An interesting collection of 14 short stories, mostly featuring sleuths that have not been as popular as Poirot and Marple, and mostly written early in the author's career, as shown in the list below.

I found Magnolia Blossom particularly interesting because it was published in the same year as Christie's own disappearance, and could shed some light on her state of mind. Death by Drowning is also interesting for the role played by Miss Marple's doctor.

Affairs of the Heart - from Autobiography
The King of Clubs - Poirot, 1923
The Face of Helen - Mr Quin, 1927
A Death on the Nile - Mr Parker Pyne, 1933
Death by Drowning - Miss Marple, 1931
The Double Clue - Poirot, 1923
Finessing the King - Tommy and Tuppence, 1924
A Fruitful Sunday - standalone, 1928
Wasps' Nest - Poirot, 1928
The Case of the Caretaker - Miss Marple, 1942
The Man in the Mist - Tommy and Tuppence, 1924
The Case of the Rich Woman - Mr Parker Pyne, 1932
Magnolia Blossom - stand alone, 1926
The Love Detectives - Mr Quin, 1926 ( )

I was pleasantly surprised with all the short stories. There are fifteen of them in the book. I did want some of them to be longer, just because I was so into what was going on with Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppance, and Parker Pyne (classic characters!). I thought it was a good mix of stories all centered around being in love (which seemed to be the theme of the whole book) while trying to find out who dunnit. If you're into Agatha Christie books please go out and get this one, you will not be disappointed. ( )

4.5/5

A Deadly Affair by Agatha Christie, is a compilation of 13 short stories each featuring one or more of her famous characters- Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, to name just a few. In addition to the stories, there is an autobiographical chapter titled “Affairs of the Heart: Agatha’s Early Courtships” which is an entertaining account of the author’s “two near escapes from getting married”.

While these stories might not be viewed as ‘love stories’ per se, they do revolve around the theme of love, albeit, the darker side. The crimes, for the most part, are motivated by infidelity, unrequited love, rejection and other not-so-pleasant aspects of love such as jealousy and possessiveness. Agatha Christie’s trademark simplicity, masterful storytelling and intriguing plotlines reel you in from the very first sentence and keep you engaged in trying to figure out the solution to the puzzle till you reach the very end. Each of these stories is engaging and the selection is varied to not come across as repetitive. Each of the author’s detectives possesses his/her unique style of sleuthing, deduction and dry humor. My personal favorites were “The Face of Helen,” “The Case of the Caretaker” and “The Love Detectives”.

It has been decades since I've read an Agatha Christie mystery. Though I’ve read many of Agatha Christie’s novels, her short stories were unexplored territory for me. I throroughly enjoyed this selection and will be looking out for more while also revisiting some old favorites. There's no doubt to the fact that her writing is simply brilliant and truly timeless. Whether you’re an old fan of the Queen of Mystery or a first-time reader who wants to give her cozy mysteries a try, you won’t be disappointed with this wonderful collection. ( )

A mixture of short stories, each featuring a couple. I liked the ones I was less familiar with, I'm pretty sure I've read or heard both the Marple cases before. Mr J Parker Pyne is a particular pleasure, and the slightly mystical element of Mr Harley Quinn makes for quite a change.
It ended with a short piece by Agatha Christie telling of two rejected suitors. No mention of her failed first or successful second marriages. ( )

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!
I always love me some Agatha Christie and this didn't disappoint! This is a variety of short stories. They were great to spread out and read when I had a short amount of time here and there. However, sometimes I couldn't put it down and would read a few in one sitting! So fun! ( )