UK Reading Lists
Read Christie 2023
Welcome to Read Christie 2023! This year we are focusing on the methods and motives used within Agatha Christie's books. To receive your copy of the postcard simply click here. To find out more about the challenge visit our FAQs.
Our May choice: Unfinished Portrait
For the theme of betrayal we have opted for Unfinished Portrait, the second of the stories Christie wrote under the pseudonym, Mary Westmacott. Considered to be semi-autobiographical, this novel explores the relationship between love and death so allows us to explore the topic of betrayal from a variety of different angles. The protagonist of the story, Celia, was described by Christie's husband, Max, as "more nearly than anywhere else a portrait of Agatha".
What's it about?
Having lost three of the people she held most dear - her mother, husband and daughter - Celia has reached breaking point and isn't sure how to navigate life alone. But one evening on an exotic island, Celia encounters a successful portrait painter called Larraby. Upon meeting, Celia shares with him the highs and lows of her life, through childhood, marriage, motherhood, and grief, right up to the present day. Larraby takes it upon himself to try and help Celia come to terms with the past whilst creating a portrait unlike any other he has created before. This is a story of love, loss and betrayal, and explores how one begins to rebuild a life after tragedy.
Grief doesn't last forever. Nothing lasts. There is only one true consoler and healer - time.
Alternative Stories
If you would rather read one of Christie's classic crimes this month, Death on the Nile is a great alternative. A sweeping mystery of love, jealousy and betrayal, a tranquil river cruise is upturned when the beautiful Linnet Ridgeway is found dead, shot through the head. Another option is Towards Zero, the last in the Superintendent Battle stories. In this novel an elderly widow is murdered at a clifftop seaside house, but that's not the only suspicious activity that's taken place. But what connects all the seemingly unrelated events? You could also opt for Evil Under the Sun and They Do It With Mirrors is the perfect choice for fans of Miss Marple looking for a cunning and mysterious story.
How to get involved
Once you've printed your challenge postcard, simply fill in the story you've chosen for this category and get reading! If you post about your choice on social media make sure to tag us in the photo so we can see it. Use #ReadChristie2023 on Instagram for your chance to be featured in our monthly reading round-ups. Alternatively, you can let us know via our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram which book you've chosen, in the comment sections of our posts. Some readers choose to join our end of the month book club, or incorporate it into their own book club plans. However you join us, we hope you have fun with this year's challenge.
The book club
We will be hosting our May book club on Thursday 25th May at 9am and 5pm (UK time) on both Instagram and Facebook. To get involved, simply head to the comments section where we will pose live questions about our chosen book for a whole hour, and share your opinions on the novel.
Our 2023 reading choices
NB. Our murder methods are quite straightforward and often referenced in the title, eg. Sparkling Cyanide, so this doesn't spoil the story for readers who are new to the book. The murder motives are not necessarily why the murder has taken place in the novel, but are a key theme (or motivation) throughout the story. This way we are able to discuss character motives, without too many spoilers.
Our April choice: Sparkling Cyanide
Poison is our focus for April and we have selected Sparkling Cyanide as our official choice. Cyanide was Christie's most popular poison, opting to use it as the method of murder for no less than 18 characters across her stories. Christie was renowned for her impeccable knowledge of poison administration and side effects which she learnt from her time working in a pharmaceutical dispensary. She used this knowledge to inform her intricate murders and character demises and this story is no exception.
What's it about?
This murder in retrospect begins with each character reflecting on the life and death of Rosemary Barton who took a sip of poisoned champagne at dinner in the heart of London's West End nearly a year ago. The coroner declared the death as suicide following a bout of post-flu depression, but an anonymous letter to her husband, George, implies she was in fact murdered. George is on a mission to expose his wife's murderer so invites the original party of guests to dinner, at the same table, in the same restaurant, exactly one year after Rosemary's passing. But there are only six people sitting down to dinner this evening, so why is there a seventh place set? Is this gathering just encouraging history to repeat itself?
Sandra Farraday had not forgotten Rosemary Barton. She was thinking of her this very minute - thinking of her slumped forward across the table in the restaurant that night.
Alternative Stories
With over 40 books featuring poison, we are spoiled for choice this month so we have hand-selected a few favourites to recommend. Crooked House is another standalone novel and one of Christie's personal favourites. When a wealthy Greek businessman is found dead in his London home, suspicions quickly fall on the dead man's widow. But she's not the only member of the family who could benefit from his demise. Or, you could opt to go back to the beginning and read Christie's first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles in which Hastings' friend's mother is found poisoned and Poirot is called on to solve the case. Another Hercule Poirot book perfect for the theme of poison is Death in the Clouds which plays on the classic locked room mystery technique. From his seat on the aeroplane, Poirot has a great view of his fellow passengers - except for the seat behind him where the lifeless body of a woman is slumped. If you would rather opt for a Miss Marple mystery, both A Pocket Full of Rye and The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side are excellent choices for April.
How to get involved
Once you've printed your challenge postcard, simply fill in the story you've chosen for this category and get reading! If you post about your choice on social media make sure to tag us in the photo so we can see it. Use #ReadChristie2023 on Instagram for your chance to be featured in our monthly reading round-ups. Alternatively, you can let us know via our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram which book you've chosen, in the comment sections of our posts. Some readers choose to join our end of the month book club, or incorporate it into their own book club plans. However you join us, we hope you have fun with this year's challenge.
The book club
We will be hosting our April book club on Thursday 27th April at 9am and 5pm (UK time) on both Instagram and Facebook. To get involved, simply head to the comments section where we will pose live questions about our chosen book for a whole hour, and share your opinions on the novel.
Our March choice: The Moving Finger
This month's theme is anger and The Moving Finger is our official book choice. The poison pen letter provides ample opportunity to explore themes of cruelty and spite. The ire explored in the work is often shown by the letters recipients too. Traditionally considered a "woman's weapon" in the past, will this case prove infuriating for the female sleuth to solve?
What's it about?
Injured pilot Jerry, and his sister Joanna, are seeking respite from the city in Lymstock. They are looking forward to a quiet life of village gossip and local politics, but then they receive a particularly nasty anonymous letter. Does the poison pen writer resent their arrival in the village? Or is there a wider, more spiteful purpose to their correspondence? Fear dominates the residents and it is not long before the letters have fatal consequences. Miss Marple must use her shrewd observations of human nature to uncover the true identity of the culprit before it's too late.
Inside, printed words and letters had been cut out and gummed to a sheet of paper. For a minute or two I stared at the words without taking them in. Then I gasped.
Alternative Stories
If you're after a different novel for the theme of anger, we have a few alternative suggestions. Murder is Easy is a great choice and it has just been announced as the latest BBC One TV adaptation (find out more here). When Miss Pinkerton informs Luke Fitzwilliam that there is a murderer on the loose in the quiet village of Wychwood, he can hardly believe his ears. But when Miss Pinkerton is killed in a hit-and-run it soon becomes apparent that she was in fact, correct. Another book you could opt for is Taken at the Flood - Hercule Poirot is tasked with finding a missing person, guided only by the spirit world. Or you could choose to read Poirot's final case, Curtain. Back at the country lodge, Styles, Poirot is certain there is a five-time murderer in their midst. His time is limited so Poirot must work quickly to prevent a sixth murder from happening.
How to get involved
Once you've printed your challenge postcard, simply fill in the story you've chosen for this category and get reading! If you post about your choice on social media make sure to tag us in the photo so we can see it. Use #ReadChristie2023 on Instagram for your chance to be featured in our monthly reading round-ups. Alternatively, you can let us know via our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram which book you've chosen, in the comment sections of our posts. Some readers choose to join our end of the month book club, or incorporate it into their own book club plans. However you join us, we hope you have fun with this year's challenge.
The book club
We will be hosting our March book club on Thursday 30th March at 9am and 5pm (UK time) on both Instagram and Facebook. To get involved, simply head to the comments section where we will pose live questions about our chosen book for a whole hour, and share your opinions on the novel.
Our February choice: Partners in Crime
February's prompt is a murder method - the use of a blunt object. Partners in Crime is a collection of short stories published in 1929, and is the second book in the Tommy and Tuppence series. Each of these short stories contain subtle parodies of a contemporary crime writer [or character] from the Golden Age of detective stories. How many can you spot?
What's it about?
They've been happily married for six years and now Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are craving adventure. It just so happens that Mr Carter has a proposition they simply can't refuse - the opportunity to run an International Detective Agency. Their first case is deemed a success when they triumphantly recover a pink pearl, but not all of their cases will be quite so simple. From a cryptic message printed in a newspaper and a box of poisoned chocolates, to haunting poltergeists and a counterfeiter working on both sides of the Channel, can Tommy and Tuppence live up to their their promise of solving all cases within 24 hours?
'We will hunt down murderers, and discover the missing family jewels, and find people who've disappeared and detect embezzlers.'
Alternative Stories
We have plenty of alternative books this month if Partners in Crime isn't your cup of tea. Ordeal by Innocence is a great choice for this month and is the perfect pick if you a love a murder mystery full of deceit and suspicion. Another option is The Sittaford Mystery in which the death of Captain Trevelyan is discovered when spirits send a chilling message during a séance. Or perhaps you would prefer to read a novel with the famous Hercule Poirot? For this we can recommend Hickory Dickory Dock. A seemingly unrelated collection of stolen and vandalized items at a student hostel piques Poirot's interest. But if this crime is merely petty theft, why is everyone so frightened? Mrs McGinty's Dead, Murder in Mesopotamia and The Pale Horse are also great options for this month's prompt too.
How to get involved
Once you've printed your challenge postcard, simply fill in the story you've chosen for this category and get reading! If you post about your choice on social media make sure to tag us in the photo so we can see it. Use #ReadChristie2023 on Instagram for your chance to be featured in our monthly reading round-ups. Alternatively, you can let us know via our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram which book you've chosen, in the comment sections of our posts. Some readers choose to join our end of the month book club, or incorporate it into their own book club plans. However you join us, we hope you have fun with this year's challenge.
The book club
We will be hosting our February book club on Thursday 23rd February at 9am and 5pm (UK time) on both Instagram and Facebook. To get involved, simply head to the comments section where we will pose live questions about our chosen book for a whole hour, and share your opinions on the novel.
Our January choice: Sad Cypress
Our very first prompt of 2023 is a book featuring jealousy and for this, we have selected Sad Cypress which was published in 1939. The novel is split into three sections: firstly, the build up to the murder, secondly, Hercule Poirot's investigation, and finally the court case itself and the unveiling of the truth.
What's it about?
Elinor Carlisle has been charged with the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. Only she had the motive, opportunity, and means to administer the fatal poison, but someone is adamant that Miss Carlisle did not commit the crime and has asked Hercule Poirot to prove her innocence. Is it possible that someone else is responsible or is the defendant guilty after all?
'Elinor Carlisle killed Mary Gerrard out of jealousy…'
Alternative Stories
Jealousy is a popular theme within Agatha Christie's novels so there are plenty of other books to choose from if you don't fancy reading Sad Cypress. You could select a firm favourite of Christie fans to start the year and read Death on the Nile which features a love triangle, bound by jealousy. Cards on the Table is another excellent choice for this month; a flamboyant party host is murdered in full view when a seemingly innocent game of bridge turns deadly. Other Poirot novels you may also like to opt for include Five Little Pigs, The Murder on the Links, Murder in Mesopotamia and Elephants Can Remember. If you'd prefer to start with a Miss Marple novel we recommend The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side. Looking for a standalone story? Towards Zero suits this category too.
How to get involved
Once you've printed your challenge postcard, simply fill in the story you've chosen for this category and get reading! If you post about your choice on social media make sure to tag us in the photo so we can see it. Use #ReadChristie2023 on Instagram for your chance to be featured in our monthly reading round-ups. Alternatively, you can let us know via our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram which book you've chosen, in the comment sections of our posts. Some readers choose to join our end of the month book club, or incorporate it into their own book club plans. However you join us, we hope you have fun with this year's challenge.
The book club
We will be hosting our first book club of the year on Thursday 26th January at 9am and 5pm (UK time) on both Instagram and Facebook. To get involved, simply head to the comments section where we will pose live questions about our chosen book for a whole hour, and share your opinions on the novel.
