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Mrs. Packington felt alone, helpless, and utterly forlorn. But her life changed when she stumbled upon an advertisement in the Times that read: "Are you happy? If not, consult Mr. Parker Pyne." Equally adept at putting together the fragments of a murder mystery or the pieces of a broken marriage, Mr. Parker Pyne is possibly the world's most unconventional private investigator. Armed with just his intuitive knowledge of human nature, he is an Englishman abroad, traveling the globe to solve and undo crime and misdemeanor.
Emily Inglethorp has been poisoned. And it seems everyone at Styles Court, from the hired help to family members, had a motive - and the means. But with Detective Hercule Poirot out of retirement and on the case, no one's getting away with murder. The Mysterious Affair at Styles was not only Agatha Christie's debut; it also introduced her illustrious detective character to the world.
Pretty, young Anne came to London looking for adventure. In fact, adventure comes looking for her - and finds her immediately at Hyde Park Corner tube station. Anne is present on the platform when a thin man, reeking of mothballs, loses his balance and is electrocuted on the rails. The Scotland Yard verdict is accidental death. But Anne is not satisfied. After all, who was the man in the brown suit who examined the body? And why did he race off, leaving a cryptic message behind?
In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor, six shadowy figures huddle around a table for a seance. Tension rises as the spirits spell out a chilling message: "Captain Trevelyan...dead...murder." Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke? The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan. Unfortunately, his home is six miles away and, with snowdrifts blocking the roads, someone will have to make the journey on foot....
While playing an erratic round of golf, Bobby Jones slices his ball over the edge of a cliff. His ball is lost, but on the rocks below he finds the crumpled body of a dying man. The man opens his eyes and with his last breath says, "Why didn't they ask Evans?" Haunted by those words, Bobby and his vivacious companion, Frankie, set out to solve a mystery that will bring them into mortal danger.... This title was previously published as The Boomerang Clue.
On a dark evening, Mr. Harley Quin appears at the door of Royston Hall under the premise that his car has broken down. Once inside, he embarks upon the tragic tale of Royston Hall's former occupants, leading to a dramatic change in the perceptions of the current inhabitants - but has Mr. Quin's revelation come too late?
Mrs. Packington felt alone, helpless, and utterly forlorn. But her life changed when she stumbled upon an advertisement in the Times that read: "Are you happy? If not, consult Mr. Parker Pyne." Equally adept at putting together the fragments of a murder mystery or the pieces of a broken marriage, Mr. Parker Pyne is possibly the world's most unconventional private investigator. Armed with just his intuitive knowledge of human nature, he is an Englishman abroad, traveling the globe to solve and undo crime and misdemeanor.
Emily Inglethorp has been poisoned. And it seems everyone at Styles Court, from the hired help to family members, had a motive - and the means. But with Detective Hercule Poirot out of retirement and on the case, no one's getting away with murder. The Mysterious Affair at Styles was not only Agatha Christie's debut; it also introduced her illustrious detective character to the world.
Pretty, young Anne came to London looking for adventure. In fact, adventure comes looking for her - and finds her immediately at Hyde Park Corner tube station. Anne is present on the platform when a thin man, reeking of mothballs, loses his balance and is electrocuted on the rails. The Scotland Yard verdict is accidental death. But Anne is not satisfied. After all, who was the man in the brown suit who examined the body? And why did he race off, leaving a cryptic message behind?
In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor, six shadowy figures huddle around a table for a seance. Tension rises as the spirits spell out a chilling message: "Captain Trevelyan...dead...murder." Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke? The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan. Unfortunately, his home is six miles away and, with snowdrifts blocking the roads, someone will have to make the journey on foot....
While playing an erratic round of golf, Bobby Jones slices his ball over the edge of a cliff. His ball is lost, but on the rocks below he finds the crumpled body of a dying man. The man opens his eyes and with his last breath says, "Why didn't they ask Evans?" Haunted by those words, Bobby and his vivacious companion, Frankie, set out to solve a mystery that will bring them into mortal danger.... This title was previously published as The Boomerang Clue.
On a dark evening, Mr. Harley Quin appears at the door of Royston Hall under the premise that his car has broken down. Once inside, he embarks upon the tragic tale of Royston Hall's former occupants, leading to a dramatic change in the perceptions of the current inhabitants - but has Mr. Quin's revelation come too late?
When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered with a hatchet, the extraordinary remark she made the previous day at her brother Richard's funeral suddenly takes on a chilling significance. At the reading of Richard's will, Cora was clearly heard to say, "It's been hushed up very nicely, hasn't it.... But he was murdered, wasn't he?"
In desperation, the family solicitor turns to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery....
This title was previously published as Funerals Are Fatal.
Would you consider the audio edition of After the Funeral to be better than the print version?
Yes, It was much more vivid than if I read it in bits and pieces myself. Listening to a great book allows me to listen for extended periods of time instead of trying to squeeze in reading time during a busy day.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Poirot. It begins and ends with Hercule.
What does Hugh Fraser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
There should be a law that only Hugh Fraser (or David Suchet) narrate Christie novels. Fraser's performance is like having your own special narrator who will spellbind only you to the exclusion of the rest of the world. A wonderful, wonderful talent. Fraser brings each character to life and adds emotional intensity at the perfect moment.
Any additional comments?
I can't wait to work my way through each and ever single volume Hugh Fraser narrates.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Agatha Christie's stories still hold up well over time, in spite of items (even plot-dependent items) that are out-of-date these days. This is a good mystery, performed well by Hugh Fraser, and very enjoyable. Hercule Poirot is a character whom I find a little over-bearing, but fortunately he doesn't show up until about half-way through.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
loved it. Surprise ending. Believeable characters. Careful listen brings out clues. perfect cottage mystery. would listen again.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is Hugh Fraser's best performance I've listened to so far, he was fabulous! Of course, he had some great material to work with, this may also be my favorite story so far.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I felt that I knew this one and I did not really like any of the characters. But it was still pretty good and I love Hugh Fraser.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Not one of my favorite Agatha Christie books. Poirot is in the background for most of the book, he is almost an afterthought. The characters were not that interesting and the whole plot had a been there, done that kind of feel to it. Hugh Fraser reads this well, as he does all the other Christie audiobooks.
What great fun!!A real who done it in the very classic sense.So make yourself comfy and a wonderful time.
I have greatly enjoyed other Agatha Christie mysteries read by Hugh Fraser. He is usually a gifted actor, shifting between accents and personas deftly and seamlessly. And I do not need to tell anyone about Agatha Christie's extraordinarily entertaining gifts as a writer. This audiobook is the exception to the rule. Both the plot, characters, and narration seem to have been phoned in. A kind of weariness underlies Hugh Fraser's narration which somehow imparts a "been there, done that" feeling to the whole affair. And perhaps that lack of excitement stems from the book itself. Hard to tell in an audiobook!
With so many other Agatha Christie novels and Hugh Fraser narrations to choose from, my advice is to save your Audible credits and let this one pass.
The plot was so enjoyable. The narrator's ability to have different voices for each character is extraordinary. I will definitely listen to again.
Excellent story (although a bit predictable if you know the author). Hugh Fraser is the best narrator for Poirot stories.