All About Agatha (Christie)
273 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 991 ratingsAll About Agatha is a podcast all about, well, Agatha. Agatha Christie, of course: the Queen of Crime, a real-life Dame of the British Empire, and author of sixty-six mystery novels that spanned the Twentieth Century, defining a genre. For five years, Catherine Brobeck and Kemper Donovan revisited these novels in publication order, ranking them according to pre-set criteria (plot, character, etc.). Tragically, Catherine Brobeck passed away at the end of 2021. Since then, Kemper has completed the podcast's ranking project, and now contents himself with celebrating the greatness of Christie by attempting to solve the ultimate mystery where she is concerned. Why Christie--and Christie alone--endures as powerfully as she does.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
And Then There Were 32: Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie
May 27, 2019 02:25 - 58 minutes - 107 MBWhile we did not love this one, we do appreciate what an outlier it is within the Christie canon, and the fact that it was the first "historical whodunit" to combine the genres of detective and historical fiction. Also, like most murder mystery fans we love a high body count, and at seven murders (and eight deaths), this one definitely does not disappoint in that area....
A Miss Marple Nightcap: Miss Marple Tells a Story by Agatha Christie
May 17, 2019 20:55 - 25 minutes - 46.8 MBIt has been too long since we visited with Miss Marple in short story form, which Christie herself identified as our favorite spinster sleuth's natural milieu, after all.... And we get more of Miss Marple than we normally do in this outlier of a short story, written as a script to be read out by Christie herself (!!) on the radio.
Communing with Mr. Quin: The Dead Harlequin by Agatha Christie
May 09, 2019 16:02 - 33 minutes - 61.8 MBMr. Quin has decided to haunt our podcast yet again with one of his trademark spooky tales involving a seemingly locked-room suicide, a talented (yet extremely grumpy) artist, and a book that Mr. Satterthwaite authored called Homes of My Friends. There is A LOT to discuss in this one; let's get to it!
*Special Announcement* re Our Brand New Patreon Account!
May 05, 2019 08:38 - 9 minutes - 17.9 MBWe are excited to announce that we have started a Patreon account for bonus or extra episodes of our podcast. Please listen for a more thorough explanation, but our first episode is a VERY lively discussion of the recent John Malkovich adaptation of The ABC Murders.... We hope to see you over on the Patreon account, http://www.patreon.com/allaboutagatha. And have no fear: our regularly scheduled programming will resume right here next week.
Getting Happy with Parker Pyne: The Gate of Baghdad by Agatha Christie
April 27, 2019 19:31 - 27 minutes - 50.6 MBParker Pyne is still abroad, spreading his statistician-acquired cynical know-how the same way his forebears spread smallpox, this time on a "Pullman coach" across the desert from Damascus to Baghdad in which a sock may or may not have been used to murder someone. Where's Rob Kardashian when you need him? Fortunately, he's right here!
And Then There Were 33: Towards Zero by Agatha Christie
April 21, 2019 09:03 - 58 minutes - 108 MBChristie rarely deals in psychopaths, but when she does she tends to handle them with panache, and this novel is no exception. (Not a spoiler, as we are put on our guard almost immediately that a psycho lurks in these pages....) While it is by no means one of our absolute favorites, we quite enjoyed this one, which features a number of familiar Christie tropes spun/twisted in ingeniously dark ways.
A Very Special Episode: Interview with Jamie Bernthal, Author of Queering Agatha Christie
April 13, 2019 23:45 - 58 minutes - 108 MBWe were so thrilled to have a special guest on the podcast for a fascinating interview about reading Agatha Christie in a way that may (or may not!) be a departure for some listeners. Jamie's book Queering Agatha Christie (which we've referred to many times on this podcast) applies a subset of literary theory called “queer theory” to Christie’s works, and it is a truly thought-provoking way to analyze what is happening in these beloved texts. We hope you enjoy our discussion as much as we did.
All About Opera: The Face of Helen & Swan Song by Agatha Christie
April 06, 2019 15:50 - 56 minutes - 103 MBIt's another special double episode, this one focusing on the world of opera and Christie's personal love of music. In our first story we attend Covent Garden with Mr. Satterthwaite and the mysterious Mr. Quin, while in the second it's a private theatrical extravaganza starring world-renowned prima donna Paula Nazorkoff. As anyone familiar with the plots of many an opera will know, it doesn't take long for things to get rather murder-y....
Getting Happy with Parker Pyne: Have You Got Everything You Want? by Agatha Christie
March 30, 2019 08:45 - 21 minutes - 40.2 MBAll aboard the... Orient Express?! That's right: heart specialist Parker Pyne is going abroad, and while we've already covered one of his travels in Christie's *other* Death on the Nile, here he untangles a jewel heist (or is it?) aboard that infamous train right around the same time Monsieur Poirot was taking it in the opposite direction. (Maybe one day someone will find an alternate And Then There Were None in the basement at Greenway, in which Pyne finds himself on an island being hunted d...
And Then There Were 34: The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
March 23, 2019 07:37 - 58 minutes - 108 MBIt may surprise some listeners to learn how mixed we were on our third Miss Marple novel, given what fans we are (yes, even Catherine) of our dear spinster sleuth. But that just means we had lots and lots to discuss, so get out your gluestick and sharpen a skewer because we've got more than a few moving fingers to account for in the seemingly sweet (read: not at all sweet) village of Lymstock.
The Name's Bond. James Bond. Just Not *That* James Bond: The Rajah's Emerald by Agatha Christie
March 10, 2019 22:17 - 29 minutes - 54.5 MBNo, really: the protagonist of this story is "James Bond," who appears more than a quarter century before Ian Fleming's *slightly* more famous character. And our poor James Bond is suffering through a vacation (er, holiday) so wretched, it has to be one of the worst Christie ever depicted--which as we've discussed in previous episodes is definitely saying something, given Poirot's various ill-advised vacances sur la plage.... Let's take the plunge in the icy English waters together, shall we?
Manic Pixie Monster a.k.a. Never Go to the Second Location: The Golden Ball by Agatha Christie
March 01, 2019 15:01 - 27 minutes - 50.5 MBWe have been here before, and we will almost certainly be here again. It's time for another kookily "romantic" story in which two young things banter their little hearts out to what seems to be to them--if not us--a satisfying conclusion. It's Listerdale Mystery time, and good God but this one hinges on a piece of fruit, too.
A Hercule Poirot Amuse-Bouche: The Double Clue & The Capture of Cerberus by Agatha Christie
February 24, 2019 11:03 - 58 minutes - 108 MBWe’ve heard tell that two hearts are better than one, so we figured we'd take that approach to our exploration of a character within the Christieverse replete with both passion and flair: the Countess Vera Rossakoff. Behold a double episode showcasing the two stories in which she appears, along with a general discussion of who this so-called Countess is and what she may or may not mean to our dear Monsieur Poirot.
And Then There Were 35: Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie
February 15, 2019 07:23 - 1 hour - 152 MBWell, the last time we posted such a prolix episode it was to gush over what became our highest ranked novel, And Then There Were None. We will leave it to you, dear listener, to discover whether this beloved Poirot novel managed to unseat the champion and become our new #1. We’ll give you this much: it was close! Enjoy. FLP4EVA (Catherine is currently requesting this vanity plate from the California DMV.)
Communing with Mr. Quin: The Voice in the Dark by Agatha Christie
February 09, 2019 08:21 - 36 minutes - 66.6 MBThis Harley Quin story has, if not quite everything, then nearly so: a boating catastrophe in the distant past that is neither the Titanic nor the Lusitania; a young Mr. Satterthwaite (!!) snogging (!!!!) a maid (!!!!!!); a man named Bimbo (seriously); and a true rarity for Christie—a bathtub murder. Things always get a little weird in this corner of the Christieverse (the Satterthwerse?), so fasten your seatbelts... (oh yeah--Bette Davis gets a shoutout too).
Getting Happy with Parker Pyne: The Case of the Rich Woman by Agatha Christie
February 01, 2019 08:13 - 31 minutes - 57.2 MBLet's just hope for all our sakes we never get another opportunity to go off on a tangent about body-switch comedies. (One never knows in the Christieverse.) In this, the final story in the "Miss Lonelyhearts"-esque section of the Parker Pyne collection, we perhaps see our "heart specialist" at his most dastardly AND brilliant.
On Scheherezade & Omar Khayyám: Mr Eastwood's Adventure by Agatha Christie
January 25, 2019 22:05 - 23 minutes - 43.8 MBWe are discussing another early Christie thriller, so we've got a dippy male protagonist combined with dubious gender politics, sigh. But it also turns out this is a very (classically) Persian episode, who knew? We did, and so will you.
And Then There Were 36: The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (a.k.a. Miss Marple is BA-ACK!)
January 18, 2019 00:08 - 58 minutes - 108 MBPraise be: we have at long last arrived at our second Miss Marple novel! We couldn't be more thrilled to revisit St. Mary Mead and its assorted characters, and boy do we get a lot of them in this alternately breezy/bleak story. So let's join our six investigators (no, really--four professional, two amateur) and find out what happens when people stop being polite, and start getting murder-y.
Communing with Mr. Quin: The Man from the Sea by Agatha Christie
January 11, 2019 08:39 - 36 minutes - 67.4 MBYes, we are back once more with our spooky friends Messieurs Quin and Satterthwaite, and this time things get extra, extra weird, in ways both problematic and not! Let’s puzzle our way through this non-puzzle mystery together, shall we?
A Run-By Fruiting, Twenties-Style: A Fruitful Sunday by Agatha Christie
December 28, 2018 21:59 - 20 minutes - 38.1 MBWe've got another light, flirty Christie adventure on our hands here, and while normally we'd say that hijinks ensue, there is so little going on in this short story that perhaps we have only a single hijink? Maybe two? In any case, this is a pleasant enough tale of automotive and fructiferous tomfoolery. Please enjoy, as the year winds down in these final few days of 2018!
A Very Special Holiday Episode with Parker Pyne: The Case of the City Clerk by Agatha Christie
December 21, 2018 05:10 - 22 minutes - 41.6 MBWell if the Grinch's heart can grow three sizes bigger, why not Mr. Parker Pyne's?? 'Tis the season for such character arcs, after all. Join us as we learn a bit more about Christie's heart specialist of a detective. You just may find a new appreciation for him. (Or, if you are cynical like Catherine… you may not.)
And Then There Were 37: N or M? by Agatha Christie
December 15, 2018 10:07 - 57 minutes - 106 MBRejoice or beware, per your preference, because Tommy & Tuppence, those alliterative lovebirds, are back! And in wartime no less: the spring of 1940, to be exact (and Christie is very exact). Join us as we discuss this mid-career thriller of Christie's, which is in many ways quite typical (poor Tommy and his poor head!), but in others quite unusual....
A Hercule Poirot Amuse-Bouche: Triangle at Rhodes by Agatha Christie
December 09, 2018 06:57 - 35 minutes - 65.7 MBThis week we revisit a familiar-seeming love triangle, and while it’s true that this Poirot short story and the Poirot novel we just covered--Evil Under the Sun--share many similarities, they also share some key differences…. Join us for our 100th episode (!!) as we use this little exercise in compare and contrast to marvel yet again at the fecundity of Dame Agatha’s nimble brain.
A Very Special Episode: Interview with Sophie Hannah, Author of New Hercule Poirot Novels
November 23, 2018 18:11 - 58 minutes - 46.5 MBWe were thrilled to have bestselling—and Poirot-continuing!—author Sophie Hannah on the podcast for a wide-ranging chat about all things Agatha. Please revel in the Christie fandom, as we did.
Communing with Mr. Quin: The Soul of the Croupier by Agatha Christie
November 18, 2018 00:02 - 35 minutes - 65 MBAre you ready for an oh-so-European tale of despair, betrayal, and misplaced pride? Would it help if you listened to some Edith Piaf while we told it to you? Okay, then. Time to sit for another soulful spell with Mr. Harley Quin and his dessicated sidekick, Mr. Satterthwaite, this time on the shores of Monte Carlo. Bon voyage!
And Then There Were 38: Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
November 08, 2018 15:32 - 58 minutes - 107 MBWhile this one is something of a fan favorite, we were surprised by the simplicity of the central mystery upon a reread, given all the Christie puzzles we've solved thus far.... Add to that a number of characters who are never really suspects, plus a few absurd side-plots that don't quite hang onto the main action as they should, and we come out a bit more critically on this one than we expected, despite retaining a healthy affection for some of this Poirot novel's better elements.
A Hercule Poirot Amuse-Bouche: The Affair at the Victory Ball by Agatha Christie
November 02, 2018 21:18 - 38 minutes - 71.3 MBHow have we not covered Christie’s first published short story yet?! (A Poirot, naturally.) Consider this a master class in some of the fundamental tropes she would go on to use many, many times. Actors, costumes, a temporal deception, even the harlequinade! Add to that a real-world, “ripped-from-the-headlines” analogue, and what more could two Christie podcasters want? (Well, we could always use more Miss Lemon in the Suchet adaptation, but we can't have everything.)
She Works Hard for the Money: Jane in Search of a Job by Agatha Christie
October 26, 2018 07:06 - 24 minutes - 45.3 MBWhile we can't pretend this is a special Hallowe’en-themed episode, there is perhaps nothing scarier than being in want of a job…. We were also rather frightened by the flimsiness of this early Christie thriller when it came to its establishing concept, its plot, and its romantic intrigue. So take a listen... if you dare.
A Very Special Anniversary Episode: The State of Our Rankings
October 19, 2018 23:38 - 40 minutes - 73.7 MBGiven the ceaseless flitting of that winged and mysterious fourth dimension known as time, we have managed to pass the two-year mark for our podcast... which means it's time to check in on our rankings! In other words, we were given a great excuse to nerd out yet again over those Christie creations we've already covered, and boy, did we capitalize on that opportunity. We hope you enjoy, as we did.
And Then There Were 39: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie
October 12, 2018 21:51 - 58 minutes - 108 MBWhile a trip to the dentist with Agatha Christie is the only trip to the dentist one might actually enjoy, we are sad to report our enjoyment of this novel was somewhat sullied by the incompleteness of the puzzle mystery therein. Thank goodness for Inspector Japp, who makes his final appearance in a Poirot novel in these pages, and who does not disappoint on screen either, as brought to life by the talented Philip Jackson.
Communing with Mr. Quin: The Sign in the Sky by Agatha Christie
September 28, 2018 22:32 - 29 minutes - 53.1 MBTime for another wacky installment of the enigmatic Mr. Quin and the put-upon Mr. Satterthwaite, who we see traversing not only the Atlantic Ocean but the Canadian continent in this story of a fatal attraction. (Be assured that no bunnies will be harmed in the reading of this story, or the listening of this episode.)
A Hercule Poirot Amuse-Bouche: The Dream by Agatha Christie
September 21, 2018 20:49 - 35 minutes - 64.8 MBIt's been a while since we've had the pleasure of dissecting a miniature Poirot mystery puzzle, and this one has almost all the classic Christie clue tropes we've come to love. We also enjoyed revisiting our beloved Captain Hastings and Felicity Lemon, as brought to life on an extremely early episode of the Suchet series. Come and revel with us in the Poirovian splendor of it all.
And Then There Were 40: Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
September 14, 2018 19:42 - 58 minutes - 106 MBWhile the characters populating this Poirot novel almost all live up to its melancholy title, we're happy to report our reading experience did not, as we both quite liked this unusually structured Christie puzzle mystery... despite some glaring plot holes.
Calling Flannery, Shirley, Joyce, and Stephen Too: Accident by Agatha Christie
September 07, 2018 20:30 - 26 minutes - 49.2 MBTo say we loved this shockingly unsung short story is an understatement. We may even have lurved it. Come take a walk with us on the darker, dread-laden side of Christie....
Tea with Tommy & Tuppence: The Ambassador's Boots by Agatha Christie
August 31, 2018 15:49 - 40 minutes - 73.7 MBOur final installment of the Partners in Crime series, in which we say goodbye for now to Tommy and Tuppence, and goodbye forever to the series that adapted the collection. As discussed in previous episodes, we don't love every aspect of Christie's married detective duo, but we found a lot to celebrate here nonetheless.
Getting Happy with Parker Pyne: The Case of the Discontented Husband by Agatha Christie
August 24, 2018 20:41 - 34 minutes - 63.2 MBAnother doozy from Mr. Parker Pyne! Someone ought to revise that final couplet of Romeo and Juliet, because we’re pretty sure this story has more woe in it, albeit of the marital variety…. Join us in a discussion so far-ranging, it manages to incorporate creations by Cole Porter, Tennessee Williams, and Jerry Springer. (Yup, Jerry Springer. You’ve been warned.)
And Then There Were 41: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - Part 2 (The Films)
August 17, 2018 21:57 - 52 minutes - 95.6 MBAnd then it was time to talk about the film adaptations (and one televised adaptation, too). We were lucky enough to have Dr. Mark Aldridge, author of Agatha Christie on Screen, back on the podcast for an interview about the many films based on this novel. We hope you enjoy... and that you also forgive us the telephonic tinniness of our voices. Alas, we could not fly to England to interview Mark in person. Maybe next year?
And Then There Were 41: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - Part 1 (The Text)
August 10, 2018 04:59 - 1 hour - 140 MBA bit of a supersized episode for a supersized novel! It is time, at long last, for And Then There Were None. Join us as we focus on the text only (film adaptations to be discussed next week), and revel in what many consider to be Christie’s most glorious creation, outlier though it undoubtedly is when considered in the context of her overall canon. We also deal with the unfortunate original title, as well as the unfortunate allusions made in earlier editions to that problematic nursery rhyme...
Of Mice and Misogyny: The Manhood of Edward Robinson by Agatha Christie
August 03, 2018 15:20 - 36 minutes - 66.2 MBWe found quite a bit to mull over with regard to our titular character, that romance novel-reading, trivia contest-winning, accidental jewel-thieving Edward Robinson. Does he secure his, ahem, manhood by the end of the story? Did we as Twenty-First Century readers find the definition of said manhood in this story to be rather troubling? Yes and yes, naturally.
Tea with Tommy & Tuppence: The Clergyman's Daughter by Agatha Christie
July 20, 2018 05:10 - 38 minutes - 70.9 MBTommy & Tuppence are ba-ack, so you know what that means: time to start digging for buried treasure! No, really. Join us for this Christmas adventure in July as we discuss, among other topics, the vagaries of keeping potatoes from spoiling in warm climates, and whether or not Tommy and Tuppence are in fact smug marrieds. (They are.)
Communing with Mr. Quin: At the "Bells and Motley" by Agatha Christie
July 13, 2018 20:02 - 28 minutes - 52.5 MBSo much happening at the "Bells and Motley" (let's dare not forget those quotation marks). This is a Mysterious Mr. Quin story, so we shouldn't be surprised that things get loopy, fast. But did you ever think a Christie story would directly reference the year 2025? We sure didn't!
And Then There Were 42: Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie
July 06, 2018 21:17 - 57 minutes - 105 MBMurder is easy... if you're a small-town serial killer with a whole host of deep-seated issues. But is this decidedly thriller-like puzzle mystery of Christie's easy to read? Or enjoy?
Getting Happy with Parker Pyne: The Case of the Distressed Lady by Agatha Christie
June 29, 2018 20:30 - 28 minutes - 52.9 MBWe all know diamonds are a girl's best friend, but are they a distressed lady's best friend? Let us discuss. (Also: if you were thinking to yourself that the one thing this podcast is missing is Marilyn Monroe, then boy are you in luck.)
In re the Perils of Boat Travel: Sing a Song of Sixpence by Agatha Christie
June 22, 2018 20:10 - 25 minutes - 45.8 MBHoo boy, this one's a bit of a doozy, in that the mystery is unfortunately light and our amateur detective is unfortunately creepy. Join us as we sing a song of sixpence... none the richer, that is. (No, but seriously: what *is* a milky twilight?)
Tea with Tommy & Tuppence: The Unbreakable Alibi by Agatha Christie
June 15, 2018 19:00 - 27 minutes - 50.4 MBIt's time to romp once again with our alliterative detective duo, and oh, what a romp we have here. Particularly in the televised adaptation, which we discuss at some length as the "mystery" of this one is rather... simple, shall we say? But not quite as simple as our poor, besotted "victim" Montgomery Jones.
And Then There Were 43: Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
June 08, 2018 20:19 - 57 minutes - 105 MBIt is in no way beginning to look a lot like Christmas, either in the real world or inside the pages of this novel. What it *is* looking a lot like is that rare creature, an honest-to-goodness Agatha Christie locked room mystery! Leave your crackers and crowns at home, but perhaps bring along a sponge or paper towel to help absorb the oodles of blood we encounter in one of Christie's more gruesome murder tableaux. Who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him...?
Special Episode: Interview with Agatha Christie Scholar John Curran
June 02, 2018 08:13 - 53 minutes - 97.6 MBWe were honored to speak with Christie scholar John Curran, whose books we reference so liberally on our podcast! Despite some sound quality issues, we think you’ll enjoy the insights and opinions he shared with us in a wide-ranging conversation about all things Christie.
A Miss Marple Nightcap: Death by Drowning by Agatha Christie
May 26, 2018 11:37 - 31 minutes - 57.6 MBAt long last we complete our baker's dozen of stories within the Thirteen Problems, Christie's first collection of Miss Marple short stories. Get ready to go DEEP on issues of class--not quite as deep as our poor, pregnant (!) victim does in a river snaking through the woods of St. Mary Mead, but deep nonetheless. As we've come to learn by now, nothing is off-limits where Miss Marple is concerned.
Tea with Tommy & Tuppence: The House of Lurking Death by Agatha Christie
May 18, 2018 03:16 - 28 minutes - 52.4 MBWell this one has a lot of Sturm und Drang for what we've come to expect from the Beresfords! But really, when a story includes *both* a box of poisoned chocolates and a suspected case of ptomaine (t)poisoning, should we really be all that surprised when someone's bed goes up in flames?
And Then There Were 44: Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie
May 10, 2018 18:36 - 57 minutes - 105 MBThere are mothers, and then there are MOTHERS. Mrs. Boynton definitely belongs in the latter category, as we explore in our latest novel, another "travelling" Christie--this one set in and around the Holy Lands, including an extended stay in Petra (Indiana Jones and affiliated grail hunting not included). Get out your Freud, your Jung, and of course your little grey cells as Papa Poirot goes deep--and we mean DEEP--into psychology to solve this rather elegant puzzle mystery.