Frankly, she bores me. After reading a zillion of Christie's books and wondering what was wrong with me that I was always disappointed with them, I ran across an article that said the problem for some readers is that while she writes terrific puzzles, she doesn't develop her characters enough that you care about them. That was a light bulb moment for me; I haven't read one since.

I like "The Moving Finger" and can visualise those characters.

I like crime puzzles so superficial characters don't bother me too much!

I was trying to think of something to add to this thread and realised I can't remember ever having read a book by Agatha Christie. I have however, watched several of her whodunnits on TV if this counts . . .

I have watched "Witness for the Prosecution" a couple of times now as I got the DVD with interviews and wanted to see some details I missed.

I haven't seen much noir which I understand is popular with TV audiences recently (Scandinavian influence?) so the style went over my head a bit.

I also wondered at times if my TV screen needed dusting!

I'm generally an AC fan, but her books are of her time. None of the complicated, psychological thriller type books that are popular now (especially with awful characters that you can't warm to), not much character development, and there is often a twist that you couldn't predict.

I think many of my favourites are from the 20s and 30s - Murder on the Orient Express, The ABC Murders, Death on the Nile, Death in the Clouds, Dumb Witness, Murder at the Vicarage, Murder in the Library.

I don't much like the Tommy and Tuppence books, either.

I second Death on the Nile , and Murder at the Vicarage . I also really like "Evil Under the Sun"

There are several books where Christie inserts herself into the books in the form of one of my favorite characters: Ariadne Oliver. My favorite of those -the "Halloween Party"

My favorite way to consume a Christie book is recorded. Particularly the ones performed by David Suchet. I find them soothing background noise while I am cleaning etc...

There are so many and I think the quality varies greatly.

I feel the same way about current prolific authors as well. Some I like some I don't .

I'd add "And Then There Were None" to the list of good ones - and, of course, "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". Oh, and "Lord Edgware Dies".

I like the idea of Agatha Christie more than I like her actual books. She shows up as a character in a lot of fiction. I discovered her on Doctor Who recently. Before than I encountered her in Connie Willis's two volume World War II novel.

I have greatly enjoyed the BBC versions of her books which star either David Souchet or Joan Hickson, especially when they stay reasonably close to the original plots. There the character development is fleshed out beautifully, and the puzzles shine through. I've watches them several times. Tom and I purchased the DVDs and re-watch them every few years.

Thanks for all opinions. Feel better knowing it's not just I.

Lack of character development?? Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot are extremely well-fleshed out and complicated characters with recognized personalities!!

I've read the entire Christie library over the years but most when I was much younger. It is classic mystery fiction but perhaps a bit outdated for modern readers. I still love them and never miss a televised production.

I believe the character development criticism was about the murder victims and those accused of the crimes. The puzzle gets solved, but does anyone care about who did it or who got hurt? I agree that she is a master of puzzles, and I like Miss Marple.

I started reading Agatha Christie's books when I was 11. I am now 70. I've read all of them, and still enjoy rereading. They are definitely centered on the plot,and the character development is sometimes minimal. Some of my favorites are The Hollow, The Man in the Brown Suit, Murder in the Library, The Moving Finger, Peril at End House, The Secret of Chimneys, The Seven Dials Mystery, A Murder is Announced, They Came to Baghdad. Ordeal by Innocence was the first paperback I ever bought -- 35 cents.

I remember those 35-cent paperbacks. It just about kills me to pay so much for new ones.

I remember 45¢ paperbacks from Ace publishers. They were slightly shorter than the 50¢ paperbacks other publishers produced. This would be in junior high when I first started spending my allowance (and sometimes my lunch money) on paperback books.

One of my regrets is selling my collection of dozens of Agatha Christie books at a garage sale. She is unmatched in her style. She is writing mysteries, not 'War and Peace'. I read her autobiography some years ago and it is most absorbing tho she didn't tell all--who does? She said she modeled Miss Marple on her grandmother and her grandmother's friends. They expected the worst of everyone and were never disappointed. I'm not that cynical but it is an amusing observation, well illustrated in Christie's books.

I left my Agatha Christie books in Maryland when I moved to California. I had all of them.

I have all of them again.

I'm so glad this thread appeared on RP! I'm going to save it. It has been many years since I read an Agatha Christie book. Every once in a while I think I'd like to pick one up again, but have no memory of which ones I might have liked. (I didn't start my reading journal early enough in life.) Thanks to all of you who have provided me with a list of "the good ones" for when I'm ready.

Cacocobird, you gave me a good laugh. I see myself going in that direction myself.

I just donated several cartons of books to the library book sale. The librarian said to me, "You must have emptied your shelves!" I just laughed. She has no idea, no idea at all.

You sound like me, ginny12. I did take four boxes and a plastic tote box of stuff of my husband's from the garage (religious, how-to, garden, How to Melt Your Belly Fat, etc., books; tapes; and videos to Half-Price Books yesterday. They took everything and gave me $24. No telling what they all cost, but there wasn't anything I wanted in the lot. Nobody better touch my inside books, though.

Second hand book shops don't pay much but I found that the local newsagent gives $A1 in stationery or lottery ticket credit per book so I took the ones I no longer wanted there. Some had only cost me 10c at a charity shop so I actually made a profit especially when the lottery tickets won small prizes!