Cat Among the Pigeons: B2+

Written by Agatha Christie

Narrated by Roger May

Collins brings the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, to English language learners.

Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language. Now Collins has adapted her famous detective novels for English language learners. These carefully abridged versions are shorter with the language targeted at learners of English.

Late one night, two teachers investigate a mysterious light in the school Sports Pavilion. Among the tennis racquets and lacrosse sticks, they find the body of the unpopular games mistress – shot through the heart.

Schoolgirl Julia Upjohn knows too much, and begins to worry that she might be the next victim. Can detective Hercule Poirot find the killer before the ‘cat’ strikes again?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Oct 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9780008267391

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English author of mystery fiction whose status in the genre is unparalleled. A prolific and dedicated creator, she wrote short stories, plays and poems, but her fame is due primarily to her mystery novels, especially those featuring two of the most celebrated sleuths in crime fiction, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Ms. Christie’s novels have sold in excess of two billion copies, making her the best-selling author of fiction in the world, with total sales comparable only to those of William Shakespeare or The Bible. Despite the fact that she did not enjoy cinema, almost 40 films have been produced based on her work.

Reviews for Cat Among the Pigeons

[laytonwoman3rd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A later Poirot outing, involving Middle Eastern revolution, missing jewels and murders at a prestigious girls' school in England. Poirot himself does not get into the mix until late in the tale, and the real star of this show is a teenager. A good story, with decent clues, but of course Christie always saves a little something for the final reveal. Proper fun.Feb. 2016

[figgles_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A re-read following the trail of Hercule Poirot and omlettes (see my review of "Mrs McGinty's dead"). Set in the exclusive Meadowbank girls school, where someone is killing the mistresses, this reminded me oddly of Josephine Tey's "Miss Pym disposes" with it's school setting and death in the sports pavillion. However Christie does bring in a dose of international intrigue and (using a deus ex machina from Mrs McG) only a late arrival of Hercule Poirot to solve the mystery. It's more a character study of the school and what makes a great or good school. I enjoyed it.

[elenaj-147457 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a complicated read, in that there is definitely an element of Orientalism (and also prejudice against gingers) in the plot, which is problematic - but at the same time, the book itself problematizes the Orientalism of its characters. The it's a both-and situation - the book is still problematic, but interesting for its both/and approach.

The characters themselves are complicated and interesting, and the mystery is satisfying in that there were bits of it I could figure out, but also things that stumped me.

[souloftherose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the Agatha Christie mysteries that involves a dash of international intrigue and I always have a soft spot for these. It's set at a girls' boarding school in the UK but involves hidden jewels and the female heir to the sheikdom of a fictitious Middle Eastern country which has fallen to a revolution. But what makes the book standout from the other stories of international intrigue (which whilst I enjoy, I wouldn't say they are generally AC's best works) are the characters of the various mistresses and schoolgirls who find themselves in the middle of all this and the inevitable multiple murders which follow. It's a Poirot but he doesn't turn up until almost the end of the book after one of the schoolgirls figures out what's going on and asks for his help.

[katcoviello · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

a good book for an essay- enjoyable with a good plot and charcters. The ending was somewhat suprising and easy to summarize.

[janicseblen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had forgotten what a good writer she was. Really enjoyed revisiting an author I had not read in years and years.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The murder of the (in American terms) gym teacher at an exclusive British girls' school is linked to the valuable package of gems dispatched by a Middle Eastern rule just before he died during a revolutuib, and also to intrigues over the succession to the retiring head of the school itself. The final choice is a little subversive by the standards of the time.

[amphipodgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think Christie does better at country-house murders than at spy stuff like this. It still held my interest, though. I'm unsure whether I admire her misdirection, or am annoyed by it.

[pussreboots · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The political intrigue bit of the book was interesting but the actual murder mystery at the girls' school was rather obvious.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read any Agatha Christie in a long while. Either I don't like her as much as I used to or this wasn't one of her better books. A Hercule Poirot, but he doesn't show up until about 3/4 of the way through. Okay, but just not that good a plot. Meh.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Even though I read this one before, I did not remember the ending. I am usually good at detection, but this one totally threw me off. Dame Agatha is the best! Hercule Poirot rules!

[rubyscarlett-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved the setting of this - I'm a real sucker for school stories and though Poirot makes a very small appearance here, I deeply enjoyed young detective Julia and the various characters in the story. Most illuminating remarks made about teaching and managing a school, too. The plot is a bit of a departure for Christie as it involves espionnage and some of the action takes place in a foreign non-European country but the whole thing felt very logical and smooth. Very good installment.

[bontley · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Got the distinct feeling I've read all the good Poirot's, and know I'm reading the throwaways.

[superphoenix_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

what a pleasant book to read. Really ingenious of Agatha Christie. The fairly harmless girl's school, the turn of events- murder, kidnapping and unlikely reveal. Love the way everything is smoothly tied together in the end. The introduction of Hercules Poirot into the investigation, comes in very late in the book and takes one by surprise. The climax itself catches you off guard. A well knit mystery and surely one of Agatha's best. Highly recommended for everyone.

[sszkutak_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At an exclusive girls school in England a series of unfortunate events occur that threaten the teachers, students, and reputation of the school. After 2 murders and a kidnapping, the local authorities are stumped as to the murders identity. This is one of the few Agatha Christie murder mysteries I did not enjoy. It claims to be  a Hercule Poirot mystery, however he doesn't even enter the story until page 183. The characters were of Christie's normal assortment, but the ending wasn't as much of a twist as other mysteries. 

[navelos · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This wasn't my favorite Agatha Christie. I did get to like some of the characters, but they all seemed very detached, not relating to each other, just a list of suspects. By the end, when all was revealed, I found I didn't much care who the culprit was. So far though, Agatha Christie never disappoints entirely, it was still a good read.

[bugs5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

good book.

[riverwillow · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Poirot, who comes to this story rather late, investigates two murders and a kidnapping at a girl's boarding school. Somehow the murders and kidnapping are linked to a revolution in a Middle Eastern State and a cache of jewels belonging to the murdered Emir. As always the plot is peppered with disinformation and red-herrings and, as usual the identity of the murderer is surprise

[mrtall_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s obvious Cat Among the Pigeons isn’t going to be a run-of-the-mill murder mystery, since it begins with a lot of backstory emanating from a mythical middle eastern country, where a revolution threatens the rule – and life – of a sympathetic prince. But it just so happens that a couple of girls with connections to this unstable little land will be attending Meadowbrooks, an exclusive girls’ school in England, to which the scene shifts. And soon there’s a crime: the energetic, ‘athletic’ games mistress has been gunned down in the school’s new Sports Pavilion.In terms of plotting Cat Among the Pigeons is one of Agatha Christies’ poorest efforts – Poirot isn’t introduced till the book’s two-thirds complete, and after a very, very brief investigation he unravels things in one of his longest and most prosaic monologues. In spite of this, Cat Among the Pigeons is a lovely read. The charm of the setting and several of the characters more than offsets the lack of structure. Recommended.

[cmbohn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Meadowbrook is a very superior sort of girls' school. So when the games mistress is found murdered, even the police are surprised. At first, it seems a burglary gone wrong. But when a hint of political intrigue pops up, they call in the services of Hercule Poirot.

[aprildt_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought a box full of her books for $12; a bargain! So, now I am slowly working my way through them. She stumps me every time! I didn't see this one coming at all. I love her wit and her characters. She always has a lot of foreign characters, and I find them interesting, appalling, amusing, baffling. She is really the Queen of Mystery. This mystery describes the murder of teachers at a prestigious girls school, and the abduction of a Middle Eastern princess.

[nliederbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hercule Poirot becomes involved in a mystery at an exclusive girls's school.

[jennie_103 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is actually my favourite Christie but probably because it combines my love of school stories with my love of detective stories! yes, it is a little predictable at times but there is still a classic Christie twist at the end.

[alexthehunn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fine example of Christie's ability to spin a whodunnit. This is among her better later works.