It’s time to once again continue my long-running monthly series highlighting a Cozy Mystery… Those of you who have been with me a while know how much I enjoy reading seasonal Cozy Mysteries. Also, you may know Agatha Christie is my absolute favorite author. So, you can guess how happy I was to read “Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery”. It’s 306 pages of Cozy mystery stories written by Agatha Christie.
I’m breaking the format a bit in several ways by covering Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery, by Agatha Christie. First, I don’t usually cover short story collections, instead preferring to start with the first in a series to help introduce the series to new readers. Second, normally these entries are about Cozy reader recommendations – and while I can certainly say that people have recommended Christie over the years, I’m not certain offhand if any of those recommendations have been for this particular collection. However, I was craving something seasonal and classic, and this fits the bill!
I’m making my way through Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot mysteries in audio format right now – having recently finished her Miss Marple audios. These are all audios that I have listened to before, and I also have read the actual hard copy books. (I don’t ever tire of Christie’s work.)
This collection starts with Three Blind Mice. Yow-za! Nobody does it like Agatha did! The snow drifts and cold skiing weather are exactly what I crave during November, December and January — when it’s not unusual for our weather to occasionally include balmy 80 degree afternoons.
Midwinter Murder includes Christie’s best known detectives: Hercule Poriot, Jane Marple (an amateur sleuth), and Tommy & Tuppence. I have read most of these Cozy stories in the past, but am enjoying them now, and plan to re-read them in the future. Most of you Cozy Mystery fans have probably read some of these stories before also – BUT if you’re in the same “got-to-have-my-seasonal-Cozy mood,” I think you’ll find that Midwinter Murder does not disappoint.
As always, if you want to read more of these brief discussions of some of the more popular Cozy Mystery Series that I’ve written in the past, you can find them at the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page.
PamB says
Just ordered! Have several Agatha Christie books that I’ve enjoyed. Thank you for sharing about this book.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
PamB, I find myself re-reading/re-listening to Agatha Christie quite a lot. There’s a reason she was the Queen! I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t like her mysteries. I know that for a while I wasn’t crazy about her Tommy and Tuppence series, but now I find them (almost) endearing.