Death on the Nile

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: John Moffatt

Length: 2 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

John Moffatt stars as the famous Belgian detective in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of one of Christie's most popular novels.

Linnet Ridgeway has led a charmed life. Blessed with beauty, enormous wealth, and a devoted husband, she has everything anyone could wish for. But as the happy couple set out on an idyllic honeymoon cruise on the Nile, storm clouds are gathering....

Linnet's former friend, Jacqueline de Bellefort, follows her and Simon wherever they go, and Linnet senses she is in danger. At first, her fears seem groundless. But an attempt is made first on her life and then on her husband's. Eventually, the killer is successful, and Linnet is found horribly murdered. With an obvious suspect who cannot possibly have committed the crime, it is up to Hercule Poirot to probe the depths of a remarkable criminal mind and discover the dark secret behind what is only the first in a series of inexplicable deaths.

©1937 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)1937 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A Memory of Murder

Late one hot, humid summer growing up in Minneapolis, I read all of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot mysteries. The Hennepin County Library sent a Bookmobile to our South Minneapolis neighborhood. It was walking distance close to a lovely lake, but no where near a brick and mortar library. On Tuesday evenings, I'd check out a stack of Christie paperbacks, and exchange them a week later for new books.

This performance of "Death on the Nile" (1937) was a nice reminder of that long ago time. It's a radio play, rather than a narration of the 288 page novel. The book had a host of characters - and suspects - that are edited and combined for this adaptation. It was a good decision, but there are still enough potential culprits to make the listen good. I knew the "who dunnit" going in, but with the notable exception of Christie's "Mousetrap" (1947, radio play, 1952 - present, West End Play), it's hard for any classic mystery fan not to know the ending to a Christie mystery. The enjoyment is in the telling and the listen.

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Great story!

Loved the story and mystery, but the characters were a little hard to follow at times with all the different voices.

Pleasant listen

Quick and pleasant classic mystery for entertainment on the drive. I didn't notice before purchase that it was a full cast presentation, which I don't prefer due to sound effects, but the stage noise was fairly easy to overlook.

One of the best audibles

Would you listen to Death on the Nile again? Why?

Of course, even though i know how the story ends, already. The story, characters, and performance are top natch.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them :)

What does John Moffatt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The great performance.

Why We Love Agatha Christie

This is yet another reminder of why we love Agatha Christie. This mystery is another well crafted story with plenty of mis-direction.

The production is "spot on". I don't think it could have been faster better.

While it was short, I still highly recommend it.

Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot

Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and more than 50 short stories published between 1920 and 1975. He has been portrayed on radio, on screen, for films and television. I have read, watched, and listened to this unique dandified detective solve crimes for years, and always enjoy him. I also enjoy Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.

Although I have seen "Death On The Nile" on television it has been a long time ago and I enjoyed listening to it again. I never tire of Christie's unique detective stories. They are interesting without the blood and gore of most modern detectives. If you are one who likes to follow the clues to try to discover who the killer is before he/she is revealed you'll enjoy "Death On The Nile" with its trail of suspects.

When Agatha Christie audiobooks are on sale they're a given for me. Her short stories are a nice break from the 10 -12 hour books I normally listen to. I've always enjoyed a good whodunit, and Christie leads the rest.

If you've never heard her stories "Death On The Nile" would be a good one to start with. It's a keeper.

Great Audio Mystery!

A good BBC Radio adaptation of the famous Agatha Christie novel. John Moffat plays Hercule Poirot. The novel is condensed to fit the radio time restraint so it is sometimes difficult, but not impossible, to keep track of all the characters. It's fun to listen to such productions and it took me back to the golden days of radio when families would gather around the radio to hear their favorite programs. I definitely will listen to this again sometime, but the novel is better. Still, a fun way to spend a couple hours!

Disappointing for Me

A lavish film version of this story was released in 1978. I've viewed that film multiple times. The only thing I didn't love was Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. I found his portrayal a bit "overplayed."

I might have enjoyed this dramatized version more had I not seen the film. While the voice actors do a good job, the production pales in comparison to the film. And I just couldn't help making that comparison as I listened.

Excellent!

The contrast between such short a book and such a good plot explains why Agatha Christie's book are still great after so many decades. Also, the performance was outstanding and has made the book feel alive. as if I was there next to Hercule himself

good story

This stared out slow, but in about 5 minutes it really took off. John Moffatt has a great voice for Hercule Poirot. A good listen.