All About Agatha Christie
Christie
All About Agatha is a podcast all about, well, Agatha. Agatha Christie, of course: the Queen of Crime, a real-life Dame of the British Empire, and author of sixty-six mystery novels that spanned the Twentieth Century, defining a genre. For five years, Catherine Brobeck and Kemper Donovan revisited these novels in publication order, ranking them according to pre-set criteria (plot, character, etc.). Tragically, Catherine Brobeck passed away at the end of 2021. She will be forever missed. Since then, Kemper has completed the podcast's ranking project, and continues to celebrate the greatness of Christie by attempting to solve the ultimate mystery where she is concerned. Why Christie--and Christie alone--endures as powerfully as she does.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 9, 2018 • 30min
A Miss Marple Nightcap: The Affair at the Bungalow by Agatha Christie
All good things must come to an end. At long last we hear from the final guest at the Bantry dinner party: Jane Helier, actress--and dingbat--extraordinaire. And boy does this one turn out to be a doozy! We've said it before, and we'll say it again. Beware the blue-eyed Janes.... Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 2, 2018 • 32min
Getting Happy with Parker Pyne: The Case of the Discontented Soldier by Agatha Christie
Yes, we have another Christie detective to meet! But is he a detective at all? Let's explore this question along with an unfortunate "stuck in its time" element we were not expecting in this, the short story that introduced Ariadne Oliver to the world. At the very least we can say that Mrs. Oliver emerged fully-formed from Christie's head, clothed in all her self-deprecating, no-nonsense glory. (Perhaps she should have been named Athena Oliver?) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 17, 2018 • 59min
And Then There Were 47: Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
Welcome to Dame Agatha's twentieth mystery novel! There are those who love Cards on the Table, and those who loathe Cards on the Table. As it turns out, we (mainly) love it. Regardless of your feelings, you have to admit there is much to unpack here in the way of not just bridge but psychology. Plus: Ariadne Oliver! Let the meta-hijinks begin! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 9, 2018 • 34min
Communing with Mr. Quin : The Coming of Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie
It's time, at long last, to meet the mysterious Mr. Quin! This is a special, spooky little corner of the Christieverse that may be a favorite with some fans, and unknown to others. Join us as we parse not only his first mystery but the literary provenance of his character, which may be the biggest mystery of all.... Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 3, 2018 • 37min
A Miss Marple Nightcap: The Herb of Death by Agatha Christie
We've all experienced the well-worn trope of the unreliable female narrator at this point, but in this story we have the rare example of the unwilling female narrator... with quite interesting results. So join us, as our poor hostess Dolly Bantry is cajoled into telling a tale of vegetal mayhem and murder. Just don't call her Mrs. B. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jan 19, 2018 • 33min
A Miss Marple Nightcap: The Four Suspects by Agatha Christie
This week's short story relies on both arcane technical knowledge and dubious cryptography, and yet it was not written by Dan Brown. Go figure. Come and sit a spell with us at Gossington Hall, at the seemingly never-ending Bantry dinner party. It's Sir Henry Clithering's turn to tell a tale, and he does not disappoint. Plus: a bonus peek at the softer side (or is it?) of Miss Jane Marple! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jan 13, 2018 • 55min
And Then There Were 48: Murder In Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie
It's time for Dame Agatha's first Middle Eastern-set novel! And while there is much to discuss here (including the fascinating real-life inspiration for our murder victim), unfortunately there wasn't quite as much to love in either the novel or the Suchet adaptation. Still, it wasn't nearly as bad as drinking a glass of hydrochloric acid! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Dec 29, 2017 • 29min
A Miss Marple Nightcap: The Companion by Agatha Christie
What better way to say goodbye to 2017 than with a tale of overlooked--hence underestimated--women? And who better to solve such a tale than our very own Miss Jane Marple? Though let's be real: she isn't ours... she is very much her own, thank you very much. Happy New Year to all; we look forward to bringing you much, much more Christie in 2018! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Dec 22, 2017 • 39min
A *Very Special* Holiday Miss Marple Episode: A Christmas Tragedy by Agatha Christie
Last year we had M. Poirot over for a Christmas visit, so we figured it was only fair to extend the invitation this year to our dear Miss Marple. Luckily she accepted... with a dark tale of sandbagging, impoverishment, and domestic discord! And this is why we cherish her so: she keeps it real, that Jane Marple. Happy holidays, everyone! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Dec 17, 2017 • 58min
And Then There Were 49: The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie
A serial killer is on the loose… or is he (or she for that matter)? Come deep-dive with us--into the depths of this unusual Christie novel, in which our analysis gets granular enough to identify not one but two points of intersection between this novel and podcast favorite The Man in the Brown Suit. (I know; we were surprised too… surprised, and delighted.) Does Christie pull off everything she's trying to achieve here? Perhaps not, but we enjoyed the ride nonetheless. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
