Evil under the sun by Agatha Christie

First I have to admit as much as I love Agatha Christie, I really don't care for Poirot. Murder mysteries seem to intrigue me more and more these days but I prefer Ms Marple anyday. That said it's clear I didn't get into this book very open minded.

"Set at the Jolly Roger, a posh vacation resort for the rich and famous on the southern coast of England, Evil Under the Sun is one of Agatha Christie’s most intriguing mysteries. When a gorgeous young bride is brutally strangled to death on the beach, only Hercule Poirot can sift through the secrets that shroud each of the guests and unravel the macabre mystery at this playground by the sea. "

Evil under the sun actually surprised me. Poirot wasn't as insufferable as I remembered so he didn't suck out the enjoyment for me. I really liked how all the characters had little blurbs at the beginning so you didn't get people mixed up that easily.  There was also a little map about the island that helped you better understand the scene of the murder. I have sometimes trouble visualizing maps so this was probably my favourite detail.

I don't have a lot to say about the plot.Poirot doesn't seem to do a lot apart from observing people and chatting a lot. His keen eyes spot every little detail that no one else even consideres useful. That is Hercule Poirot for you. Like usually I couldn't figure out the murderer  beforehand but isn't that why we read these books? I fell in love with few of the characters and felt sorry for few as well.

I think this will be a book I keep and maybe even read again after I've forgotten how everything turned out. I just love how neatly everything comes together and how ordinary little things are the most valuable clues. I would recommend it if you like this genre or Agatha in general. Even if you can't usually stand Poirot.

The voice of the night by Dean R. Koontz

This is the first Koontz book I've been able to finish. A lot better than the one I've tried reading before. Doubt I'll keep it though as I do need space in my bookshelves.

The voice of the night is about two young boys whose friendship turns into a nightmare. Colin has never had real friends before and he thinks Roy is the coolest kid. This is why Colin doesn't understand why Roy would hang out with him. The cool kid insists they share a common interest which is why he was drawn to the unpopular boy but refuses to reveal it until he can trust the boy. Roy is fascinated with death and claims he has killed dogs/cats and loved it. He makes Colin constantly nervous by pushing these morbid questions and scenarios on him. Roy also demands the other boy to do whatever he wants otherwise they aren't real friends. He also insists on blood oath.

As soon as Roy started his speech about loving killing things I knew he was trouble. I knew he was dangerous and I wanted Colin to just walk away from him. Of course if this had happened there wouldn't be a book. It made the book hard to endure though when you knew where it was heading. Even though Colin that Roy was just testing him when he claimed he had killed big animals and even humans, I knew it wasn't a test. It kind of creeped me out. Through the whole book Roy keeps pushing Colin to be like him, testing the boy's limits while the subject thinks he is not serious. Until something bad happens that lifts the vail. Book's tone changes after it leaving you wondering how badly will things get towards the end.

I did like the book and it was quite creepy to read at night time. It was well written and it was fast to read when you got into it. If you like Stephen King and horror in general I'd recommend it. It's also rather short book so you don't have to wait long for the ending. I came to care about Colin while I Roy could've rotted in hell for all I care honestly. I guess Koontz did a good job by creating this dangerous young boy with uncommon interests. I just wanted to give Colin a hug and tell him he will make friends and Roy is just trouble. Just end it before you regret it and soon you'll find people who share your interests.

I wouldn't mind reading more books from the author but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to acquire more of them. Maybe I'm less of a horror fan the older I get and more of a fantasy/murder mystery enthusiast like I used to be. Over all I'm happy I read it even if the child made me worry about there being real kids like him. That would be a scary story I'm not sure I'd want to read.