Quick take
One of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries follows the race to solve a murder aboard a Nile River cruise ship.
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Synopsis
Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries, Death on the Nile.
The tranquility of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.
Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: “I’d like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.” Yet in this exotic setting nothing is ever quite what it seems.
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Get an early look from the first pages of Death on the Nile.
Death on the Nile
One
“Linnet Ridgeway!”
“That’s her!” said Mr. Burnaby, the landlord of the Three Crowns.
He nudged his companion.
The two men stared with round bucolic eyes and slightly open mouths.
A big scarlet Rolls-Royce had just stopped in front of the local post office.
A girl jumped out, a girl without a hat and wearing a frock that looked (but only looked) simple. A girl with golden hair and straight autocratic features—a girl with a lovely shape—a girl such as was seldom seen in Malton-under-Wode.
With a quick imperative step she passed into the post office.
“That’s her!” said Mr. Burnaby again. And he went on in a low awed voice: “Millions she’s got . . . Going to spend thousands on the place. Swimming pools there’s going to be, and Italian gardens and a ballroom and half of the house pulled down and rebuilt. . . .”
“She’ll bring money into the town,” said his friend. He was a lean, seedy-looking man. His tone was envious and grudging.
Why I love it
Rachel Hawkins
Author, Reckless Girls
A stunning location. A Perfect Murder. A host of suspects. And in the middle of it all, a brilliant detective.
Countless Golden Age mysteries have this same setup, but Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile is something special. Now, Dame Agatha hardly needs my endorsement. She is the best-selling author of all time, after all. Her very name is synonymous with mystery and murder. But sometimes when an author becomes An Institution, the books themselves can get lost in the myth, or dismissed altogether, relics from the past. And that’s a mistake because I promise you, Death On The Nile might have been published in 1937, but the complicated women at its heart—and its shocking ending—make it just as fresh and vital as any 21st century thriller.
The book opens with that juiciest of plots—a love triangle. Linnet Doyle is a socialite recently married to Simon. The only problem? Simon’s ex, Jacqueline de Bellefort (who is also Linnett’s former best friend. I told you! Juicy!). When all three find themselves on a cruise down the Nile, things take a deadly turn. Luckily, world-famous detective Hercule Poirot is also on board, but with multiple suspects and more bodies piling up, the truth turns out to have more loops and bends than the Nile itself.
Whether this is a reread or your first time in Christie’s delightfully devious mind, I invite you to step aboard the Karnak, where the champagne is cold, the band is hot, and the passengers are glamourous. Just be sure to lock your cabin door.
Member ratings (3,985)
Dacia B.
Honolulu, HI
I don't normally enjoy crime novels but classic detective stories like Poirot's are a different matter. His discerning mind and keen sense of empathy make him a standout even more than his moustache.
Abby M.
Fargo, ND
Why has it taken me so long to realize how spicy AC’s stories are? I love the set up & ability to play detective throughout the novel & will be sure to read more of her books if offered on BOTM!!!
Francesca P.
Allston, MA
Christie does it again! I love her subtle implications, her twists and turns, the larger theme of envy and enemies-- and of course the mastermind detective. Her books are the standard for a reason!
Kendall K.
North Canton, OH
It took me a minute to wrap my head around all the characters but once I did, I didn’t want to put the book down! You really start to feel like you are on the Nile with some “friends”. Enjoy!
Christina H.
Sandy , OR
I've always been a huge Agatha Christie fan and I love this book. Wrote in true Christie style it's awesome. I love Hercule Periot and this book didn't disappoint. I would highly recommend ????