Rating: 
Summary: TRULY AWESOME
Review: Christie's novels where poison is the murder weapon are the most fun. Christie, who worked in a dispensary during World War I, had a certain amount of technical knowledge of various poisons; thus her fondness for it as a weapon in her books. Poison can be used by anyone; it is therefore the perfect weapon for Christie. This one is a particularly jolly romp complete with illicit affairs and mistaken identities. Light in tone, this is not one of her more serious books, but it is extremely clever and, as always, entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun with poison, Christie style...
Review: Christie's novels where poison is the murder weapon are the most fun. Christie, who worked in a dispensary during World War I, had a certain amount of technical knowledge of various poisons; thus her fondness for it as a weapon in her books. Poison can be used by anyone; it is therefore the perfect weapon for Christie. This one is a particularly jolly romp complete with illicit affairs and mistaken identities. Light in tone, this is not one of her more serious books, but it is extremely clever and, as always, entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Remembered Death: Rosemary, for remembrance
Review: If you're interested in an audio edition, I recommend the unabridged narration by Robin Bailey, who's always good. At least one film adaptation exists under the title _Sparkling Cyanide_, made in 1983, but with the action moved to California. (However, the top-billed screenwriter was Sue Grafton.) The book's original title is _Remembered Death_, which better describes the story.Six people are remembering Rosemary Barton, who died a year ago; the 3rd-person viewpoint changes in each of the first six chapters to give us their knowledge and opinions about her and her death. Each attended her final birthday party at the Luxembourg, and saw her die of cyanide poisoning. The verdict was suicide while of unsound mind (depression after influenza, since no other motive was apparent.) Iris was always put in the shade by her glamorous, beautiful elder sister during their mother's lifetime, as their mother concentrated on Rosemary's first Season and subsequent marriage, but she knew her turn would come. Even their honorary uncle Paul left all his money to Rosemary, to go to Iris only after Rosemary's death. Ruth Lessing, the young, perfect secretary to Rosemary's husband, George, organized his life, but certainly not his marriage. George even entrusted her with the task of paying off Victor Drake, Rosemary's unsatisfactory cousin, and seeing him off to South America. Victor amused himself by making Ruth see just how much she disliked featherhead Rosemary, and how much better off George would have been if he'd married Ruth instead.
Stephen Farraday, ambitious M.P., married the woman who could best further his career; when he met Rosemary, he succumbed to emotional madness and began an affair with her. In the end, he regretted it when Rosemary began to speak of divorce and remarriage, which would break him politically. Sandra Farraday, suffering the tortures of the damned, wonders how Stephen can imagine that she didn't know. Tony Browne, one of Rosemary's social hangers-on, was alarmed that (through disreputable Victor) she knew about his criminal record; with so much less brains and character than Iris, she might give him away at any time. Finally, George Barton, a middle-aged financier who deeply loved Rosemary, and who knew that she married him because she wanted a stable home life with a man she liked, rather than loved, lost both brightness and pain when she died. He's become suspicious of the circumstances of her death, and is staging another dinner party at the Luxembourg with the same guests. Colonel Race refused to attend. The party ends with George Barton's murder (cyanide again), and Race gets involved in the investigation when he reveals George's suspicions to the police. The stage setting of the murder(s?) is much like that in the Poirot story "Yellow Iris", incidentally, but don't let that lead you astray. This would be a good novel even without the question of the second death; the characters are developed beautifully, and the opening gambit of changing viewpoint is lovely. There are other aspects to care about: the Farradays' marriage, the developing love affair between Iris and Tony Browne, impressive Ruth Lessing, and even Iris' gullible aunt (who has spoiled her son Victor all his life).
Rating:
Summary: Who Mixed the Cyanide Cocktail?
Review: It was certainly no way to celebrate Rosemary's birthday. On the other hand, each guest at the party had a motive for her murder. It was a mystery alright, so a year later, on the same date, another party was held to trap the killer. But instead...death struck again!
Rating:
Summary: Very very good
Review: Sparkling Cyanide was very good. The suspense was high and the characters were realistic. The wa everyone had a motive was clever. THis book is a must read for any mystery lover.
Rating:
Summary: NOT TOO BAD
Review: This is an okay book. I guess I missed my fave detective, Poirot, but otherwise it's not too bad. The way the mystery is solved, by just a chance occurance, is so realistic that those who hated "The Big Four" for it's lack of realism will appreciate this edition from Dame Agatha. In fact, the whole book is full of realism, excepting how the murderer chose to claim its victims. I guess the realism is the deciding factor for this book. Did you like "The Big Four", or do you prefer the who-dun-its? This isn't the best, but it's far from the worst!!!
Rating:
Summary: JUST PURELEY AWESOME
Review: This was such a great book, this was my first time reading Christie's books and it is already one of my favorites of all time. It is so clever and not a typical murder mystery you will often read. Get it, read it, you'll love it
Rating:
Summary: TRULY AWESOME
Review: This was such a great book, this was my first time reading Christie's books and it's an all time favorite. It is so clever and not a typical murder mystery you will often read. Get it, read it, you'll love it
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