Autumn is a lovely time of year when the often hectic life of summer at least settles into some routine. For some reason, while I generally dislike book lists, I do like making a list for autumn and this year is no different.  And thankfully the Top Ten Tuesday topic fits right in so here I go!

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A Shilling For Candles: “It was a little after seven on a summer morning, and William Potticary was taking his accustomed way over the short down grass of the clifftop.”

A woman is found drowned in the Channel near Westover, and questions abound as to the circumstances.  At first, her death is a suspected accident or suicide but when the police discover her torn fingernails and a black button torn from a man’s coat entangled in her hair, murder is apparent.  The woman is discovered to be Christine Clay, a famous actress, and Inspector Grant is soon called to investigate the case.

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The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: “Mrs. Ferrars died on the night of the 16th-17th September — a Thursday.”

Detective: Hercule Poirot

Published: June 1926

Length: 224 pages

Setting: the village of King’s Abbot (fictional)

After The Secret of Chimneys, Christie returned with another Hercule Poirot mystery (#3) and, ah yes, she certainly outdid herself with this novel, even improving over her masterful mystery plotting in The Mysterious Affair at Styles.  Our intrepid sleuth Hercule Poirot returns, but as a retired detective living in the village of King’s Abbot, unobtrusively growing vegetable marrows of which he is having a minimal success.  Dr. Sheppard and his sister Caroline live in the neighbouring house to Poirot: Caroline the village busybody, yet with a surprisingly sharp yet empathetic intellect, and the good doctor, a steadying personality and the voice of reason.

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