Towards Zero & Ordeal by Innocence

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Hugh Fraser

TWO BESTSELLING MYSTERIES IN ONE GREAT PACKAGE!

TOWARDS ZERO

One of Agatha Christie’s own ten favorite novels, Towards Zero puts Superintendent Battle and Inspector Leach on the case as they investigate the murder of an elderly widow.

What is the connection among a failed suicide attempt, a wrongful accusation of theft against a schoolgirl, and the romantic life of a famous tennis player?

To the casual observer, apparently nothing. But when a house party gathers at Gull’s Point, the seaside home of an elderly widow, earlier events come to a dramatic head. As Superintendent Battle discovers, it is all part of a carefully laid plan—for murder.

ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE

Considered by critics the one of the best of Agatha Christie’s later novels, and a personal favorite for Christie herself, Ordeal by Innocence is a psychological thriller involving crimes from both past and present.

According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment. But when Dr. Arthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko’s innocence, it is too late—Jacko died behind bars following a bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor’s revelations reopen old wounds in the family, increasing the likelihood that the real murderer will strike again.

A favourite of Christie's - and mine too!

"Ordeal by Innocence" was excellent - great pace, premise and definitely one of my favourites (I read that this was a favourite of her's too.)
"Towards Zero" was standard Christie fare.

hugh Fraser!

To hear Captain Hastings reading these books... made me happy in a sad time. of course, the stories are great too. But I love Hugh Fraser, the real star of the Poirot series.

Kept me guessing!

Two very different stories. Both entertaining. Wonderful performance by Hugh Fraser. I am glad I chose it.

IT'S AC - WHAT COULD BE WRONG?

Agatha really knew how to spin a story, as she proved again and again and again with her impressive output. These are fine tales and it's good they are packaged together as just one shortish novel is not enough to really enjoy as a feast.

Towards Zero - terrific!

A story that really pulls you in, even though it doesn't feature Poirot (although he is mentioned once) or Miss Marple. The characters spring to life in turn as the book progresses for an engrossing, entertaining mystery. The telling of the story is one of her best.It's almost like you're there! It makes you realize what a talent Agatha Christie really was.
Sometimes I look at my audio library and think I should branch out a little in my listening habits, but I find her books so relaxing and yet they make you think long after your listening session is over!
I highly recommend this - it is the first of two books, the other being "Ordeal by Innocence".
That one I haven't liked much so far - the modern setting and storyline are not quite what I like -in fact it strays quite a bit from her usual style - but we'll see as I listen further to the second book.