Book Club

Non-Series Novels & Stories

For those of you wanting to discuss Agatha Christie's standalone books, such as And Then There Were None. 

Beware spoilers and remember we'll be able to add the most insightful comments to the stories section. 

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Warning: These discussions may contain spoilers!

Towards Zero

Moderator1 11 Nov 09 at 8:33 a.m. GMT

There is a killer at large at Lady Tressilian's house, Gull's Point.  Not just a killer but an extremely convincing and clever one who will ruthlessly murder anyone who gets in the way of their plans.  It is unfortunate for him that Superintendent Battle is on holiday in the area and is called in by the local police to help.  But what has Battle's young daughter got to do with the case?

Christie uses the mad person as the killer in other books.  Is it convincing in this case?  And where do you think Superintendent Battle came in the order of Christie's affections?  Above Parker Pyne?  Below Ariadne Oliver? 

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51 replies

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MissQuin 01 Jan 10 at 8:48 p.m. GMT

I found Toward Zero started of slowly, but it soon picked up. The book goes more in depth with the characters personalities and motives.  This could have easily been a Poirot book, but it makes a change to have a different detective. I would rate this book highly as I had the one of the biggest surprises at the end!

Jane101 21 Mar 10 at 11:57 a.m. GMT

This is one of my favourites. I've read it several times.

I found it very tense and exciting towards the end. I think it's a great book.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 21 Jun 10 at 1:36 p.m. GMT

I just love Towards Zero, it's one of my all time favourite Christie's.  I don't miss Poirot at all and think that Battle is just superb as the detective.  I love the concept of starting the book months before the murder, and because of this I think the book is almost better on a re-read when you know 'who dunnit' than the first time around. 

BTW does Mr Treeves the lawyer appear in any other books? I've been racking my brains (never a good thing to do!) and I'm sure he appears in another one.  I'll have to read them all again :)

MissQuin 29 Jul 10 at 9:48 a.m. GMT

I'm not sure. There's quite a few lawyers like Mr Treeves in Chrisite stories.

I was intriqued by the fact when it was raining, Neville said "it's ok, I have a burberry." I'm asuming that was the umbrella brand? like people say hoover or biro, when it isn't.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 29 Jul 10 at 9:55 a.m. GMT

A Burberry is an old-fashioned rain coat, the kind you see men wearing on huntin', shootin', and fishin' trips.  Like a great waxed coat thingy.  I think you can still get them in posh shops like Harrods and stuff.

MissQuin 29 Jul 10 at 10:02 a.m. GMT

Oh, thanks! I feel stupid now, I thought it was an umbrella. I'm clearly so out of touch with the posh, upper classes, not being one myself! I had a picture of a light brown umbrealla, with red and black stripes like Burberry (designer).

Miss_Eylesbarrow 29 Jul 10 at 10:15 a.m. GMT

I think that's where/how the designer Burberry started - with Gentlemen's Out-Door Wear for the Country (said in Hastings' beautiful English accent).  I studied fashion for a short time at college, so have vague recollections of these things. 

MissQuin 29 Jul 10 at 10:50 a.m. GMT

Very dapper!

Tommy_A_Jones 29 Jul 10 at 4:32 p.m. GMT

This is anpther of my Favourites, Battle is Brilliant, It is such a shame ITV didn't do the Book Justice and didn't have my 2 favourite Chasracters; Battle and The Scotsman and it was a sad waste of Andrew Davies's Talents.

MissQuin 29 Jul 10 at 5:01 p.m. GMT

I found the adapt bland too. Alan Davies was woefully miscast. One of the very few good things about it for me, was Greg Wise. He's such a good actor and was just right for the part. The fact I'm practically in love with him, has nothing to do with it! I liked Dame Atkins as the old lady too and that's it.

I missed the Scotsman and Battle. One of the things I enjoy most about the book is the setting of the scene, learning more about each chaarcter. For time reason's this was all speeded up and there was no suspense.

I'm suprised Miss Marple pushed a man overboard, I suppose as he was close it wouldn't need as much strength, or would it? Ive never tried it myself.

Also Audrey married someone else in the TV version too.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 30 Jul 10 at 9:05 a.m. GMT

Oh goodness me, what a dreadful thing to do to wonderful Towards Zero, I'm so pleased that I haven't seen the production, and by the sounds of it, I shan't bother.  Miss M pushing people overboard, no MacWhirter or Battle?  The mind boggles, what will these TV people do next - flashing lesbian nuns?!

Puffinjill 30 Jul 10 at 3:18 p.m. GMT

Careful Miss Eylesbarrow!!!! You might give the powers-that-be at ITV ideas!!!! That might bring in a WHOLE new audience......

MissQuin 30 Jul 10 at 3:22 p.m. GMT

Ahhhhhhhgh!! I wont tune in! It's sounds like the spoof we made up on the Nemesis post Then There Were Nuns!! It's Then There Were None-but with a twist. Different members added bits to it. I know, it's terrible:

Then There Were Nuns is set on a small convent on an isolated island... all of the nun's have dark secrets. They start being killed one by one. They don't suspect anything at first and some think theyre being punished by God.

The actresses playing the nuns are all supiciously glamourous women, who look as though theyve had comsetic surgery and botox.

The producers fear that without any men, female viewers wont watch. So they have an amazingly handsome young priest come and visit the sisters on the island. The priest has his own sinister secret, he was a Nazi spy but has now reformed. He has to work out who killing the Nuns before it's too late. He cant manage to solve it by himself, so uses a special messenger pigeon to send a letter to his Aunt Jane Marple. (How Miss Marple's nephew was German Nazi has no bearing on the plot whatsoever.)

It's a tale of passion, madness and Mass murders! Sponsered by Wella hair care products!

 I don't think the casting was competled but we had Keria Knighley, Jane fonda and Meryl Streep, Joan Collins as wicked nuns. James Franco as a Catholic Priest (nice!) It was all daft, but possibly more normal than the actual adapts themselves, scary.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 02 Aug 10 at 9:08 a.m. GMT

I can't wait for it to be filmed!  Perhaps I could suggest another title?  'The Mystery of the Blue Nun' - a daring tale of murder, international jewel robbery and some really appalling wine.....

MissQuin 02 Aug 10 at 9:34 a.m. GMT

Oh that's brilliant.That made me laugh Miss E!  Although I think that it should be either the prequal or sequal to Then There Were nuns!

Sadlly, Ive not read Blue train, so can't parody it. But I did see part of the awful Suchet adapt. It must be hard to make a version worse than that? Try casting for it too ;)

Miss_Eylesbarrow 03 Aug 10 at 9:14 a.m. GMT

Oh gosh, I'm not good at TV/film star names - I watch so little TV.  But we'd need a rich American business man, his spoiled daughter, her lesbian lover & sex-change woman-to-man husband that she's trying to divorce.  A nun who is in disguise as a chamber-maid. A secret Nazi agent posing as a secretary,  an art/jewell thief who has his own private helicopter in which to make the essential get away, while Poirot & Hastings cling to the helicopter legs Bond-stylie in an all-ports alert desperate chase through France to the UK ending in an explosion in the Chanel Tunnel which accidentally kills the Prime Minister, who (it turns out) is the REAL murderer after all.  Phew! 

What a ripping yarn and guaranteed to bring the punters running along like good chaps, what ho Jeeves?

MissQuin 03 Aug 10 at 10:19 a.m. GMT

It might not be far fetched enough! LOL. No really, your idea is fantastic. I think I can see a kindred AC fan's mind at work here. I have too much imagination as well.

Needless to say The Mystery Of The Blue Nun episode would have the most unlikely and unsuitable people. If even has it's own sponser- you guessed it The blue nun!

Miss_Eylesbarrow 03 Aug 10 at 11:26 a.m. GMT

strap line: "Blue Nun and ITV mystery night, it's a mystery why anyone would watch it..."

MissQuin 03 Aug 10 at noon GMT

LOL I did watch the McEwan nemsis, just to see how bad it was. Couldn't sit through Sittaford mystery.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 04 Aug 10 at 9:44 a.m. GMT

I did try a McEwan once, I think it was By the Pricking of my Thumbs - but didn't get very far.  As soon as I saw drunk Tuppence talking to Miss M, I decided that this whole TV adaptation thing wasn't for me.  I haven't watched any of the succeeding Miss Marples.  I no longer bother with the later adapts of Poirot either.  A pity because I like David Suchet as Poirot, I think he'd got the characterisation just right in the early years.  I caught the denoument of Styles the other day as I was channel hopping, and it was great, so was the Affair at the Victory Ball which followed.  If AC didn't like what they did to the Marples in the early years of Margaret Rutherford, I wonder what she'd make of these ones?  They are about as true to the originals as Murder Ahoy and such like.