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The Mouse Trap
You know Inspector Poirot and Miss Marple. But, if you haven't read Agatha Christie's plays - you've missed her most dramatic characters!For the first time eight of the mystery queen's best and most famous plays have been included in one volume. You can't call yourself a true Christie fan until you've read them. The Mousetrap, the play that is threatening to run forever. Witness for the Prosecution, one of the most gripping dramas of all time. Ten Little Indians, a classic, the tantalizing mystery with the ending you'll never guess. And five other great, great puzzlers.
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First published January 1, 1950
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About the author
Agatha Christie
5,361?books72.1k?followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (n¨¦e Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
§¡§Ô§Ñ§ä§Ñ §¬§â§Ú§ã§ä§Ú (Russian)
§¡§Ô§Ñ§ä§Ñ §¬§â?§ã§ä? (Ukrainian)
¦¡¦Ã¦Ê?¦È¦Á ¦ª¦Ñ?¦Ò¦Ó¦É (Greek)
¥¢¥¬¥µ ¥¯¥ê¥¹¥Æ¥£ (Japanese)
°¢¼Îɯ¡¤¿ËÀòË¿µÙ (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (n¨¦e Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
§¡§Ô§Ñ§ä§Ñ §¬§â§Ú§ã§ä§Ú (Russian)
§¡§Ô§Ñ§ä§Ñ §¬§â?§ã§ä? (Ukrainian)
¦¡¦Ã¦Ê?¦È¦Á ¦ª¦Ñ?¦Ò¦Ó¦É (Greek)
¥¢¥¬¥µ ¥¯¥ê¥¹¥Æ¥£ (Japanese)
°¢¼Îɯ¡¤¿ËÀòË¿µÙ (Chinese)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews
June 1, 2018
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April 5, 2017
What shall I say about an institution which is one of England's tourist attractions, along with Nelson's Column, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace?
I read it as a short story and loved it: I read it as a play and loved it, despite knowing the secret: and finally, in 2009...
A dream come true!
I read it as a short story and loved it: I read it as a play and loved it, despite knowing the secret: and finally, in 2009...
A dream come true!
April 2, 2020
The eight plays found within these pages possess all the components to keep a person up long into the night. Agatha Christie at her absolute best! The plays are "Ten Little Indians" (now known better as And Then There Were None), Appointment with Death, The Hollow, The Mousetrap, Witness for the Prosecution,Towards Zero, Verdict, and Go Back for Murder.
They really were all 4 stars for me, I had previous knowledge of the first and fifth titles in their novel and short story formats but I learned to really absorb each story this time because I was reading them in play format. Hands down "The Mousetrap "was the absolute best and I can see why theatre audiences just cannot get enough. Definitely a collection for any old or brand new AC fan!
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review published 02/04/20
They really were all 4 stars for me, I had previous knowledge of the first and fifth titles in their novel and short story formats but I learned to really absorb each story this time because I was reading them in play format. Hands down "The Mousetrap "was the absolute best and I can see why theatre audiences just cannot get enough. Definitely a collection for any old or brand new AC fan!
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review published 02/04/20
May 17, 2018
4.5*
Being a fan of Christie¡¯s writing, it was high time I finally read her plays, and especially THE longest running West End show. It is impossible not to hear about the Mousetrap and I was very curious to find out about it. Unsurprisingly, it was vintage Christie :O) The only problem is that in order to really experience this play, or indeed any, it should be seen. Note to self - go see play!
Here is a list of the texts included in this anthology, all exposing various degrees of deceit, devilish planning, and of course all brilliant. Favourite? Towards Zero
* And Then There Were None
* Appointment with Death
* The Hollow
* The Mousetrap
* Witness for the Prosecution
* Towards Zero
* Verdict
* Go Back for Murder
Being a fan of Christie¡¯s writing, it was high time I finally read her plays, and especially THE longest running West End show. It is impossible not to hear about the Mousetrap and I was very curious to find out about it. Unsurprisingly, it was vintage Christie :O) The only problem is that in order to really experience this play, or indeed any, it should be seen. Note to self - go see play!
Here is a list of the texts included in this anthology, all exposing various degrees of deceit, devilish planning, and of course all brilliant. Favourite? Towards Zero
* And Then There Were None
* Appointment with Death
* The Hollow
* The Mousetrap
* Witness for the Prosecution
* Towards Zero
* Verdict
* Go Back for Murder
August 5, 2019
Published on occasion of 60th anniversary of Mousetrap, this collection includes eight of best Christie's plays. It includes Verdict, which was a play Christie wrote original and was not based on any of her previous novels or short stories. The other interesting play is the Witness for prosecution which has a different ending from the short play
May 24, 2018
The Mousetrap: I was expecting a tougher mystery to figure out, but it wasn't. I knew who the murderer was pretty early on (the skis).
January 10, 2021
5/5
Considering I keep going back to read this book, I obviously love it enough to give it the highest-possible rating on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
It's just that good. I don't even want to read the novels of any of these plays because the scripts are just so so good. Did I mention that I love reading the parts out loud in the different voices? (Note: I don't read through ALL the voices like that. I assign myself 2-3 parts in each play and preform accordingly.)
It is one of my favorite daydreams that I get to attend one of these theatre masterpieces. Especially to attend them with a friend who doesn't know the outcome of any of them. I do so love hearing the suspicions and deductions of my fellow mystery-enthusiasts! Especially since I'm rarely good at figuring it all out for myself.
Points for being a susceptible Hufflepuff, Eva!
Considering I keep going back to read this book, I obviously love it enough to give it the highest-possible rating on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
It's just that good. I don't even want to read the novels of any of these plays because the scripts are just so so good. Did I mention that I love reading the parts out loud in the different voices? (Note: I don't read through ALL the voices like that. I assign myself 2-3 parts in each play and preform accordingly.)
It is one of my favorite daydreams that I get to attend one of these theatre masterpieces. Especially to attend them with a friend who doesn't know the outcome of any of them. I do so love hearing the suspicions and deductions of my fellow mystery-enthusiasts! Especially since I'm rarely good at figuring it all out for myself.
Points for being a susceptible Hufflepuff, Eva!
April 13, 2019
My impressions of each play:
Ten Little Indians - its source novel And Then There Were None is a masterpiece, a timeless mystery classic. This play is but a pale reflection. What was originally a dark piece on savage justice worthy of the Erinyes devolves into a milquetoast caricature here.
Appointment With Death - The change in the perpetrator works beautifully, in my opinion.
The Hollow - I haven't read the Poirot novel, but this is one splendid country weekend murder. Very sad but pointless ending.
The Mousetrap - the play with the longest initial run in history is just as thrilling as the novella that it is based on. I shan't say that it ranks among the best of Christie's plots though.
Witness For The Prosecution - now this is a good adaptation. I've always thought that maybe one of the reasons mystery fiction fascinates many is because it appeals to our inner sense of justice in a world that is often bereft of it. I disliked the original story for this very reason. This play brings a nice twist at the end that finally sets things right. It's my favorite piece.
Towards Zero - this deuced clever mystery is the only one that presents one of Christie's oft-featured detectives, Superintendent Battle. It has red herrings galore, and while the primary physical evidence was suppressed from the audience until the denoument, the mechanism of the murderer's machinations become rather evident just before the final scene. Very engrossing.
Verdict - it's the only play here that wasn't adapted from another Christie work. It's not much of a mystery if the murderer commits the crime in front of the entire audience at the end of the first act. I don't care much for it.
Go Back For Murder - the literal reconstruction of events 16 years in the past was more believable in Five Little Pigs, but the device this play used is admittedly more suitable to the theater. It's still as raw and powerful.
I noticed that fully half of the plays were simply manifold riffs on the theme of . These were the ones that I also found the most intriguing. I guess few things fascinate as much as l'amour gone berserk, non?
I'm rating this 7/10 or 3 impassioned, iniquitous stars out of 5.
Ten Little Indians - its source novel And Then There Were None is a masterpiece, a timeless mystery classic. This play is but a pale reflection. What was originally a dark piece on savage justice worthy of the Erinyes devolves into a milquetoast caricature here.
Appointment With Death - The change in the perpetrator works beautifully, in my opinion.
The Hollow - I haven't read the Poirot novel, but this is one splendid country weekend murder. Very sad but pointless ending.
The Mousetrap - the play with the longest initial run in history is just as thrilling as the novella that it is based on. I shan't say that it ranks among the best of Christie's plots though.
Witness For The Prosecution - now this is a good adaptation. I've always thought that maybe one of the reasons mystery fiction fascinates many is because it appeals to our inner sense of justice in a world that is often bereft of it. I disliked the original story for this very reason. This play brings a nice twist at the end that finally sets things right. It's my favorite piece.
Towards Zero - this deuced clever mystery is the only one that presents one of Christie's oft-featured detectives, Superintendent Battle. It has red herrings galore, and while the primary physical evidence was suppressed from the audience until the denoument, the mechanism of the murderer's machinations become rather evident just before the final scene. Very engrossing.
Verdict - it's the only play here that wasn't adapted from another Christie work. It's not much of a mystery if the murderer commits the crime in front of the entire audience at the end of the first act. I don't care much for it.
Go Back For Murder - the literal reconstruction of events 16 years in the past was more believable in Five Little Pigs, but the device this play used is admittedly more suitable to the theater. It's still as raw and powerful.
I noticed that fully half of the plays were simply manifold riffs on the theme of . These were the ones that I also found the most intriguing. I guess few things fascinate as much as l'amour gone berserk, non?
I'm rating this 7/10 or 3 impassioned, iniquitous stars out of 5.
January 28, 2015
I've only read The Mousetrap, so this is really only a partial review, but it's a great play to read. Christie really was a master at her craft; just about everyone since has been a poor imitation. Easy to read and a great little mystery with a fun twist at the end.
Full review:
Full review:
standby
February 1, 2017Appointment with death... Mnhee meio seca. Gostei mais do original
August 26, 2024
This was so much fun to revisit this play. I saw the play in Milwaukee years ago, and I'm excited to get to see the show in West End, which happens to be the longest running play in London, in a couple weeks.
May 14, 2011
I read the title play only. I was surprised to find it very funny and sardonic. It's about a married couple who run a small hotel. The husband has a snide outlook and often insults the guests. His wife is constantly getting on him about fixing things. The meals, masquerading as elegant, are dished from a can. There is a doddering old man called The Major, there is a haughty old lady, there is an ever-present fear that one of the guests will flee, leaving the bill unpaid and a suitcase full of bricks. So, if, like me, you have watched every episode of FAWLTY TOWERS, the great British situation comedy about a bed-and-breakfast, you'll have come to the same conclusion I have: THE MOUSETRAP is the template for FAWLTY TOWERS.
At the beginning of the play, we see the sign the proprietor has created. He has misspelled the name of his own hotel. At the start of each episode of FAWLTY TOWERS, we are shown the sign outside the guest house. The letters have always been moved around, with a different result each week. There is an episode of FAWLTY TOWERS in which a rat is chased throughout the hotel. While there are no mice or rats in Christie's play, the title is, after all, THE MOUSETRAP. (Shakespeare started this, of course: THE MOUSETRAP is the title of the play-within-the-play in HAMLET.)
John Cleese and Connie Booth (who played Fawlty and Polly in the FAWLTY TOWERS) took six weeks to write any given episode of the series. They wrote each script carefully. My theory is that they took the comedic trappings of THE MOUSETRAP, dispensed with the mystery element and focused on what really drives the play: The tension between the guests and the hotel's proprietors.
Did I mention the staircase? Throughout the play, the characters go up a staircase and immediately come out a hall on the other side. This is one of the constant visual gags in FAWLTY TOWERS. Everybody walks up and down a superfluous set of stairs.
THE MOUSETRAP has been running steadily since 1952 in London. FAWLTY TOWERS, created in the mid-seventies, would have filmed within blocks of the theatre where THE MOUSETRAP played. Anybody in British theatrical, film and television circles would have been very familiar with THE MOUSETRAP.
If STAR WARS is based on Greek mythology, FAWLTY TOWERS may as well be based on something much more fun than Homer: Agatha Christie's MOUSETRAP.
At the beginning of the play, we see the sign the proprietor has created. He has misspelled the name of his own hotel. At the start of each episode of FAWLTY TOWERS, we are shown the sign outside the guest house. The letters have always been moved around, with a different result each week. There is an episode of FAWLTY TOWERS in which a rat is chased throughout the hotel. While there are no mice or rats in Christie's play, the title is, after all, THE MOUSETRAP. (Shakespeare started this, of course: THE MOUSETRAP is the title of the play-within-the-play in HAMLET.)
John Cleese and Connie Booth (who played Fawlty and Polly in the FAWLTY TOWERS) took six weeks to write any given episode of the series. They wrote each script carefully. My theory is that they took the comedic trappings of THE MOUSETRAP, dispensed with the mystery element and focused on what really drives the play: The tension between the guests and the hotel's proprietors.
Did I mention the staircase? Throughout the play, the characters go up a staircase and immediately come out a hall on the other side. This is one of the constant visual gags in FAWLTY TOWERS. Everybody walks up and down a superfluous set of stairs.
THE MOUSETRAP has been running steadily since 1952 in London. FAWLTY TOWERS, created in the mid-seventies, would have filmed within blocks of the theatre where THE MOUSETRAP played. Anybody in British theatrical, film and television circles would have been very familiar with THE MOUSETRAP.
If STAR WARS is based on Greek mythology, FAWLTY TOWERS may as well be based on something much more fun than Homer: Agatha Christie's MOUSETRAP.
August 20, 2018
Great collection of Agatha Christie's plays. Some were adapted from novels but most were written as plays originally with very detailed stage instructions. This makes these plays very dynamic and easy to read, although I would try to watch some of these as stage productions if the occasion presents itself. I love how music plays a big role in Christie's novels (songs, nursery rhymes...) and this element is also used in some of the plays, which adds to the atmosphere beautifully.
Ten Little Indians: 4? I've already read the novel and it's one of my favourites. Love how the ending was developed for the play.
Appointment with death: 2? not such a fan of this, whether it be in novel or play form.
The Hollow: 3?
The Mousetrap: 5? love the "Huis Clos" atmosphere in combination with the "Shining" style setting!
Witness for the Prosecution: 4? great court drama with a shocking twist and ending!
Towards Zero: 3?
Verdict: 4? this is an unusual one. Very character driven and a comment on history and society in the 1940-50s.
Go back for Murder: 4? loved how the element of going back in time is done for a stage production. He story is great. The end was unexpected but still enjoyable.
Ten Little Indians: 4? I've already read the novel and it's one of my favourites. Love how the ending was developed for the play.
Appointment with death: 2? not such a fan of this, whether it be in novel or play form.
The Hollow: 3?
The Mousetrap: 5? love the "Huis Clos" atmosphere in combination with the "Shining" style setting!
Witness for the Prosecution: 4? great court drama with a shocking twist and ending!
Towards Zero: 3?
Verdict: 4? this is an unusual one. Very character driven and a comment on history and society in the 1940-50s.
Go back for Murder: 4? loved how the element of going back in time is done for a stage production. He story is great. The end was unexpected but still enjoyable.
September 17, 2012
I read this because I was IN a production ( as Christopher Wren!) in maybe 1982 at Calvin College, summer production with mostly Calvin alumni... Obviously one of the (is it THE longest?!) longest running productions of a play in history, in London.... and it is a great play... as so many of hers are...
April 19, 2015
Short but brilliant. This seems so classic.
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All the suspicious parties ensconced in an old manor on?the countryside during a snow storm.
?
And a serial killer on the loose.
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I was pretty sure about the culprit early on, but nevertheless a very satisfying read.
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All the suspicious parties ensconced in an old manor on?the countryside during a snow storm.
?
And a serial killer on the loose.
?
I was pretty sure about the culprit early on, but nevertheless a very satisfying read.
?
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April 22, 2018
Agatha Christie usually gets 5 stars from me because she is brilliant! I loved her plays. Two of them I¡¯ve read in novel form, and I can¡¯t wait to read the novels of the others. I¡¯m not lying when I say that I loved all the plays in this anthology - each one had a perfectly crafted murder mystery. It takes a second to get used to reading a script, but this is totally worth the read!
October 20, 2020
I¡¯d hoped to see The Mousetrap at the theatre this autumn but as that was not to be I decided to read it instead. The numerous stage directions were a bit off-putting at first but once I got used to them I really enjoyed the plot. Classic Christie!
December 18, 2008
A turning point in the history of crime fiction , a very dramatic setting & a suspense story!
Read
October 15, 2016Loved it! The plays are racier than the books.
Read
August 27, 2020I actually really liked this! I read it for school and I think that added to my enjoyment. The ending wasn't q u i t e as satisfying as I would have liked but all in all, a solid read :)
November 29, 2021
I recently attended the live play, The Mousetrap. I usually like to read books or plays from which a movie or live play is derived, so I picked up this collection of plays. I really enjoy Agatha Christie's mysteries...they feel like a "guilty pleasure. This book's plays did not disappoint!
October 18, 2024
Read this for English class this year. So good oml. The plot twists were twisting. And js the way Agatha Christie formed the entire book and paid attention to detail is amazing.
October 7, 2022
The Mousetrap was an excellent read. Seeing it performed live would probably be even better. Had me fooled to the very end.
February 23, 2020
This is easily one of my most treasured tomes on my bookshelf. As stated on the blurb, ¡°Agatha Christie¡¯s talents as a playwright were equal to her skills as a novelist, and her plays, with their ingenious plots and colourful characters, make for just as enjoyable reading.¡±
It seems odd that I¡¯ve now read all eight of her most famous scripts. She remains one of my favourite writers of all time, and her plays are a joy to read and reread, whether individually, or all eight in one afternoon-long literary binge.
(Every one of these plays received either 4 or 5 stars.)
Quick Breakdown of Each One in this Volume:
The Mousetrap:
The longest running play of all time, having run longer than every one of Andrew Lloyd Webber¡¯s plays!
I definitely understand the appeal. It¡¯s not my favourite story of hers to read on the page, though I was lucky enough to see a phenomenal production of it in the theatre last year. Pleasant enough, with a good old classic mystery underlying it!
And Then There Were None:
Absolutely fantastic - just as good as the original novel. I¡¯ve read it twice, and enjoyed it even more on the second reading. One of my favourite plays!
Appointment With Death
An interesting one. Though I enjoyed it a lot, her writing is not at its best - the characters aren¡¯t particularly interesting and the ending falls rather flat. However, the solution to the mystery makes it one of the most fascinating plays I¡¯ve ever read, not least because Christie completely changed the identity of the killer! I¡¯ve not actually read the novel, but clearly it¡¯s not one of her most accurately adapted, as both this play adaptation AND the David Suchet TV adaptation significantly alter the solution to the murder.
A very enjoyable and highly intriguing play.
The Hollow
One of her absolute best stories, both as a novel and as a play. Very emotive, thought-provoking, and chillingly close to events that could (and do) easily happen in the real world.
Witness for the Prosecution
Again, another fabulous one, if only for its ingenious twist ending.
Towards Zero
Please refer to the review of Witness for the Prosecution.
This play is probably the best in the collection with regard to character development, storytelling, and the handling of the denouement. Top marks.
Even though this mystery is a standalone, ITV adapted it as part of its ¡®Agatha Christie¡¯s Marple¡¯ series, starring Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. I¡¯d love to see that film at some point, though one wonders how accurate it is to the original source material.
Verdict
Not her absolute best, but still an interesting experiment. One wouldn¡¯t really think that this is Agatha Christie; it reads more like a soap opera (and for that reason probably works much better onstage than it does on the page).
The murder is actually committed onstage, so it is not a murder mystery at all...it¡¯s more of a very dark family drama. Nonetheless, still great food for thought!
Go Back For Murder
An adaptation of Christie¡¯s novel Five Little Pigs. This was a lot better than the novel, which is slightly boring and repetitive (though the ending makes up for it). Much like Verdict, it probably works better onstage than it does on the page, though it still is a very well-written and brilliantly structured play.
It seems odd that I¡¯ve now read all eight of her most famous scripts. She remains one of my favourite writers of all time, and her plays are a joy to read and reread, whether individually, or all eight in one afternoon-long literary binge.
(Every one of these plays received either 4 or 5 stars.)
Quick Breakdown of Each One in this Volume:
The Mousetrap:
The longest running play of all time, having run longer than every one of Andrew Lloyd Webber¡¯s plays!
I definitely understand the appeal. It¡¯s not my favourite story of hers to read on the page, though I was lucky enough to see a phenomenal production of it in the theatre last year. Pleasant enough, with a good old classic mystery underlying it!
And Then There Were None:
Absolutely fantastic - just as good as the original novel. I¡¯ve read it twice, and enjoyed it even more on the second reading. One of my favourite plays!
Appointment With Death
An interesting one. Though I enjoyed it a lot, her writing is not at its best - the characters aren¡¯t particularly interesting and the ending falls rather flat. However, the solution to the mystery makes it one of the most fascinating plays I¡¯ve ever read, not least because Christie completely changed the identity of the killer! I¡¯ve not actually read the novel, but clearly it¡¯s not one of her most accurately adapted, as both this play adaptation AND the David Suchet TV adaptation significantly alter the solution to the murder.
A very enjoyable and highly intriguing play.
The Hollow
One of her absolute best stories, both as a novel and as a play. Very emotive, thought-provoking, and chillingly close to events that could (and do) easily happen in the real world.
Witness for the Prosecution
Again, another fabulous one, if only for its ingenious twist ending.
Towards Zero
Please refer to the review of Witness for the Prosecution.
This play is probably the best in the collection with regard to character development, storytelling, and the handling of the denouement. Top marks.
Even though this mystery is a standalone, ITV adapted it as part of its ¡®Agatha Christie¡¯s Marple¡¯ series, starring Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. I¡¯d love to see that film at some point, though one wonders how accurate it is to the original source material.
Verdict
Not her absolute best, but still an interesting experiment. One wouldn¡¯t really think that this is Agatha Christie; it reads more like a soap opera (and for that reason probably works much better onstage than it does on the page).
The murder is actually committed onstage, so it is not a murder mystery at all...it¡¯s more of a very dark family drama. Nonetheless, still great food for thought!
Go Back For Murder
An adaptation of Christie¡¯s novel Five Little Pigs. This was a lot better than the novel, which is slightly boring and repetitive (though the ending makes up for it). Much like Verdict, it probably works better onstage than it does on the page, though it still is a very well-written and brilliantly structured play.
September 12, 2010
I have very vague recollections of trying to read a Hercule Poirot book from almost a decade ago and hardly remember a thing from it. This was all the acquaintance I had with Agatha Christie. A colleague once when she received a pay raise went ahead and brought the entire collection of Miss Marple and I remember staring incredulously at her as she explained the different titles in the collection. After a while I come to know of the longest running play in Broadway and also of the 2003 film Identity which was inspired by the very enjoyable "And then there were none". May be it was all this hearsay that made me pick up this book.
There were four plays in my edition of this book : And then there were none, Appointment with Death, The Hollow & The Mousetrap. Of these I sticked to the well known ones, the first and fourth. Even though the premise of Appointment with Death was a promising one, I was not much of a taker to it and neither did I finish The Hollow. Little wonder Agatha Christie is called the queen of crime fiction for she creates a heightened sense of tension and suspense throughout the narrative. The characters are interesting and the plots are colorful and amusing to say the least. Thankfully neither of the tales had a poirotesque detective jumping in with a "Aaha, I have cornered you, you fiend !!!". It is always the narrative that brings the culprit to the fore.
These have been pioneers in the field of crime drama but they have been done to death now : the vulnerable characters, the usual suspects, the unlikely sleuths, the long drawn out plan for murder...and the works. If only such plots stayed fresh, one would have derive so much fun reading them.
Recommended for those who love a good mystery....
There were four plays in my edition of this book : And then there were none, Appointment with Death, The Hollow & The Mousetrap. Of these I sticked to the well known ones, the first and fourth. Even though the premise of Appointment with Death was a promising one, I was not much of a taker to it and neither did I finish The Hollow. Little wonder Agatha Christie is called the queen of crime fiction for she creates a heightened sense of tension and suspense throughout the narrative. The characters are interesting and the plots are colorful and amusing to say the least. Thankfully neither of the tales had a poirotesque detective jumping in with a "Aaha, I have cornered you, you fiend !!!". It is always the narrative that brings the culprit to the fore.
These have been pioneers in the field of crime drama but they have been done to death now : the vulnerable characters, the usual suspects, the unlikely sleuths, the long drawn out plan for murder...and the works. If only such plots stayed fresh, one would have derive so much fun reading them.
Recommended for those who love a good mystery....
January 18, 2021
I originally picked this book only for "The Mousetrap" which I loved. The "other plays" I also read were "And Then There Were None" and "Witness for the Prosecution" which was astonishing. I was reminded of Perry Mason and was curious about which came first. Agatha did! She wrote the short story "Witness for the Prosecution" in 1925, the play was performed in London in 1953, and it was made into a movie in 1957 - the same year Perry Mason debuted. The other plays in the book didn't get my attention.
September 17, 2021
This is such a great collection of Agatha Christie's plays! Some I liked more than others, but they were all interesting and mysterious.
There were a couple of the plays where I found it easy to guess who the murderer was. I wonder if I saw the play actually being acted on stage, it might not be so easy to tell. So much depends on the tone of voice and the atmosphere of a scene. Reading a play just isn't the same.
I love the complex characters, and all the red herrings and wild clues! Each play has a certain charm and fascination that kept my attention.
I had especially high hopes of "The Mousetrap", since that is her most famous play and the longest running play in history. But I was a little disappointed. It seemed very obvious to me who the murderer was, and the red herrings were either too bland or too melodramatic to be plausible. Maybe I've just read too much Agatha Christie, so I can guess what she is going to do.
But I did enjoy the characters and the clever dialogue! I especially liked Mr. and Mrs. Ralston and their sweet relationship as newlyweds. And I thought the setting of a snowed-in country hotel was wonderful!
There were a couple of the plays where I found it easy to guess who the murderer was. I wonder if I saw the play actually being acted on stage, it might not be so easy to tell. So much depends on the tone of voice and the atmosphere of a scene. Reading a play just isn't the same.
I love the complex characters, and all the red herrings and wild clues! Each play has a certain charm and fascination that kept my attention.
I had especially high hopes of "The Mousetrap", since that is her most famous play and the longest running play in history. But I was a little disappointed. It seemed very obvious to me who the murderer was, and the red herrings were either too bland or too melodramatic to be plausible. Maybe I've just read too much Agatha Christie, so I can guess what she is going to do.
But I did enjoy the characters and the clever dialogue! I especially liked Mr. and Mrs. Ralston and their sweet relationship as newlyweds. And I thought the setting of a snowed-in country hotel was wonderful!
September 8, 2015
I only read the three original plays in this book. The others were adaptations of her books that I have already read elsewhere. I liked The Mousetrap the best though it was relatively easy to guess the murderer's identity. However, I did have fun picturing how similar the plot was to both Sleuth and Noises Off and I wondered if those plays later made into movies were somewhat based on this play. I'm sure if I hadn't seen the marvelous Marlene Dietrich movie version of Witness for the Prosecution, I would have liked that play the best. No spoilers but it has an unforgettable denouement. This was also the play that Agatha herself liked the best according to the Introduction. Dame Agatha's second favorite was the last original play, Verdict. I can't say I agree with her assessment. It was predictable and rather old-fashioned. However, overall the collection deserves 4 stars!
January 22, 2012
I have only read 'The Mousetrap' and not the 'Other Plays'. This one will always stay close to my heart because it happened to be the first large-scale play that I performed [:
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