Review - 'The Man in the Brown Suit' by Agatha Christie

Over the last few years, I've been on a quest to read (or reread) all of Agatha Christie's books. So it was with horror that I realized it's been over a year since I've read a book of hers! Obviously, I had to rectify the situation posthaste.

The Man in the Brown Suit isn't your typical Agatha Christie. It reads more like a thriller than a mystery. Instead of a murder and an investigation with a small group of suspects, it's more of a heroine's journey laden with suspicious happenings, close calls, and romantic intrigue.

It starts off with Anne Beddingfeld finding her life to be ever so dull, so she goes off to London to look for adventure. When she inadvertently stumbles onto something suspicious, she's thrilled. She immediately dives headfirst into its murky circumstances in the hopes it will bring her the excitement she so desperately craves.

I see the mixed reviews for this book, and I understand the differing opinions. On the one hand, when you go into an Agatha Christie, there's a certain expectation of what you're getting, and this one doesn't quite meet that. On the other hand, I had great fun with it. Time and again, no one can so consistently pull me into a story the way she can.

The reason I didn't rate this higher is that it isn't as amazing as the rest of her stories, but honestly, that's a high bar she's set for herself. If this were by any other author, I would probably rate it at 4 stars. But since it's Agatha Christie, this highly enjoyable story is just middle of the pack among her books.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars