Murder, She Wrote Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Murder at the Vicarage

"The Murder at the Vicarage" was the first Christie novel to be set in the village of St. Mary Mead and it also marked the debut of Miss Jane Marple, another memorable christie character created. When Colonel Protheroe is shot dead in his study, suspicion first falls on his wife and her lover, both of whom confess to the murder.

However, despite their claims, there are reasons why neither of them could have carried out the deed in the manner in which it first came to light. Is there more to the story?

Answer: The Murder on the Links

"The Murder on the Links" is the second book to feature Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings after they were introduced in Christie's debut novel, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles". The duo find themselves in France and in competition with the local police to solve a murder.

It's in this book that Hastings meets and falls in love with his wife, causing him to disappear from future novels for a while.

Answer: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is considered one of Christie's best works. When it was first published, it caused a stir among some reviewers and peers due to its subversion of conventional mystery writing norms. However, it also received rave reviews for the structure of the plot. Years later, its plot twist continues to be remarkable for the influence it had on the genre.

Answer: The Murder at Hazelmoor

"The Sittaford Mystery" doesn't feature any of the recurring Christie sleuths. A séance is attended by a few members of a tiny village where they are allegedly informed by a spirit of the murder of one of their neighbours, Captain Trevelyan. When the news turns out to be true, the local police must investigate.

Answer: Murder on the Orient Express

Another Christie classic, "Murder on the Orient Express" is set aboard the Orient Express train, as given away by the title. The train is stranded due to a snowstorm and one of the passengers is found dead. Poirot happens to be travelling on the same coach and is once again drawn into solving the murder.

In the end, Poirot agrees that the murder was a form of justice meted out by a jury and allows the murderers to go unpunished.

Answer: Murder in Three Acts

"Three Act Tragedy", also published under the title of "Murder in Three Acts", is another Poirot mystery. Famous thespian Sir Charles Cartwright hosts a dinner party and one of his guests, Reverend Babbington, suddenly drops dead after having a cocktail. Poirot is unable to find any reason for any one wanting the Reverend dead and seems to be at his wit's end.

When another guest dies a few days later at a similar party, Poirot has to find the connection between the two incidents. Ultimately it is revealed that the Reverend was an unintentional victim.

The murderer was only testing out his modus operandi and did not specifically target the Reverend.

Answer: Death in the Clouds

In this story, Christie takes the 'closed room' murder trope up several notches. Not only is the victim killed on an aircraft with only eleven passengers in that particular compartment, but no one even realises she is dead until the plane is about to land. A dart with a poisoned tip is found to be the murder weapon, leaving open the question of who committed the murder and why.

Answer: Murder in Mesopotamia

"Murder in Mesopotamia" is set at an archaeological dig in Iraq, formerly known as Mesopotamia. When a murder is committed at the site, the investigating officer, Captain Maitland, is relieved to know that Hercule Poirot is in the area on his travels and quickly solicits his help.

Answer: Appointment with Death

While in Jerusalem, Poirot overhears siblings complaining about their stepmother and wishing she was dead. He then happens to meet with the group again in Petra. When the stepmother is found dead there, Poirot takes it upon himself to find out whether she was murdered and by whom.

Answer: Murder is Easy

"Murder is Easy" was also published under the alternate title, "Easy to Kill". Set in the small village of Wychwood under Ashe, the plot follows Luke Fitzwilliam, who has only recently returned to London from overseas. A chance meeting with Lavinia Pinkerton on the train and the news of her death the very next day prompts him to visit the village to try and get to the bottom of the problem.

He is shocked to find that hers was only the latest in a series of untimely, seemingly unconnected deaths.

Answer: Death on the Nile

"Death on the Nile" has a plot reminiscent of a couple of other Christie novels like "Evil Under the Sun" and "Endless Night", where two lovers get together to deceive an heiress and grab her wealth. The setting of this novel on a boat cruise on the Nile brings a fresh element to the proceedings. One of Poirot's more popular cases, this has been remade for film and television multiple times.

Answer: Remembered Death

Also published under the title "Sparkling Cyanide", this novel features another one of Christie's sleuths, Colonel Race. A year after his wife's death, the husband also mysteriously dies at a family dinner. The wife's death was ruled as a suicide, but the husband dying in the same way a year later seemed like too much of a coincidence. What reason could anyone have for wanting them both dead?

Answer: A Murder is Announced

The plot takes place in Chipping Cleghorn where the local newspaper carries an ad announcing a murder at the Little Paddocks house, complete with date and time. Village folk gather at the house at the time announced and soon enough, a masked man enters and fires a round of bullets. Luckily for the villagers, Inspector Craddock is not satisfied that the man acted on his own. With Miss Marple around to help, the police are determined to get to the root of the case.

Answer: Death Comes as the End

Unique among all of Christie's novels for its setting, "Death Comes as the End" is the only one of her works not set in what was then the present day. Instead it is set thousands of years earlier - in 2000 BC in Ancient Egypt. This is one of many plot settings inspired by her husband's work as an archaeologist in the Middle East.

Answer: Sleeping Murder

"Sleeping Murder" was written in the 1940s but published posthumously in 1976, making it Christie's last published novel. Featuring Miss Marple, the murder this time does not occur in the present day. As alluded to by the title, the murder occurred in the past and only comes to light during the course of the story.