3. Murder is Easy features several gruesome murders, more than we typically see in a Christie novel. Which murder sticks out to you, and why is it murder by infected cat ear? 🤢

#agathachristieclubR2

2. How did you feel about Luke Fitzwilliam as a sleuth? What about Bridget Conway? Why do you think Superintendent Battle was included in the book?

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I'm trying to get caught up, dear #agathachristieclubR2 members! This month has been awesome but insane, between a trip to Europe (with several bookish stops that I somehow didn't post) and really intense committee work. As a result, it took me forever to get through this book so I just finished last week. Posting some questions now, with May's selection questions to come later this weekend:

1. Did you like this book? Why or why not?

When your book is talking about chicken piccata....

5. Hercule Poirot's Christmas centers around the murder of a mentally abusive parent and his children, similar to the plot and characters of Appointment with Death, which we read last month. Which family did you prefer to read about, and why? Did one book have more psychological insight than the other?

#agathachristieclubR2

4. Did you think that Christie created a good sense of Christmas in the book? Why do you think she picked that time to center her novel?

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3. The Lee family is large and sprawling, with many sons, their wives, and some surprise members. Did you enjoy their dynamic? How did you feel about the blood relatives of Simeon Lee vs. those who had married into the family?

#agathachristieclubR2

2. This novel is a locked-room mystery. Are you a fan of that subgenre, and did you find Christie's take on it believable/plausible? How did you feel about the intensely gruesome murder, especially compared to Christie's normal depictions of murder?

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It's time for our #agathachristieclubR2 questions! And I'm on time! It's a (Hercule Poirot's) Christmas miracle.

As always, please tag anyone who has already commented to keep the conversation flowing.

1. Did you like this book? Why or why not?

#agathachristieclubR2 friends, I'm going to have to push our schedule back a month because I've been super busy with committee work the past few weeks and just got our book for last month read. Questions will be posted on April 1! (No fooling ;) ) Here's the upcoming schedule, too. Thanks for your patience!

Per tradition, my #bookspin list at the end of the month. 🤣 #doublespin #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

3. Appointment with Death tackles the abusive behaviors of a parent. How sensitively did you think this was handled? What would you keep and what would you change?

(Bonus question: why on earth is this Southeast Asian diety on the cover of a book set in Jordan?)

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2. Christie famously wrote in the introduction to the serialized version of this book, "There have been moments when I have felt: 'Why-why-why did I ever invent this detestable, bombastic, tiresome little creature!" Why do you think she felt this way?

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YIPES! Apologies #agathachristieclubR2 friends: it took a really long time for my hold to come in (and I can't figure out why - was there a run on this book in Nashville?), and then a weirdly long time for me to finish reading it. The month is almost over and I'm just now done. On to questions!

As always, please tag all previous commenters to keep the conversation flowing.

1. Did you enjoy this book? Why or why not?

I'm so close to being done with my committee (for the year), but I have a great list of books to get through first!

#bookspin #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

So cozy! #dogsoflitsy

Christmas is a time of traditions and what is tradition if not posting my #bookspin list late? 🤣

@TheAromaofBooks #doublespin #bookspinbingo

#agathachristieclubR2 as mentioned a while back, I'm doing book judging for the ALA Reading List this year and our judging months are brutal. Therefore, I'm building in a break for December to help me out. Our January book will be Appointment with Death, which I know some of you have already read (sorry 😔), and I'm looking forward to discussing it with you! We're coming up on some of my favorite Christies this year!

3. These stories are closer to novellas than her typical short stories. Did you think this was successful? Would you have preferred them to be longer or shorter?

#agathachristieclubR2

2. Which story was your favorite, and why?

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Hi #agathachristieclubR2 friends! I'm drowning in book-judging duties this right now and of course behind on posting, so I'm going to do this quick so I can clear my mind!

1. Did you enjoy this book? Why or why not?

Too cold to sit outside today, but that's no hardship right now!

I'm not much of an epic fantasy reader, but this book is surprisingly enjoyable to me.
#dogsoflitsy

Finishing up the #agathachristieclubR2 book in one of my favorite places in the world (an antique-filled cabin in Glenford, OH), with this little dummy. #dogsoflitsy

Hooray for #readathon day! Here's the Opening Survey @DeweysReadathon

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Nashville, TN

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
The Ballad of Perilous Graves.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Pie at a fall festival tonight.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I'm a librarian with a book podcast called Well-Read, if you need more TBR ideas!

4. What did you think of Christie's portrayal of Egypt in the novel? Were you satisfied with the level of detail, or did you want more? Was her depiction of the country and its people enjoyable or difficult to read?

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3. Did you feel about the characters of Jackie, Linnet, and Simon? Did you have sympathy for any of them, or did you dislike them? How does Poirot view each of them?

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2. Death on the Nile has been adapted for the screen many times. What do you think makes this book so attractive to directors and screenwriters over other Christie novels?

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Ugh. #agathachristieclubR2 friends, I'm so sorry to be posting questions to this book weeks (months?) late. Without going into boring detail, the last couple of months have been downright bad for me, plus I finally got covid! So even though I had posts ready, my mind just wasn't here. But I miss y'all, so please forgive me, and we'll fit in what we can before my committee reading takes over in November.

1. Did you enjoy this book? Why or why not?

🤣🤣🤣

I was starting to make my #bookspin list for September and then I realized I never posted August. 🤦🏻

#doublespin #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

Brief moment of sun during a stormy day.

Here's our upcoming schedule! Please join in if you'd like!

#agathachristieclubR2

4. The Spiritualist movement was extremely popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. What did you think of the Tripp sisters and their influence on the case?

#agathachristieclubR2

2. Bob the fox terrier is the titular "dumb witness" of the book. Did you like having him as a central character? Did you enjoy his dialogue?

#agathachristieclubR2

Woohoo look at me, actually on time with the #agathachristieclubR2 questions for the month!

As always, please tag anyone who has previously commented to keep the conversation going.

1. Did you like this book? Why or why not?

My local #Nashville Litsy friends had our quarterly-ish meetup last weekend, and while the company was the best part, the #bookhaul wasn't too shabby either.

@Elma @britt_brooke @Booksnchill @HeatherBookNerd @LouLouLane

He wouldn't look at me for anything.

#agathachristieclubR2

It's almost the end of the month so it must be time to finally post my #bookspin list! 🤣

#doublespin #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

Rejoining the #bookspin ranks - this is a book judging month for me so I'm just posting the first 25 I have to read (there are 10 more).

@TheAromaofBooks #doublespin #bookspinbingo

#agathachristieclubR2 friends: I'm so sorry for being so late with this info. My hold for Dumb Witness in May came in super late (like at the end of the month) and I'd hoped to read it quickly to keep us on schedule, but there are too many things going on right now for me to be able to get to it. So I'm hoping y'all are okay with holding off until next month instead. I apologize! I miss having reading time.

Gratuitous photo of me at Eurovision.

3. Christie brings in several detectives from past novels. Did you enjoy revising these characters? Which detectives would you have liked to be included in this group?

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2. This book introduces Ariadne Oliver, who is widely considered to be a stand-in for Christie herself. What did you think of this character? What commentary is Christie making on her role as the author?

#agathachristieclubR2

#agathachristieclubR2: I'm trying to get caught up on stuff, I have no idea what month we're on, so here we go!

Please remember to tag anyone who has previously commented!

1. Did you like this book? Why or why not?

I read a bit of this book at a Silent Reading Club event at a fancy Nashville hotel earlier this week. It felt very fitting to read a book set at a luxury hotel while at a luxury hotel.

I'm home with a headache today, but it's hard to feel bad with a cozy and a doggie at my feet.

I firmly believe that it's never too late to post my #bookspin list! 🤣 @TheAromaofBooks #doublespin #bookspinbingo

4. This novel seems to rely on psychological insight of the victim more than other Christie novels, perhaps because she was based on a real person, Catherine Wooley. Do you think her assessments are accurate, or fair? Did you like this kind of characterization? #agathachristieclubR2

3. Poirot makes quite a late appearance in the book. Did you think this worked? Did it benefit the plot or make it less enjoyable for you? #agathachristieclubR2