A Haunting in Venice (2023)

Whilst Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot has been met with some controversy from die-hard fans, this did not stop me from booking a cinema ticket to see A Haunting in Venice on opening weekend, and I am glad I did.

A Haunting in Venice is very loosely based on Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, and I say very loosely! Whilst we have similarly-named characters and Easter egg nods to the original text – the appearance of Poirot’s beloved friend and writer Ariadne Oliver, the party in question, allusions to apple bobbing (where the victim in the original book came to their demise) and a secret garden – this is a very different tale which stands on its own as a Poirot mystery.

Read More »

Little People, Big Dreams – Agatha Christie

I don’t usually review children’s books, but this is a must as I would have loved to have read this as a child. I have loved murder mysteries from a fairly young age – when I was younger and discovered Agatha Christie, my mind was blown as to the possibilities of the genre. Some may think that knowing about her life is more suited to both teens and adults, however given the right context and medium, she can be of interest to a younger audience too.

The Little People, Big Dreams series introduces children to famous people from a wide range of backgrounds including artists, inventors, musicians and writers. When I saw they had released one for the late, great Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime, I had to check it out.

Read More »

Death on the Nile (1978)

With the highly anticipated Kenneth Branagh film coming out in February, I thought it would be a good opportunity to rewatch the original film from 1978. Peter Ustinov is my original Poirot (I have a soft spot for him) and this is the movie that got me into both murder mysteries and also Agatha Christie. The gorgeous visuals, the amazing array of actors and, of course, the man himself – what more can you ask for?

Read More »

Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie


Published in 1937, this is one of the lesser-known Poirot novels, but don’t let that put you off. It is a corker! A traditional murder mystery set in a quaint, country village, it has a really lovely feel to it. This time Poirot is joined by his side-kick and companion, Captain Hastings, who, I feel, always adds flavour to any of the Poirot novels, often acting on a similar wavelength to myself during the book – slow off the mark. 🙂

Read More »