Friday, January 10, 2025

Five historical crime novels featuring Agatha Christie vibes

Fiona Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of eight historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Stolen Queen, The Spectacular, The Magnolia Palace, The Address, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which was a Good Morning America book club pick.

[My Book, The Movie: The AddressMy Book, The Movie: The Masterpiece
My Book, The Movie: The Chelsea GirlsThe Page 69 Test: The Chelsea Girls
My Book, The Movie: The Lions of Fifth Avenue]

At CrimeReads Davis tagged "five historical fiction novels that incorporate [Agatha] Christie’s signature moves and will keep you on the edge for the entire ride, and don’t be surprised if the grand dame herself doesn’t show up in one or two." One title on the list:
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

Quinn’s latest, about the residents of a Washington, DC women’s boarding house during the McCarthy era, put me in mind of Christie’s The Orient Express. Any one of the characters—some charming, others manipulative, and one or two quite villainous—might have a possible motive for murder, but which one committed the terrible act of violence alluded to on page one? The Briar Club thrives on the tension between seemingly respectable individuals whose dark secrets gradually unravel. Quinn, much like Christie, excels in creating a web of intrigue, where every character has something to hide, and each point of view is written with a keen psychological insight.
Read about another entry on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue