From The Pumpkin Patch

I was a huge bookworm as a child, and I’ve been recapturing that magic throughout the last two years by getting back into reading on a regular basis.

One way that I motivate myself to read is by choosing books relating to the current season. This works particularly well during my favourite time of year – the autumn months, of course!

Autumn Chills by Agatha Christie was on my list this year for a few reasons – the wonderfully autumnal cover, the cosiness that comes with reading stories set in the past and of course, the promise of murder and mystery.

It took me a little over two months to finish this book, as I took my time and read the occasional story whenever I was in the mood. I wanted to savour it throughout the autumn season, and I’m happy to say I succeeded.

A collection of twelve chilling short stories by the Queen of Crime herself, Autumn Chills was a fun and non-committal way to dip my toe into the works of Agatha Christie for the first time.

I enjoyed all the stories, but some more than others. My favourites would have to be Murder in the Mews, The Case of the Rich Woman, Four and Twenty Blackbirds and The Witness for the Prosecution.

I love a good twist, particularly when I don’t see it coming!

There were paranormal mysteries, a murder on Bonfire Night, poisonings and cunning plots – everything you’d want to read about on a cold, misty autumn night.

It was often difficult to stop reading, as once I started a new story I simply couldn’t put it down until the mystery was solved.

I also enjoyed seeing Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple pop up a few times throughout this book. I had heard about these key Agatha Christie characters in the past, and it was fun to watch them solve baffling mysteries and pick up on clues that I hadn’t noticed myself.

My only criticism of Autumn Chills is that it wasn’t always quite as autumnal as I had hoped. There were a couple of stories in which I struggled to find the link to the colder months, and ended up deducing that the only common theme was murder.

I know murder is spooky, but it happens all year round!

Aside from that I’m happy to report that Autumn Chills kept me feeling cosy and autumnal all season long, and I already know this is going to be a book that I pull out every time the weather starts to get colder.