The House at Shiraz, Agatha Christie
The House at Shiraz, Agatha Christie
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The House at Shiraz
A Short Story

Author: Agatha Christie

Narrator: Hugh Fraser

Unabridged: 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 12/11/2012


Synopsis

Mr. Parker Pyne is having trouble trying to get to Beirut, what with his rusty linguistic skills and the less-than-comfortable travelling arrangements. But, with the help of a German pilot, Herr Schlagel, he is soon able to get his bearings. Herr Schlagel confesses that his thoughts are dominated by the mysterious and sudden death of one of his last passengers, who was in the company of Lady Esther from the House of Shiraz. Taking the initiative, Pyne writes to Lady Esther offering his services. When he arrives at the House of Shiraz, he waits to see what the infamously mad Lady Esther has to say for herself, and the story begins to unravel….

About Agatha Christie

What a daunting task to write about the most famous mystery writer, Agatha Christie. She was born in 1890 in England, where she was home schooled by her American father. It was an unusual way to be educated for the times. Her father did not want her to begin learning to read until age eight, but out of boredom, she taught herself to read by age five.

In his research, Curran found a plethora of information about Agatha. He outlines many of those interesting facts. Since there are so many, just a few will be mentioned here. Agatha could have been an excellent performer as a pianist, but she was much too shy to perform. She once had three plays running simultaneously in London. She traveled around the world in 1922, which would have been quite a feat back then. Agatha loved dogs. She has a rose named after her. She never did drink alcohol nor smoked. Her last public appearance was in 1974, at the premier of the movie, Murder on the Orient Express. Agatha Christie's name has appeared every day for 53 years in every newspaper with a West End London theatre listing. Her favorite flower was Lily of the Valley. The information about this illustrious author goes on and on. It is a great asset to readers that author John Curran wrote the definitive book about an iconic author. One other interesting fact was that Agatha met Archie Christie in 1912, married on Christmas Eve 1914, spending their honeymoon at The Grand Hotel in Torquay, but Archie returned to France on Dec 27th due to the War. Agatha and Archie fid not really experience married life until he was posted at the London War Office. Agatha has been quoted as saying only then did she feel that her married life truly began.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Anne on August 05, 2022

Parker Pyne is in Teheran when a pilot tells him about his lost love. He fell for a lady's maid but she was killed in an accident before he could tell her he loved her. And in a strange turn of events, the English lady she worked for has been rumored to have gone completely batty and doesn't accept v......more

Goodreads review by Jack on October 19, 2024

4 Stars. Ingenious. An insight into the mind of Parker Pyne. He catches an incongruity, something that can't be right in someone's story, massages it with logic, and then tests it. Here he is following-up on a sad incident in the life of his helpful pilot on the flight from Bagdad to Tehran in Persi......more

Goodreads review by Meg on May 07, 2021

Mr. Pyne is traveling and learns from the pilot that an eccentric British woman is living in Shiraz. He had flown them there a few years before and took a liking to the Lady’s companion but she died tragically of a fall soon after arriving. Now the Lady has gone quite mad and become a recluse. Intri......more

Goodreads review by Shaneka on October 12, 2020

Worst Agatha Christie so far......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on December 29, 2020

Alright, far from my favorite Christie.......more