Death Comes As the End

Rating:
Summary: Splendid
Review: The background takes us back 5000 years ago in Ancient Egypt, thus giving us a vivid picture of the culture, tradition and economy of the time.

I regard it as not only a mystery, but also as a thriller. It is a must-read book for every Agatha Christie lover.

Rating:
Summary: Not her best
Review: This book allows Christie to draw on her considerable archaeological knowledge based on her experiences on digs with her archaeologist (second) husband. The setting is an intriguing change from her usual. However, I found the plotting in this one to be a little thin. I rarely figure out Christie's culprits in advance, but I saw right through this one. Read it for an interesting change of pace, but don't expect to be deceived.

Rating:
Summary: One of her most interesting books!
Review: This book was so different from all the others. It was one of my favorites. The fact that it is set in ancient Egypt is so different from any other mystery I've read. The weird thing is, it was incredibly realistic. I am and Agatha Christie fan and this book is probably my 2nd favorite. The plot is so intense and thrilling that the middle of the book is better than the end.
I must say that while the murderer was pretty obvious, it is pathetic on my part not to have guessed it. The steady supply of murders (8!!) keeps the plot moving beautifully. A definite must read.

Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: This is one of the best books I have read in my life. Gives a lot of background on Egypt enjoy

Rating:
Summary: 'An ancient setting. An age-old crime. A timeless mystery!'
Review: This is one of the best novels for Agatha. I'm very interested in Egyptology, and I was surprised that she also wrote a novel about a crime which happened in Ancient Egypt!

The characters are: Esa, Henet, Hori, Imhotep (a wealthy priest-landowner), Ipy, Kait, Kameni, Khay, Divine Father Mersu, Montu, Nofret, Renisenb, Satipy, Sobek, Teti, and Yahmose

It is Ancient Egypt in 2000 BC, where death gives meaning to life. At the foot of a cliff lies the broken, twisted body of Nofret, concubine to a Ka-priest. Young, beautiful and venomous, most agree that she deserved to die like a snake.

Yet Renisenb, the priest's daughter, believes that the woman's death was not fate, but murder. Increasingly, she becomes convinced that the source of evil lurks within her own father's household. Murders ensue; another falls off a cliff, one drowns, another is suffocated with linen, two are poisoned, and one person is killed by an arrow.

Esa (Imhotep's mother) is an old lady, who has a good experience in life, and has a strong personality over Imhotep. She is brilliant, but commits a fatal mistake at the end! No wonder, didn't she say (Death comes at the end)?

As usual, Agatha convinces us that someone has all the evidences that convict him/her. But someone else unexpected has the gut to commit all these serial crimes. Who is the criminal? I won't spoil it. Read the novel & you'll be surprised at the end!

Rating:
Summary: And now for something completely different...
Review: this is the only Christie mystery not set in the present day.

DEATH COMES AS THE END is set in ancient Egypt, a time and place that Christie was familiar with due to her husband, an Egyptologist. Each year Christie would accompany him to work on his latest 'dig'. As a result Christie had not only first hand knowledge of the period but also access to leading experts in the field.

The story centers on Renisenb, a young widow who has returned to her father's house after the death of her husband. Just as she is settling into the household when her father returns from a business trip with a young concubine. The family is shocked and soon feel threatened by the newcomer. In typical Christie fashion a body soon appears, followed by another and then another.

In may ways this is very much like a more familiar Christie story, the dysfunctional family (CROOKED HOUSE, 4:50 FROM PADDINGTON, POCKET FULL OF RYE). There is rather more romance than is usually found in Christie's mysteries. Renisenb's mourning and indecision between two suitors is more typical of the romances Christie wrote as Mary Westmacott. The characters do sound and act very much like Christie's usual mid twentieth century English middle class but since no one really knows just how the ancient Egyptian spoke or thought this characterization is as good as any.

As is usual with a Christie the clues are all there for the reader to find, the ending is logical but in this one a bit predictable. It is not quite as good as many of her other novels but even a mediocre Christie is better than most writers best work.

Rating:
Summary: Most intriguing!
Review: Though different from other Agatha christie books, it is no less intriguing and clever. The ancient Egyptian setting provides a refreshing backdrop from the usual. There is no one detective such as Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot (for obvious reasons) but still is able to maintain a coherent story. This book is definitely worth reading!