From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Appointment with Death (Hercule Poirot, #19)

Agatha Christie

Start date: September 1, 2019

Finish date: September 30, 2019

Discussion: Archive: Poirot Buddy Reads

Why we're reading this: The next in our series of Poirot buddy reads.
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Archive: Poirot Buddy Reads

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What Members Thought

Mar 12, 2021 Grisette rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 3rd-pers-narration, my-kind-of-detective-thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
4.5 stars

⏳ [Re-read project #10 of 2023, 1st proper review, rating upgraded from 4 to 5 GR stars]

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🔹️ Number of death/s: 1
🔹️ Motive for the crime: Fear
🔹️ Method of crime: Poison (Overdose)
🔹️ Main location: Jordan/ Palestine
🔹️ Notable element: Another baddy who chooses the easy way out instead of facing Man's laws, just like in Death on the Nile, Peril at End House or The Hollow (P.S. I am not a fan of this plot element)
🔹️ Book type: Novel, H. Poirot
🔹️ Reference to SH: -

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4.5 stars

⏳ [Re-read project #10 of 2023, 1st proper review, rating upgraded from 4 to 5 GR stars]

==================

🔹️ Number of death/s: 1
🔹️ Motive for the crime: Fear
🔹️ Method of crime: Poison (Overdose)
🔹️ Main location: Jordan/ Palestine
🔹️ Notable element: Another baddy who chooses the easy way out instead of facing Man's laws, just like in Death on the Nile, Peril at End House or The Hollow (P.S. I am not a fan of this plot element)
🔹️ Book type: Novel, H. Poirot
🔹️ Reference to SH: -

==================

This was one of my most delightful AC re-reads of 2023. The writing was flawless, really AC at her very best. It was atmospheric, well-plotted, the psychology was on point (I especially appreciated the duality of perspective that one can have on a given same subject, e.g. the victim being a dominant tyrant but in effect futile and ineffective in the real breadth of her power), and the puzzle solving was masterfully done by Poirot (his "x is guilty because, but is innocent because" was a treat to read 🥰!).

The compare and contrast exercise of the key times was very interesting to follow but quite frankly a headache to put order into 😁😅. I contented myself with rescuing my weak brain cells and instead allowed Poirot full space to make sense of the whole mess of lies. The reveal of the culprit and its motive remains suprising even if I read it all before. Though the whole ride was very exhilarating, I can't help but think that the motive felt very shallow in final. But then I guess that for a futile victim, being offed for a shallow motive was a kind of divine retribution 😁!

While reading I kept being influenced by the ITV's version of the book. Obviously, the Tv version was much more plot complicated (overly so and dramatic if I may say so) but entertaining all the same. I was a little bit disappointed that the well-known passage from Appointment in Samarra's epigraph was not used in the book (though it certainly influenced the book's title and its malevolent atmosphere) contrarily to the Tv adapdation (where indeed David Suchet's flair for the right addition to the plot shines). I nevertheless still prefers the book's plot. This book perfectly fits this month's reading challenge theme of 'Hatred', both through the common sentiment the grotesque victim inspires to her family (and people who saw her for what she is) and the malicious hatred the victim had against those she had under her heel.

One of my top 10 Poirot books, 💯 recommended!

#readchristie2023, Hatred ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2017 Teri-K rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, mystery-golden-age

I thoroughly enjoyed this reread of Appointment with Death. It's one of the books where Christie creates both some fascinating characters and good puzzle. I honestly didn't remember who had done it until a fair way into the book, which is always fun. But mostly I like books where there are people I can like and root for and an interesting setting. You get both here.

I rated it down a little because I'm not sure I believe the nasty stepmother could really exert that much control over that may diff ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2016 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, read-as-an-audiobook

This book wins the award for best over the top happy epilogue ever. The mystery was silly and strained credibility but I still enjoyed it completely.

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 04, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers-espionage, series, british, fiction, reviewed, 2017read, fiction-1930s

Four stars for the slug-like, evil former women's prison warden, Mrs. Boynton, who made and keeps her children and daughter-in-law dysfunctional servants at her beck and call - even though most of her children are already adults. Bored with opting to control and terrorize her family in their U.S. home, she decides to enhance their misery by doing so on an international sight-seeing trip to Israel and the Middle East. She makes her family hang out only with her and prevents them from making new f ...more

Like · see review