Characters & Careers
#readchristie2025 is here and this year's theme is Characters & Careers. Various professionals pop up across Christie's books, so this reading challenge will be a fun opportunity to explore them all.
Agatha Christie Ltd. will post its first article in January. Sign up for the official Agatha Christie Ltd. newsletter to participate in this year's challenge (and receive the above stunning postcard)
I'll be sharing my thoughts on each month's read here.
Month | Theme | Official Pick |
January | Artists | Five Little Pigs |
February | Authors | The 13 Problems |
March | Performers | Three Act Tragedy |
April | Butlers | The Seven Dials Mystery |
May | Detectives | Cards on the Table |
June | Amateurs | Crooked House |
July | Archaeologists | Come, Tell Me How You Live |
August | Medics | One, Two Buckle My Shoe |
September | Religious Figures | At Bertram's Hotel |
October | Lawyers | Towards Zero |
November | Spies | Cat Among the Pigeons |
December | Military Men | N or M (or) The Sittaford Mystery |
Let's get started!
January - Five Little Pigs
Theme: Artists
Alternative Reads: The Hollow, Unfinished Portrait, Third Girl
What a book to kick off the reading challenge! I remember buying this book after I finished reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I wasn't much of a reader before reading Christie's books. I think her writing style is appealing because it's accessible to everyone. Within the first few chapters, you are already hooked on a story. There is the occasional slow-paced Christie novel, but usually, her work is concise. With Five Little Pigs, the reader has an opportunity to properly immerse themselves in the mystery. You are given various accounts, much like witness statements. It's then up to you and Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. In many ways, you are in the same boat as our famous Belgian detective. You are tasked with solving a murder 16 years after it occurred. All you have are the few witness accounts of those who knew the victim: renowned artist Amyas Crale.
I had little to no sympathy for the victim. The only thing the characters could agree on was his obsession with his art. The only way you can understand a crime is to understand the character of the victim. I believe Christie illustrated this brilliantly in Five Little Pigs.
Synopsis:
Caroline Crale was tried and convicted for the murder of her husband: Amyas Crale. 16 years later, their surviving daughter is convinced her mother was never guilty. Hercule Poirot is tasked with finding the real murderer, even with all the evidence stacked high against Caroline.
You can find some of my favourite Hercule Poirot mysteries on my Bookshop Page.
See you in February!
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