Easy To Kill by Agatha Christie

 Easy To Kill

Easy to Kill Agatha Christie - 1974 Cover

- Agatha Christie - 

Agatha Christie is a name that is synonymous with mystery and intrigue. She is one of the most famous authors of all time, and her books have been read by millions of people around the world. I've read a good dozen or so and really enjoyed each one. My latest, and one of her lesser-known works is "Easy to Kill." If you're new to Agatha Christie's work, "Easy to Kill" is a great place to start. It's a quick read that will introduce you to her unique style of mystery writing. And if you're already a fan of Christie's work, "Easy to Kill" is a must-read.

To me it this book was a classic Christie mystery, which usually entails:

• A seemingly perfect crime is introduced and investigated.
• The wrongly accused suspect is at the center of the investigation.
• The bungling of dim-witted police is a common theme.
• The detective has greater powers of observation and a superior mind.
• The startling and unexpected denouement, in which the detective reveals how the identity of the culprit was ascertained.

The 'detective' in this book is not a Poirot or Miss Marple, but the retired police officer Fitzwilliam is one sharp tool (not much of a personality though).

The plot is well-crafted, and the characters are interesting and engaging. It starts right from the beginning with a quote from an old lady, "It's very easy to kill - so long as no one suspects you. And you see, the person in question is just the last person anyone would suspect." That got me engaged and wondering who seems innocent.

The story is full of twists and turns, and the ending is satisfying with the the last person you would suspect. It was a bit of a surprise to me. I guess I got a bit fooled by all the red herrings. With this book, Christie created one of her creepiest, most disturbing villains, proving that revenge is a frightening dish best served cold.

Mystery book meme

It's amazing to me that Christie books are still so good to read, considering this one was written in the 1930s. I read A Murder is Announced a little while ago, and loved that book too. Check out my review and thoughts on how Christie is still relevant almost 100 years later.

The other amazing thing about Christie books is that I often find them for cheap, cheap, cheap prices. My local thrift store sells these books for only 50 cents. And Easy To Kill, I found at a 'fill-a-box-for-$5' sale. I'm sure I only paid a quarter for it.