The Mysterious Mr. Quin

A Harley Quin Collection

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Hugh Fraser

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

It had been a typical New Year's Eve party. But as midnight approaches, Mr. Satterthwaite - a keen observer of human nature - senses that the real drama of the evening is yet to unfold. And so it proves when a mysterious stranger knocks on the door. Who is this Mr. Quin?

Mr. Satterthwaite's new friend is an enigma. He seems to appear and disappear almost like a trick of the light. In fact, the only consistent thing about him is that his presence is always an omen - sometimes good, but sometimes deadly....

©1930 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

After I caught on! Or did I?

I love these stories, and actually listen to them more than once, because I'm sure I
missed a clue, same as poor Mr. Satterthwaite .

Luckily, he gets some mysterious help!

Can't tell you more, but get it and
listen, you won't be disappointed!

Loved it.

What made the experience of listening to The Mysterious Mr. Quin the most enjoyable?

I really enjoy Agatha Christie's short stories. Though I do agree with some other reviewers that the characters are not as developed in this book as others by Agatha Christie, I really enjoy the mystery of Mysterious Mr. Quin.

What about Hugh Fraser’s performance did you like?

Hugh Fraser is one of my favorite narrators of all time. The way he reads adds to the book in a way that other narrators just don't seem to.

Different

My enjoyment of the stories varied. Some were fantastic. Others just sat there. Thus the 4. Mr. Quin is a bit magical. His powers include knowing when a young lover needs his special help, and showing up to direct Mr. Satterthwaite. They do not include knowing the key to the mystery (I don't think), so the detection in the story is not ruined.

My favorite was The Man from the Sea

Hard to follow.

I love Agatha Christie but this series of stories were not my favorites. Usually Hugh Frasier is very expressive. For example, my very favorite Christie novel is "The Secret of Chimneys". You can tell he is reading with humor and joy. This book, however, was very flat and muddy. I had a hard time keeping the characters and stories apart as some of the voices were used over for different characters with the next story. It also seemed as though several stories had the same theme. Mostly love triangles. I stopped and restarted the book over 3 times and still my mind wandered. I'm going to listen again to give it a fair shot as Christie couldn't ever write a bad story for me.

The Best

Wonderful short stories by Agatha Christie. Love that each chapter is a complete story in and of itself. Once again, Hugh Fraser does an excellent reading.

The Curious Mr. Satterthwaite

The true mystery is why I enjoyed these stories so much. They aren’t that mysterious. One critic likened them to fairy tales. Yet I like Mr. Satterthwaite: connoisseur, epicure, snob, a self-confessed spectator of life, this elderly, childless bachelor, anxious of his own comforts, nevertheless evinces an unfailing sensitivity to others’ distress—and an unfailing willingness to help.

Mr. Quin’s aid is just as unfailing, but almost entirely, eerily passive. His appearances and disappearances—once over the edge of a cliff—lend much to the fairy tale atmosphere. But his questions, suggestions, or even mere presence inspire Mr. Satterthwaite to abandon his spectator’s role and engage in the drama of life. Quin acts through Satterthwaite, perhaps as an avatar of the old man's moral conscience. While not an altogether successful fictional gambit, it nevertheless charms and intrigues.

Hugh Fraser is, as always, Hugh Fraser. I’m sure his pitch-perfect performance accounts for a good deal of my enjoyment, too. The only issue is the somewhat sandpapery quality of the recording.

Wish there were more Quin stories.

Hugh Fraser has a very relaxing voice with great timber and inflections. He creates each character individually. I just wish there were more Harley Quin stories for him to peform. I like his interpretations but I love the character of Mr. Quin. Thank you Audible...

Agatha and Hugh strike again

Yet again another classic book by my favorite author and narrator. Hugh Fraser's voice is clear and so captivating that I can only stand him to narrate these oh so marvelous mysteries that have survived all these decades. The story seemed to jump around but still came together at the end for the big reveal.

Harley Quinn or harlequin?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I enjoyed this book, and think most Christie fans would as well.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

No. It's a collection of short stories featuring Harley Quinn & Mr. Satterthwaite. Each story is interesting, but it's easy to put the work aside after each chapter/story.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked a few of the stories more than the others, but nothing truly stood out.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I would not make it into a film.

Any additional comments?

I like Harley Quinn; he reminds me of Poirot. Mr.Satterthwaite reminds me of Miss Marple,, my favorite Christie character.

A different Christie

Mr. Quin is very different from the usual Christie character. He is the voice of experience for the protagonist, Mr. Satterwaith, and helps to guide him to a successful conclusion.