Rating: 
Summary: Review of "Black Coffee" by : Agatha Christie
Review: This book failed in many areas. There was no plot, no suprise ending, no engaging characters. But to explain subsquent terms, the book lacks developement. Personally, I like a book that is straightfowrd, simple and doesn't waste time, and I like suprise ending's and such. Although this book was simple and straightfoward and only took me a day to read, perhaps it was TOO simple and straightfoward. Like I said no suprise ending, no plot or great characters. If you don' believe me read it for yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: Needs sugar and cream. And a bear claw.
Review: This book is really pointless. Osborne has taken a stage play and turned it into a novel. Unfortunately, it still reads like a stage play, and a very poor one at that, including the fact that it gives away the murderer early in the play/book! As a play, if this was the way it was originally writen and staged, then shame on Agatha Christie! The plotting stinks. The characters are barely fleshed out (Something that, in the play, would have been done by the actors, but by converting the script info, leaves only the barest sketch of character, so you don't really get any feelings or care about any of the characters) The conversion from script to novel is far too obvious (if you've ever read a play) and comes off artificial and poorly written. If you're a real Christie buff, then by all means, read it. But don't say you weren't warned. It would be better to read the original script than to waste the money on this book. Better yet, reread one of Christie's real books, and avoid this one all to gether. But if you must, borrow it from someone, or go to the library, but don't spend money on it. Ick. ICK! The only interesting thing about it is as a historical object to see how murder mysteries were written and staged in the 1930s. If you're into that sort of thing.
Rating: 
Summary: The book was great!
Review: This book is the best book that I have read by Agatha Christie. The way all of the characters were made to look guilty made the book even more interesting. I think that the book was well written and that Charles Osborne adapted this novel well. I would love to read more of Agatha and Charles' work.
Rating: 
Summary: Good,not great
Review: This book was good.It had a good set of Characters.It was very light and fast paced.The Book didnt have a complicated ending.The book just lacked some of the classic Christie writing.So I am inquiring that it is not a classic but still good.
Rating:
Summary: Had me hooked to the End!
Review: This book was very confusing, but in a good way. I was always going back and forth between suspects and never completely figured it out by myself. After the first chapter I couldn't put it down! It was very catchy and interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Yeah it was alright
Review: This book wasn't bad at all but it has a lot of dialogue and is set in one room. The plot is very interesting and the murderer is very clever but not as clever as poirot. I have one bad point in a bit of it (not giving it away)it says who the murderer is(not exactly but it gives it away)so i wasn't sure if it meant anything or not so i carried on reading i but apart from slight giveaway i was left guessing as it turned against each character. The book had a very sattifying and well thought out ending.
Rating:
Summary: A great Christie audiobook!
Review: This is a great Christie story and the final Poirot tale (despite the fact that it obviously takes place before "Curtain" it was published afterward). Despite the fact that it was originally a play and is therefore limited in location (most of it takes place in one room), it still comes across as good. The major complaint I have is that the murderer is revealed in the first cassette by telling what they do. On the stage as this was originally intended to be presented, the action would have been subtle amongst the other things happening on stage at the time and most folks probably would have missed it, but presented as this audiobook the action is trumpeted loudly and the rest of the time you're just waiting for the ending to come. The cat and mouse game Poirot plays with the killer is good and I can just imagine the theatre-goers holding their breath at that final exchange, but the rest of the book just doesn't cut it. Still, if you keep in mind that it was originally intended for the stage (and I think Ms. Christie would have omitted that telling detail if SHE had written it as a book) you can see where it would have been a smash hit.
Rating:
Summary: A great Christie audiobook!
Review: This is a great Christie story and the final Poirot tale (despite the fact that it obviously takes place before "Curtain" it was published afterward). Despite the fact that it was originally a play and is therefore limited in location (most of it takes place in one room), it still comes across as good. The major complaint I have is that the murderer is revealed in the first cassette by telling what they do. On the stage as this was originally intended to be presented, the action would have been subtle amongst the other things happening on stage at the time and most folks probably would have missed it, but presented as this audiobook the action is trumpeted loudly and the rest of the time you're just waiting for the ending to come. The cat and mouse game Poirot plays with the killer is good and I can just imagine the theatre-goers holding their breath at that final exchange, but the rest of the book just doesn't cut it. Still, if you keep in mind that it was originally intended for the stage (and I think Ms. Christie would have omitted that telling detail if SHE had written it as a book) you can see where it would have been a smash hit.
Rating: 
Summary: 1st of the 3 Osborne adaptations
Review: This is the 1st book of the 3 Osborne adaptations of Agatha Christie plays into novel form. I think it's the lowest of the 3 in quality. The 2nd was "The Unexpected Guest," and the 3rd was "Spider's Web." All 3 read more like plays than novels--so if you are expecting the normal Christie novel, you may very well be disappointed. However, if you have read the novels, this is a nice addition to your list of Christie's and a rare opportunity to envision her plays. True, the plays could just as easily have been bound and published. But, Osborne has apparently done little, if anything, to detract from the plays themselves. So, IMHO, he has done a service both to Christie and to the mystery reading public by publishing these works. As for the content, this particular work is rather straight-forward, lacking some of Christie's usual twists and turns, cleverness, etc. It is the only one of the 3 plays that includes one of her 3 usual "detectives" (Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Tommy & Tuppence). This play is a Poirot adventure, but it's not anywhere near one of the best. It is, however, a Christie. If you've read all the others, it's one more to read. So, do your best to enjoy what may be your final opportunity.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best Christie I have read, too predictable.
Review: This novel did not forfill me as a lover of Christie. I was overjoyed at the prospect of reading one of her novels I had never heard of, but alas, I was to be disappointed. The ending was too predictable,the principle players were too boring and there was no joisting between Japp and poirot.
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