Rating: 
Summary: Not one of her better books.
Review: I've read about 7 or 8 Poirot mysteries and this one just didn't impress me much. Character developlement was weak, plot was muddled, and the story lacked the intensity that I have seen in many of her other books. I found myself missing the excellent quality of her 20's and 30's mysteries. If your a big fan, you might as well read it but don't expect anything like The ABC Murders or The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
Rating: 
Summary: A MYSTERY THAT YOU HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT!
Review: In Agatha Chritie's Halloween Party, you really have to try and figure out the physchology behind the mind of the killer. I think that if you are an open minded mystery reader, you will really enjoy this book; I know I did!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Grittier than normal
Review: It becomes clear, while reading this book, that this was one of the later HP mysteries. It's much grittier and more adult than usual. References to possible sexual assault were made, a couple of young kids making-out, and when referring to a peculiar woman, a character asks, "Lesbian?"But it's far from being the worst ("Clocks" bored me silly). "Hallowe'en Party" includes the endearingly odd Ariadne Oliver, who helps out at a party for kids. Only, of course, someone dies (whoa, what a spoiler!) A teenage girl, who is drowned in a bucket of water, draws Hercule Poirot into a strange web of money, obsession, beauty, and deceit. The problems: the kids in this book are plain icky. Either they're misty-minded "wood sprites", or they're lying, gossiping pimple-faced brats. The plot seems to twist in on itself, the pacing is wrong, and the end is very, very confusing. It gets two stars for simply starring Hercule Poirot, and another star for Mrs. Oliver. However, the plot is far too ordinary to be for my taste.
Rating:
Summary: GOod, but not her best
Review: Like many of the other reviews, I did not find this as good as other Agatha Christies. It was boring at some parts, and it strayed from its main topic(Halloween party). I guessed the murderer right from the beginning. Read some other Christies. Most of them are really good.
Rating:
Summary: Matt Benoit's Review of Hallowe'en Party
Review: Mrs. Ariadne Oliver, a mystery writer, was staying with her friend, Judith Butler, at Woodleigh Common. Mrs. Oliver and Ms. Butler went to Mrs. Rowena Drake's house to help prepare for a Hallowe'en Party with other people. The Hallowe'en Party was for children. During the preparations, a young girl, Joyce Reynolds, spoke of witnessing a murder a couple years ago. Joyce Reynolds was known for making up bizarre stories. Someone that was helping out with the preparations heard what Joyce said and didn't take any chances. Joyce was murdered. She drowned in a pale of water used to bob for apples in the library during the party later that night. Mrs. Oliver wasted no time. She quickly went to her former policeman friend, Hercule Poirot, and asked for his help with finding Joyce's murderer. Mr. Poirot immediately began interrogating people that were preparing for the party. He made little progress. Mr. Poirot then went to his old police-force colleague, Superintendent Spence, who lived in Woodleigh Common. Mr. Poirot asked Mr. Spence for a list of murder cases dating back a couple years. One case was about a Mrs. Llewellyn-Smythe. Mrs. Llewellyn-Smythe was an old, rich widow, who lived in a great house surrounded by beautiful gardens. She had many assistants that helped her out with all her work in the gardens. Mrs. Llewellyn-Smythe had always had a will giving the majority of her money to her nephew and his wife. Suddenly, she died, and her will left the majority of her money to an au pair girl. The will said she was giving her money to the au pair girl because she helped out much when she was sick. Lawyers saw that Mrs. Llewellyn-Smythe's signature on the will was forged. All of a sudden, the au pair girl disappeared. This case made Mr. Poirot curious. Mr. Poirot began questioning everyone who was preparing for the party again. He asked them if they knew anything about the Mrs. Llewellyn-Smythe case. He learned that Michael Garfield created the beautiful gardens for Mrs. Llewellyn-Smythe. He asked him some questions. He learned that Michael wanted money to buy a Greece Island and make it a beautiful garden. Mr. Poirot also learned about Miranda Butler, Judith Butler's daughter, and that her best friend was Joyce Reynolds. Miranda loves nature and is always outside enjoying it. Miranda was looking for an old wishing well that was covered by plants, while Mr. Poirot was talking to Michael. Michael claimed he knew where the well was, but he wouldn't tell Miranda. One of the people who were at the party was Miss Whittaker. She told Mr. Poirot that she saw Mrs. Drake coming down the stairs during the party holding a vase filled with water. She said she saw her look in the direction of the library and then suddenly dropped the vase. Mrs. Whittaker concluded that Mrs. Drake saw something that startled her, maybe the murderer. Mr. Poirot went to see Mrs. Drake. Mrs. Drake said she didn't see anything, although Mr. Poirot did learn that Mrs. Drake's husband was dead. A little while later, after Mrs. Drake said she didn't see anything, Leopold Reynolds, Joyce's younger brother, was murdered. Mrs. Drake then admitted that she saw Leopold come out of the library and that was what startled her. She said she thought Leopold killed his sister, and she didn't want to blame a child. Mr. Poirot then understands everything that has happened and why. He solves the crime. I think this book was very exciting and suspenseful. In the beginning of the story, when Joyce Reynolds claims she witnessed a murder, I didn't believe her. I thought she was making everything up. My initial guess as to who murdered Joyce was Ms. Butler. I thought it was logical that it was she. When Mr. Poirot learned about the Mrs. Llewellyn-Smithe case, I immediately thought that case had to do with the murder of Joyce Reynolds. At that point in the book, I was really into the story. When Mr. Poirot met Michael Garfield, I began to think he was the murderer, or had something to do with the crime. As soon as Mrs. Drake said she saw Leopold Reynolds come out of the library, I was totally confused as to whom the murderer was. I love the challenge of solving murder cases like this. When Mr. Poirot explained everything at the end, everything made sense. I realized that the plot was very well organized, and it flowed perfectly. I think Agatha Christie is a fantastic author, and I am looking forward to reading another one of her books. Ariadne Oliver is introduced as a mystery writer. She is very famous, and everyone seems to know her. We learn that she loves apples. They are her favorite things to eat. However, when Joyce is murdered in a pale full of apples and water, Mrs. Oliver can no longer eat apples. She says she will never eat another apple again. Mrs. Oliver began eating dates instead. Mrs. Oliver beginning to eat dates was very important in the story. It gave Mr. Poirot a clue to help himself solve the crime. Mrs. Oliver is a very generous, friendly lady. She willingly helped protect Ms. Butler and Miranda, and she was determined to find Joyce's murderer. Agatha Christie described Mrs. Ariadne Oliver through a process known as indirect characterization. Mrs. Oliver is a flat, dynamic character.
Rating:
Summary: Why Ariadne Oliver stopped eating apples
Review: Mystery writer, Ariadne Oliver was visting a friend and agreed to help her organize a Halloween party for the village teenagers. The party was a great success despite Ms. Oliver's assistance until a rather overbearing young girl was found drowned in the apple bobbing bucket. Ariadne turned to her friend, Hercule Poirot, for help in solving this crime. Together the two work to discover just who could have wanted the 13 year old dead and why. Along the way scandals from the past are uncovered, another murder committed and unsupected ones found. Apparently the peaceful village had been hiding blackmail, forgery, multiple murders, greed and madness for years. The only things that were stumbling blocks to my enjoyment of the story were the lack of explanation of various terms like 'eleven plus' and references to the English school system - grammar school vs secondary modern and A-levels. I found these references distracting from the main story. The other thing I found annoying was a bit where a mother, who had been described at length as a loving, caring, responsible and intelligent parent wants to leave her child behind while she goes away for a few days. Not only does she want to leave the child behind but proposes to leave her behind with a family that had already had two family members murdered in the past two weeks. I found that very unrealistic and a very uncharacteristic 'blooper' on the part of Christie. Still this 1969 novel has held up well, the action could take place today just as easily as 40 plus years ago. I highly recommend this mystery, particularly for fans of the scatty Ariadne Oliver.
Rating:
Summary: Why Ariadne Oliver stopped eating apples
Review: Mystery writer, Ariadne Oliver was visting a friend and agreed to help her organize a Halloween party for the village teenagers. The party was a great success despite Ms. Oliver's assistance until a rather overbearing young girl was found drowned in the apple bobbing bucket. Ariadne turned to her friend, Hercule Poirot, for help in solving this crime. Together the two work to discover just who could have wanted the 13 year old dead and why. Along the way scandals from the past are uncovered, another murder committed and unsupected ones found. Apparently the peaceful village had been hiding blackmail, forgery, multiple murders, greed and madness for years. The only things that were stumbling blocks to my enjoyment of the story were the lack of explanation of various terms like 'eleven plus' and references to the English school system - grammar school vs secondary modern and A-levels. I found these references distracting from the main story. The other thing I found annoying was a bit were a mother, who had been described at length as a loving, caring, responsible and intelligent parent wants to leave her child behind while she goes away for a few days. Not only does she want to leave the child behind but proposes to leave her behind with a family that had already had two family members murdered in the past two weeks. I found that very unrealistic and a very uncharacteristic 'blooper' on the part of Christie. Still this 1969 novel has held up well, the action could take place today just as easily as 40 plus years ago. I highly recommend this mystery, particularly for fans of the scatty Ariadne Oliver.
Rating:
Summary: Ariadne + Apples = The real Agatha
Review: Of course it's not between the best of Agatha, but all books that have a "Ariadne Oliver the famous crime novelist" are specials to me. My Grandmother, a lady with a great resemblence to Agatha was a fan of Ariadna and so do I. Perharps basically I like the mix of emotions that Agatha put in Ariadne, letting her character transmit her real ideas about her famous detective: "But you've written lots of books" said Joyce; "you make a lot of money out of them, don't you?"
"In a way," said Mrs. Oliver, her thougths flying to the Inland Revenue.
"And you've got a detective who's a Finn."
Mrs. Oliver admitted the fact. A small stolid boy not yet, Mrs. Oliver would have thought, arrived at seniority of the eleven-plus, said sternly, "Why a Finn?"
"I've often wondered, " said Mrs. Oliver Truthfully. Certainly is a deligth to hear Ariadne/Agatha talk through this book. If this book is a little slow in the begginning you have a good "finale" and I can bet that you are not going to find the murder until the end.
Rating:
Summary: Ariadne + Apples = The real Agatha
Review: Of course it?s not between the best of Agatha, but all books that have a "Ariadne Oliver the famous crime novelist" are specials to me. My Grandmother, a lady with a great resemblence to Agatha was a fan of Ariadna and so do I. Perharps basically I like the mix of emotions that Agatha put in Ariadne, letting her character transmit her real ideas about her famous detective: "But you?ve written lots of books" said Joyce; "you make a lot of money out of them, don?t you?"
"In a way," said Mrs. Oliver, her thougths flying to the Inland Revenue.
"And you?ve got a detective who?s a Finn."
Mrs. Oliver admitted the fact. A small stolid boy not yet, Mrs. Oliver would have thought, arrived at seniority of the eleven-plus, said sternly, "Why a Finn?"
"I?ve often wondered, " said Mrs. Oliver Truthfully. Certainly is a deligth to hear Ariadne/Agatha talk through this book. If this book is a little slow in the begginning you have a good "finale" and I can bet that you are not going to find the murder until the end.
Rating:
Summary: Okay
Review: One of Agatha Christie's worst. Painfully obvious who the killers were, and the middle was repetitive and not very interesting. It beats some other books, though.
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