::READERS REVIEWS::

You'll Figure Out Whodunnit, but It's a Great Read All the Same - It's easy to kill if no one suspects you, and in the situation Luke Fitzwilliam has wandered into, that seems to be the case. A series of deaths has mostly gone unnoticed-- unfortunate accidents, they seemed, ut not to everyone. Lavinia Fullerton has suspicions and premonitions, but she is run down on her way to alert the authorities. After hearing Lavinia's story retired police office Luke Fitzwilliam decides to do a bit of investigating of his own. He finds a small town with a variety of eccentricities. In some ways, this novel follows the typical Christie pattern: murder, a variety of suspects, and an unsuspected conclusion. This particular Christie has more of an element of danger, however, which adds excitement. We actually get to see some action, not just the detective revealing his or her conclusions at the end. Christie has also been successful in underlining the fact that apparantly, it is remarkably easy to kill (or at least it was in the days before DNA evidence and whatnot.)

A creepy and compelling puzzle of a case! - In many ways Murder Is Easy reminded me of one of my favorite Christie novels, the Miss Marple outing The Moving Finger (Miss Marple Mysteries). Both books draw back the curtain on seemingly tranquil, "ideal," English village life where everyone has secrets and no one is as they seem. Luke Fitzwilliam, newly retired from overseas police work, has a chance encounter with the eccentric Miss Fullerton on the London train. She tells him a fantastic tale of a murderer running loose in her village, knocking off people left and right - really too incredible to be believed. Or so Luke thinks, until he gets the news that his elderly informant was killed in a freak accident on the way to report her findings to Scotland Yard. He hatches a plan to pose as a friend's cousin writing a book on local customs, and goes to stay with his cousin Bridget, who turns out to be a stunning beauty engaged to the local bigwhig, Lord Easterfield. Not knowing who to trust, Luke joins forces with Bridget - but the murderer could be craftier than they think...

Most of my Agatha Christie reading has been confined to the Poirot or Marple novels, so it's always a treat to discover one of her standalones that delivers a good corker of a mystery. The pacing is excellent, and the way Christie introduces the cast of suspects, only to dismiss each in turn, is supberbly handled. Being something of a hopeless romantic (LOL), I loved the romantic, but atypical subplot between Bridget and Luke. They sparred and fought like crazy, but couldn't help falling for each other. :) And the last few chapters, where the murderer is revealed, are absolutely un-put-downable. With this book Christie created one of her creepiest, most disturbing villains, proving the revenge is a frightening dish best served cold. For all the pros, I did think the dialogue is a bit "clunky" and just does flow as well as some other Christie efforts I've read. But that's a small quibble, and certainly shouldn't detract one from reading what is a thoroughly enjoyable puzzler from Dame Agatha Christie.

Easy to Read - It is easy to understand why Agatha Christie's collective works have only been outsold by Shakespeare and the Bible. Her works set the standard for mystery, a genre which she helped to revolutionize. "Murder is Easy" (also published as "Easy to Kill" is among her most known works outside the Poirot Series and Miss Marple Series.

Luke Fitzwilliam was initially annoyed by the elderly woman he met on the train. Her tales of murder and conspiracy seemed nothing more than the gossip of a lonely woman. But when that woman is shown to be dead in the next day's newspaper, Fitzwilliam's interest in peaked. The village of Wychwood plays host to the mysterious deaths that precede his traveling companion. Fitzwilliam takes the guise of an author researching the paranormal until he also becomes involved with the townspeople. One answer seems to reveal more questions. Red herrings abound in this work of Christie.

Among the qualities of Christie's writings is the easy flow of her novels. The pace makes for an easy read, and the book that much harder to put down. The secrets of Wychwood are not easy to find.

This cannot be Agatha Christie - The plot continues in a trite, rather childlike manner. The vocabulary and conversations are almost silly. I kept feeling embarrassed for Ms Christie. The book is simply not up to par.

Terrific story well told - and wonderfully narated - Superbly read by Hugh Fraser. Wonderful way to enjoy a Christie mystery.