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The Golden Ball and Other Stories  By  cover art

The Golden Ball and Other Stories

By: Agatha Christie
Narrated by: Hugh Fraser, Christopher Lee
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Publisher's summary

Is it a gesture of goodwill or a sinister trap that lures Rupert St. Vincent and his family to a magnificent estate? How desperate is Joyce Lambert, a destitute young widow whose only recourse is to marry a man she despises? What unexpected circumstance stirs old loyalties in Theodora Darrell, an unfaithful wife about to run away with her lover?

In this collection of short stories, the answers are as unexpected as they are satisfying. The Queen of Mystery takes bizarre romantic entanglements, supernatural visitations, and classic murder to inventive new heights.

©1971 Agatha Christie Limited All Rights Reserved (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

What listeners say about The Golden Ball and Other Stories

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Some fluff, but some really good ones


A very good collection of short stories from the Queen of Mystery. Standout stories are "The Strange Case of Sir Andrew Carmichael" which concerns a murder plot and the ghost of a gray cat and "Next to a Dog", not a mystery story but a simple, well told tale of a girl at her wits end, who has only the love of her dog to keep her going. The tales Christopher Lee reads, which had been published in the UK as The Hound of Death, are overall better tales, as some of the others are slight romances, where people fall in love after knowing each other mere hours!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting collection, very different from the usual Agatha Christie!

This was an eclectic mix of Agatha Christie short stories, some mysteries, some stories of revenge or comeuppance -some related to the supernatural and to fate. The supernatural stories are less interesting to me but the remaining stories I enjoyed and would recommend.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good Listening

l enjoyed most of the stories. They were certainly varied. l thought the narrators were very good. They put a lot of expression in their reading. l will be listening to it many times, l am sure.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Collection

A very different Christy... pure enjoyment... would be very easy to listen to again!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

It's All Good

Excellent before bedtime stories and narrations. Easy to listen to and escape into the settings and craft of famous authors' short stories.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Christie Charms!

Each of these stories is delightfully charming. They are the perfect antidote to a gloomy mood. I haven’t looked up the publication dates but I would guess circa 1920s-30s. Lovely!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Agatha Christie not at her best

Any additional comments?

The first half of the audio book is read wonderfully by Hugh Fraser and consists of lighthearted mysteries with a hint of romance. The second half of the audio book is read dourly by Christopher Lee and contains tales of the supernatural. Yes, Agatha Christie goes creepy here and well, it just does not suit her style of writing and storytelling.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly good.

Wasn't expecting Christie to be as good at non murder mysteries but she really is. Many of these were excellent. The rest were very entertaining. Certainly worth reading.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A G # 2

Engaging stories, well told. I have always enjoyed Agatha Christie’s stories no matter how often hear them.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great, even if it's a bit too familiar.

Any additional comments?

Great collection of Christie short stories. A couple that I read in earlier books, but still enjoyable. Some gems in here.

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6 people found this helpful