The Big Four by Agatha Christie: A book review

It has been a while since I posted a review of a book as soon as I finished reading it. But today is one of those days! I finished reading The Big Four by Agatha Christie just yesterday and I spent more than half a day today talking about it and here I am ready to write a review.

Is that a good thing or not? Read ahead to know more. 

About the Big Four

Book Name: The Big Four

Author: Agatha Christie

Genre: Fiction – Thriller

Characters: Hercule Poirot, Arthur Hastings,  Li Chang Yen,  Madame Olivier,  Abe Ryland, Number four

Setting: England, The UK

Plot summary of the Big Four

We are used to reading and loving the various murder mysteries set in London or other British cities and suburban towns. But with The Big Four, Christie sets us for a crime thriller with not one but four international super villains aiming at world domination against the grey cells of our Poirot and his dear friend Hastings.

A random guy dies in Poirot’s apartment, which ends to be a foul play. This sets the duo on wild goose chase against The Big Four – A Chinese mastermind, a French woman, an American and a mysterious number four, who always seem to be a step ahead of our dear detective. 

How does he stop them from reaching their evil goal forms the rest of the story in The Big Four!

Book review of the Big Four

The Classics N Christie has been reading Agatha Christie’s books based on the publication dates. This has been very helpful for me to understand the different writing and story telling styles that the author has been trying. I wish I could The Big Four is one of those attempts, that kinda bombed for me. 

Earlier in the Murder on the Links, Dame Christie tried her hand at romance in mystery novels which I didn’t enjoy much. I enjoyed her take on spy thriller even lesser. I just can’t wait to get back to cozy little town mysteries from her. 

Things that worked for me

• The Big Four reminded me a lot of Sherlock vs Moriarty (I love that).
• It may work better if you pick the book when you are in the mood to read a spy thriller. 

Things that didn’t work for me

• The Big Four seemed like a bundle of short mysteries badly woven together, which I found out to be true later. The Big Four was indeed published as a twelve short mysteries during a particularly bad time of Christie personally.
• There are too many named characters and most of them do not even reappear after a scene or two.
• I don’t like how Poirot somehow turned into James Bond at the end of the book. That is so not our Belgian detective. 

Bottom-line

If you are looking to read a typical Christie or Poirot’s mystery you will be disappointed. I never thought I would read Christie’s book that would disappoint me as much, but here it is. 

Similar reviews you might like

• The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
• The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
• And then there were none by Agatha Christie
• The Woman In The Window by Finn A J
• Lies We Bury by Elle Marr – A book review

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Let us chat

Have you read this one? What is the best murder mystery you have read till date? How do you handle disappointment about your favorite author’s work? Let us talk.