I tried about 3 times to read this book and I just couldn’t get into it. Thank you for my free review copy but this one just wasn’t for me.

Agatha Christie is on the eve of her marriage to Max Mallowan, the younger archeologist she met in Iraq, when she is called to the isle of Skye by her friend and colleague Davidson. A former Secret Agent, Robin Kinmuir has been receiving threatening letters. Davidson and Christie will attend a house party he is having and see if they can determine who has been sending threatening letters. But alas, they've hardly arrived at his manor house before their host is murdered.

What transpires next is the perfect locked room mystery in the style made famous by Christie. The guests are forced to remain in the manor house by the local constable, and more murders ensue. The Isle of Skye is itself very remote even today, and certainly more so in the early turn of the century.

this was the 4th in a series by author Andrew Wilson where Mrs. Christie plays detective. It did not hinder me at all to not have read the previous books, but I enjoyed this one and love Agatha Christie's books, so I can see myself going back to start at the beginning of the series.

This is my favorite in the series. I do recommend reading the previous installments, but this is also a great place to jump in. Loved the characters in this one; kept me entertained and guessing throughout!

I’ve read the three previous Agatha Christie mystery books, and enjoyed them all. This book uses the classic murder at the house party trope that Agatha Christie herself used in so many books. If you like an old fashioned whodunnit this book is for you!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I have thoroughly been enjoying this series by Andrew Wilson. The “queen of mystery” herself becomes the sleuth in these historical mysteries! Agatha heads to Scotland with her daughter, her secretary/friend Carlo and Carlo’s sister to prepare for her upcoming nuptials. And of course Davison has other ways she can spend her days. Agatha and Davison head up to Dallach Lodge to ferret out who might want to do the owner, Robin Kinmuir harm. What could possibly go wrong?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review another great book.

Great plot and setting!
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I SAW HIM DIE by Andrew Wilson is another mystery with Agatha Christie connections – this time as a character. Here, Christie has been asked to protect the life of a former English intelligence officer now living at an estate on Scotland's Isle of Skye. A huge house party is involved and, of course, a death ensues. The description and pace, however, seemed quite slow to me. Much hypothesizing occurs (as does some fairly obnoxious misogynist behavior even for the 1930 setting), but with little action early on. I would recommend instead other works in this series (all can be read as standalones) such as A Talent for Murder.

First Impressions

Hmmmm.... I swear to god pick this book up right now, if you love Agatha Christie mysteries.... it’s 5 am at night or rather morning and I could not put the book down! Do I regret not reading the first 3 books in the series... yes and no... rest assured I will pick them up!
I am just shooketh and will release an in depth review soon...


Review
Big thanks to Net Galley, Washington Square press and Andrew Wilson for approving this book! The book title matters for once y’all, it matters! I use to exclusively read middle grade fiction and wasn’t a huge fan of thrillers before I read And then there were none by Agatha Christie. This book is the first mystery I have read that made me feel the same way as And then there were none. For ensemble mysteries I love it when the author keeps you on edge and throughout the reading experience you don’t know who the heck done it. From the first page till the ending I had no idea whodunnit (except my predictions were right, it wasn’t a very predictable read though).

I don’t want to say to much since I personally prefer not knowing a lot about mysteries before I start them (would suggest not reading blurbs before you start a mystery, best experience). I am going to talk mostly about how the plot itself was set up. The book reads like mystery fiction mixed with autobiography. The main character in the book is Agatha Christie herself and some of the side characters in the book are people Agatha actually knew. If you love romance, this book is not for you but if you like whodunnit mysteries than this one will strike your fancy. The book was a bit slow initially but later after the main conflict arises, the book picks up speed, which is like 15% into the book.

This book is a part of a 4 book series, I am not sure if the author will release anymore books in the Agatha Christie series but if he does I sure am going to preorder them! From what I have heard the story is linear but you could read this one and skip then other 3, (although not recommended) it will not effect your reading experience. The book had a good pace but sometimes it was a bit frustrating when the main character went in circles about the facts. For people who like to read in breaks, this type of a plot setup can be extremely helpful as you get a recap of what’s been happening. Overall the flow of the story went swimmingly smooth and the writing style was easy to read. Also, the ending was 80% satisfying for a thriller; the character I predicted to be the killer 1/3 of the way into the book ended up being the killer so of course I was satisfied. Would recommend picking it up 100%.

P.S. the mystery in this book revolves around a rhyme and the title of the book is a clue.

I Saw Him Die is the 4th book in the Agatha Christie mysteries by Andrew Wilson. Released 22nd July 2020 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria - Washington Square Press imprint, it's 400 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully written, entertaining, and engaging mystery - very well plotted and paced. The characters are distinct and follow internal motivations. The dialogue is well done, both subtle and flowing. In checking my notes for this review I couldn't find any negative or comments or notes. I wasn't yanked out of my suspension of disbelief once.

There have been a large crop of "real historical person as amateur sleuth" series and these books (which all work well as standalones) fit right into the group. Die-hard canonical pure Christie fans will probably avoid these titles, but for anyone who has enjoyed the modern day Dickens, Austen, Holmes, Edna Ferber (et. al.) mysteries, this is a top shelf example of the genre.

Four stars. Worth a read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Agatha Christie is just weeks away from her marriage to archeologist Max Malowan when her friend and from British Intelligence John Davison asks for her assistance .She'd like this to be her last assisgnment for him before her marriage, but it is not so easy to disentangle herself. She and Davison head to the Isle of Skye to protect a former British agent turned hotelier who has been receiving threatening letters.The other guests include his family, an aging actress, two romance-writing sisters, a botanist and a local doctor. When Robin Kinmuir is shot in a hunting accident, Agatha and Davison are dismayed they could not protect him, but when they learn he did not die from a gunshot wound, they deepen their investigation. It seems Kinmuir died from a rare poison and because of her background with poisons, Agatha finds herself as a suspect in the murder. Agatha Christie as a character in a novel is such a terrific idea. I love these books.

"I Saw Him Die" is a mystery set in 1913 in Scotland. This is the fourth book in a series, but it worked as a standalone. This is a story of Agatha Christie solving a case with a friend of hers who has requested her assistance. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

In 1913 a retired British agent who is a friend of Agatha Christie's ask for her help. He has been receiving threats to his life .. Agatha joins him in the Scottish Highlands at a hotel which of course is a great setting for any Agatha mystery with the mood set and the mysterious inn . When a murder occurs the hotel is the setting and a inspector joins the guest to investigate with Agatha's help. The guests figure into the mystery as always with Agatha and soon the sleuthing heiress discovers a darker agenda.

A enjoyable mystery with a atmospheric setting and a delightful picture of what Agatha may have really been like..

I Saw Him Die by Andrew Wilson is an old-fashioned British novel, reminiscent of Agatha Christie. The protagonist is Mrs. Christie, herself, several weeks before her marriage to Max Mallowan. Christie has gone to the Isle of Skye with her daughter and several others for a vacation before her wedding. While there is she contacted by the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) and her old friend, John Davies to assist in investigating threats against a former agent here on Skye, Robin Kinmuir. It quickly becomes pretty much a locked room mystery with Kinmuir's death. So much for protecting him. Of course, as is tradition, nearly everyone has a motive. The investigation begins, full of left turns and red herrings, Christie and Davies eventually root out the killer, in a most dramatic fashion.

I wanted to love this book but really had problems with it. I can't put my finger on the problem, suffice it to say, I slogged to the ending. Wilson wrote his characters very well. I could easily picture each of them and I had not problem relating to Christie's doubts about her upcoming marriage. The plot was a good one, although it was resolved in quite a dramatic fashion, possibly overly so. The investigation was typical of a Christie novel. I may have been me, possibly other readers will fall in love with it, as they should I recommend it with reservations.

I was invited to read a free ARC of I Saw Him Die by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #isawhimdie

This book is a must read! Whether you are Agatha Christie's biggest fan or have never picked up one of her wonderful books, I Saw Him Die should not be missed. It is incredibly fun to experience Christie as a character. The setting on the Isle of Skye is dreamy. All is going splendidly...until it is not. There has been a hunting accident...but was it really an accident? With that, Agatha Christie is on the case. This cast of characters is a fun group. Everyone has a motive, so this story keeps you guessing! The characters and plot propel this book seamlessly. I will be recommending this one!

This series that features the famous author as a sleuth is creative and intriguing. I like when authors take well known people and fictionalize them. This was a fun read, as the other books in this were.

Using real people as detectives can be problematic. How can readers ever be sure that these words, these thoughts, these actions are those of the real person? And when violence is involved, when the fictional “real” person is expected to bring justice for a crime, how true can what we’re reading be then? All this is valid questioning. Luckily, Andrew Wilson’s rendering of Agatha Christie as detective in “I Saw Him Die” is realistic, and one can postulate that the real Mrs. Christie would recognize herself quite well.

A mysterious death in the Scottish Highlands is our setting for this third book in the series. A retired British agent turned hotelier has been receiving threatening letters; well, he’s got target painted on him, doesn’t he? John Davison, Mrs. Christie’s friend, asks her to help him investigate. And even though it’s right before her wedding, she agrees and travels to the hotel to help out. Unfortunately, before long… guess who’s dead, albeit shot accidentally by his nephew. It’s witnessed by several, including Davison. Seems like a terrible accident, but there are those letters… so Agatha and Davison can’t leave yet. So put the kettle on and let’s delve into “I Saw Him Die.”

The Dallach Lodge is host to a crowd of characters, all who just might be the murderer; tailor-made for an Agatha Christie book. Inspector Hawkins comes along to bluster and cause trouble, of course – the “stupid policeman” trope. The nephew is inconsolable; the man’s mistress says it’s murder; but she’s an actress so she’s expected to be over the top. Speaking of acting – who’s practicing to deceive, here? Each character is defined and deftly rendered, and there’s a bunch of ‘em.

In keeping with the historical times, you get the idea of some “British reserve” and class lines being adhered to. References are also made to Mrs. Christie’s life, little snippets that will make you want to know more if you don’t already, as hers was very well-known, including the famous eleven-day disappearance in 1926.

And then the real cause of death turns up – and we’re off to the races with the suspects, including Mrs. Christie, who is eminently knowledgeable about the subject. Come to find out our dearly departed was not a very nice person, and someone, who has basically been summoned to the Lodge, has taken revenge. Inspector Hawkins arrests one of the guests who can’t possibly be the murderer; but then, I’ve been wrong before.

We’re looking at a clever little word puzzle, and too many clues, says our fictional Mrs. Christie. Heavily plotted, says the reader. That’s okay, keep paying attention and you’ll get it.

Finally, we have the gathering in the drawing room and unfortunately the “oh woe is me, I’m no good at this” chapter. It’s rather tedious and unnecessary, because Mrs. Christie is really good at this. If one is to accept Mrs. Christie as an amateur detective and showcase her talents, then the author should just let her get on with it, already. The finish is quite exciting, a little over the top, perhaps, but a satisfying ending.

There’s an afterward, “The Facts” with more historical information, including confirmation of a quite, ahem, interesting historical fact that Mrs. Christie relates in the text. Don’t read it until you’ve read the book!

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

Who saw him die? / I said the fly!

Agatha Christie is meant to be on a repairing lease, on a holiday on Skye with her daughter, Rosalind and her sister, Mary. A time of rest before her marriage to Max Mallowan, the archeologist she'd met in earlier in the year in Ur, in southern Iraq. Max is fourteen years younger than Agatha. Something she worries about, and wonders at.
She no sooner arrives than she has a message from her Secret Intelligence Service contact John Davison requesting help. “One of [their] former agents, Robin Kinmuir, who [lived] on Skye, believed he was in danger. He’d received a series of threatening letters."
Against her better judgement Agatha agrees to assist Davison, leaving her daughter and sister with the arranged subterfuge of having to go to London unexpectedly to see her literary agent.
When Agatha and Davison journey to Kinmuir's property they find a lodge full of guests, murder and a chain of happenstance that begs belief. Add in an attempt on Agatha's life and the story takes on an alarming note, at least for Agatha.
Wilson has cleverly incorporated a number of Christie's organizing devices, including the Nursery Rhyme, a variation on the poison pen letter, the butler is present, and the next of kin motifs, amongst others.
All meld to produce a meaty puzzle, with the added bonus of Agatha questioning her future with the SIS. Her near death experience shocking her into thinking of her relationship with her daughter and her future with Max and questioning her agent role.
Although I enjoyed the mystery, I found myself annoyed with Agatha as she kept being inveigled back into SIS matters. How to resolve this?

An Atria ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

As a fan of Agatha Christie this series captured my attention from the first book. Now, with the 4th mystery, Agatha and her friend John Davison travel to the Isle of Skye. There is a lovely estate/hotel called Dallach Lodge and Davison has asked Agatha to help him protect the life of the hotelier. Nothing seems unusual until the next day and the man is found shot to death. Because this is the classic locked room mystery, the list of suspects gives Agatha quite the puzzle to unravel. But, she is, after all, Agatha Christie and she will figure out who the killer is.
Agatha Christie was a fascinating woman, very talented and admired by millions of readers. As a wife and mother, later divorced and re-married, she had many self doubts and these books show the human side of her. I like to think that this series would have pleased her. As an avid mystery reader, this book certainly pleased me. I hope I don't have to wait too long for the next mystery for Agatha and John to solve.
My thanks to the publisher Washington Square Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love this series and this particular title was really fun! Agatha Christie and John Davison are asked to go to Dallach Lodge to protect Robin Kinmuir who has been threatened with death. The book is set in Scotland on the Island of Skye in a country house-turned-hotel. There are 9 guests at the hotel including Kinmuirs nephew and his friend; Kinmuirs mistress; and Kinmuir's aunt. This story has some of my favorite tropes in mysteries - country house; closed circle of suspects; and gathering the suspects for the reading of the will. The author obviously loves Agatha Christie's work and incorporates things that remind you of it - the importance of a nursery rhyme to the mystery and including the names of her books in conversations, etc - Dumb Witness and Death Comes as the End, for example.

1930 Agatha Christie is due to spend a holiday on the Isle of Skye prior to her wedding to Max Mallowan. She is asked by her friend John Davison of the Secret Intelligence Service for help. An ex-agent Robin Kinmuir has been receiving threatening letters. His estate of Dallach Lodge is on Skye. The lodge is run as a hotel where she and Davison will act as guests. On the first morning, a death occurs. But will this be the only one. What could be the motive behind the killings, is everyone a suspect. A good plot with its red herrings, well-written, and rounded characters. An entertaining historical mystery.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Having never read any of the previous books in the series, I have to be honest. The major reason why I chose to read I Saw Him Die was its setting on the Isle of Skye, someplace I'm quite familiar with. Of course, Agatha Christie was the secondary reason. I had to see how author Andrew Wilson treated this icon of crime fiction.

What I found was an excellent read for mystery lovers who prefer a finely crafted plot over characterization. Believe me, the plot is excellent. I have not read extensively in Christie's oeuvre, but I have watched many television adaptations of her work. If a relative novice such as I can recognize several allusions to Christie's books, I Saw Him Die will be a feast for readers who have more familiarity.

I think two of my favorite things about this book were the significance of the title and the afterword in which Wilson explains how the plot fits into the real Agatha Christie's life. Yes, there are a lot of things to like in I Saw Him Die, but it never really engaged my complete interest, and other character-driven readers might have the same reaction. Told in the first person, Agatha's voice never really drew me into the story; therefore, I doubt that I will continue with the series. But remember-- just because this book wasn't a good fit for me doesn't mean it won't be a good fit for you. Love Dame Agatha? Then I think you should definitely read I Saw Him Die.