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How many HP books do you own?

detectivepauljohn-avatar
detectivepauljohn 25 Sep 08 at 10:24 a.m. GMT

mine are

  • Evil Under the Sun
  • Death On the Nile
  • Cards On the Table

I also own Miss Marple's Murder at the Vicarage and Quin's The Mysterious Mr. Quin which are both excellent, too. I will buy The Hollow and Mrs. Mcginty's Dead or either The Third Girl and Hallowe'en Party next 2-3 months.

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detectivefan010-avatar
detectivefan010 17 Jan 11 at 3:58 a.m. GMT

I have read the following:

  • Murder on the Orient Express
  • Hercule Poirot's Christmas
  • The ABC murders
  • Curtain:Poirot's last case
  • Poirot's early cases
  • The mysterious affair at Styles.
Puffinjill-avatar
Puffinjill 02 Nov 10 at 7:09 a.m. GMT

Send them to me!!!!!!!!! I can't bear to part with books, even if I will never read them again. I know that passing on your paperbacks to a secondhand shop will let another would-be AC fan discover the delights of her books but I couldn't do it!!! I know one set of AC books should be enough for anyone but I can't seem to stop there!! Dear oh dear, I AM way too obsessive about my books.

Your hardback collection is coming on better than mine, Knotty! They should certainly help keep you occupied throughout your long, cold winter.

knottyceltic-avatar
knottyceltic 30 Oct 10 at 2:54 p.m. GMT

I just made a buying blitz this past month to stock up for our long cold Canadian winter.  I now have 15 new (to me), used, AC hardcovers to read over the winter.  I'm like a kid in a candy store.  Too many good ones to choose from now  ;o)

That probably brings my Hardcover collection to about 52.  Soon I will go through all my softcover/paperback editions and sell them at the second hand book shop.  AC is a rare commodity there so I know they will sell fast. 

englishriviera-avatar
englishriviera 30 Oct 10 at 1:05 a.m. GMT

I have read 12 Poirot novels and all short stories. I am a fan since my mother bought our first Christies novel "Murder at the vicarage" , a Miss Marple.

My favorites are: The blue train, Halloween Party, Lord vEdgware dies, Death on the Nile, Death in the clouds, Cards on the table, and of course The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

The ones I love the most ,I also have the BBC radio dramatisation and the film.

ivi21-avatar
ivi21 29 Oct 10 at 2:50 p.m. GMT

That website looks great, I will join it as soon as I have a little more time.

knottyceltic-avatar
knottyceltic 29 Oct 10 at 11:12 a.m. GMT

No worries Mr. Graves.  When i see the initials HP I always think "Harry Potter" before "Hercule Poirot".  It's just habit from when I was a member of a Harry Potter discussion forum for many years.  I'm still a big Potter fan and am eagerly awating the arrival in theatre of the first installment of the last book.  :o)

Mr_Graves-avatar
Mr_Graves 21 Oct 10 at 11:37 p.m. GMT

That sounds like such a cool website!!! I must visit it...

As for the HP books I own (I am ashamed to admit that when I first saw this post, I thought that it was Harry Potter books! These accursed initials!) I have about 12. I've just checked- make that 11. 

knottyceltic-avatar
knottyceltic 02 Oct 10 at 2:19 a.m. GMT

I own 45 hardcovers and I don't know how many paperbacks.  I use this cute little website to keep track of my AC books, which I've purchased and which I have read.  It's called "Shelfari" and is here:

www.shelfari.com

After you join you get to put the book on your shelf that you are currently reading.  Then you pick the books you've already read and those you WISH to read and you can pick the exact book cover that you have.  You can also leave comments about the book, review it, tag it and if you click on the book it takes you to the discussions about it.  There are also "groups" there and your profile will list which groups you belong to.  When you get replies from any of your groups or book discussions the replies are noted in your profile when you log in.

If you join, please send me a friend request. My shelf is located here:

http://www.shelfari.com/knottyceltic/shelf

ivi21-avatar
ivi21 12 Sep 10 at 2:24 p.m. GMT

I got complete short stories with Poirot as a Christmas gift two years ago and then I have other Poirot stories and also stories with Miss Marple, Mr. Quin and Parker Pyne.I didn´t count them. But I don´t have anything about Tommy and Tuppence, I think that will be my next buy  

xrysoula-avatar
xrysoula 28 Aug 10 at 6:56 p.m. GMT

I am the proud owner of 40 Christies and I am determined to complete my collection! Right now I am waiting for 6 more that I recently ordered.

christie_greece-avatar
christie_greece 26 Aug 10 at 2:31 p.m. GMT

beligian in ireland I'm so impressed. I have about 30-35 books and I share them with my best friend. We started reading AC's books together and we are determind to read them all!!

belgian_in_ireland-avatar
belgian_in_ireland 28 Jun 10 at 6:57 p.m. GMT

I thought I had all the AC books, except for Star over Bethlehem and the Mary Westmacott novels.  But starting to read the books in the order they were published I have already come across a few that I don't have.

My AC books have their own bookcases (Ikea's Billy CD cases) and also contain her autobiography, the 2 biographies, Max Mallowan's Biography, the plays, the John Curran book and A Talent to Deceive.

Mr_west-avatar
Mr_west 10 Jun 10 at 3:33 p.m. GMT

i have 33 AC books:

○ the mysterious affair at styles

○ the mirror cracke'd from side to side

○ partners in crime

○ a caribbean mystery

○ they came to baghdad

○ death on the nile

○ the man in the brown suit

○ three blind mice and other stories

○ crooked house

○ sleeping murder

○ curtain

○ murder on the orient express

○ they do it with mirrors

○ mrs. mcginty's dead

○ the hollow

○ Destination Unknown

○ and then there were none

○ appointment with death

○ easy to kill

○ three act tragety

○ Parker Pyne Investigates

○ lord edgware dies

○ the big four

○ after the funeral

○ sad cypress

○ A Murder is Announced

○cat among the pigeons

○ one,two buckle my shoe

○ Murder in Mesopotamia  

○ the mystery of the blue train

○ the body in the library

○ 4.50 from paddington

○ The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories  

i almost finish to read them all and i'm still looking for more books. 

cameronjhw-avatar
cameronjhw 08 Jun 10 at 4:18 p.m. GMT

I own all of the Hercule Poirot novels and stories also I have all of the mystery novels and atories featuring Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, Parker Pyne, and Harley Quin. Also all of the novels that do not feature her detectives like And Then There Were None, Death Comes as the End, etc.

MissQuin-avatar
MissQuin 08 Mar 10 at 7:03 p.m. GMT

I don't know how many I own, I havent counted them! But more than 20 and the AC books have their own shelves.

csillasmystery-avatar
csillasmystery 07 Mar 10 at 8:06 p.m. GMT

I have about 40 AC books, but I'd like to have all her books. Maybe someday.

Tommy_A_Jones-avatar
Tommy_A_Jones 03 Aug 09 at 2:18 p.m. GMT

I can't have seen the covers you are talking about or not noticed. I had the issues where Evil Under The Sun was Yellow and had a Skull on, I can't remember who the Publishers were.

TheMole-avatar
TheMole 02 Aug 09 at 1:26 p.m. GMT

If I had just begun reading AC w/ the new cover jackets then I would have collected those. But it is true that the "older" covers sometimes give you big clues as to who the culprit(s) is/are. The cover jacket for Mrs. McGinty's Dead is one that really gives it away!

marymck-avatar
marymck 02 Aug 09 at 11:27 a.m. GMT

Yes but the things they illustrate are often small things that appear insignificant when they arise in the story - almost as a throwaway line - and it is only much later on in the plot that the significance becomes apparent.  By having these apparently insignificant items on the cover there is no surprise when their significance is revealed and when the truth is out with one item, then immediately the significance of all the other items falls into place.  So once you know this is what the cover designer is doing, you can work out the who, how and why very easily as you have having the significant aspects of the plot rather heavy handedly underlined for you as you read it.  Does that make sense?

I have to say that the illustrators don't do it now.  But there was a whole series of AC imprints that did this a few years back.  I'll look up the dates of the editions in my copies.  These editions are the ones I least enjoy reading - and I hope gradually to replace them.

Tommy_A_Jones-avatar
Tommy_A_Jones 02 Aug 09 at 10:37 a.m. GMT

I can't see there is anything wrong with the types of covers you suggest, as they just mention the type of things mentioned in the book, they don't reveal who the Murderer is, I have read some books and when finishing them realise the title sort of explains who did it, ABC Murders and 4.50 From Paddington mention Train timetables early on in the book and in the case of ABC in the blurb, I personally like covers that symbolise aspects of the book.

marymck-avatar
marymck 02 Aug 09 at 8:53 a.m. GMT

What really irritates me are covers that give clues: strings of pearls, daggers or a railway timetable, that sort of thing.  Jacket designers please take note - we read the Dame because we enjoy the challenge of spotting the clues to the mysteries for ourselves.

TheMole-avatar
TheMole 01 Aug 09 at 9:59 p.m. GMT
3rdGirl

For Christmas last year I received from 'Santa' all of the Poirot mysteries to date on DVD, but four more were on TV this year. I think the productions just get more lovely and gorgeous looking each time.

That's a great Christmas gift!

however the publisher decided to change the style of the covers on them! This really arritated me as I do love my books to match when I'm collecting a set. 

I'm partial to the "older" paperback books, as well. And I when I am finishing collecting all of her mystery books I would like for the covers to be of the same style.

I've only read one Tommy and Tuppence book, 'The Secret Adversary', but although my friend likes the T&T books the best, I am a Poirot devotee.

I've also read only one T&T book but it was Partners In Crime. I love the characters but I just don't care for their adventures.

3rdGirl-avatar
3rdGirl 01 Aug 09 at 9:08 p.m. GMT

Wow! It seems everyone has so many. I have read and own all of the Miss Marple books and short stories.

For Christmas last year I received from 'Santa' all of the Poirot mysteries to date on DVD, but four more were on TV this year. I think the productions just get more lovely and gorgeous looking each time.

I like the 'order and method' in collectiong my books and have read about 40 Poirot's, and had started to collect them in paperback (owning about 10), however the publisher decided to change the style of the covers on them! This really arritated me as I do love my books to match when I'm collecting a set. I know, my husband thinks I'm a bit crazy about it too. I'm trying to read them in order as well!

Luckily for me my library has a fantastic AC section, so I'm reading the rest from the library. I may try and find the matching set of books on ebay and places like that.

I've only read one Tommy and Tuppence book, 'The Secret Adversary', but although my friend likes the T&T books the best, I am a Poirot devotee.

marymck-avatar
marymck 28 Jul 09 at 1:38 p.m. GMT

Hi - I'm new to this site and this is my first posting!

I must confess I don't have the foggiest notion how many HP books I have.  I have read them all since I started out with a few aged green & white paperbacks that were passed on to me over 20 years ago.  Largely I read from library books, so as to now many I actually own???

I've just had a quick look at those in my study (they're pretty much spread over all three floors of the house!) and I seem to have 3 green & white pbs of Death on the Nile in this room alone.  

I started out unscientifically reading them at random, then re-read them all in order of publication.  (Though I'm still sorting out the story order of novels + short stories ... is there a definitive list of that on the site?  No, on second thoughts don't tell me!  It would spoil my detective work!)

It's great to find this community & know I'm not the only fanatic out there!!

Inspector_Kelly-avatar
Inspector_Kelly 21 Jul 09 at 10:33 a.m. GMT

I own approximately 21 HP novels, the complete short story collection, all of the TV adaptations with david Suchet and the Murder On the orient express starring Albert Finney directed by Sidney Lumet. And just to top it off I am writing my own Poirot novel with all the classic characters set in Greenway house which I visited when it opened.

Monkfish-avatar
Monkfish 15 Jul 09 at 1:04 p.m. GMT

the only one I own is 'Hercule Poirot - The Complete Short Stories'.Any other AC books I've owned have gone to charity shops.

Everything else comes from the library. I used to buy books, decades ago, but I eventually realised what a waste of money it is. I'm currently a member of four library systems, and can get my hands on virtually any book for nothing, or at most a 30 pence reservation fee.

na_well-avatar
na_well 09 Jul 09 at 6:33 p.m. GMT

I own 19 HP novels. They are:

  • The Mysterious Affair at Styles
  • Murder on the Orient Express
  • The ABC Murders
  • The Murder of Roger Acroyd
  • Cards on the Table
  • The Mystery of the Blue Train
  • Peril at End House
  • Death in the Clouds
  • Murder in Mesopotamia
  • Three Act Tragedy
  • Hercule Poirot's Christmas
  • Death on the Nile
  • Evil Under the Sun
  • One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
  • Appointment with Death
  • Five Little Pigs
  • The Hollow
  • The Clocks
  • Elephants can Remember

Haven't read all of them but I will. From the ones I read I recommend The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Murder on the Orient Express, Cards on the Table and Evil Under the Sun.

molumiss-avatar
molumiss 15 Jun 09 at 9:48 a.m. GMT

i have read 10 ac books and my fav is man inthe brown suit

have u read it

Frndorfoe-avatar
Frndorfoe 12 Jun 09 at 6:07 p.m. GMT

I am the proud owner of over thirty Hercule Poirot books. I have spent the last four years reading and collecting them. Before that I had finished reading and collecting all the Miss Marple books. I like HP but Miss Marple remains my all time favorite.

lava-avatar
lava 24 Mar 09 at 4:32 a.m. GMT

 i own 4 poirots-sad cypress, mts mcginty'd dead, third girl and thirteen at dinner. i have read some of them in my school library.

sapphire_arisa-avatar
sapphire_arisa 24 Mar 09 at 4:02 a.m. GMT

I have about 2 or 3 Jane Marple Books, and about 5 Poirot ones. But I'e read much more than that. I usually borrow from my friends or library. It's awesome.

PisiMare-avatar
PisiMare 03 Dec 08 at 7:41 a.m. GMT

I have about 20 poirots. All of them are in english except for 2 which are in romanian

detectivepauljohn-avatar
detectivepauljohn 28 Sep 08 at 3:27 a.m. GMT

a_cat_among_the_pigeons

              I recommend Death On the Nile and Evil Under the Sun. I also recommend Cards On the Table and Murder at Mesopotamia.

a_cat_among_the_pigeons-avatar
a_cat_among_the_pigeons 27 Sep 08 at 11:18 p.m. GMT
I only have two at the moment. I've just started reading Agatha Christie and I'm really enjoying them, I'm reading Death in the clouds at the moment has anyone got any suggestions of other good HP book?
burr-avatar
burr 27 Sep 08 at 7:59 p.m. GMT
I've got them all, even in many different editions. So I'm up to about 250 Poirot books.
dada222-avatar
dada222 27 Sep 08 at 8:18 a.m. GMT

I have about 23 poirots.

go_leafs_nation-avatar
go_leafs_nation 25 Sep 08 at 7:55 p.m. GMT
I have 26 Poirots-- not counting the doubles and the versions in other languages.
lady_horbury-avatar
lady_horbury 25 Sep 08 at 7:08 p.m. GMT

I own the following AC books:

Death of Roger Acyroyd

The Hollow

Death on the Nile

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Links

Ten Little Indians

The Hollow

Cat Among the Pigeons

A collection of short stories

Murder at the Vicarage

Maybe a couple of others.

curious-avatar
curious 25 Sep 08 at 5:19 p.m. GMT

I own the following books:

  • Mrs. McGinty's Dead
  • Hallowe'en Party
  • The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
  • Sleeping Murder
  • The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
  • Partners in Crime
  • The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories

I might own some other AC books, but I don't remember the names.

ariadnepoirotmarple-avatar
ariadnepoirotmarple 25 Sep 08 at 5 p.m. GMT
I usually borrow my dad's books (he is mad about AC), he owns about 40 books... and recently I've been buying some Christie books to add to my dad's.
Holly-avatar
Holly 25 Sep 08 at 12:08 p.m. GMT

Well, I normally borrow my mum's books when I want to read AC. She owns every Poirot ever written, I think :)

detectivepauljohn-avatar
detectivepauljohn 25 Sep 08 at 10:25 a.m. GMT

I am just became a fan of Agatha Christie a couple of months ago so that's why I own not too many but I'll gonna buy all Agatha Christie books

Must reads And Then There Were None And Then There Were None

Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to a lonely mansion on Soldier Island by a host who, surprisingly, fails to appear.

Crooked House Crooked House

When the wealthy patriarch, Aristide, is murdered, suspicion falls on the whole household. ...

Murder on the Orient Express Murder on the Orient Express

Travelling on the Orient Express, Poirot is approached by a desperate American. Afraid that someone plans to kill him, Ratchett asks Poirot for help ...

Masthead Photography: Joan Hickson image © BBC

MURDER MOST FOUL © Turner Entertainment Co. A Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. All Rights Reserved.

AGATHA CHRISTIE® POIROT® MARPLE® Copyright ©2009 Agatha Christie Limited. All rights reserved.