Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 25/07/2025
Published by: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780008328962
‘Midwinter Murder’ presents twelve entertaining winter-themed mysteries that left me wanting even more of Agatha Christie’s brilliant storytelling.
Cover:
Writing:
Content:
Characters:
Was there such a thing as a world of romance and adventure somewhere?
Across each story in this collection, Christie’s trademark attention to detail and vibrant characters are on full display. The stories are well-crafted, with distinct concepts and vivid settings that make them different from one another. A blend of classic and lesser-known characters, each with their own quirks and dynamics, adds to the charm of the stories.
One must take the downs with the ups, my friend.
I appreciated the variety of mysteries—some not involving murder—and the timeless themes of justice, intuition, jealousy, love, greed, and regret that are explored. The clever setups and surprising reveals also kept this book engaging throughout. However, as is often the case with collections of short stories, there were some tales I loved far more than others.
Discussion Questions (Contains spoilers!):
Q: Do you have any similar book recommendations?
You can’t go wrong with any of Agatha Christie’s iconic mystery series, such as the Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple series. For modern mysteries with vibrant characters and captivating storylines, I recommend The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Five Survive by Holly Jackson.
Q: Which of the short stories did you enjoy the most, and why?
My favourite was the fourth story, ‘The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest,’ as I was completely stumped by the mystery. I also loved the well-paced and realistic reveals. Plus, I adore Hercule Poirot.
Q: Do you enjoy solving coded messages?
I do! I love the mental challenge they present, even if I don’t always succeed in cracking them.
Q: Do you have a favourite Agatha Christie character?
Q: Which final reveal surprised you the most?
Q: Did you correctly guess any of the culprits and their motives before the big reveal?
Q: What’s the most dramatic thing you know someone has done to win over a partner?
Q: Did you look up the French phrases in the book?
Q: Which false alibi did you think was the most clever?
Q: Which mystery tropes in this collection did you enjoy or dislike?
Q: Have you been to any of the countries mentioned in this book?
Q: Have you ever spied on someone you know or done some low-stakes sleuthing?
Q: Has anyone ever disapproved of your friends or partner?
Q: Have you or someone you know ever been falsely accused?
Q: What do you usually do on Christmas and New Year’s?
Q: Are you a fan of Christmas pudding?
Q: Which of the stories did you enjoy the least and why?
Q: Have you ever thought your house was haunted?
Q: Have you ever been snowed in or trapped indoors?
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
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