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Still relevant? Agatha Christie evil under the sun.Jon&Stef O

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Evil Under the Sun: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition (Hercule Poirot Mysteries, 22) Paperback – Illustrated, August 30, 2011

by Agatha Christie (Author)

4.4 5,415 ratings

Book 23 of 38: Hercule Poirot

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In this exclusive authorized edition from the Queen of Mystery, the fastidious sleuth is on the trail of the killer of a sun-bronzed beauty whose death brings some rather shocking secrets into the light.

The beautiful bronzed body of Arlena Stuart lay face down on the beach. But strangely, there was no sun and Arlena was not sunbathing…she had been strangled.

Ever since Arlena’s arrival the air had been thick with sexual tension. Each of the guests had a motive to kill her, including Arlena’s new husband. But Hercule Poirot suspects that this apparent “crime of passion” conceals something much more evil.

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“Hercule Poirot will live on forever because, like Chaplin’s Little Tramp (that other immortal in moustache and bowler hat) he has the ability to solve the problems of the world.” — Alan Bradley, New York Times bestselling author of the Flavia de Luce novels

“She springs her secret like a land mine.” — Times Literary Supplement (London)

From the Back Cover

The beautiful bronzed body of Arlena Stuart lay face down on the beach. But strangely, there was no sun and Arlena was not sunbathing…she had been strangled.

Ever since Arlena’s arrival the air had been thick with sexual tension. Each of the guests had a motive to kill her, including Arlena’s new husband. But Hercule Poirot suspects that this apparent “crime of passion” conceals something much more evil.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (August 30, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062073931
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062073938
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 620L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.61 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #60,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #567 in Traditional Detective Mysteries (Books)
- #2,039 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #6,636 in Suspense Thrillers

Customer Reviews:
4.4 5,415 ratings

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Agatha Christie

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Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie began writing during the First World War and wrote over 100 novels, plays and short story collections. She was still writing to great acclaim until her death, and her books have now sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. Yet Agatha Christie was always a very private person, and though Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple became household names, the Queen of Crime was a complete enigma to all but her closest friends.

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5,415 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. They enjoy the mystery content, with a surprising ending. The characters are described as interesting and quirky. Readers praise the suspenseful storytelling and intricate storytelling. Many describe it as a great Christie classic and one of their favorite novels. They appreciate the attractive design and setting. Opinions differ on the pacing - some find it fast-paced and enjoyable, while others say it's slow.

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Readability Mystery content Character development Suspenseful Christianity Attractive design Pacing

74 customers mention "Readability"66 positive8 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it entertaining and engrossing, with an interesting storyline. The book is described as a real page-turner and well-written.

"...A must-read for any mystery lover, this series is timeless and endlessly entertaining!..." Read more

"...said, I think some of the strongest characters were memorable and interesting...." Read more

"A GOOD READ" Read more

"...I enjoyed the book much more than the movie (which was a bit over the top)...." Read more

48 customers mention "Mystery content"44 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the mystery content. They find the story engaging with an intriguing plot that keeps them guessing until the end. The surprises at the end are well-crafted, and the happy ending is appreciated. Readers appreciate the author's skill in creating believable characters with eccentricities and quirky traits.

"...But it is certainly enjoyable for its pacing and consideration of motives for crime. It is a multi-layered whodunnit which I would recommend." Read more

"...I recommend this book, it's a little dated but it does have a complicated scenario that is fun to puzzle through." Read more

"...Evil Under the Sun is an excellent mystery novel that I would recommend as a great starting point to readers new to Agatha Christie as well as..." Read more

"...I was enthralled and thoroughly entertained. The story keeps you going until the end. Also, the characters were very interesting and quirky...." Read more

15 customers mention "Character development"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and quirky. They also mention the narrator is wonderful.

"...masterclass in mystery writing, filled with clever plots and unforgettable characters...." Read more

"...That said, I think some of the strongest characters were memorable and interesting...." Read more

"...The story keeps you going until the end. Also, the characters were very interesting and quirky. I highly recommend this book." Read more

"...This is one of the more enjoyable Christies. The characters are well drawn and interesting...." Read more

14 customers mention "Suspenseful"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's suspenseful storytelling and intricate plot. They find it an engaging read for mystery fans, with a story that keeps them guessing until the end. The author is described as a gifted plotter who knows how to tell a story with enough red herrings to keep readers hooked.

"The Hercule Poirot collection by Agatha Christie is a masterclass in mystery writing, filled with clever plots and unforgettable characters...." Read more

"...It's both funny and compelling and features one of the best fictional detectives at his very best...." Read more

"...This is a great read for any mystery fan and a definite one for anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie's works." Read more

"...It starts off when a famous detective, Hercule Poirot, goes to the Jolly Roger Hotel for a nice relaxing vacation...." Read more

13 customers mention "Christianity"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this classic Agatha Christie novel. They find the story engaging and love how Christie tells it. The book is a nice retro edition made just like the original 1941 hardback edition. Readers say the series is timeless and entertaining for mystery fans.

"...A must-read for any mystery lover, this series is timeless and endlessly entertaining!..." Read more

"Nice retro book made to be just like the original 1941 hardback edition of 256 pages. Dust jacket included...." Read more

"I love the way Christie tells a story. I read this many many, years ago, and decided to read it again...." Read more

"In my opinion, one of the best Christie books. Keeps you guessing until the very end as to who was the murderer. Really a great mystery." Read more

8 customers mention "Attractive design"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's design. They appreciate the sunny imagery and well-drawn characters. The setting is described as picturesque and the plot is enjoyable.

"...I really loved the sunny imagery in this book particularly, as Agatha Christie does an incredible job at painting the setting for the reader...." Read more

"...Arlena Stuart is the kind of woman other women love to hate. She is attractive, and men are drawn to her like flies to honey...." Read more

"...Arlena Stuart Marshall, is young and beautiful and one of those Agatha Christie characters who seems to inspire all she meets to wish her dead...." Read more

"...place on an island where vacationers come to relax at a hotel and beautiful beach as well as explore mysterious coves...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive2 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, while others feel the explanation of the crime is slow.

"...But it is certainly enjoyable for its pacing and consideration of motives for crime. It is a multi-layered whodunnit which I would recommend." Read more

"The story, not including Poirot's explaining the crime,was a little slow going. It was hard to have sympathy for any of the characters." Read more

"...This is a rather fast paced and delightful novel by Dame Agatha." Read more

"...The style and flow of this book is dreadful and lackluster. As a fan of Agatha Christie, I was taken aback by the drab performance of this book." Read more

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Dalton O
Incredible
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2024
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The Hercule Poirot collection by Agatha Christie is a masterclass in mystery writing, filled with clever plots and unforgettable characters. Each book keeps you guessing until the very end, showcasing Christie's genius for suspense and intricate storytelling. A must-read for any mystery lover, this series is timeless and endlessly entertaining! I really loved the sunny imagery in this book particularly, as Agatha Christie does an incredible job at painting the setting for the reader. So picturesque!

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A delightfully layered murder mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2025
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This is my 9th Hercule Poirot detective novel and I feel he has become a good friend.

I feel like these detective novels are an education in British culture as much as anything: “Heather and bilberries and cream and convicts”. I wasn’t sure if the latter referred to scones with clotted cream and jam? The character of Christine Redfern as a “games mistress” (what we would have called a PE Teacher in New Zealand) reminded me of the Mallory Towers books of English boarding school.

There were I believe 47 characters in the novel according to a character list I found online. I found there to be a few too many characters to hold in my head so some of the secondary characters and secondary plot lines like Major Blatt, the Gardeners etc simply bypassed me. And in the end some secondary plot lines were largely irrelevant to explaining the murder.

I did like the multiple layers to the murder, although some of it was under-explained. I think it would have been helpful to understand more of the earlier murder of Mrs Corrigan and we never learnt why Edward Corrigan changed his identity and became Patrick Redfern.

That said, I think some of the strongest characters were memorable and interesting. Arlena Marshall of course — her identity as a diva and femme fatale is established early on, although we see a different side of her at the end: a woman who was exploited by men around her, for money. She is painted as Evil personified but we later learn that she was a victim of the evil of Patrick Redfern.

Linda Marshall was another memorable character, depicted as a misunderstood and lonely young woman who becomes drawn to witchcraft and creates a voodoo doll of Arlena, whom Linda mistakes as being the cause of the murder. Linda writes a suicide note claiming responsibility for the murder although we later learn that it wasn’t her.

One thing that reading the Poirot series of books has shown me is that often murder is a joint enterprise and premeditated one. Consider, for example, Death on the Nile: Simon & Jacqueline. I think Christine’s motive for helping Patrick Redfern was left unexplained here, though.

The interesting twist here was that the victim (Arlena) was only killed AFTER the “corpse” was supposedly “discovered” (Patrick and Emily Brewster). I liked this plot development although it seemed a little improbable that it all moved as planned without any delays etc that might have unravelled the well-laid plans.

As I have read more Poirot books, I’ve learnt particular themes. Eg a premeditated murder will often involve creating a watertight alibi so as to throw the scent off the real murderer. In this case, Christine Redfern moved Linda’s watch 20 mins earlier and deliberately asked her the time before finding an opportune moment some later point to move the watch back.

Another is learning about Poirot’s approach to detecting. He draws on his repository of knowledge to make certain assumptions (eg only a man here would have had the strength to strangle Arlena) but he is open minded if facts undermine his initial assumptions. I enjoy the tempo of the books, from witness interviews to the “big reveal” when Poirot tells us what really happened.

For some the reasons I’ve given, Evil Under the Sun is not my favourite of the Poirot novels. But it is certainly enjoyable for its pacing and consideration of motives for crime. It is a multi-layered whodunnit which I would recommend.

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EARL PAVLIK
A GOOD READ
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2024
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A GOOD READ

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Carol Mello
Satisfying Poirot mystery; the jigsaw pieces are put in the right places
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2024
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I have read this before and seen the 1982 movie version (with Peter Ustinov as Poirot and a young Diana Rift as Arlena Marshall). I enjoyed the book much more than the movie (which was a bit over the top). The way that Poirot pieces together the crime is what stuck most in my memory. I do not wish to say more in order not to give it away to those who have not read it before.

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T. Akhtar
3 stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2020
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Hercule Poirot goes about solving the case of Arlena Stuart's murder, in this book. Arlena Stuart is the kind of woman other women love to hate. She is attractive, and men are drawn to her like flies to honey. When she is murdered while on holiday, on a secluded island, the suspicion falls on the guests at the hotel. The main suspect is her own husband who seems to be lacking any emotions, even while Arlena carried on with another married man, also a guest at the hotel, under his very nose.

I have to say this is not one of my favourite Christie books. The first reason is that even though the identity of the murderer is hard to guess, the final story seems too convoluted. In order to make sure no one gusses the real culprit, the writer has given a very far fetched solution.

Thr second problem is the misogyny apparent in the book. I realize that at the time when these books were written, it was unacceptable for women to behave in a certain way. Hence in the book, strong, independent women lack a husband, and only the brainless, helpless women are married. I wouldn't have minded so much if the vampish, calculating victim had not been turned into a poor, unaware woman by the end of the book.

All in all, a mediocre book by Agatha Christie.

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Michelle M
A good mystery that entertains
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2022
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This is a good Hercule Poirot mystery with a multitude of suspects and semi isolated setting. I did not guess the ending but to be fair the solution is involved and some of the clues were not reveled till the final scene. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was excellent, he really brought the story alive and contributed to my enjoyment of the book. I recommend this book, it's a little dated but it does have a complicated scenario that is fun to puzzle through.

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sati gharakhani
I like it
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2025
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I love it

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N. Kilpatrick
A great Poirot story
Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2024
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I’ve read this novel a couple of times before, but it was really fun to read it again. With Christie, there is always something I didn’t notice the other times I’ve read the story Highly recommended.

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Book Reader
Classic murder mystery
Reviewed in India on April 9, 2024
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I am an Agatha Christie fan and this book is in her classic mold of mystery and intrigue. A perfect beach-side setting provides the build-up to the murder, multiple characters who seem vaguely connected with the crime and Poirot (in his own admission in his book) fits all the pieces of the jigsaw and solves the mystery in the final chapter.

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X70DEV
Much more than a whodunit
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2021
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You know that time when a friend sends you a book to read after you have proudly stated a lack of interest in the author? That was me with Evil Under the Sun. If Poirot ever comes on to the TV, I change channel and I have always shown no interest in whodunit stories (apart from Death in Paradise of course).

So the book arrived, tiny print in a 1977 65p edition, the spine barely holding the pages together. Clearly this was a cherished copy, so I purchased the Kindle edition. I thought I just had to read a few hundred pages and I have paid my duties to my buddy. So I started. I continued. Four hours later I reached the end.

So what did I think? I am still not a whodunit fan. I am still unlikely to watch Miss Marple on the TV. However Agatha Christie has sold four billion books world wide (Wikipedia) for a reason. She crafts stories with incredible ability to plant ruses and develop multiple story lines that appear to have no connection. Her prose is precise and surprising undated.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and my lasting observation is that there is a feminist relevance to this book seventy years after it was written. The most important twist in this book is not the whodunit. I wonder if Poirot had been created by a man, would the ending have been different?

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Gut
Reviewed in Germany on January 17, 2021
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Gut wie die meistenRomane von Agatha.

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Jorge Ribera
Maravilloso libro!
Reviewed in Mexico on July 19, 2019
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Un libro imprescindible para todo fan de Agatha Christie. Excelente compra.

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Evil Under the Sun: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition (Hercule Poirot Mysteries, 22) Paperback – Illustrated, August 30, 2011

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5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible

4.0 out of 5 stars A delightfully layered murder mystery

5.0 out of 5 stars A GOOD READ

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying Poirot mystery; the jigsaw pieces are put in the right places

3.0 out of 5 stars 3 stars

4.0 out of 5 stars A good mystery that entertains

5.0 out of 5 stars I like it

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars A great Poirot story

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic murder mystery

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a whodunit

5.0 out of 5 stars Gut

5.0 out of 5 stars Maravilloso libro!

Incredible

A delightfully layered murder mystery

A GOOD READ

Satisfying Poirot mystery; the jigsaw pieces are put in the right places

3 stars

A good mystery that entertains

I like it

A great Poirot story

Classic murder mystery

Much more than a whodunit

Gut

Maravilloso libro!