Endless Night (Agatha Christie Collection)
4 journalers for this copy...
Agatha Christie's disturbing 1960s mystery thriller, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers. Gipsy's Acre was a truly beautiful upland site with views out to sea -- and in Michael Rogers it stirred a child-like fantasy. There, amongst the dark fir trees, he planned to build a house, find a girl and live happily ever after. Yet, as he left the village, a shadow of menace hung over the land. For this was the place where accidents happened. Perhaps Michael should have heeded the locals' warnings: 'There's no luck for them as meddles with Gipsy's Acre.' Michael Rogers is a man who is about to learn the true meaning of the old saying 'In my end is my beginning!'
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Released 6 yrs ago (11/15/2017 UTC) at By mail / post / courier, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
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Congratulations and Happy reading!
The fourth of my tea and mystery sweepstake winnings :-)
So nice to read an Agatha Christie that I don't know much about. I had tried to watch the tv version when it first was shown, but it was another where they had inserted Miss Marple into a story that she doesn't belong in and, of course, it didn't work. This meant that I wasn't sure 'whodonit' and could happily read whilst hibernating during the snow.
Michael Rogers is a young man from a working class background. Thanks to his mum he's had a reasonably good education, but he's dissatisfied and a bit of a waster, drifting from job to job.
Whilst working as a chauffeur he sees a wonderful plot of land for sale - Gypsy's Acre. There is a house on it, but it's derelict. The perfect spot for the dream house he's always wanted. Of course, there's no way he can buy it, but he goes to the auction anyway. Thanks to a supposed gypsy curse, it doesn't sell. It's after this failed auction that he meets Fenella/Ellie and it is love a first sight. They meet in secret a number of times and places and eventually she admits she is an heiress - the minute she turns 21 they marry, she buys the plot of land and they set about building their dream house.
So many different people warn them off. An old gypsy, Ellie's various family and hangers on, Michael's mother, villagers etc. and, of course, Greta - Ellie's companion, confidant, and the woman that runs her life for her, makes everything happen.
There are accidents and incidents and eventually a death. Gypsy's Acre really does seem to be cursed....or was it murder? Was it all an elaborate plot and if so, who is the plotter?
I did have my theories, some of them turned out to be true. Regardless it was the perfect read for a snowy weekend.
Released 6 yrs ago (3/7/2018 UTC) at The Glencorse Centre ✔️ in Auchendinny, Scotland United Kingdom
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Released 6 yrs ago (3/19/2018 UTC) at Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom
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Although this book is registered at www.bookcrossing.com, you don't have to be a member. It's perfectly OK to just take the book and enjoy it. Of course, if you can visit the website and let us know that you've picked it up, that would be even better - you don't even have to join, you can add your comments anonymously - you can also post your review when you've read it, then return it or pass it on to someone else.
If you do join Bookcrossing, you'll be able to see what happens to it afterwards - for ever!
It's a bit different from usual Christie's, and from an early point, I could see where the story was going, so the tension came from a different direction. That is namely, how would this come about and/or resolve in the end?
It's interesting to ponder how original readers might have taken to this. Would the central plot twist have been as obvious to them as it was to me today, or is that largely a result of increased awareness of certain social evils? (Trying not to give away the plot here!!!)
(Reading the journal entries and seeing Coromandel reminded me of a holiday in the 90s when we visited Hot Water Beach and dug a hot water pool in the sand. Happy memories!)
Update. I enjoyed this, a bit different from other Christies I have read.
Released 2 yrs ago (8/15/2021 UTC) at Little Free Library - Harrison Park in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom
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