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

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

You are right, Nicole. I have yet to re-watch the episode, but will do so soon. I've seen it many times already!

I thought it would be nice to read an old favorite for April and y'all agreed! This is especially timely given the recent (and poorly received, at least by Christie fans) adaptation with John Malkovich. This is due to become available soon on one or another of the streaming services.

We will also discuss (if you can) the Suchet version of the novel, one of the very best of the Suchet adaptations, in my opinion.

Anyway, the story starts off right away with Hastings returning to join Poirot after many years and many cases. Poirot has received a taunting letter from an "ABC" who is challenging Poirot to solve what we find soon will be a series of murders.

The first is that of Alice Ascher, a poor woman who was coshed in her small shop, in the town of Andover. The immediate suspect, her estranged husband, seems quite unlikely to be the murderer and the taunting letter seems to be in play.

I found it amusing that Mrs. Ascher was referred to as an old woman, and very soon after is described as "close on 60". Hrumph!

Nicole: Got it! There are a lot of them, aren't there?

Happy to cook at any time!! (What is MSW?)

Thanks. Looking forward to it

I would be happy to host ABC, given that it was my recommendation. What say we start Monday, the first? I'll have a chapter breakdown soon.

By the way, I think I mentioned while ago to y'all in this group that I put in a proposal to teach a class at our life-long learning group, OSHER, called "The World of Agatha Christie". Well, they accepted and I start the class May 7th. Registration for classes started only this past Wednesday, and within 8 hours or so, the class was completely filled (30 people), with 8 now on the waiting list!. Even I am surprised!

I agree. This sounds like a good read. Didn't we just do one of these for New Year's?

I'm not positive, but comments from other places seemed to indicate that the recent adaptation of Ordeal changed the murderer. I hate when they do that.

That is my vote, Tina!

I liked Mrs. Watson as well. Probably the most interesting character in the book.

I go with ABC. Perhaps Palace later, when it becomes available at my library.

My TV service is pretty limited. I’m looking to get something that will give me more of the shows I like, but there are so many cable packages and streaming options, I don’t know where to start.

I've read them all many times. I suggested ABC Murders since it is timely, with the new adaptation.

I don't think the Malkovitch thing is here in the US yet.

I would love a classic Christie.

I wouldn't mind "Palace" but the only copy at our library system is currently unavailable.

Another thought, would anyone be interested in Agatha Christie's ABC Murders? It has been much in the discussion groups on Facebook given the (apparently awful) recent TV adaptation, with John Malkovich.

While I agree it is still probably in cozy territory, I was disappointed in the "mass suicide" business. Miss Holmes certainly did a lot of the "looking at someone and coming up with an accurate story about them" business, I felt she did less of the solving of the ultimate mystery.

I'm rating 3 of 5 stars on this one.

And Nicole, I am totally on board with the "a little more cheerful" for next month's read! Not just because of this, but my reading of late elsewhere as well has been a little heavy, and I can use something more upbeat!

Finished last night. I agree that I didn't see that business with Sackville coming. On the other hand, I don't think there was any hint of it earlier in the book or that real detection solved the final mystery. Perhaps that is the result of me being so confused through much of the book, what with too many Lord this and Lady that to keep track of.

I'm glad I finished, but not a particularly satisfying trip.

I'll be there soon as well. About 50 more pages.

22 chapters, Tina. I am in the midst of 17, I think.

All you both say is true. Part of the confusion is that things were so unnecessarily complicated in the first third of the book, that we are now rightly confused as to what exactly is going on. My guess is that Mrs. Watson is just posing as Mrs. Hudson, but I can't see how that could go on much longer than the main deception.

Now that I'm in the final section of the book, I really do want to see what happens, but I'm darned if I can see now how this got some sort of "first novel" prize.