149th out of 3,394 books
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7,824 voters
After the Funeral (Hercule Poirot #29)
Christie at her plot twisting best.
Poirot unravels a deadly family mystery.
Poirot unravels a deadly family mystery.
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
March 1st 2000
by Berkley
(first published 1953)
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Wealthy Richard Abernethie, master of Enderby Hall, a vast Victorian house built in the Gothic style, has died in his sleep after a long illness. With no heir to the family fortune, descendants gather AFTER THE FUNERAL to hear Barrister Entwhistle read the will. The deceased was one of his oldest clients and a personal friend.
Distant is an appropriate descriptive of the Abernethie family members. Spouses were pronounced inferior in class, ambition, and material success, Richard's brothers died...more
Distant is an appropriate descriptive of the Abernethie family members. Spouses were pronounced inferior in class, ambition, and material success, Richard's brothers died...more
It was a good story with a clever twist, but I had to dock it a star because of the icky, icky racism. I mean there was only one expression, but she uses it so many times and this was published in 1953, and I don't know about the history of civil rights in the U.K., and British racism is different from racism in the U.S., BUT STILL. It's so gross! I can't stand it.
Similarly, Poirot plays the "all the British are suspicious of and hostile toward foreigners" card in basically every novel, and it r...more
Similarly, Poirot plays the "all the British are suspicious of and hostile toward foreigners" card in basically every novel, and it r...more
Review contains a few spoilers. Read at your own risk!
I’m happy to report that I’m much happier with this book than I was with my last one. (See my previous review of Murder in Three Acts) and now I count this book as one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels. The book begins at the funeral of Richard Abernathie, a wealthy man with a copious amount of relatives. (Here’s a quick tip: If you choose to read this one, I suggest getting a copy with a family tree included. My personal copy has one and...more
I’m happy to report that I’m much happier with this book than I was with my last one. (See my previous review of Murder in Three Acts) and now I count this book as one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels. The book begins at the funeral of Richard Abernathie, a wealthy man with a copious amount of relatives. (Here’s a quick tip: If you choose to read this one, I suggest getting a copy with a family tree included. My personal copy has one and...more
By Agatha Christie. Grade: A. #11 of Hercule Poirot Series.
I’m trying to read all the books written by Ms Christie and I’m first finishing off all the Hercule Poirot books. After The Funeral is the 11th Poirot book that I recently finished reading.
When Cora is savagely murdered with a hatchet, the extraordinary remark she made the previous day at her brother Richard’s funeral, suddenly takes on a chilling significance. At the reading of Richard’s will, Cora was clearly heard to say : It’s been...more
I’m trying to read all the books written by Ms Christie and I’m first finishing off all the Hercule Poirot books. After The Funeral is the 11th Poirot book that I recently finished reading.
When Cora is savagely murdered with a hatchet, the extraordinary remark she made the previous day at her brother Richard’s funeral, suddenly takes on a chilling significance. At the reading of Richard’s will, Cora was clearly heard to say : It’s been...more
After the funeral of the wealthy Richard Abernethie, his remaining family assembles for the reading of the will at Enderby Hall. The death, though sudden, was not unexpected and natural causes have been given on his death certificate. Nevertheless, the tactless Cora says, "It's been hushed up very nicely ... but he was murdered, wasn't he?" The family lawyer, Mr. Entwhistle, begins to investigate. Before long there is no question that a murderer is at large.
(wikipedia.org)
Another great mystery s...more
(wikipedia.org)
Another great mystery s...more
Absolute classic and ingenious Christie. A country house, a will, a dysfunctional family, some deaths and near misses. Plenty of red herrings and a real sense that you should be able to guess the perpetrator if only you could go back and make notes; but you are too busy turning the pages to recap conversations in detail. Yet again I got it wrong but that's the most satisfying outcome in a whodunnit. I was reading recently why it is that we find detective stories so satisfying and apparently it i...more
Aug 15, 2011
Kathleen Hagen
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-audio-books,
2011-mysteries
After the Funeral, by Agatha Christie, A. Narrated by Hugh Fraser, Produced by BBC-WW Audio Books America, Downloaded from Audible.com.
The master of Enderby Hall, Richard Abernethie, has passed away, leaving his massive fortune divided up between family members. The family is not close, and they are fairly uncomfortable dining together in Abernathy’s house after the funeral and waiting for the solicitor to read the will. Cora, who generally said exactly what she thought without consideration for...more
The master of Enderby Hall, Richard Abernethie, has passed away, leaving his massive fortune divided up between family members. The family is not close, and they are fairly uncomfortable dining together in Abernathy’s house after the funeral and waiting for the solicitor to read the will. Cora, who generally said exactly what she thought without consideration for...more
Ah Poirot, how I enjoy you with your funny egg shaped head, your sleek moustaches and your willingness to embrace the rampant racism present in the average Englishman all in the pursuit of a tricksy murderer. This lovely hardcover facsimile edition has been sitting on my shelf for a while waiting to be read and it's really a very enjoyable Poirot whodunnit.
We have a stately home reaching the end of it's life along with the owner, a death swiftly followed by a second and a small cast of eccentric...more
We have a stately home reaching the end of it's life along with the owner, a death swiftly followed by a second and a small cast of eccentric...more
(Note: minor hint at a spoiler without naming names) With Funerals are Fatal, Dame Agatha shows us how the true Queen of Crime handles the "cozy" English manor mystery, and she may or may not have her tongue slightly in her cheek while she's at it. I knew from the opening description of the Gothic revival Victorian mansion, complete with elderly butler, that I was in classic "country manor house" territory, and was delighted to find myself there as that's a favorite setting of mine. A charming c...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Perhaps it’s a bit strange why, during hectic days like these, I opted for a detective novel, which is full of questions and mysteries, to read in-between my activities. But then books like Christie’s give me comfort because of their certainty. In these books, the truth will be revealed, the culprits will pay, and order will be restored, despite likely at a different equilibrium.
Christie was the master of the genre. After And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Murder of...more
Christie was the master of the genre. After And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Murder of...more
I did not like this book. I was really looking forward to reading this book and was so disappointed! I heard great things about other Agatha Christie books and this one seemed like a really good one. Nothing. Ever. Happened. All that happens is repeated so many times by various detectives and investigators and the involved suspects that it get so redundant. I enjoyed the exposition but once the plot started to "form", It got really boring. I did like some of the characters though. The murderer w...more
My first Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express was a terrible success for me. I enjoyed it immensely. And for that, I high-handedly believed that it was just luck – a one-hit wonder, so to speak.
(I find that keeping a healthy dose of pessimism is sometimes advisable so as to make my enjoyment of the same author’s other work more rewarding.)
And really, After the Funeral is a mystery that latches onto you a few paragraphs in from the first page. Latches on and refuses to let go.
The sudden...more
(I find that keeping a healthy dose of pessimism is sometimes advisable so as to make my enjoyment of the same author’s other work more rewarding.)
And really, After the Funeral is a mystery that latches onto you a few paragraphs in from the first page. Latches on and refuses to let go.
The sudden...more
At the will-reading of elderly Richard Abernethie, his sister Cora, estranged for twenty years from the family but remembered for blurting unreasonable truths since childhood, asks "But he was murdered, wasn't he?", is killed next afternoon by vicious hatchet blows to the head while napping unconscious from sleeping tablets, after sending her twittery companion Miss Gilchrist to town for library books. The spinster with "one of those indeterminate faces that women around fifty so often acquire"...more
Yet another book with a classic twist in the method of crime. The suspense is a little unexpected but more than that the method of crime is twisted like a typical Christie novel. I am very interested in the chronology and the methods Christie describes.. The beauty of Agatha Christie is not just waiting for the whodunit. Its the thrill of deduction that Poirot uses, the family characters she writes and shapes and the ingenious methods of criminals, which would almost work had it not been for Poi...more
"c1953. Again a random choice from the library as although I had seen the excellent TV version, I had not read the actual book. Glad to say that the TV version kept very closely to the original story. A lot of mention of the government and the taxes imposed and I would imagine from Agatha Christies point of view, the Labour government at the time, would have been a complete anaethema. Mention is also made of various social and economic changes that came about ""because of the war"". It certainly...more
Agatha twisted another plot, tried her best to confuse me.
Well, I should say she made it- again.
I was baffled in my effort to pin down one suspect from many relatives of Abernethie.
I looked at all the evidences and alibis.
Nearly everybody had their own motives for killing Richard and Cora.
ALmost all of the younger generations seemed guilty to my eyes.
Until, Agatha gave clues on the wax flowers, the nuns and the picture of Polflexan Harbour; then only something flicked in my brain.
Then only I re...more
Well, I should say she made it- again.
I was baffled in my effort to pin down one suspect from many relatives of Abernethie.
I looked at all the evidences and alibis.
Nearly everybody had their own motives for killing Richard and Cora.
ALmost all of the younger generations seemed guilty to my eyes.
Until, Agatha gave clues on the wax flowers, the nuns and the picture of Polflexan Harbour; then only something flicked in my brain.
Then only I re...more
A lovely, lovely Poirot mystery about a rather sad family and what happens when a rich man dies with no primary heir, and his from-the-mouths-of-babes sister blurts out that she thought he was murdered. The twists and turns are top-notch, and if Christie succumbs to her usual biases in selecting a murderer, it's easy to forgive because of the incredible depth of characterization.
The book also gets at the pains of post-WWII British society - the approaching death of Richard Abernethie is most di...more
The book also gets at the pains of post-WWII British society - the approaching death of Richard Abernethie is most di...more
Don't let the title put you off! This is a classic "whodunnit" story and if you love a good mystery, then this book is amazing! Agatha Christie's plot-lines always take me by surprise and this is no exception-there's a brilliant twist at the end. Make sure you take a look at the family tree at the beginning of the book or it might get a bit confusing, as there's quite a few characters involved.However this is probably the best Agatha Christie I have read so far. I personally prefer Christie's st...more
A pesar de que al principio es un poco confuso por la cantidad de personajes y su posicion dentro de la familia (hijo/hija/hermana/sobrino/cuñado, un quilombo) es una novela muy buena, hay momentos donde parece que todos son los culpables del asesinato y hay otros momentos donde todos parecen super inocentes, creo que es algo bastante tipico de las novelas de esta autora.
Otra cosa que he notado de sus novelas es que en muchas de ellas sucede que en un mismo libro hay varios asesinatos distribui...more
Otra cosa que he notado de sus novelas es que en muchas de ellas sucede que en un mismo libro hay varios asesinatos distribui...more
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie
Black Dog & Leventhal, 1953
303 pages
Mystery; Poirot
4/5 stars
British Book Challenge
Source: Library
Summary: After the funeral of Richard Abernethie, his sister Cora posits the theory that he had been murdered, causing a ripple of shock throughout the gathered family. The next day Cora is found, having definitely been murdered with a hatchet. Presumably the same person did it but who can solve the mystery? Well the famous Hercule Poirot can!
Thoughts: What a p...more
Black Dog & Leventhal, 1953
303 pages
Mystery; Poirot
4/5 stars
British Book Challenge
Source: Library
Summary: After the funeral of Richard Abernethie, his sister Cora posits the theory that he had been murdered, causing a ripple of shock throughout the gathered family. The next day Cora is found, having definitely been murdered with a hatchet. Presumably the same person did it but who can solve the mystery? Well the famous Hercule Poirot can!
Thoughts: What a p...more
First of all - what a great title!
Another enjoyable but not earth-shattering book by Christie. Again easy to get into, stays interesting throughout, and the ending was unexpected.
The thing I actually liked the most about this book is that it gives an interesting perspective into the lives of rich, older/middle-aged people living shortly after World War II. It was very amusing to hear the complaints about the high cost of hiring servants, the unwillingness of house help to completely drop all o...more
Another enjoyable but not earth-shattering book by Christie. Again easy to get into, stays interesting throughout, and the ending was unexpected.
The thing I actually liked the most about this book is that it gives an interesting perspective into the lives of rich, older/middle-aged people living shortly after World War II. It was very amusing to hear the complaints about the high cost of hiring servants, the unwillingness of house help to completely drop all o...more
Richard Abernethie est décédé brusquement chez lui d'une crise cardiaque. " C'est ce qu'ont écrit les journaux.
Tous les proches sont accourus pour les obsèques et tout se serait passé très correctement si cette écervelée de Cora n'avait bêtement demandé: " Il a bien été assassiné, n'est-ce pas ? "
Cette question incongrue jette, évidemment, un froid dans la réunion de famille.
Six ou huit coups de hache assenés, dès le lendemain, sur le crâne de la bavarde, et un peu d'arsenic fourré dans le gâ...more
Tous les proches sont accourus pour les obsèques et tout se serait passé très correctement si cette écervelée de Cora n'avait bêtement demandé: " Il a bien été assassiné, n'est-ce pas ? "
Cette question incongrue jette, évidemment, un froid dans la réunion de famille.
Six ou huit coups de hache assenés, dès le lendemain, sur le crâne de la bavarde, et un peu d'arsenic fourré dans le gâ...more
Poirot!!
I liked this one a lot and it was very fun to read. The actual plot/mystery wasn't the most exciting ever compared to a lot of other ones. It wasn't very scary or intricate. But it was a very enjoyable. It felt less uptight than some of the earlier ones. Agatha Christie popped in a lot of little clever judgments about people. Also, I sort of figured out some of the answers to the plot before they were revealed, which with Agatha Christie doesn't usually happen, so this was slightly less...more
I liked this one a lot and it was very fun to read. The actual plot/mystery wasn't the most exciting ever compared to a lot of other ones. It wasn't very scary or intricate. But it was a very enjoyable. It felt less uptight than some of the earlier ones. Agatha Christie popped in a lot of little clever judgments about people. Also, I sort of figured out some of the answers to the plot before they were revealed, which with Agatha Christie doesn't usually happen, so this was slightly less...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Oct 15, 2012
Bookworm
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Bookworm by:
a friend
I really didn't know if I should give this a 4 or a 5. I think I gave it a 4 because it's my first Agatha Christie novel. Anyway that doesn't matter.
While I was reading I kept thinking: Come on, you can do this, you can find who did it. It's not that hard, just pay attention. And I did, but turns out, all I did was to stay on the safe side. (view spoiler) But oh well, Agatha is a queen and she managed to trick us al...more
While I was reading I kept thinking: Come on, you can do this, you can find who did it. It's not that hard, just pay attention. And I did, but turns out, all I did was to stay on the safe side. (view spoiler) But oh well, Agatha is a queen and she managed to trick us al...more
I've been going to things by myself for so long that it doesn't occur to me to invite other people along. Instead I bring books to punk shows and read them in between bands. I picked this one up off my house's library shelf because it was small.
Agatha Christie books are interesting because they're this weird glimpse into an antiquated aristocratic society that doesn't exist so much any more. In fact, many references in this book were about just that--- the disappearance of the aristocracy.
That...more
Agatha Christie books are interesting because they're this weird glimpse into an antiquated aristocratic society that doesn't exist so much any more. In fact, many references in this book were about just that--- the disappearance of the aristocracy.
That...more
Sep 28, 2009
Jigna
added it
When aunt Cora was murdered with a hachet, the remark she made at her brother Richard's funeral took a new level of significance.
This book introduces us to yet another one of Christie's imaginary families - Abernethie family. People in this family have not met for years and probably know each other by their names only. However, a funeral in their family and a few words by aunt Cora brings them closer and to believe that the death may not have been a natural death at all.
In desperation, the fami...more
This book introduces us to yet another one of Christie's imaginary families - Abernethie family. People in this family have not met for years and probably know each other by their names only. However, a funeral in their family and a few words by aunt Cora brings them closer and to believe that the death may not have been a natural death at all.
In desperation, the fami...more
When I'm in the mood for a mystery novel, I find that I can never go wrong by choosing an Agatha Christie, and Hercule Poirot is generally my detective of choice (though I have enjoyed some Miss Marple mysteries, too). It is rare that I can ever guess who the culprit is, though I came oh-so-close this time, changing my mind towards the end thanks to Christie trying to throw us off the scent. Christie's key clues to solving her mysteries are almost always so subtle that I tend to miss most of the...more
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Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Torquay, Devon, England, U.K., as the youngest of three. The Millers had two other children: Margaret Frary Miller (1879–1950), called Madge, who was eleven years Agatha's senior, and Louis Montant Miller (1880...more
More about Agatha Christie...
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Torquay, Devon, England, U.K., as the youngest of three. The Millers had two other children: Margaret Frary Miller (1879–1950), called Madge, who was eleven years Agatha's senior, and Louis Montant Miller (1880...more
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“For in the long run, either through a lie, or through truth, people were bound to give themselves away …”
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