Agatha Christie Lovers discussion

Also published as The Boomerang Clue. Originally published in 1934. Was it a misstep that sent a handsome stranger plummeting to his death from a cliff? Or something more sinister? Fun-loving adventurers Bobby Jones and Frances Derwent's suspicions are certainly roused--espeically since the man's dying words were so peculiar: Why didn't the ask Evans? Bobby and Frances would love to know. Unfortunately, asking the wrong people has sent the amateur sleuths running for their lives--on a wild and deadly pursuit tod discover who Evans is, what it was he wasn't asked, and why the mysterious inquiry has put their own lives in mortal danger...

I remember enjoying this book several years ago.

I can't remember if I read it or not.

I've never read it! :D

I'm looking forward to this one!

One of the great AC's more surprising plot twists and definitely in my top 5 list of her best books.

That's great to know Lynda.

Thanks, Carolyn. Hope you enjoy it.

I read this one a few months back.the library has it so may do again. really like it. Still waiting for Aprils to come in.

I still have to download the book! I'm planning on doing it tomorrow (crossing fingers because I really want to or I'm lying - I haven't figured it out yet).

Great. nothing better than an Agatha Christie novel to break my reading slump.

I loved this book!! My second favourite non-Poirot, non-Marple book ever!!

Ashwath wrote: "I loved this book!! My second favourite non-Poirot, non-Marple book ever!!"

Wow, really!? I'm even more excited now. :D

Me too, Trevor. Ashwath you make me more excited to read the book :)

Trevor, Carolyn- Enjoy it!! :)

So, what's your favourite non-Poirot/Marple book,then, Ashwath?

Finished! That was really cool. I love the twists and turns.

I was somewhat disappointed because the solution was kind of obvious. However, I enjoyed class-defying romance storyline!

Obvious!? Catie, you're a better sleuth than I. haha. :) I didn't see it coming at all until the last few chapters.

I started reading this last night - I haven't read this for some years and it was very different to how I remembered it. It is going to be good to re-read some of the books I haven't read for ages with the group.

Karen sometimes I'll swear from the blurb I haven't read it and then halfway through I know who did and why. I'm not that smart so I know I've just remembered the book.

Lynda--my favourite non-Poirot/Marple book? I'd have to say 'Towards Zero'. 'And Then There Were None' was great too though! What about your favourites??

I just started this one last night myself. I had never read it before and I'm looking forward to it. You can never go wrong with Christie!

Hmm. Have to think about that for a while, Ashwath. There are quite a few that I remember as being non-Poirot where, in fact, he does make an appearance. Like a cameo role LOL

N or M? would be one. (That's a Tommy and Tuppence) And yes, Towards Zero which I've very recently re-read.

I've started it! Lynda, the couple in this book remind me a lot of the young Tommy and Tuppence, very flippant and judgmental of the older adult. I am now at the age where they say we older adults talk too much about our aches and pains and I'd have to agree which is horrible!

I recently re-read this one. It's always been a favorite - because of the easy relationship between Frankie and Bobby.

This was a good one. Fun, and I was caught off by the ending.

Just finished. Sorry but I much prefer Poirot or Miss Marple : I knew I had read this one but could not remember anything about it. Started well but didn't quite keep me hooked to the end.

@Fiona - sorry to hear that but each to their own, as they say

@Carolyn - yes, Frankie and Bobby are a lot like T & T. I've often wondered whether the characters in WDTAE were a trial run for T & T. Would have to check publication dates to be sure.

So has anybody seen the movie version of this? ugh. I've never been so disappointed by a movie in my entire life. First of all, it's from the Miss. Marple series. So Marple is in it. That's only the first difference (and what a difference it is!). When Marple shows up, Frankie and Bobby look like bickering wannabes the whole time; they don't even get to solve the mystery! Marple does. And the solution is completely different from the original (I won't say how, for fear of spoiling it for those who haven't read the book). It's like a slap in Christie's face. Like the writer said "Agatha Christie's writing is horrendous! I'll write a movie script and completely change it beyond all possible recognition." Egregious. Seriously. Anyone else seen it who can back my rant up?

I haven't seen this one- who played Marple?

Trevor, haven't seen that - thank goodness I think! Hate it when films change the whole storyline. I hadn't read Evans for years and it was totally different from how I remembered it - I really enjoyed it, think it was a great storyline/characters and a really good ending. I liked Bobby and Frankie a lot too, they were fun and Frankie was really enterprising.

I finished this book on Sunday, liked the charming protagonists and the unforeseen twists in the story.

@jennifer - Julia McKenzie

@Susan - haha yes me too! It's awful when you've loved a book and are excited to see the movie and then it's completely changed! I hate that.

To be honest I rarely watch films/TV. As far as Agatha Christie is concerned, the David Suchet ones are very good and Joan Hickson was a marvellous Marple, but I never liked any others. They kept to the original spirit of the books and the characters.

Trevor, I so agree with you about the way that films and, to a lesser extent, TV ruin the great AC's work. For heaven's sake, she sold millions upon millions of books. If that's not a winning formula, I don't know what is - so why mess with it? Grrr.

I particularly hated the recent series with Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple. Anyone who plays so fast-and-loose with AC's plots as the writers/producers of that series did, should be put against a wall and shot!

So there! LOL

lol, Lynda! That's funny. I rarely watch the TV versions of Agatha Christie. Only once in a while do I watch them; when I come across one in the library I take it home. This one I was interested in to see how they fit Miss Marple into it, but it was a huge disappointment!

Lynda wrote: "@Fiona - sorry to hear that but each to their own, as they say

@Carolyn - yes, Frankie and Bobby are a lot like T & T. I've often wondered whether the characters in WDTAE were a trial run for T &..."

We've already read one of Tommy & Tuppence's books (we're reading in chronological order) so maybe T&T wasn't popular so she thought another couple would be?

Barb wrote: "I finished this book on Sunday, liked the charming protagonists and the unforeseen twists in the story."

That's how I saw the book too Barb :)

Trevor wrote: "So has anybody seen the movie version of this? ugh. I've never been so disappointed by a movie in my entire life. First of all, it's from the Miss. Marple series. So Marple is in it. That's only th..."

Oh my gosh Trevor - you just saved me! I was thisclose to buying the movie and had it as a tab to buy as soon as I caught up with all the comments on this group. I would hate it if they change the plot or characters at all and especially bringing in someone like Miss Marple - awful!

Carolyn F. wrote: "Oh my gosh Trevor - you just saved me! I was thisclose to buying the movie and had it as a tab to buy as soon as I caught up with all the comments on this group. I would hate it if they change the plot or characters at all and especially bringing in someone like Miss Marple - awful! "

Wow, glad I posted that rant then! ;) It really is unrecognizable as the same story. I read one review on imdb.com that said it would've been better (and they would have gotten a lot less bad reviews) if they had just called it a different story; a "new Christie" instead of the destruction reworking of a great book. That still would have been upsetting, but not nearly so much as changing it completely!

Well, never got the April's in and I had read this one only 4 or 5 months ago and was so good Zia would not forget it that quickly. I would give it a 5. I decided to take this month off. Some of movies sound good you mentioned. Some not. Would like to watch good ones.

I just finished rereading this book. It was just as delightful as the last time I read it. I love Frankie and wish there were more stories about her. Since the 'bad guy' wasn't punished, it makes me wonder if Christie had thought about a sequel to this book. It would be interesting to see a round two with Frankie and her nemesis.

hmm, I hadn't thought of that, Emily. That would be very interesting!

☯Emily wrote: "I just finished rereading this book. It was just as delightful as the last time I read it. I love Frankie and wish there were more stories about her. Since the 'bad guy' wasn't punished, it makes ..."

Hi I just read this and am years behind this discussion! Just wanted to say that I also adored Frankie. And I agree that it seemed like Christie was setting up for a sequel with Frankie since the murderer got away!

Totally enjoying rereading all of Agatha's wonderful books. Sometimes I remember them right from the start but many I don't remember until I'm a bit into the story.Frankie is a great character!

We'll be doing an official re-read when we start all over again from first published. Since it takes around 7 years to get through all of her books (reading one a month), we'll eventually re-read all of them again.

This book is a book of the month in May 2019.
Here is a link to that thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...