The Thirteen Problems

Individual stories - unusual for Christie!

I liked this because it WASN@T a usual Christie book! I love the Miss Marple book, but find a lot of her other stuff a little tedious (I know I shall probably be stuck down for saying such things!!)
The individual stories are told by a group of people sat playing cards one evening and they start to tell their tales of woe!
Joan Hickson is FABULOUS as the narrator! She, in my opinion, was also the best Miss Marple in the televised adaptations too! She has the Oooh's and Ahh’s that Christie wrote so painstakingly for the Marple stories. None of the others have ever "got" that part - - anyway, I digress...
Over all I did actually enjoy this book! This is probably the 15th book I have read of Christies over the years and this is my favourites!

What a Treat

A treat indeed to have the great Joan Hickson (surely the definitive Miss Marple) read some of Christie's greatest stories. Her quietly authoritative voice lends itself beautifully to the prose text and the clarity of her tones makes listening a pure joy. What a pity she passed on before the whole gamut of Miss Marple mysteries could have been recorded. That would be an archive worth having.

Very good

Loved listening to the late Joan Hickson's melodious tones again. I enjoy Agatha Christie's shorter stories perhaps more than the longer ones, no need for character development, which I don't think was her forte, just a well crafted yarn.

Classic Christie all the way.

If you've read Christie before - and if you haven't, shame on you - you know what to expect. A complex riddle surrounded by red-herrings, archetypal characterisation, and loads of posh people. Joan Hickson, as expected, reads this as if she had written it herself. Simply brilliant.

"A mind like a Victorian Sink!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! These short stories contain the essence of Miss Jane Marple in all her glory. Her deceptive fluffiness, and her mind like a razor blade that cuts through all subterfuge. Time and again, her nephew Raymond and his bright young crowd, try to put Aunt Jane in the corner while they ponder some mystery. Time and again, she clicks away on her knitting needles and then informs them sweetly of the true solution to whatever baffled them. I never tire of it!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Miss Marple - who else?

Which character – as performed by Joan Hickson – was your favourite?

Joan Hickson, for me is the quintessential Miss Marple. Hearing an audio performance of these stories is like completing the BBC series starring her. It is delightful.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, many times I have listened to it in one gardening session.

A great bedtime listen

I loved this book and it is very well read by Joan Hickson as always.

A super set of stories narrated by the best.

If you could sum up The Thirteen Problems in three words, what would they be?

Thirteen well structured short mysteries.

What other book might you compare The Thirteen Problems to, and why?

Death By Drowning-same series.

What about Joan Hickson’s performance did you like?

Her diction and her ability to read the characters as they were written-without an absurd sense of 'modern irony'.

Good

Thirteen problems - clever and intricate. How does Agatha Christie do it? Lovely to listen to Joan Hickson’s voice.
The only irritation is the way that the next story starts at the end of the end of the previous one without a pause.

Great as ever

Always a great read -I love Agatha Christie and Joan hickson!
Great way to start listening with these 13 short stories

SHEER DELIGHT ... shame about the editing!

This book is pure gold for Agatha Christie and Murder Mystery. Beautifully narrated, lovely bite size puzzles so skilfully crafted by the master of the whodunnit.

Only gripe ……….. um why on earth was it so sloppily edited with some of the last words of one short story run on top of the title of the next story - bizarre and jarring and such a simple thing to get right.

This delightful audio book is such a treat and works so hard to please - but whoever cobbled it together in such a haphazard way committed a far more hienous crime than any in the short story compilation.

A disgrace really but thankfully is unable to mar such a masterpiece - only to vex the listener but this brilliant audiobook soon soothes away this so easily avoidable unprofessional irritation.

Give it a go - highly recommended.