#ReadChristie2021: April - Murder Is Easy

I can't quite believe were already at the end of April, and that I'm now four books into #ReadChristie2021!

The prompt for April was: A story set before WWI.

This is such a broad prompt, because there are so many books to choose from. I could have picked a whole bunch of different Christie novels, but I decided to stick with the Official Agatha Christie choice, Murder is Easy. 

This is one of the few stories that I knew absolutely nothing about, so I was really excited to go in with an open mind! However, although it was an easy read, it definitely wasn't my favourite. I found the story a little too overcomplicated, and the ending a little predictable. 

Below, I've answered some of the questions posed by the Official Agatha Christie team. You can find out more about the #ReadChristie2021 campaign on their website. 

1. What did you like about this novel?

I think the real value in this novel is how easy it is to read. As soon as I started reading, I was pleasantly surprised. Given how many different victims, suspects and connections there are, it's very straightforward to get into and follow, which I think is a credit to Christie!

2. What did you think of the set-up - a series of 'accidents'?

I think it's such a Christie move. It's a very simple premise that has the potential to be incredibly interesting, and I was initially very excited to see where it might go. Unfortunately, it felt a little much. It seemed a little like there were additional accidents added to the plot to make it more interesting, but which made it a little confusing and unrealistic. Great idea - not so great execution!

3. Who was your favourite character from the village?

Perhaps surprisingly, my favourite character was Lord Whitfield! I don't think he was the most likeable character, but he was so lively and dynamic, and absolutely jumped off the page. He's like an excitable child, and I couldn't help but enjoy reading about him!

4. What did you make of Luke's detective skills?

They were poor! It seemed like the classic case of regular Englishman playing detective to me. I thought Luke was an okay character, but I didn't really think he had much about him, and his personality was lacking. When he investigated, it felt a little dull to me. I feel if he had been a bit more lively, I might have enjoyed the story more.

5. What did you think about the ending?

I predicted the ending fairly early on, but I didn't really mind. I thought it all came full circle and made sense!

6. What's your rating?

Rating: ✫✫✫

This definitely isn't my favourite of Christie's novels, but it also isn't my least favourite! I did enjoy it, but it didn't have the depth of story and characters as I really hoped it would. An interesting premise, but maybe one that didn't quite follow through.