Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre Christie- Not her finest
Review: Although the short stories that make up "The Mysterious Mr. Quin" are filled with typical Christie conceits- dissapearances that surprise, shocking endings and twists, and although you will probably not be able to guess most of the stories' endings, the overall theme that runs through the book, that of Mr. Quin himself, who is some sort of a supernatural Harlequin who enjoys helping lovers reunite by solving mysteries- is laughable. Perhaps it didn't seem so melodramatic a concept back when the book was originally published, in 1930, but today, the idea of a man constantly appearing, only to always be 'cast in rainbow colored light' or have his face appear a mask- just seems silly. I wasn't intrigued, only annoyed, and somewhat embarrased to find one of my favorite authors had sunk so low. I expect better things of Christie, and I think perhaps that she did not continue on with Mr. Quin as she did with Miss Marple and Poirot because she may have felt the character essentially lacking in depth- a stereotype, as he essentially is, and must be. Let's put it crudely- he's a clown who shows up to help people who're in trouble. Sounds kind of like the plot of a children's cartoon show. Too bad she didn't use some of these plots for Poirot instead. They're actually quite good- but the stereotype of Quin tends to tarnish them.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocre Christie- Not her finest
Review: Although the short stories that make up "The Mysterious Mr. Quin" are filled with typical Christie conceits- dissapearances that surprise, shocking endings and twists, and although you will probably not be able to guess most of the stories' endings, the overall theme that runs through the book, that of Mr. Quin himself, who is some sort of a supernatural Harlequin who enjoys helping lovers reunite by solving mysteries- is laughable. Perhaps it didn't seem so melodramatic a concept back when the book was originally published, in 1930, but today, the idea of a man constantly appearing, only to always be 'cast in rainbow colored light' or have his face appear a mask- just seems silly. I wasn't intrigued, only annoyed, and somewhat embarrased to find one of my favorite authors had sunk so low. I expect better things of Christie, and I think perhaps that she did not continue on with Mr. Quin as she did with Miss Marple and Poirot because she may have felt the character essentially lacking in depth- a stereotype, as he essentially is, and must be. Let's put it crudely- he's a clown who shows up to help people who're in trouble. Sounds kind of like the plot of a children's cartoon show. Too bad she didn't use some of these plots for Poirot instead. They're actually quite good- but the stereotype of Quin tends to tarnish them.
Rating: 
Summary: Christie's Enigmatic Sleuth Stars in Volume of Short Stories
Review: Harley Quin shines in the world of aristocratic evil and blue-blooded criminality. His mission is always to see that justice is done. Whether it be a young wife with a shocking secret from her past, a great actress playing her most daring role not on stage but in real life, or a handsome bridegroom whose wedding night turns into a wake, Harley Quin always arrives at precisely the right moment. His unorthodox methods will always be able to target the guilty party.
This book is notable for the appearance of Mr. Satterthwaite, the means by which Mr. Quin makes his riveting revelations. They are reminiscent of other famous duos like Holmes and Watson or Poirot and Hastings as they work together and solve crimes with an uncanny accuracy. So if you need a little passion, blackmail, and murder in your life, pick up this volume of fascinating short stories.
Rating:
Summary: Christie's Enigmatic Sleuth Stars in Volume of Short Stories
Review: Harley Quin shines in the world of aristocratic evil and blue-blooded criminality. His mission is always to see that justice is done. Whether it be a young wife with a shocking secret from her past, a great actress playing her most daring role not on stage but in real life, or a handsome bridegroom whose wedding night turns into a wake, Harley Quin always arrives at precisely the right moment. His unorthodox methods will always be able to target the guilty party.
This book is notable for the appearance of Mr. Satterthwaite, the means by which Mr. Quin makes his riveting revelations. They are reminiscent of other famous duos like Holmes and Watson or Poirot and Hastings as they work together and solve crimes with an uncanny accuracy. So if you need a little passion, blackmail, and murder in your life, pick up this volume of fascinating short stories.
Rating: 
Summary: A satisfying short story collection with an eerie twist
Review: I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie and have read many of her books. My favorite is "And Then There Were None," a classic mystery novel. When I purchased this book, I did not know that is was a collection of short stories, but once I dived in to Christie's superior eye for mystery and suspense, I found myself longing to read the book further and further. Mr. Satterthwaite, somewhat reminescent of Hercule Poirot, is a watcher. He has a keen eye and discovers people's inner thoughts and emotions. Harley Quin is a man who still puzzles me and is the reason that this book received 3 stars instead of five. At times in the novel, you long for him to reveal his true identity. Also, the last chapter of the book seemed rather pointless. Christie explained the ballet's plot with such great detail that I found myself skimming over it, and the book lost its luster. If someone wishes to e-mail me explaining the final chapter, please go ahead and do so. For those pondering the book's purchase, I suggest "And Then There Were None," or "Death on the Nile." However, if your penchant is short stories, this one is worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: A satisfying short story collection with an eerie twist
Review: I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie and have read many of her books. My favorite is "And Then There Were None," a classic mystery novel. When I purchased this book, I did not know that is was a collection of short stories, but once I dived in to Christie's superior eye for mystery and suspense, I found myself longing to read the book further and further. Mr. Satterthwaite, somewhat reminescent of Hercule Poirot, is a watcher. He has a keen eye and discovers people's inner thoughts and emotions. Harley Quin is a man who still puzzles me and is the reason that this book received 3 stars instead of five. At times in the novel, you long for him to reveal his true identity. Also, the last chapter of the book seemed rather pointless. Christie explained the ballet's plot with such great detail that I found myself skimming over it, and the book lost its luster. If someone wishes to e-mail me explaining the final chapter, please go ahead and do so. For those pondering the book's purchase, I suggest "And Then There Were None," or "Death on the Nile." However, if your penchant is short stories, this one is worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: Unusual Christie Work
Review: I would recommend this book to both Christie fans as well as those readers picking up her work for the first time. The stories are all unique but have one common theme - a supernatural element running through them that is somehow connected with the mysterious appearances and disappearances of that enigmatic creature, Mr. Harley Quin. Unlike the character of Mr. Satterthwaite whose thoughts and reactions are transparent to the reader, Mr. Quin remains shrouded in darkness (a little like Holmes and Watson). We are always excited by his appearance because that is the indication that a mystery is about to appear on the horizon. Unlike Sherlock Holmes however, Mr. Quin does not play any active role in solving the puzzles; rather he throws out hints and suggestions to Mr. Satterthwaite who is usually quick-witted enough to pick up the thread of thought and so stumble upon the truth. Yet Mr. Quin is not a selfish being; in fact his appearance is frequently just in time to prevent a tragedy or a miscarriage of justice that may result in the wrong person being accused. Rather, he is content to stay out of the spotlight and maintain his anonymity; we observe in the stories that while he seems to know a lot of people, none of the characters have ever actually met him. Yet everyone accepts his presence and word unquestioningly. The stories are tinged with a romantic streak yet remain absorbing mysteries and studies of human nature. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: haunting and worthwhile
Review: Not only some of Christie's best writing, but as well, some of the best short stories ever published. The final 2 pieces are especially provocative and will leave lasting impressions on the reader. As other reviewers have stated, the characters here are bigger mysteries than the plots, which works well to pull you into the stories. Is everything explained by the final paragraph? Or is this just the beginning of more mysteries to come? It's up to you to decide. Overall: thought-provoking, excellent stuff...
Rating:
Summary: Quite quite average
Review: The only time Agatha Christie ever descends to the realm of "average" is when she writes a collection of short stories. This is no reflection on her ability to write them, it is simply ebcause of the fact that i personally do not like short stories, normally. the short stories here, compared with most, are actually quite good, i would suspect. Harley Quinn is a good character, but he sometimes annoys me. Far more entertaining is the brilliant Mr Satterthwaite (who we see again in the marvellous "Three Act Tragedy") who is one of Christie's great characters. He is calm, understated, interesting, clever. And very likeable. The characters in this collection are well drawn, and the concept of a mysteriious man such as Quinn appearing almost out of nowhere to guide Satterthwaite in the solving mysteries is a very original, mysterious one, which does work well. Overall, for a short story collection, this is very very good. but for a book by Agatha christie, it's rather average.
Rating:
Summary: Quite quite average
Review: The only time Agatha Christie ever descends to the realm of "average" is when she writes a collection of short stories. This is no reflection on her ability to write them, it is simply ebcause of the fact that i personally do not like short stories, normally. the short stories here, compared with most, are actually quite good, i would suspect. Harley Quinn is a good character, but he sometimes annoys me. Far more entertaining is the brilliant Mr Satterthwaite (who we see again in the marvellous "Three Act Tragedy") who is one of Christie's great characters. He is calm, understated, interesting, clever. And very likeable. The characters in this collection are well drawn, and the concept of a mysteriious man such as Quinn appearing almost out of nowhere to guide Satterthwaite in the solving mysteries is a very original, mysterious one, which does work well. Overall, for a short story collection, this is very very good. but for a book by Agatha christie, it's rather average.
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