The Man in the Brown Suit
by Agatha Christie
277 pages
Fiction – Cozy Murder Mystery
I started reading Agatha Christie in high school and have loved her ever since! I long to live in her world of elegant refinement, even if there are occasional murders. I’ve read all of Christie’s novels and this is one of my absolute favorites.
Anne Beddingfeld is a nice English girl who heads to London after being recently orphaned. She witnesses a man die in the tube station and is pulled into an international mystery! Originally published in 1924, this story doesn't contain any of Christie's usual characters but I think you will fall in love with Anne Beddingfeld like I did. There is nothing formulaic about this story; it is fresh and vibrant. It keeps you guessing until the end.
The characters are all likeable, even the villains. The story spans London, a long boat journey to South Africa (in 1st class!) and South Africa itself (with an on-going revolution to boot). By the end of the book, there are multiple marriage proposals for the beautiful orphaned girl. Love and honesty trump all. We also get a satisfying glimpse of the characters a couple years after the story ends.
Did you know? One of my favorite genres is the cozy murder mystery. Sometimes called “cozies”, these are a subgenre of crime fiction. In typical cozies, sex and violence are minimized, the detective is an amateur sleuth, and the crime takes place in a small & socially intimate community. Cozies contain rich, character-driven environments and allow the reader to enjoy an interesting and pleasant mystery. Cozies are still published today and stand in stark contrast to many popular mystery novels which feature hardcore violence and sexual content.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Readers who enjoy cozy murder mysteries!
What are some good cozies? I've read all the mc Beaton Macbeth ones.
ReplyDeleteGreat question! Agatha Christie is the queen of the cozies. Other favorites from her include: Murder at Hazelmoor, Mystery of the Blue Train, Peril at End House and Passenger to Frankfurt.
DeleteThe British Library Crime Classics series republishes old British crime novels, many of which are cozies. I think you might like them! I read and liked: The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude, Murder Underground by Mavis Doriel Hay, and Antidote to Venom by Freeman Wills Croft.
Still on my “to-read” list is the Fr. Brown series by GK Chesterton. I anticipate those being good!
You might also like the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. It is a bit darker (the young detective thinks about her deceased mother and death in general) but is interesting while being sex & violence free. It’s a Young-Adult series.
I also enjoy re-reading Nancy Drew mysteries!
Hope that helps!
Julie,
ReplyDeleteIf you love mysteries, you should read the St. John favorite--The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. It is more Americana than English refined crime, but a fun one none the less. Also, we are great Sherlock Holmes lovers (Hound of the Baskerville, Blue Carbuncle, Red Headed League) and the fan fiction The Bee Keepers Apprentice was very good (though subsequent books by the same author were not well liked).
My husband loves Sherlock Holmes! I think he has read every literary and tv iteration. I'm taking note of The Westing Game & The Bee Keepers Apprentice. Thanks, Sarah!
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