REVIEW: The Under Dog and Other Stories

 The Under Dog and Other Stories
Author: Agatha Christie

This collection of Agatha Christie short stories was published in the US in 1951. It was never released in the UK. Most of the stories were previously published in magazines in the US and UK from 1923-1926. So I have read and reviewed all of them previously with the exception of the title story -- The Under Dog. 

These stories were all included in the 1974 Hercule Poirot story collection Poirot's Early Cases, which I reviewed in 2020 when I first started on a journey to read all of Christie's writing. 

Because The Under Dog was not published in a story collection until 1951, I chose to wait to review it until later in my Christie reading journey.  

Most Agatha Christie short story collections like this one mix early stories with ones published later on in Christie's writing career. It makes me do a bit of a dance trying to maintain my quest to read in publication order. 

I'm not going to revisit the stories I have already reviewed. I'm including links below to my prior reviews. 

Stories included in this collection are: 

The Under Dog
The Plymouth Express
The Affair at the Victory Ball
The Market Basing Mystery
The Lemesurier Inheritance
The Cornish Mystery
The King of Clubs
The Submarine Plans
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook

And to round it out -- here is my review of The Under Dog. :) 

 The Under Dog was first published in a US magazine in April 1926, and UK publication came later that same year. Its first appearance in book format came in 1929 when it was included in Two New Crime Stories in the UK. The second story in that book was by another author, E. Phillips Oppenheim (Blackman's Wood). The Under Dog wasn't published in the UK again until the story collection The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and a Selection of Entrees in 1960. 

I do not own a physical book that includes this story, so turned to my lovely local library and Hoopla for an audio version (HarperCollins, 2012, narrated by Hugh Fraser, 2 hrs).

The basics -- Sir Reuben Astwell is dead. Not a natural death, but he died as a result of being bashed over the head. His rather ill-tempered nephew has been arrested, but Sir Reuben's wife is adamant that the nephew didn't do it. Poirot steps in to find out the truth......  and, of course, does. 

I like these Novella-length stories that are too short to be a novel, but long enough to really let the plot develop. It definitely gives that Christie twistiness time to develop. Family tensions. Servant tensions. Class tensions. Who bumped the old man off? And why? 2 hours is definitely long enough for Christie to build up the tension & then have the ultimate reveal. 

Great story! 

Adaptations: 

Poirot - Season 5, Episode 2. There are a few minor changes to the story including adding in Hastings and Miss Lemon. But, this episode sticks pretty closely to the way it was originally written. Excellent as usual! 

The Underdog is the only story in this collection that is longer. The rest are shorter tales that showcase Poirot, but don't have time to really develop the characters beyond the basics. They set the stage, give details of the grisly deed, and then reveal whodunit. 

Christie really was a master of marketing. Publishing these early stories in magazines built up her name and talents, so that her books sold like hotcakes. 

I wish I could see just one copy of The Strand or any of the other magazines these stories originally appeared in so I could see what other stories were included, the ads, the layout -- all of it!!  

Someday!!   

Moving on! :)  I still have so much Christie left to go!! 

Next up I have Crooked House and Three Blind Mice & Other Stories. 

27 novels (not counting Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly as that was later re-worked into Deadman's Folly) and at least 10 more short story collections to go!! If I'm counting correctly!! 

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: Taken at the Flood

 Taken at the Flood
Author: Agatha Christie

This book was first published in the US under the title There is a Tide in 1948 and later that same year in the UK as Taken at the Flood. 

This is one of the few Agatha Christie novels that I don't have on my bookshelf. I listened to an audio book version (HarperAudio, 2012, narrated by Hugh Fraser, 6 hrs 15 minutes).  

I'm not sure why I don't have a copy of this book. Most likely I never found one/purchased one in my search for all things Christie.. Or, in my many moves through the years, I may have lost it. Who knows. I am very thankful for my local library/Hoopla as I checked out a copy immediately once I realized I didn't own the book. 

On to the story: 

 A wealthy man marries a younger, attractive widow. Unfortunately, only a few weeks later he is killed in an air raid and his wife is set to inherit the estate. Hercule Poirot is brought into the case when the dead man's sister-in-law tells him that the lovely widow's first husband may still be alive. 

Taken at the Flood is definitely the twisty, surprising classic mystery that made Christie famous! I loved every word!  

This was the first time I read this novel. I'm very glad I decided to read all of Christie's mystery writings in publication order. I'm hitting novels and short stores I might never have read if I wasn't meandering my way through them all. And, reading all of Poirot's stories and then watching the corresponding episodes of Poirot the tv series makes me appreciate the talents of David Suchet. He brought Poirot to life!!  

Adaptations: 

 BBC Radio 4: A radio dramatization was released in 2003. It runs 2 hrs and 12 minutes. John Moffat plays Hercule Poirot. Full cast with sound effects. Some aspects of the story are changed or trimmed for time, but the episode is very well done!  

Agatha Christie's Poirot - In 2006, the long-running television show had an episode based on this novel. (Season 10, episode 4). There are some pretty big changes in the story. 

Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie (The Little Murders of Agatha Christie) - Season 1 of this French television show has an episode based on this book called The Ebb and Flow. The plot is similar, but this show significantly alters just about everything else. The setting is moved to France and the investigators are completely different. Still very entertaining!  My library has this show available on Kanopy, so check your local library's digital offerings if you are interested in this show! :)   

I'm moving on to the next book in line -- Crooked House! 

REVIEW: This Inevitable Ruin

 This Inevitable Ruin
Author: Matt Dinniman

Dungeon. Crawler. Carl.  

I have been reading this series since there were only two books available....before the series was picked up by a traditional publishing house.....before there was a deal for a television series.....before almost everyone realized how awesome this story is.....

I am so happy this series is just exploding in popularity. Finally!!  

I just re-read the entire series.....from the moment Carl and Princess Donut entered the dungeon to the fiery end of the Ninth Floor at the end of this 7th book. 

What a ride! 

I am totally loving the increasing complexity of the plots, not to mention the intense battles and amazing strategy outlined in each new book. 

I have officially caught up with Matt and now must wait until May 2026 for the 8th book in this series. I have read and re-read the earlier books each time publication of a new novel approached. 

At this point, I am moving on to other series for a bit and will come back to Carl and Donut when I have my copy of the 8th book in hand and the audio book queued up and ready to go. 

For me, this book (the longest yet) gave closure to some very important story lines, introduced some interesting new characters and subplots, and bid farewell to others. I thought that listening to an audio book that is almost 29 hours long while reading my hardback copy would feel like a long long endeavor. But, now that I've finished this book, I feel like I just started the story and a few moments later heard the iconic "Audible hopes you have enjoyed this program."  I was so engrossed in the plot line that time just zipped right by each time I sat down to read/listen. 

The audio book narration for this series is just amazing. I always read along with Jeff Hays so I don't miss anything. Nothing interrupts my Carl/Donut time! I make a nice latte, sit down with my doggo (a chiweenie -- NOT a Cocker Spaniel) and just enjoy the story. 

Not giving any spoilers for this book. Some events I expected....others caught me completely by surprise. And, if I had to be surprised....so do you!!! 

Enjoy!!

And now the waiting begins.  Is it May yet?? :)  

I am outraged! You know how I feel about waiting, Carl.  :) 

REVIEW: A Skeleton in the Family

 A Skeleton in the Family
Author: Leigh Perry

I started reading this series years ago and life got in the way for a bit. Flash forward about 6 years, I spied this series still sitting on my bookshelves waiting for me to come back. Finally dove in! 

The basics: Georgia Thackery is an adjunct professor. She's just moved back to her parents' house with her daughter to teach at a college while they are away on sabbatical. She's glad to be back on familiar territory and also to see a good friend -- Sid.  Sid is a bit different and she has to keep his existence hidden from almost everyone. He's a skeleton -- a walking, talking skeleton. Georgia and Sid start investigating who Sid was before he became life-challenged....and soon discover a dead body. A killer seemingly wants them to stop investigating Sid's identity! 

This series is so fun to read. Sid is delightful, although he does make bad skeleton puns. I like Georgia as a main character. And, her daughter Madison is a great character as well. 

So glad to be reading this series again.  Moving on to book 2!

 

 

REVIEW: This Inevitable Ruin

 The Eye of the Bedlam Bride 
Author: Matt Dinniman

I ripped my way through the re-read of the first six books in this series like Mongo in a barn full of turkeys. IYKYK. I love the gaming aspects of this series and the humor. Finally!! Something I feel was written for me. I can just enjoy the characters, the concept and the plots.....just be my happy little nerd self. 

My job has been extra during the pandemic and that didn't stop during the rollback of pandemic regulations. It's been incredibly stressful and involved lots of overtime, process changes, constant flex and patience. And this series has helped me get through it all. I never know what Carl and Donut are going to come up against next and it's been my fun, entertaining escape. Plus, it introduced me to a new genre of books....stories formed around the concept of gaming. Fun! I'm not a "Gamer" like some who go to cons, know every rule, and lives that lifestyle of playing with a table full of friends every week.....I'm more gamer-adjacent. i love sci-fi, enjoy playing some D&D when I get a chance, and I can sit at a board game table with a group and hold my own - love every minute! But I just don't get the chance to play much. I love D&D type stories, so Lit-RPG is perfect for me. All of the fun.....none of the stacks of rule books. :) 

Book 6 was the last of my re-reads. That's the point I reached in this series before I had to stop all fun and focus more on my job and self-care to get through the explosion of post-pandemic fixes/changes. I have a row of beautiful hardbacks on my shelf. And I jumped into this book, remembering the glorious fights, gritty character development, and the more complex floor rules. Fun!! 

 This book jumps in just after crawlers caused pandemonium for the game-runners. They changed the narrative a bit at the very end of book 5. Unexpected Game Changes. And, the AI who keeps the whole dungeon running is going a bit mad. Things can turn on a dime, and it's getting trickier and dangerous for Carl, Donut and their band of friends. 

I love the epic fights in this book. There are such interesting characters and monsters, intriguing gaming concepts, and many funny moments along the way. I listened to the audio book version while I read my hardback copy because I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything, and I just love Jeff Hays' narration! 

I felt the story was just a bit more hard-hitting in this one. The fights were longer, and more complex. I was actually worried several times! The NPCs, monsters and AI were just a bit more developed in this book, with a peek here and there behind the curtain to the aliens running the game and their complex situations. Very interesting and definitely enjoyable to read!!  

Another great book in this series.  And, with the last page in this book.....I finally reach a book I haven't read yet!! And the knowledge a new book is coming out in 2026!!  Yay!!!! 

My copy of This Inevitable Ruin is on my desk. The audio book is pulled up on my phone.  The 9th floor beckons!!!   I'm going in!  

 

REVIEW: The Butcher's Masquerade

 The Butcher's Masquerade
Author: Matt Dinniman

 

Life sometimes gets in the way of my reading.  How annoying! Mongo is appalled! 

I started reading this series way back when there were only the first two books.  A friend recommended the series because he really enjoyed the mix of humor, game concepts and creative characters. So I started reading the first ebook.....then I checked if there was an audio book version because the story just begged to be read out loud. Once I heard Jeff Hays' narration -- I was totally hooked. 

The series helped me navigate the pandemic. But, I started and never finished book 5. 

In 2022, my life temporarily imploded and I made a cross country move, started a new job, and began building a new life. I had to leave Carl, Princess Donut, and all the rest behind for a little while. Flash forward to 2025, and it was time to jump back in. I started all over from Book One and started reading this series again. 

And, I finally got to finish book 5! 

NEW ACHIEVEMENT!!! You have planned and survived a Full World Reboot. Winner!! You have received a Platinum You Will Not Break Me - F You All Box. REWARD!!!! A colorful set of hardback books featuring exciting dungeon exploits, the accompanying audio books and the ability to enjoy reading them all! 

I got divorced, moved most of the way across the country, and put my life back together. I no longer have the friend who introduced me to this book series....divorce creates divides sometimes. But that's ok. I have new friends and moved on. And the books are still here! 

I'm buying the hardback copies one at a time as I read my way back through the series. I read each book while listening to the audio. Loving it!  And the books look so nice on my bookshelf! 

The Butcher's Masquerade is the 5th book in the series! Took me 3 years to come back and finally finish this story. I'm glad I did -- very enjoyable addition to this series! 

I read & listened to this story while on PTO for Christmas and New Year's. Great way to ring in the New Year! 

Carl and Princess Donut are once again thrown into a new floor of the dungeon -- the sixth floor. And this time, the crawlers who are left in the dungeon will be facing off with hunters who are trying to kill them. And the entire chaotic battle will culminate in a party -- The Butcher's Masquerade. Enemies will be brought to a castle where there will be a pet show, a talent competition and......no violence allowed. Yeah sure.....right. 

Lots of character development, twists and turns, political intrigue, angry gods and all sorts of dungeon-y goodness in this one!! I enjoyed every minute!! 

And, I have a new appreciation for Oasis and the song Wonderwall. :) 

I never ever thought I would read a book series where one of my favorite characters is a former sex doll head that constantly threatens to kill everyone's mothers. 

Where does Matt Dinniman come up with this stuff? LOL  I can tell he is a person that would be fabulous fun to talk with over lunch, or have in the party for a D&D game. 

I finished this book earlier today -- New Year's Day 2026.  And my brand new copy of Book 6 -- The Eye of the Bedlam Bride -- is being delivered tomorrow. As I write this review, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series has been optioned for a television show. There is an audio immersion version on Soundbooth theater's website that I'm enjoying (two "seasons" up so far -- it's full cast and fun to listen to between books!) And, book 8 is coming out mid-2026. Once I read through book 7 and am caught up with the author, I have a review copy of another book Dinniman is publishing in February 2026 -- Operation Bounce House. 

These books make me happy. Just fun to read!! And Jeff Hays and the others at Soundbooth Theater do a wonderful job of narration/voice acting. The idea of an apocalyptic dungeon crawl, a man and his talking cat battling their way through all sorts of trouble, and all the wonderful side characters and bad guys -- it makes this nerd very, very happy. :) 

 

 

 

REVIEW: A New Lease on Death

 A New Lease on Death
Author: Olivia Blacke

Ruby moves into a new apartment in Boston, not realizing the prior occupant is still there. The fact that Cordelia is dead and a ghost makes the situation even more weird. Then, these two strange roomies end up on the trail of a killer. Can they figure out who killed their neighbor without Ruby becoming a ghost, too? 

What an interesting and creative story! The chapters alternate between Ruby and Cordelia, telling the story from both of their points of view. There is quite the adjustment to being roommates as well. They have to figure out how to communicate with each other and how to work together to solve a murder when one of them is incorporeal. 

I started out reading a hardback version of this book from the library. But my book came due before I finished, so I switched to the audio book through Hoopla (love love love my local library!). The audio [Dreamscape Media, 2024, 9 hrs 30 minutes] is narrated by Stefanie Kay. She has a pleasant voice, reads at a steady pace, and does a great job of voice acting.  

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. There is a lot of amateur sleuthing, several suspects, and some interesting twists! 

Moving on to book 2 in this series!