Midsummer Mysteries: Secrets and Suspense from the Queen of Crime is a collection of twelve short stories by Christie, set in England and exotic locales like Greece and Egypt. The stories cover a range of crime and suspense, from murder to theft, kidnapping, mysterious disappearances, and matters of the heart to matters of state. The stories feature detectives Miss Marple, Poirot, Parker Pyne, Harley Quin, Tommy, and Tuppence, and have a summer-like feel. The stories take place in England and exotic locales, with some stories having a more summery feel. Some of the stories are prototypes for full-length Christie books and short stories, while others have their own twists. The stories are enjoyable and offer a glimpse into the world of crime and suspense.

This collection of Christie stories offers a diverse range of plots, detectives, and unexpected twists in her puzzles. The stories include Dr. Hawker's request to accompany him when an Italian count leaves a message for help, Jane in Search of a Job, The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim, Miss Marple in 'The Idol House of Astarte,' James Bond in 'The Rajah's Emerald,' Mrs. Willard Peters in 'The Oracle at Delphi,' Tommy and Tuppence in 'The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger,' and The Incredible Theft in 'The Naval Treaty.' These short stories are perfect for both regular readers and fans, as they showcase the variety of plots, detectives, and unexpected twists in her puzzles. Although not as complex as her full-length books, each story has a twist and solution that readers may not expect. Overall, this enjoyable collection of Christie stories is sure to appeal to both regular and new readers.

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

This is a strange and ultimately disappointing collection of stories. Although in theory the stories are unified around the idea of summer mysteries, the reality is it feels like a bargain-bin assortment of titles the editors could license cheaply. At best, an uneven collection that will be enjoyed by die-hard Christie readers.

I love these Christie collections based around seasons! The previous one (Midwinter) was just as great. I particularly love that you get a sampling of all of Christie's greatest detectives. Because of this I would highly suggest the Midwinter and Midsummer collections to any new Christie readers!!

This was a great collection of short stories featuring well-known characters like Ms. Marple and Poirot alongside some lesser known characters. For readers unfamiliar with Agatha Christie's work, this collection is a really fun introduction. For those who have read her works before, they may have missed these short-stories (or, like me, forgotten them!).

Oh wow I am so glad I got a chance to read this!! It was great. I highly recommend it. It includes some of Agatha Christie's best work.

For some of us, when nothing seems to fit our reading taste, Agatha Christie will work. Midsummer Mysteries: Tales from the Queen of Mystery collects a dozen stories featuring Christie’s sleuths. Of course, there’s Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot to kick off the selections. But, there are stories featuring Tommy and Tuppence, Mr. Parker Pyne, and, my personal favorite, the mysterious Harley Quin.

Since all of these stories have appeared in collections before, I had read several of them. But, I had never read “Jane in Search of a Job’, although the opening scenario reminded me of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Red-Headed League”. Jane Cleveland answers an ad for a woman who meets her physical description and qualifications. From a number of candidates, she gets the job. She’s going to get 3,000 pounds for playing the Grand Duchess of Ostrova because she has had assassination attempts. There’s a little deception, and a little romance in the story.

I’ve always enjoyed Christie’s lesser known sleuths. “The Oracle at Delphi” is one of two stories to feature Mr. Parker Pyne. There’s a clever switch in this story of a wealthy widow whose son is kidnapped.

My favorite story is “Harlequin’s Lane”. Christie describes the mysterious Harley Quin as “a friend of lovers and connected with death”. The collection The Mysterious Mr. Quin is dedicated by the author “To Harlequin the invisible”. No other Christie book is dedicated to a character. I wish she had written more stories about Mr. Satterthwaite and Harley Quin. Satterthwaite is surprised to learn about Harlequin’s Lane, and Mr. Quin tells him it’s his lane. Satterthwaite is surprised because he says Mr. Quin never stops anyplace very long. Quin’s answer? “Only as long as is necessary.” And, that night, Harley Quin and a Russian woman participate in an unforgettable dance.

For readers who prefer Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, there are several stories featuring both of them and a familiar cast of characters, Miss Marple’s relatives and Hastings and Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard in the Poirot stories. The final Poirot, “The Incredible Theft” is set between the wars, and it has a sense of foreboding.

There’s something for every Agatha Christie fan in Midsummer Mysteries.

I’m mostly going on vibes and atmosphere when I say I enjoy these collections, largely because I don’t think the work of Agatha Christie (or indeed, most Golden Age mystery writers) translates all that well to short fiction.

Still, the signature Christie feel pervades this collection, and the stories themselves are fine, if not especially exciting in terms of plot. Essentially, the reader experience outweighs the content quality here, and I think that’s ok.

That said, the concept worked a little better for the winter collection than the summer collection, perhaps because Christie’s sense of atmosphere and setting fits more with winter than summer.

The best story of the collection is The Rajah’s Emerald, followed by The Oracle at Delphi. The rest are a mixed bag, though none of them are bad per se, and all have that distinctly Agatha Christie feel.

Agatha Christie short stories, while I've read them before there is nothing like reading her again. I liked the characters and the setting. The mysteries all kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie mysteries, the best part about this book it is 12 short stories and all with a summer theme. I like that I have a chance to read a stories and than set the book down and come back later to a brand new stories,

This book has a variety of different mysteries to keep me in suspense.

I love Agatha Christie, and she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I love this collection of stories, and I love how there are a mixture of the various characters we know and love. This is perfect for a summer read by the pool, curled on the couch with the air conditioner, or even at the beach. This was an awesome collection, and Agatha Christie never disappoints.

Thank you to the editors, publishers, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As an Agatha Christie devotee, I've read all of these short stories in other collections but it's a great title for readers who are new to Christie and maybe looking for a summery mystery read. The stories include settings such as holiday locales, beaches, cruises, and summertime trips to the country. The collection features a variety of Christie's mainstay characters, including Hercule Poirot, Parker Pyne, Tommy & Tuppence, and Miss Marple. A few of my favorites included are The Blood-Stained Pavement, Harlequin's Lane, and The Oracle at Delphi. Recommended for mystery readers looking for something they can put down and pick up easily, anyone looking to dip their toe into Christie's works, and libraries that don't already down these stories elsewhere.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

#MidsummerMysteries #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel. A great novel for mystery lovers and people who love suspense.

Midsummer Mysteries is a wonderful short story collection from Agatha Christie featuring stories all summer themed. Perfect for a summertime mystery read. Highly recommended!