2011
Arlene
rated it:
This is a adaptation of an Agatha Christie play by Charles Osborne. Through it all I could see the play being performed on a stage in my mind.
It isn't as good as one of her novels but I did like it. It is the story of the theft of a secret formula for a new explosive and the murder of the inventor. Hercule Poirot is called in to take the formula back to London but arrives just after Sir Claude is found dead. It is a classic locked room mystery and Poirot must use his "little gre More...
It isn't as good as one of her novels but I did like it. It is the story of the theft of a secret formula for a new explosive and the murder of the inventor. Hercule Poirot is called in to take the formula back to London but arrives just after Sir Claude is found dead. It is a classic locked room mystery and Poirot must use his "little gre More...
Jun 27, 2008
Aimee
rated it:
Agatha Christie did not write this book. She wrote it as a play and then 68 years later Charles Osborne, the foremost and in my opinion a very poor Christie 'expert', came along and turned it into this godawful mess of a novel. For someone who is supposed to be a Christie aficionado, he clearly has little to no knowledge of the basics of Christie's characters and their personal idiosyncrasies.
For example, at a key part of the story, Hercule Poirot's sidekick Captain Arthur Hastin More...
For example, at a key part of the story, Hercule Poirot's sidekick Captain Arthur Hastin More...
Jan 31, 2011
Mazel
rated it:
En cette belle matinée de 1934, Hercule Poirot, retiré des affaires, savoure son petit déjeuner dans son appartement de Mayfair...
Mais, lorsque sir Claude Amory appelle au secours le détective, le chocolat crémeux et la brioche dorée ne sont plus qu'un lointain souvenir.
Les recherches de ce célèbre savant atomiste suscitent bien des convoitises, y compris dans sa propre maisonnée...
Première pièce de théâtre d'Agatha Christie, Black Coffee contient déjà les More...
Mais, lorsque sir Claude Amory appelle au secours le détective, le chocolat crémeux et la brioche dorée ne sont plus qu'un lointain souvenir.
Les recherches de ce célèbre savant atomiste suscitent bien des convoitises, y compris dans sa propre maisonnée...
Première pièce de théâtre d'Agatha Christie, Black Coffee contient déjà les More...
Sep 03, 2011
Doskoi_panda
rated it:
Not really an original Christie, this, and it shows in the writing. Originally a play, Black Coffee has been adapted as a novel here (with permission of Christie's family) by Charles Osborne. It's a good locked room mystery, and would be great fun as a stage performance, but as a novel it isn't quite up to Christie's usual standard. Also, the font size is large, for some reason, for a paperback (it isn't meant to be a large print edition) which kept throwing me off.
Nov 04, 2011
A novelisation of one of Agatha Christie's early plays.[return][return]Sir Claud has discovered the formula for a new explosive, which is stolen by someone in his house. He gives the thief time to replace the formula, and when the lights go back on, he is dead and Poirot has to work it out.[return][return]This does read like a play, lots of speech and very limited scenery (the majority of the book based in the drawing room and study)
Sep 02, 2009
Amanda
rated it:
I hate to give a Christie book only two stars but I didn't particularily enjoy this book. I believe it was because this was originally written as a play which means there is only one room involved & its overall rather simpilistic. The ending was rather mellowdramtic and almost like a cheesy comedy (I kept thinking of scenes from "The Princess Bride"). On a good note, as always I can appreciate Christie's clean, crisp writing & the ever intelligant Poirot.
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Nov 05, 2011
Dree
rated it:
Now that I have entered my entire list of read books into GR, I can easily tell which Agatha Christie books I have never read.
So, here we go--I have 5 or 6 I couldn't find during my 7th-10th grade Agatha Christie reading spree 25 (ahem!) years ago.
I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book. Perhaps some is nostalgia, as I can see why I loved these back then! Now it's a simple, quick, yet enjoyable read.
So, here we go--I have 5 or 6 I couldn't find during my 7th-10th grade Agatha Christie reading spree 25 (ahem!) years ago.
I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book. Perhaps some is nostalgia, as I can see why I loved these back then! Now it's a simple, quick, yet enjoyable read.
Jan 26, 2011
Sasha
rated it:
Definitely one of her poorer works. It is completely obvious who the murderer is from the very first pages. It isn't as clear what happened to the formula and so on, but the solution isn't particularly surprising. The characters are all for the most part terribly corny. There are a few cleverly humorous pages, and it's interesting to read a novel featuring Hastings but not narrated by him.
Nov 04, 2011
Carol
rated it: 
Thought I had read every Agatha Christie book but found this one I had not. I love the fussy, pompous Hercule Poirot!! And as always he didn't let me down. He and his old side kick Hastings, who's as clueless as ever, had the problem in hand and solved before the police could even get a clue as to what happened. Hope I'll find more of his stories that I haven't read!
Sep 12, 2010
Astraia
rated it:
I am sure that this was a New York Times bestseller because the publisher knew that another Hercule Poirot novel would have huge sales. What a disappointment. The novel was written by Charles Osborne (adapted from a play by Agatha Christie) and he clearly does not get the elegance or wit of Hercule Poirot. If you like Hercule Poirot you will not like this.
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Aug 04, 2009
Eleni
rated it:
this is a kind of rewrite of what I believe was a Christie play.... while at times, he captures her voice very well, there are many times when the imitation is painfully clear. However, it was another Poirot story, so how bad could it be? I was glad to come across this in half price books a few weeks ago... I almost have the complete christie collection....
Nov 22, 2011
Meredith
rated it:
I think this would be better as a play as Christie originally wrote it....as a novel it isn't brilliant and the writer has done a lot of things Christie doesn't usually do in her novels, like show you things maybe you would see in a play but normally Christie wouldn't tell you (since you can figure out who the murderer is almost immediately).
Jun 09, 2011
Fiah
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 30, 2011
Megan
rated it:
Fast read but I love a good murder mystery anytime. I was so proud of myself-I actually guessed who the murderer was (& not just 2 seconds before the detective announced it)& I guessed what was really happening with all the other suspects. I'm usually horrible at guessing that in her books or in any other murder mysteries I read.
Sep 29, 2008
Richard
rated it:
Originally written by Agatha Christie in 1930 as a three-act play, it has been adapted as a novel by Charles Osborne. He is, according to the book jacket, "an expert on Christie's life and work as well as a world-renowned theater and opera critis." However, Mr. Osborne lacks the ability to give the depth to either the characters or the story that is required. We do get another chance for one of our favorite characters, Hercule Poirot, to shine in another of his cases. Poirot and hi
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Aug 07, 2010
astrangerhere
rated it:
Read in a single afternoon due to it being disablingly hot outside. I thought to read all of Agatha Christie last year but ran into a wall not being able to find this book at my library. Now I have every scrap Lady Agatha has ever written on my Nook and am ready to dive in again :)
Jan 07, 2011
Sue T
rated it:
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Jun 15, 2009
Hannah
rated it:
Perhaps because this one was adapted into a novel from a play by someone other than Christie, this one doesn't seem to have the same feel; it comes across as quite flat. The material is still there, though; a decent read for Christie fans.
Jul 11, 2011
Jana
rated it:
I really enjoy Agatha Christie's work. I listened to this one. I have watched quite a few Peroit movies with David Suchet, and listening to this book adapted from a screenplay, reminded me of the movies,so I could picture it very well. It was enjoyable.
Aug 03, 2010
Vansell
rated it:
A classic Christie. Quite short so a good one to read if you want to cross off a Christie book from your must read list. Not as satisfying as most of her classics but enough to get an insight into how good she can be.
