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Black Coffee cover art

Black Coffee

By: Agatha Christie,Charles Osborne
Narrated by: John Moffatt
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Summary

Adapted from the play by Charles Osborne.

Sir Claud Amory has discovered the formula for a new powerful explosive, which is stolen by one of the large household of relatives and friends.

Locking everyone in the library, Sir Claud switches off the lights to allow the thief to replace the formula on the table, no questions asked.

When the lights come on, however, he is dead, and Hercule Poirot – with assistance from Hastings and Inspector Japp – has to unravel a tangle of family feuds, old flames and suspicious foreigners to find the killer and prevent a global catastrophe.

©1998 Agatha Christie Limited, a Chorion Company. All rights reserved. Adapted as a novel by Charles Osborne. Charles Osborne asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work (P)1998 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK

Critic reviews

"Christie biographer Osborne's adaptation of the grande dame's 1930 play has been blessed by the Christie estate and heartily endorsed by her grandson Michael Prichard. It's a classic 'someone in this room is the murderer' tale set in 1934." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Black Coffee

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing narration

Agatha at her best, superbly performed by John Moffat. I thoroughly enjoyed this story during many of my dog walks!! You will not be disappointed...enjoy

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

A great book ruined by an average narrator

I enjoyed the storyline of this book, a classic Poirot, but at times had to force myself to continue listening... not well narrated at all. I suggest you let Hugh Fraser read this book...Hugh has a feeling for Agatha Christie stories and is absolutely the best narrator for the job.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Black Coffee

Really enjoyed this with John Moffat 's narration it bought the text to life. If you like Christie's work then you should hopefully enjoy this.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Black coffee

A scientific research project is complete results but the scientist believes that somrime soon something is going to happen to him or the formular can Poirot stop this?????

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3 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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This is not Agatha Christie

This is a disappointing novel. The author, who is not Agatha Christie, I doubt has ever read an Agatha Christie novel for he manages to get all the characters completely wrong. He makes Hastings a parody of himself, he makes Japp lewd and the women are all simpering and silly. The story itself reads more like a 'Columbo' it is not intelligent, it doesn't have nuance. and as for the actual performance of the reader I felt he was slurring or mumbling most of the time. Stick to the real Agatha Christie's and just avoid this.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Narration.

I enjoyed listening to it very much and how all the characters were bought to life.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

Another classic Poirot mystery, brought to life by the narrator. His character voices are well thought out, which makes the whole story most enjoyable.

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2 people found this helpful

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Very good a great addition to the Piorot stories

Excellent naration from JM great voices and captivating hope others will enjoy this addition to the Piorot mysteries.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not quite a true Poirot

I could tell this was not written by Agatha Christie, but having never seen the stage show, I cannot tell whether the repeated motifs from other stories were original to the play, or have been introduced by the adapter. John Moffat's usual suave performance as Poirot, which manages to stay just short of parody, but is still true to the eccentricity of the little Belgian with the egg shaped head.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Adaptation

A great adaptation brilliantly read by John Moffatt who has voiced Hercule Poirot in other adaptations on radio. Moffatt brings the story to life.

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