The Hollow, Agatha Christie

The Book 

When Lady Lucy Angkatell invites her distant cousins to a weekend party at her house, the titular The Hollow, she doesn't know something awful will happen. Her distant cousin, Dr. John Christow and his slightly dull wife Gerda surely wouldn't have come if they knew John would end up dead...murdered. Henrietta, an artist in love with John, wouldn't have shown if she knew she would become a suspect. Certainly cousin David wouldn't have shown, murder is so beneath him. Perhaps the glamorous actress, and John's ex-fiancée would have shown, just to see John again. But then again, with so many of John's lovers around, maybe Gerda murdered him because she finally found out what a liar he is.  

My Thoughts

This is a breezy book. The puzzle mystery isn't much of a mystery. And it is lovely to see Hercule Poirot show up. While I would have liked a bit more intellectual challenge, it was a fun read. This characters fairly popped off the page. The flighty Lucy Angkatell, the obsessive Henrietta, the charming John, the mousy Gerda, and even the self absorbed Victoria Cray were all expertly drawn. 

Worth the read if you are looking to see how to write memorable characters in a believable plot. If you're looking for how to write a cozy or puzzle mystery, this one is maybe a pass. 

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

This book came to me from Morton Grove Public Library. This 287 page book arrived in their collection July 8, 2010. Although the hardcover book is lightly read, it seems several people dog-eared the pages. It felt a little weird to see it, when I've gone so many library books in a row without seeing. We've definitely become more polite as public readers as the years have gone by. This book is in great condition, and given how popular Agatha Christie is, I expect this book will give the library at least another 10 years of service. The inside cover says the book retailed for $12.00 in 2010. That's the number we will use. 

This Book                                                                 $12.00

Items Reviewed this Year                                       $146.92

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