From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Death Comes as the End

Agatha Christie

Start date: May 1, 2021

Finish date: May 31, 2021

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The May choice in our Agatha Christie challenge for 2021.
[close] The May choice in our Agatha Christie challenge for 2021.

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 14 posts · 16 views

last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
By Susan · 4 posts · 12 views

last updated Sep 01, 2025 04:16PM

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What Members Thought

Apr 09, 2021 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: currently-re-reading, audiobook, tbr-with-gr-groups

4 1/2 to 5 stars, for this very unique Christie mystery. I read it decades ago but had forgotten everything about it, soI really enjoyed this reread, and listened to the audiobook with Emelia Fox doing an excellent job narrating.

This fascinating mystery is set in ancient Egypt, and I won’t attempt the names of the Egyptian characters! Basically, a young woman, now widowed, returns to her father’s home. He is a priest with estates and duties tied to a local tomb. She has brought back her little d 4 1/2 to 5 stars, for this very unique Christie mystery. I read it decades ago but had forgotten everything about it, soI really enjoyed this reread, and listened to the audiobook with Emelia Fox doing an excellent job narrating.

This fascinating mystery is set in ancient Egypt, and I won’t attempt the names of the Egyptian characters! Basically, a young woman, now widowed, returns to her father’s home. He is a priest with estates and duties tied to a local tomb. She has brought back her little daughter, and shares a home with her widowed father, three brothers and grandmother. The two older brothers are married - the eldest, meek, hesitant brother to a bossy, determined woman, and the handsome, cocky brother to a rather stupid, mild-mannered woman, totally obsessed with her children and household matters. The young widow thinks life will be just as it was when she left to marry eight years previously; but events soon prove her wrong.

First, her pompous, micro-managing father returns from business up north with a beautiful young concubine in tow; he establishes her in the house, and tells everyone they must treat her well. This stirs anger and resentment, as the wives begin to fear her influence on their inheritance, and the lack of authority given to their husbands; the sons are still brow-beaten and and further denigrated by their father. The concubine is hateful and dismissive of the other members of the household, and strives to manipulate the old man, and turn him against the sons and their wives. A real toxic brew, stirred up further by a whining, sneaky, manipulative servant - and the old grandmother is sharp-tongued, contemptuous of her pompous, foolish son, and gets her digs in as well.

Meanwhile, Christie also engineers a romantic subplot for the young widow - it all worked out in the end, with a fascinating twist as to the killer! Modern psychology would be vindicated, but I was surprised - I was sure it was one of two other characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this re-read and was drawn right into the timeless and obvious conflicts that resulted from the relationships in this family. I felt like it could’ve taken place at any time throughout history, but the ancient Egyptian setting was really done well, and I could see the influence of Christie’s time spent in the Middle East on her archeologist husband’s dig sites. I’ve been interested in ancient Egypt since I was a kid, and love the Amelia Peabody mysteries, so this was a great treat to reread. It was fascinating and very enjoyable, and I read it as part of the Reading the Detectives group’s “Assorted Christies” challenge. I’m so glad I am giving these non-Poirot and non-Marple mysteries a try - I read her most well-known detective novels as a teen, but gave a pass to some of her other stuff. This challenge shows her versatility, and ability to turn her hand to different periods and settings. ...more

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Jun 08, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, 2017read, fiction-1940s, reviewed, mysteries-thrillers-espionage, british

And now for something completely different by Christie - and my least favorite. A murder mystery set in Egypt in 2000 BC. Combination murder mystery/historical fiction (grimace). This is when opting to read through an author's books stretches you to read something you normally would opt not to read - like this book. Despite the fact that I keep rolling my eyes while I read it, I finished the book. ...more

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Apr 11, 2023 Teri-K rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-mystery, zz-2023-my-book-club

I've read almost all of Christie's mysteries, but missed this one until now. Actually, I didn't miss much. It's not that this is a bad book, it just isn't a story I can like. First off, I didn't like the style. The language, attempting to sound like ancient Egypt - (And who knows how that would translate today? Not me.) - just sounded stiff and stilted. Then there's the story about a feuding family, everyone jealous of everyone else, sneaking around and trying to win points with their nasty fath ...more

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