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Top 3 LEAST Favorite HP Books

ArlenaSMarshall 31 Mar 09 at 7:22 p.m. GMT

I really love AC's HP mysteries. I'm a huge fan. But every author has their ups and downs. What are your least favorite novels? Mine are as follows:

1. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd-this book was very dull and I guessed who had commited the murder at the beginning of the book.

2. Death in the Air- VERY DULL

3. After the Funeral- I just didn't like the characters and at first I thought they all did it.

THANKS!

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53 replies

Reverse order

squatty 31 Mar 09 at 7:43 p.m. GMT

1) Elephants Can Remember - a total mess. For example, A pushes B over a cliff and ends up with blood on their hands

2) Dumb Witness - all that doggy talk was embarassing and the solution was far too easy to solve

3) The Mystery of The Blue Train - hardly any detection. I believe AC was caught between writing an adventure novel and writing a new Poirot.

devilgal19 31 Mar 09 at 8:14 p.m. GMT

1.  Mystery of the Blue Train

2.  Murder on the Links

3.  Cards on the Table

sapphire_arisa 01 Apr 09 at 5:13 a.m. GMT

I don't have any worst books yet...

ariadnepoirotmarple 01 Apr 09 at 9:47 a.m. GMT

Hallowe'en Party - I thought the book was very dull

Apart from this one, I don't have dislikes...

Tommy_A_Jones 01 Apr 09 at 2:11 p.m. GMT

1. Lord Edgware Dies

2. The Big Four

3. Halloween Party

Unfortunately I was debating to put The Blue Train Mystery, The Hollow and The Murder of Roger Ackroyed on the list but plumped for those 3. 

binki 02 Apr 09 at 2:22 p.m. GMT

dumb witness

i can't think up another one

robreid 05 Apr 09 at 4:06 p.m. GMT

The Mystery on the Blue Train is the only book I can think of which just isn't as impressive as most of the other ones I've read.  Also, how can people think that The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is bad, it is one of Agatha Christie's best works and it was her breakthrough novel that made her famous.

TheMole 12 Apr 09 at 3:44 p.m. GMT

1. Elephants Can Remember (It lacked depth and nothing exciting happend leading up to the end, it took me nearly five months to get through it!)

2. After the Funeral (The characters were indeed dull and the plot was uneventful)

3. Third Girl (About a few months after I read it I forgot nearly the entire story line and whodunnit!)

To Arlena: Have you just read all HP books or have you read the non-series too?

Dolly_B 12 Apr 09 at 4:31 p.m. GMT

Among my top least favourite books:  Elephants Can Remember, Halloween Party, Third Girl.

AndThenThereWasTim 13 Apr 09 at 4:16 p.m. GMT

I Dont have any books I absolutly hate but some were kind of boring..

1. Muder of Roger Ackroyd... Was pretty slow I never finished it.

2. At Bertrams Hotel... I want to finish it but It never caught my interest

3. Cards on the table... I liked this book but the Suchet Butchering of the book put a bad taste in my mouth for it. I wasn't too fond of the setting I like books in the country more then in the city.

TheMole 13 Apr 09 at 8:52 p.m. GMT

squatty

2) Dumb Witness - all that doggy talk was embarassing and the solution was far too easy to solve

I agree w/ you, squatty. I did, however, enjoy the book up until AC revealed who the culprit was. As you have said the solution was far too easy.

Also, I thought that maybe there would be a reason why someone was a "Dumb Witness" but after I read it I found that no one was. And then I wondered whether or not 'dumb witness' was supposed to be some kind of an analogy for the dog (because, of course, it can't speak); but I don't think that this is the case, either. The book has a lot of flaws, imo...

ArlenaSMarshall 15 Apr 09 at 7:11 p.m. GMT

TheMole-

I have read numerous Poirot books, but I've also read a few Marple such as: The Body in the Library, 4:50 to Paddington, A Murder is Announced, along with a few others. I've also read And Then There Were None. Who is your favorite detective? I'm not sure, to be absolutely honest. I think Poirot is my favorite detective, but Marple is so interesting. Sorry I didn't reply earlier.

TheMole 15 Apr 09 at 7:48 p.m. GMT

Hello Arlena.

My favorite is Poirot: he's the best fiction detective of all time, in my opinion.

I like Miss. Marple too....My favorite book of her's is "Nemesis". My least favorite would have to be "At Bertrams Hotel": it wasn't at all interesting.

squatty 16 Apr 09 at 6:35 p.m. GMT

The Mole - I'm pretty sure that the dumb witness is meant to be the dog.

I am an animal lover but I squirm when the animals are enlisted to help solve the crimes. There were lots of these sort of things in my childhood: Skippy, Flipper, Black Beauty. I think Bob (was that his name) fits into that category of four legged sleuths

TheMole 16 Apr 09 at 8:25 p.m. GMT

Thanks for clarifying that, squatty :) ! And yes, his name was Bob.

Nikisha 19 Apr 09 at 11:30 a.m. GMT

Cards on The Table & After The Funeral took me a couple of weeks to finish reading, so they must be my least favorites.

Doggy Bob is kinda entertaining though, I didn't think getting inside a dog's head could be that interesting. It's funny how he judges the people around him. It's better than having him discribed merely as "barking, sniffling & wiggling tail" Bob made me smile occasionally while reading this book.

ArlenaSMarshall 30 Apr 09 at 10 p.m. GMT

TheMole-

I'm a huge Poirot fan as well!

I like the Poirot books with Ariadne Oliver in them.

TheMole 01 May 09 at 7:18 p.m. GMT

ArlenaSMarshall

I like the Poirot books with Ariadne Oliver in them.

In which book featuring Ms. Oliver is your favorite? Mine would have to be "Mrs. McGinty's Dead". My least favorite is "Elephants Can Remember".

ArlenaSMarshall 03 May 09 at 2:54 p.m. GMT

I enjoyed reading "Cards on the Table". My least favorite book with her in it was also "Elephants Can Remeber". Do you like Captain Hastings as well?

TheMole 04 May 09 at 3:29 a.m. GMT

Hi, Arlena!

I am a big fan of Captain Hastings; he's a dear! I liked him in "Peril at End House" and "Dumb Witness" the most. Have you read those?