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Short Stories

go_leafs_nation 04 May 09 at 11:22 a.m. GMT

What AC short story(ies) is/are your favourite(s)?

Personally, the ones I loved most The Chocolate Box (Poirot), The Dream (Poirot) and The Blue Geranium (Marple)

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5 replies

Reverse order

GKCfan 04 May 09 at 7:16 p.m. GMT

I like "Death by Drowning," (Miss Marple), "The Lernean Hydra" (Poirot), and "Philomel Cottage" (No Detective).

go_leafs_nation 17 May 09 at 2:40 p.m. GMT

You know, Philomel Cottage was an exceptional exercise in fear. While reading it, I was reminded of the Hitchockian thriller- it is constructed in such a way as to genuinely frighten in an ingenious way.

Although I liked Death By Drowning, I didn't really think it was too ingenious a mystery. I caught the solution practically right away. However, it is still a fascinating read. (My personal favourite of The Thirteen Problems is The Blue Geranium, which is not only a rather good mystery, but also a thriller and "scary story" at the same time.)

As for The Lernean Hydra, I agree with you spot on- I liked it the most of all The Labours of Hercules. What exactly was it? The clever analogy when it came to the Hydra? Or the story's plot itself? Whatever made the story work, it came out absolutely flawless.

GKCfan 18 May 09 at 8 p.m. GMT

The point about "The Lernean Hydra" I liked the most is the fact that it emphasizes just how important it is for the truth to be determined, otherwise a lot of innocent people's lives can be ruined.  

go_leafs_nation 20 May 09 at 9 a.m. GMT

Good point! Agatha expanded on that idea in Ordeal by Innocence.

The reason I love The Chocolate Box so much is that it's one of those simple mysteries that are done so well! The killer's motivation, the victim's implied murder of his wife... these were expertly intergrated into the story and didn't "stick out" from the story. It was entertainment in its purest form.

HeiseiHolmes 29 Jan 10 at 4:36 p.m. GMT

Tape-Measure Murder, and The Blue Geranium, and The Cretan Bull.