- Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; Omnibus edition edition (19 July 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007171161
- ISBN-13: 978-0007171163
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 70,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
‘Crimes of the heart were his forte’
Observer
‘The empress of the crime novel’
Sunday Express
Product Description
A brand new omnibus that features the complete adventures of Agatha Christie’s loveable ‘heart specialist’ Mr Parker Pyne.
‘Are you happy? If not, consult Mr Parker Pyne, 17 Richmond Street.’
The above advert has appeared on countless occasions in the the personal column of The Times, courtesy of the hero of Agatha Christie’s numerous, romantically-inclined mysteries.
Plump and bald, Christopher Pyne (although he is always referred to as J Parker Pyne) is a retired civil servant. Having worked as a government employee for 35 years, during which time he tirelessly compiled statistics, Pyne decides to set himself up as a ‘heart specialist’.
Renting a London office and hiring the ferociously efficient Miss Felicity Lemon (who would go on to work for Mr Hercule Poirot!), Pyne sets about solving marital and romantic problems with the help of some extraordinary role-playing…
For the first time, this volume sees all of Parker Pyne’s adventures, both at home and abroad, bound together in the stunning new Christie livery.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Agatha Christie was capable of writing some fine short stories, but she also often off-loaded in this form ideas that really don't go anywhere. As with the Tommy & Tuppence volume, "Partners in Crime", there is a sense here that the stronger pieces get lost amongst the trivial.
The volume divides into two parts. In the first six stories, we find out what Parker Pyne does, which is to make people happy by, for example, providing romance and adventure. This is a limited template, and although you might find one or two of the stories charming and memorable, it is something of a relief when Pyne departs on holiday for the later stories which - while more conventional - are closer to the mystery format that was Christie's forte. There is some fun to be had in this stretch, but of course the distinctive qualities of Pyne become less evident, possibly explaining why she only felt the need to write two more Parker Pyne stories after the volume in which he made his first appearance.
One special point of interest is "Death on the Nile", which was expanded beyond recognition for the Poirot novel of the same title published three years later. In several of the later stories we visit Oriental locations also visited by Poirot, giving the volume some interest for the Christie buff.
For the money, this volume is not the best value in the Harper Collins Christie series, and I'd recommend new readers looking for her short stories to try either the "Collected Short Stories" or "Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories".
The volume divides into two parts. In the first six stories, we find out what Parker Pyne does, which is to make people happy by, for example, providing romance and adventure. This is a limited template, and although you might find one or two of the stories charming and memorable, it is something of a relief when Pyne departs on holiday for the later stories which - while more conventional - are closer to the mystery format that was Christie's forte. There is some fun to be had in this stretch, but of course the distinctive qualities of Pyne become less evident, possibly explaining why she only felt the need to write two more Parker Pyne stories after the volume in which he made his first appearance.
One special point of interest is "Death on the Nile", which was expanded beyond recognition for the Poirot novel of the same title published three years later. In several of the later stories we visit Oriental locations also visited by Poirot, giving the volume some interest for the Christie buff.
For the money, this volume is not the best value in the Harper Collins Christie series, and I'd recommend new readers looking for her short stories to try either the "Collected Short Stories" or "Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories".
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A most pleasant surprise
10 Sep 2009
Format:Paperback
I had read some of these stories about 50 years ago, but had forgotten about Parker Pyne. I've never had much patience with Poirot, I think Agatha Christie called him an ego-centric creep. Who am I to argue? Miss Marple always reminded me of my grandmother, they were very similar in many ways. So, I always liked those. But, there aren't many of them and the formula was wearing a bit thin even then. Parker Pyne is very different to Poirot and Marple. He is not a detective. Rather he solves people's problems, ranging from the mundane to the exotic, often in very unlikely ways - but always believable. Christie clearly liked him best of all her creations; the character is more fully-developed, the plots more thoughtful, and the writing - the writing. For the first time, I see Christie as a serious writer, capable of handling emotion, relationships, and humour, and of setting a scene.
It's wonderful to have all the Parker Pyne short-stories in one volume. They are variously clever, witty, pathetic (in the true sense of the word), heart-warming, and hugely entertaining. After reading these, you will come away feeling a bit better about life. What more could you want from a book?
It's wonderful to have all the Parker Pyne short-stories in one volume. They are variously clever, witty, pathetic (in the true sense of the word), heart-warming, and hugely entertaining. After reading these, you will come away feeling a bit better about life. What more could you want from a book?
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
If you like Parker Pyne, then this is for you!
24 Dec 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I always enjoyed these in my teens, but there were several Parker Pyne stories I had missed. This got me up to speed and was a great deal of fun!
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