The Golden Ball and Other Stories audiobook

A good option if you're looking for a collection of shorts without any of Christie's famous detectives. These are all stand-alone shorts with no recurring characters in them, and they range from supernatural tales to romances, mysteries, and thrillers. The quality varies but still worth checking out if you're a superfan.The Listerdale MysteryThe widowed Mrs. St. Vincent lives with her grown son and daughter in a boarding house. They used to have a grand manor but now they live in genteel poverty after her husband's poor speculation left them with nothing. At her wit's end and with nothing left to lose, she contacts a house agent that is advertising a rental that is too good to be true, and she actually gets it.It even comes with a near-perfect butler, Quentin, to take care of the daily hassles.Is something sinister afoot? I love this story!The Girl in the TrainDo you believe in love at first sight?After too many late nights spent on the town, George Rowland gets fired and cut off by his wealthy uncle. He decides to hop on a train and take a trip to Rowland Castle in the hopes that, even though he only shares a last name, they will somehow greet him with open arms.You can clearly see why his uncle tossed him out. The Manhood of Edward RobinsonA nice young man who is henpecked by his fiance has the adventure of a lifetime. And it changes his outlook on the world. He learns a little bit of confidence can go a long way. Jane In Search Of A JobPrincess swap!Sort of.A young woman (Jane) who needs some money answers and an advertisement looking for someone who fits her description that can speak French. As a reader, we know this is ALWAYS a bad idea, but our heroine has yet to figure that out. A Fruitful SundayA couple on a date pulls off the side of the road, buys a basket of fruit, and finds a ruby necklace. They also find a newspaper and read about a big jewel robberyNow they've got to decide what to do with it. The Golden BallA woman comes up with an elaborate plan to find a man who is useful in a crisis.I'm not saying you should rely on a dude to protect you, but I have to admit that I probably wouldn't think much of my husband if he didn't jump up and tell me to stay in the bedroom while he checks out the weird noise in the middle of the night.Now, will I actually stay in the bedroom or am I tiptoeing down the steps behind him with a baseball bat? Silly man. I'm not going to let the weird noise eat him. The Rajah's Emerald1st appearance of James Bond!But not that James Bond.No, years before Ian Flemming gave the world an iconic super spy, Agatha Christie gave us a disgruntled young man who lucked into an adventure by picking up the wrong shorts. Swan SongA famous opera singer gets her revenge.It's one of those stories that men would do well to pay attention to, as it shows how long a woman will wait to get payback. Sleep with one eye open, sir. The Hound of DeathIt was a bit convoluted at times as it revolved around a priestess of an ancient religion who was reincarnated as a nun. She blew some shit up to save her convent from the Nazis. However, when an unscrupulous doctor tries to harness her power, things go a bit awry for him. The GipsyFate, fortunetelling, reincarnation, and true love.Dickie Carpenter is terrified of gypsies. Why?He's been having dreams since he was a child of a gypsy that frightens him. When he runs into her in his waking hours as an adult, it changes the course of his life. The LampA widow moves into a haunted house with her father and young son.The price is right and Mrs. Lancaster doesn't believe in ghosts, so why not? The Strange Case of Sir Arthur CarmichaelWEIRD.But I'm not gonna lie, I kind of dug it.This time around when Christie did supernatural, she DID supernatural. Like, you need to suspend disbelief for this one.Ok, so this doctor gets called in by his friend to check out this case of amnesia. Or something. This dude not only completely forgot who he was, but he also isn't even acting like a human anymore. The Call of WingsA morality tale. And not a terribly good one.I've always found those the rich must give away their money to find true happiness a bag of bullshit. Should you do good things for others if you have more? Yes. If you are in a position to help, then help. I don't think that means you need to feel guilty for having money, though. Unless you are unscrupulous and are harming people to get it, then you're just a lucky bastard and you should enjoy. Magnolia BlossomA woman is leaving her husband and running away with her lover when she gets news that her husband is in serious trouble. A very melancholy story about love and duty. Next to a DogWhat would you do for your best four-legged friend?Next to a Dog tells the tale of a young widow who is caring for her aging, ailing old dog. He was a gift from her now-dead husband and the only thing in the world she cares about. She could take a better job, but it would require her to travel and she just can't bear to part with her terrier. This was Christie's bittersweet homage to dog lovers like herself. This a good selection of shorts for any fan of Agatha Christie.Recommended.

A delightful collection of short stories by Agatha Christie. None of the stories feature any of her characters like Poirot, Miss Marple, Mr. Quinn of Parker Pyne. Despite that stories have intrigue and keep you glued till the end. One of the stories seems to be inspiration behind the Japanese movie-Grudge. One story features James Bond as well, though only the name is common.

Had these stories been handed to me without a cover I’m not sure I would have guessed they were written by Agatha Christie. Sure, they were of the right time period, but except for being intelligent and clever writing, little screams Agatha Christie. There was only one murder in the collection and it was not all about solving the crime. Several of the stories deal with the occult or strange phenomena. Those would be my least favorite here, although Christie tried many types of writing and was never bad.My favorite ones here were written in the 1920s and often had clever young things, young men in conflict with their stuffy fathers or uncles, or dealt with young women needing to make a way for themselves in a world that wasn’t looking to employ them. Obviously marriage was the acceptable way for nice young ladies to get by. Agatha was having none of that. Some of the young people are willing to cut a few corners of course.What many of these characters remind me of are Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence. They are light stories but not silly and are genuinely pleasurable to read.4.5 stars

This short story collection was published in the US in 1971. All but one of the stories it contains were first published in magazines in the UK in the 1920s and in the UK short story collections The Listerdale Mystery (1934) and The Hound of Death. (1933). I'm reading Agatha Christie in publication order because I've always wanted to read everything she wrote. Despite the fact this collection was published in 1971, a majority of the stories it contains were published early in Christie's writing career. So I'm reviewing it early in my journey through her stories. There are 15 stories in this collection: The Listerdale MysteryThe Girl in the TrainThe Manhood of Edward RobinsonJane in Search of a JobA Fruitful SundayThe Golden BallThe Raja's EmeraldSwan SongThe Hound of DeathThe GypsyThe LampThe Strange Case of Sir Arthur CarmichaelThe Call of WingsMagnolia BlossomNext to a DogThe Listerdale Mystery - first published in The Grand Magazine in December 1925 (UK) and later included in The Listerdale Mystery short story collection in 1934. An upper class family that has fallen down on their luck rents a very nice town house for next to nothing...but is there something sinister going on? The Girl in the Train - first published in The Grand Magazine in February 1924 and included in The Listerdale Mystery collection. George Rowland is a bit lazy and gets into a row with his uncle. He sets out on a journey to a town he finds in a tourist book -- Rowland's Castle. But....he finds a bit of an adventure instead! Adapted for television in 1982 for The Agatha Christie Hour (episode 3). The Manhood of Edward Robinson - An impetuous man who feels a bit controlled by his fiance, Maud, wins $500 in a contest on goes on a bit of an unexpected adventure. This story was first published in The Grand Magazine in December 1924 in the UK, and also in The Listerdale Mystery. This story was adapted for television in 1982 for The Agatha Christie Hour (episode 10)Jane in Search of a Job - Jane Cleveland needs a job. She sees an interesting advert, and ends up on quite the adventure! First published in the UK in The Grand Magazine in August 1924, and later included in The Listerdale Mystery. It was adapted for television in 1982 for The Agatha Christie Hour (episode 9). Some changes were made to the story, but the changes are minor. A Fruitful Sunday - A Housemaid on her Sunday off is tempted to make a poor decision. This story was first published in the Daily Mail in August 1928 and later included in The Listerdale Mystery. No adaptations for radio or television for this story were found. The Golden Ball - After being fired by his wealthy uncle for being less than dependable, George Dundas meets a very interesting society girl who asks him to marry her, leading to a bizarre chain of events. This story was first published under the title Playing The Innocent in the Daily Mail in August 1929, and later published as The Golden Ball in The Listerdale Mystery story collection. No radio adaptations of this story were found. It was adapted for television by NBC in 1950 (Fireside Theatre Season 2 episode 18). I could not find video anywhere of this episode. It was not for lack of trying!!The Rajah's Emerald - James Bond travels to the beach with his girlfriend, but feels slighted by her. A rash decision leads to unexpected events. First published in Red Magazine in July 1926 in the UK, and later included in The Listerdale Mystery short story collection. I found no radio or film adaptations for this story.Swan Song - An opera star agrees to a private performance, and gives the ultimate Swan Song. This story was first published in The Grand Magazine in September 1926 (UK) and later included in the short story collection, The Listerdale Mystery (1934). This story has never been adapted for television. BBC4 Radio did a dramatization of this story in the early 2000s, but it was "modernized'' with major changes to the plot and characters. The Hound of Death - An American journalist investigates a WWI legend to find if it is merely a story or the truth. This short story first appeared in 1933 in the story collection by the same name. BBC4 Radio "modernized'' the story for a radio drama in 2010, so changes were made in the plot and characters. The story has never been adapted for television.The Gypsy - After the breakup of his engagement, a man confides in a friend about a fear that has had an effect on him his whole life. This short, spooky tale was first published in the UK in The Hound of Death short story collection in 1933. This story was adapted by BBC4 Radio, but the story was "modernized'' so changes were made to plot and characters. The Lamp - A widow rents a very nice home at a ridiculously cheap rate, but the house comes with a ghost. This story first appeared in The Hound of Death story collection in 1933 (UK). BBC4 radio adapted this story for BBC 4 Extra: Haunted in 1984 (Episode 15 from July 7, 1984). It has never been adapted for television. (You can find this episode of BBC Extra: Haunted by searching on Internet Archive -- it's excellent!)The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael - Dr Edward Carstairs is called in to investigate a case. It seems the personality and behavior of young Sir Arthur Carmichael changed overnight and others in the house hear the strange yowling of a cat at night. This story was first published in The Hound of Death in 1933 (UK). It has never been adapted for television or radio. The Call of Wings -Silas Hamer is a happy man. He's made a fortune and has the sort of life he wants. But, when he witnesses a death, he starts wondering if he really has what he needs. Death could take it all from him. Then, he hears a street musician playing a song and his outlook, and his fate, is strangely changed. This story was first published in The Hound of Death story collection in 1933 (UK). I found no record of adaptations of this story for radio or television. Magnolia Blossom - A woman is about to run away with her lover, when she learns her husband's business concerns are about to fail. She rushes home to see if she can help...and learns that choices have consequences. She learns a lot about herself, her lover....and her husband. This story was first published in The Royal Magazine in 1926. It was adapted for television by The Agatha Christie Hour in 1982 (episode 6) and was also later "modernized'' in a BBC4 Radio drama (Agatha Christie: Twelve Radio Mysteries). Next to a Dog - A poor widow will do just about anything to keep her beloved wire-haired terrier. This story first appeared in this collection. Agatha Christie had a personal fondness for wire-haired terriers and even dedicated one of her books to her dog, Peter. The story was included in the later UK story collection, Problem at Pollensa Bay (1991). I liked most of the stories in this collection. The final three really weren't to my taste -- but 12 out of 15 is pretty good! Not every story is for every reader....but only three of these fit into that "not-for-me'' category. Very enjoyable story collection, overall. I listened to the audio book format of this story collection. Most of the stories were narrated by Hugh Fraser (who played Hastings in the Poirot television show). The stories from Hound of Death were narrated by Christopher Lee -- very fitting!

The Golden Ball and Other Short Stories by Agatha Christie is fun and light reading for the Christie fan.Great if you're short on time, or want something quick to read, these stories are lighter than her longer works, and have less character development, but are good, traditional mysteries.I particularly enjoyed A Fruitful Sunday, and The Listerdale Mystery.

This is a great collection of Agatha Christie's short stories. This collection has moments of romance, moments of mystery and moments of suspense. I enjoyed each story in this collection. The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars is the occasional moments of cultural bigotry that is included. Anytime you read a book that was written in the past, in this case in 1971, you have to remember the opinions back then were not as they should be. All in all, though I loved reading this book and would recommend it to all.

I thought this was an interesting collection of stories. It's interesting, because none of them are really detective stories, and they don't feature any of Christie's more common detectives or problem-solvers (Poirot, Miss Marple, Parker Pyne, Harley Quinn, etc.). Instead, many of these seem to have somewhat supernatural elements, or if not supernatural elements kind of weird twists of behaviours or circumstance. This felt - more than some of the Agatha Christie collections - that it was an actual currated set of stories, rather than we've just picked a dozen or so and tossed them together.Also, I'm pretty sure this is the first of these collections in a while that I've read where I hadn't read one of the stories in an earlier collection (The Gypsy - I acknowledge it's possible I have read it in another collection and forgotten it, but I don't think so).

I have nothing to really say.... dear Agatha... you are or were too smart for our world. Why don’t I see what you did?

I liked the beginning stories better than the ones later on, but overall a very good sample of Agatha Christie :) My favorite story was "The Girl In The Train." I wuvs George!

I very much enjoyed this short story collection with barely a murder amongst them--the majority were lighthearted bandit & thievery, coincidence & adventure, mistaken identity types of stories with happy endings. There was only one with an actual murder & a couple that were eerily strange/supernatural events with a couple darker tales thrown in, but all in all, an enjoyable read with none of the famous Christie detectives/characters in sight.

Always loved Agatha's boos. A nice little collection of short stories to enjoy the day!

Another Agatha Christie short story collection with several overlapping stories from The Listerdale Mystery. I listened to this one on audio. Enjoyed them very much!