Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie

Title: Hallowe'en Party
Author: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Harper
ISBN: 978-0-00-712068-0
Pages: 336
Series: Poirot #36
Type: Adult Mystery
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Mystery writer Ariadne Oliver is at a children's Halloween party where rather unpopular girl named Joyce boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no one believes her she storms out of the party in a temper, but then her body is discovered a few hours later drowned in an apple bobbing tub. Ariadne calls in her dear friend Hercule Poirot who leaps at the chance to investigate the crime that could be a murder, or a double murder.

As a fan of both Halloween and mysteries I grabbed a copy of this last month in hopes of a seasonal read and was not disappointed. Admittedly I didn't read it until after I had watched the recent ITV adaption, which stuck pretty true to the book, but I still found the book really enjoyable. The plot was well thought-out and full of twists and turns. Some of the descriptions of what the teenage boys wear are particularly amusing 'a rose-coloured velvet coat, mauve trousers and a kind of frilled shirting.'

I haven't read many of Christie's books so I was a little thrown by references to past cases (The Labours of Hercules and Mrs McGinty's Dead in particular) but these weren't too prominent nor did they give spoilers. There are two returning characters: Superintendent Spence and Ariadne Oliver. Ariadne is my favourite character from the book. She teases Poirot continually and makes some great sarcastic comments, like "Put that in your moustache and smoke it".

The one thing I didn't really enjoy about the book was the intermittent references to the relaxed nature of the criminal justice system (it was written shortly after the abolishment of capital punishment) and criminals being sent to psychological institutions rather than prisons. It doesn't detract from the book, but it is a recurring theme that most of the characters express an opinion on at some point.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 48/50

Shelf Candy Saturday (25)

Shelf Candy Saturday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Maria at A Night's Dream of Books where each Saturday bloggers defy the saying "never judge a book by its cover" and showcase one that really catches their eye. Covers play a huge role in the books I choose so it's great to have the opportunity to showcase the pretties :)

My shelf candy for this week is the Hallowe'en Part by Agatha Christie.

At a Hallowe'en party, Hercule Poirot aids mystery writer Ariadne Oliver in an investigation into the murder of a young girl-who may have witnessed a murder herself. But unmasking the killer proves more daunting than bobbing for apples.

Halloween is my favourite holiday and I'm already getting in the spirit so I had to pick an appropriately seasonal cover. I adore the signature editions of Agatha Christie's novels as I think the signature adds a quirkiness to the books (and the covers generally rock) but this was the first I actually brought.

It really sets the scene for a Halloween story. I love how the cover is done in shades of orange and black and the simplicity of only having the clouds, moon, creepy tree and pumpkin manages to grab your attention but without giving anything away. Looking at the cover you know there will be something creepy, at night and at Halloween but it's up to the viewer to decide what.

So what's your shelf candy this week?

Shelf Candy Saturday (5)

Shelf Candy Saturday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Five Alarm Book Reviews where each Saturday bloggers defy the saying "never judge a book by its cover" and showcase one that really catches their eye. Covers play a huge role in the books I choose so it's great to have the opportunity to showcase the pretties :)

My shelf candy for this week is Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie.





Six people reunite to remember beautiful Rosemary Barton, who died nearly a year before. The loving sister, the long-suffering husband, the devoted secretary, the lovers, the betrayed wife--none of them can forget Rosemary. But did one of them murder her?






I really like this cover. It's part of the signature editions that have been coming out in the UK over the past few years and I must say they are generally better than any of the previous covers. This has to be my favourite one.

I love how it looks like an old fashioned champagne glass and the bubbles make it look really pretty. Then you read the title and the simple design takes on a sinister undertone. I love anything where something mundane becomes something creepy, and  think this is a great example.

The cover also fits really well with the setting  (the book takes place in a 1930s nightclub) and is basically an artful display of the murder weapon (cyanide mixed in the champagne).

So what's your shelf candy this week?