Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

Hi Tina. Sadly, the book, despite my best intentions, is not going anywhere. I simply don't yet have the will power to force myself to move on it. On the other hand, I have been working on my Agatha Christie class presentations a good bit!

I am fine with a little wait. I have a lot of reading to do in the meantime!

Who is up to host?

I have some of the DVDs, but not the recent ones. I understand there were casting changes after the first season.

Certainly! I'll have room to read something else in the meantime!

I am only about 40% through it. There is a ghost involved which started to turn me off, but now, I'm quite liking it.

I'll let you in on a secret. When we considered Palace for April, I mentioned that it was currently unavailable in my library system. I put in a request to hold it when it became available regardless, thinking it might be the pick. As it turned out, the book was available fairly quickly after my request and I currently have it and have been reading it.

So if we decide to go ahead, I will be up for that pick.

Totally on board with that!

I totally agree. Poirot at his most perfect!. I'm glad you liked it!

I use explorer but didn't get a message it is going away. I get messages to use Edge, and also Chrome. I use Firebox as a back-up some times. I can't say I'm particularly attached to any of them!

The only thing that comes to mind that I really like and newer things don't work well, is my family history program, Family Tree Maker. I use a very old version that isn't even compatible on my current laptop. (I keep an old laptop which I now only use with this old program.) I guess sometime, something will need to change, but I'm afraid I won't be happy about it!

Well, I guess we are probably all nearly to the end if not already there. A quick read for me since I've read it a number of times. (I felt that after a few less than interesting, to me, books, I deserved a comfort food sort of book!)

This is the book I recommend to people who are new to Christie. Its solution is not as widely known as Orient Express or Ten Little Indians, but still one of the more spectacular ones.

84 years after publication it is still a stunner!

I haven't decided. The whole thing is just so complicated, that I haven't had time to devote to all the research I need.

I know that some of you watch Hallmark Mysteries. Is there much stull there of interest?

Poor Mrs. A. Apparently this is all to prove that "Auntie had such a hard life", according to her niece.

I finally got around to watching the Suchet version last night. One of the very best! Pretty true to the book, both suspenseful and with a bit of humor. Well cast and well acted.

One never knows, does one?

I agree, Nicole! I love how Christie planned ahead to give Ascher's niece a name beginning with "D", so Hastings can take care of her.

All righty! Here we are in the second section.

We meet Donald Fraser, boyfriend of the murdered Betty Barnard. The first words of the chapter sum him up quite well. Hastings writes "I felt sorry at once for the young man." He really is kind of a sorry man.

We move along in the investigation not really getting much of anywhere. There is the thought that the murderer must be magnanimous, in that in the first two cases, the obvious suspect for each murder, Mr. Ascher and Fraser, could not have done their "murder". Could that be a clue?

And now we get the third letter, and it has shockingly be delayed getting to Poirot. Could THAT be a clue?

Are we ready to move on? (I'll try to watch the TV version with Suchet this evening. I've been meaning to but my schedule has been busy!)

Yes, I did. I don't think there are any more, and no future spoilers, either!

True, he lived near Styles, in the very first book. I think there was in the intervening time, different lodgings they shared, before Poirot ended up at Whitehaven Mansions, where he lives now. I don't think the location was identified, though.