Library Journal
This welcome collection contains nine stories, most of which were published only in British newspapers and magazines during the 1920s. Hercule Poirot and Harley Quin make appearances, as do more "normal" people dealing with murder.
School Library Journal
YA--These nine short stories, never before published in the U.S., offer a variety of mysterious doings, intriguing characters, and odd circumstances. Christie's complex plots, her historical and moral perspectives, and her strong interest in human psychology are the major factors setting the tone of these selections. "The Harlequin Tea Set" weaves psychological drama with a ghost story, creating a surreal atmosphere and an extraordinary ending. Several of the stories, while interesting, are familiar in plot and character and offer no real surprises. "The Lonely God" is a love story typical of the sentimental writing of the period. "Manx Gold" is a grand adventure with several murders spicing up the plot. Christie captures cultural and period details in a way that readers can easily assimilate, making these stories time-capsule views of life during the first third of this century. This collection continues to substantiate the author's ability to create imaginative plots and characters, proving that really good writing remains readable for countless years.--Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Dispatch Richmond Times
"The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories is a treat for any Christie fan...These stories are ample proof -- if further proof were need -- of the mastery she brought to her craft."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
"The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories is a treat for any Christie fan...These stories are ample proof -- if further proof were need -- of the mastery she brought to her craft."
Kirkus Reviews
Don't get your hopes up: Six of these nine stories are inconsequential, if smoothly told, romances in Christie's Mary Westmacott mode. The exceptions include "Manx Gold," a labored and underclued treasure-hunt; "The Mystery of the Spanish Chest," an expansion (actually a dilution) of one of Christie's most successful stories, "The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest," which shows how poorly served the tale is by subtracting Hastings and expanding Poirot's dialogues with the suspects; and the title story, a pale reunion of Mr. Satterthwait and the spectral Harley Quin 40 years after their first meeting.
Christie completists will treasure the three low-grade stories for all their flaws. But the collection is the worst possible introduction to one of the genre's true masters.
From the Publisher
There are no original mystery plots. Christie devised all of them first, and the rest of us borrow from her.” — Mary Daheim, USA Today bestselling author of the Bed-and-Breakfast mysteries
“A treat for any Christie fan....These stories are ample proof—if further proof were needed—of the mastery she brought to her craft.” — Richmond Times-Dispatch
Mary Daheim
There are no original mystery plots. Christie devised all of them first, and the rest of us borrow from her.
