Rating: Summary: Agatha Christie gone Charles Osborne...not bad. Review: The mystery was excellent, a classic Agatha Christie plot. A mystery where even the least likely person is suspicious and you really don't have ANY idea whom to suspect. It could be him, or her...or him, but it's probably her, no HER... The only downfall? It's not written in Christie's style. It has some classic Poirot references like "the little gray cells" and what not, but the writing style is obviously not hers. It's more adjectival almost...if that makes sense. But an altogether fantastic mystery.
Rating: Summary: Definitely Decaf! Review: Many of the other reviews already said it, what a waste. They should have kept it a play. After all, I've read "The Mousetrap" and "Witness for the Prosecution" as plays, and enjoyed them. But this was so painfully drawn out. The characters were one-dimensional, Poirot was a cariacture of himself, and I guessed the murderer before anyone even died! I didn't give it one star, because it would probably be better if you've never read any Christie, and didn't know the difference.
Rating: Summary: Reads too much like a play Review: ...This is a novelization of play by Agatha Christie. And like many novelizations of both plays and screenplays it reads too much like the author took the stage directions and just translated them into prose (Poirot exits stage left while Hastings enters stage right becomes "As Poirot left the room by the garden door, Hastings entered the room by the hall door.") I usually don't read novelizations for this very reason. It seems that most of these things never delve any deeper than the movie or play. In this case the novel takes place in one room, just a the play did, which is very limiting. On top of that, the mystery is not very mysterious...this plot is has been used before in a previous Christie novel.I'd recommend a pass on this book unless you've read every other Poirot mystery and really hanker for one more.
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: It deserves 3 stars Review: For those diehard Christie fans who read her novels for their interesting plots and well written prose, this one will be somewhat of a disappointment. Reading this relatively short novel it will become immediately obvious that it was written as a play. Osborne cannot be blamed for keeping it in that state as the whole book essential takes place in a single room. What the reader can expect is a faithful continuation of the Poirot/Hastings interactions and 'feel' of a Poirot novel, minus the more expansive and intricate plots that normally serve as a trademark for Christie's wonderful stories. The average rating of three stars at the time of submission of this review is reasonable, and those considering purchase of this novel might base their decisions after reading some of the preceding reviews that result in this average.
Rating: Summary: Read this book! Review: I found this book very intriguing! I was first hooked on Agatha Christie books last year when we read And Then There Were None in my language arts class. The latter still remains my favorite Agatha Christie mystery, but I found Black Coffee up there with the best (along with Murder on the Orient Express and Cat Among the Pigeons). The only fault that I have discovered in mostly all of Christie's novels is the fact that most of them have a rather slow beginning (except, for the most part, And Then There Were None, although this too was a bit slow). Yet Black Coffee held my interest from the very start. I did not find the murderer very obvious, since I kept changing my opinion of who the murderer was. Although Charles Osborne did a very wonderful job of writing the novel and keeping as close to the script of the play, it was not a true work of Agatha Christie. Therefore, I could not award this book a five. (Yet I thoroughly enjoyed the overuse of dialogue.) I still remain a major fan of Hercule Poirot mysteries, and Black Coffee was one of the best. Hercule is brilliant, and it certainly showed in this particular novel. p.s. - After blabbing on and on about the wonderful Agatha Christie mysteries to my twelve-year-old cousin (whom I'm very close in relationship to), I've managed to get her hooked on the Agatha Christie novels. Hurray for me! Now I have a close friend to converse over with these wonderful books! We also exchange our Agatha Christie books with each other now, and recommend ones that we've borrowed from the library or another friend. I strongly recommended Black Coffee to her. She, too, has not read any Miss Marple mysteries yet, and is thoroughly interested in Hercule Poirot's cases. Ms. Christie has quite a brilliant mind, and we praise her for that.
Rating: Summary: Loved It! Review: Poirot is back in a play that has been rewritten into a mystery novel. As in past mysteries, Poirot finds plenty of support. This time it's in his valet George, who has a rare ability to press trousers just right, although he has no imagination, Hastings who has returned to England on a visit, and Inspector Japp who shows up later in the mystery. Take a secret formula, an eclectic group of people, one well-trafficked room, a Belgian investigator, his best friend and aid, a Scotland Yard investigator, and you have the makings for one of Agatha Christie's brilliant mysteries. Premier physicist, Sir Claud Amory has decided to create a formula for his company, but he is doing so at home without any protection. Sure enough, the worst happens, and Poirot is the one he turns to. Poirot invites Hastings to join him on the train trip to the country. By the time Poirot and Hastings arrive, a murder has occurred, and no one has any sympathy for the victim, making the circumstances worse for those involved. What starts as a simple case of thievery, ends in murder, lies, and espionage. Author Charles Osborne, who helps with this story, includes a map of the room where the crime takes place. The camaraderie of Poirot, Hastings and Japp is charming. The mystery seems simple at first, then the usual Christie twists and turns lead the reader down another more complicated path or two. Poirot finds the mystery to be far more than a sordid crime - it is a poignant, human drama. I found it to be an enjoyable, traditional British mystery, and highly recommend it.
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: A pleasant adaptation of a Christie Play Review: Black Coffee is a fairly well written adaptation of the play. The story moves fairly well, although there is a little too much decription of the surroundings and people(I never thought that I'd say that. The dialogue is a little stiff, but Christie's mystery and Poirot still shine through.
Rating: Summary: bleah Review: Who are the yahoos that gave this five stars? Have they ever read any real Agatha Christie novels? Why do people keep doing this? Why "Poodle Springs," "Scarlett," and "Black Coffee?" The only possible explanation can be to dupe fans of well loved authors into buying sad imitations in order to make a quick buck. The second Osborne gave his ham handed description of the people at the dinner party, I thought to myself "the secretary did it." And guess what--I was right, something that would NEVER happen had Dame Agatha herself written this. And yes, I know I've spoiled the ending, and I'm glad, if in doing so I've saved you the 7 bucks plus shipping you might otherwise have egregiously wasted on this trite novelty piece. As for me, I'm glad I bought it used.
|