Death Comes as the End
by Agatha Christie
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Description
It is Egypt in 2000 BC, where death gives meaning to life. At the foot of a cliff lies the broken, twisted body of Nofret, concubine to a ka-priest. Young, beautiful, and venomous, most agree that it was fate-she deserved to die like a snake! But at her father's house on the banks of the Nile, the priest's daughter Renisenb believes that the woman's death is suspicious. Increasingly, she becomes convinced that the source of evil lurks within their household-and watches helplessly as the show more family's passions explode in murder. . . . show lessTags
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Member Reviews
“A trifle, a little, the likeness of a dream. And death comes as the end.”
― Agatha Christie, Death Comes as the End
EDIT..8/8/2020
Revisited during storm. Still adore it. First read when I was like eight or nine.
Gave it to my dad during the storm when I was done. He'd never read it. He finished it in a night and LOVED it. And no, did not guess the culprit.
My review:
Why is does this book not have a solid 5 star average rating? Oh no..my bias is showing.
I first read this book as a child, after seeing my lovely Mamacita's copy. Through the years I revisit. Never loses its power.
Agatha Christie's "Death comes as the end" is the only one of her books that I feature on my "favorite books of all time list". It differs from many of her show more books in several ways.
First off..there is nothing..I repeat..nothing..cozy about this book. I first read it as a child and do not mind admitting it scared the heck out of me. Many of Christie's books have a cozy element to them. This does not.
Second this book is just as much Historical Fiction as a mystery. It takes place in Ancient Egypt. I grew up obsessed with books about Egypt and this one doesn't disappoint. Historical fiction buffs..you will be transported to Egypt via this book. The atmosphere and setting are top notch.
This book has some of the standard things..a murder..who did it..another murder.
But this book is as much about the human element as the crime element..who we are, how we become the people we are, how does the world see us and is that view accurate?
How will we grow and leave the past behind? I would so recommend Death comes as the end. It is interesting that I have read many an Agatha Christie book and while I liked some of them, none really got me involved as this book did.
It is complex, deeply engaging both as Historical Fiction and as a mystery. Do not underestimate the deeply moving and Spiritual element to the story.
A definite five stars. show less
― Agatha Christie, Death Comes as the End
EDIT..8/8/2020
Revisited during storm. Still adore it. First read when I was like eight or nine.
Gave it to my dad during the storm when I was done. He'd never read it. He finished it in a night and LOVED it. And no, did not guess the culprit.
My review:
Why is does this book not have a solid 5 star average rating? Oh no..my bias is showing.
I first read this book as a child, after seeing my lovely Mamacita's copy. Through the years I revisit. Never loses its power.
Agatha Christie's "Death comes as the end" is the only one of her books that I feature on my "favorite books of all time list". It differs from many of her show more books in several ways.
First off..there is nothing..I repeat..nothing..cozy about this book. I first read it as a child and do not mind admitting it scared the heck out of me. Many of Christie's books have a cozy element to them. This does not.
Second this book is just as much Historical Fiction as a mystery. It takes place in Ancient Egypt. I grew up obsessed with books about Egypt and this one doesn't disappoint. Historical fiction buffs..you will be transported to Egypt via this book. The atmosphere and setting are top notch.
This book has some of the standard things..a murder..who did it..another murder.
But this book is as much about the human element as the crime element..who we are, how we become the people we are, how does the world see us and is that view accurate?
How will we grow and leave the past behind? I would so recommend Death comes as the end. It is interesting that I have read many an Agatha Christie book and while I liked some of them, none really got me involved as this book did.
It is complex, deeply engaging both as Historical Fiction and as a mystery. Do not underestimate the deeply moving and Spiritual element to the story.
A definite five stars. show less
Agatha Christie, renowned for her cozy mysteries, ventures into uncharted territories with “Death Comes at the End,” a captivating departure from her usual style.
With ancient Egypt as its setting, this book combines historical fiction and captivating mystery.
Unlike Christie’s typical works, there’s a distinct lack of cozy ambiance here. Instead, readers get sucked into a story that goes deep into the human mind, exploring themes like who we are, how we see things, and the complicated web of human connections.
The setting of ancient Egypt adds mystique to the unfolding drama. Christie skillfully combines murder, deceit, and suspense, captivating readers until the final page.
“Death Comes at the End” stands out for its unique show more setting and premise. It is Agatha Christie’s only novel set in antiquity, providing a refreshing change from her usual settings. The ancient Egyptian backdrop lends an air of haunting beauty to the narrative, enhancing the overall atmosphere of mystery and suspense.
In the novel, Christie perfectly mixes crime and family drama. While the central focus remains on solving the murders that plague the characters, there’s also a lot of family relationships and dynamics to explore. At first glance, the abundance of family drama may seem overwhelming, but as the story unfolds, it seamlessly merges with the central mystery, adding depth and dimension to the narrative.
As with any Christie novel, the climax is nothing short of brilliant, delivering a satisfying resolution to the intricate puzzle that unfolds throughout the story. Christie’s “Death Comes at the End” captivates readers with its rich characters, atmospheric setting, and clever plot twists.
Agatha Christie’s “Death Comes at the End” demonstrates her versatility as a writer. This book combines historical fiction and mystery for a captivating journey into ancient Egypt’s secrets. For fans of Christie’s work and newcomers alike, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression, proving once again why she remains the queen of mystery. show less
With ancient Egypt as its setting, this book combines historical fiction and captivating mystery.
Unlike Christie’s typical works, there’s a distinct lack of cozy ambiance here. Instead, readers get sucked into a story that goes deep into the human mind, exploring themes like who we are, how we see things, and the complicated web of human connections.
The setting of ancient Egypt adds mystique to the unfolding drama. Christie skillfully combines murder, deceit, and suspense, captivating readers until the final page.
“Death Comes at the End” stands out for its unique show more setting and premise. It is Agatha Christie’s only novel set in antiquity, providing a refreshing change from her usual settings. The ancient Egyptian backdrop lends an air of haunting beauty to the narrative, enhancing the overall atmosphere of mystery and suspense.
In the novel, Christie perfectly mixes crime and family drama. While the central focus remains on solving the murders that plague the characters, there’s also a lot of family relationships and dynamics to explore. At first glance, the abundance of family drama may seem overwhelming, but as the story unfolds, it seamlessly merges with the central mystery, adding depth and dimension to the narrative.
As with any Christie novel, the climax is nothing short of brilliant, delivering a satisfying resolution to the intricate puzzle that unfolds throughout the story. Christie’s “Death Comes at the End” captivates readers with its rich characters, atmospheric setting, and clever plot twists.
Agatha Christie’s “Death Comes at the End” demonstrates her versatility as a writer. This book combines historical fiction and mystery for a captivating journey into ancient Egypt’s secrets. For fans of Christie’s work and newcomers alike, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression, proving once again why she remains the queen of mystery. show less
The ancient Egyptian setting is fantastic, but at its core Death Comes as the End is a family drama/murder mystery that could just as easily been set in 20th century England.
Renisenb, a young widow with a 4-year-old daughter, returns to her family home, where she thinks nothing has changed. Her two older brothers' wives continue to bicker, while her younger brother is still a spoiled brat, just an older one. Her grandmother is still a delightfully cranky old dame and the honorary auntie/servant never stops complaining about how unappreciated she is. But when Renisenb's father brings home a concubine younger than her, drama gets stirred up like never before. Pretty soon the bodies are piling up, with Renisenb, Grandma, and Dad's faithful show more advisor trying to identify the killer before they end up dead, too. show less
Renisenb, a young widow with a 4-year-old daughter, returns to her family home, where she thinks nothing has changed. Her two older brothers' wives continue to bicker, while her younger brother is still a spoiled brat, just an older one. Her grandmother is still a delightfully cranky old dame and the honorary auntie/servant never stops complaining about how unappreciated she is. But when Renisenb's father brings home a concubine younger than her, drama gets stirred up like never before. Pretty soon the bodies are piling up, with Renisenb, Grandma, and Dad's faithful show more advisor trying to identify the killer before they end up dead, too. show less
After her husband's death, Renisenb has returned to her family home. It's not quite the same as it was when she left, nor is she quite the same person. The household is disturbed when her father, Imhotep, returns from a business trip with Nofret, a concubine about Renisenb's age. Nofret doesn't waste much time setting the members of the household against each other. Imhotep is contemplating changes to his will when he goes on another business trip, leaving Nofret behind with his family. If he had taken her with him, she might have lived...
Despite it's exotic setting in Ancient Egypt, the mystery plot is typical Christie. In fact, it's a lot like a country house mystery, with a family at odds with each other over an inheritance, and a show more couple of long-time retainers who may not be as loyal as they appear. I still marvel at Christie's ability to develop a plot and establish a setting largely through dialogue. The flow isn't interrupted with long monologues or lengthy descriptions. Highly recommended. show less
Despite it's exotic setting in Ancient Egypt, the mystery plot is typical Christie. In fact, it's a lot like a country house mystery, with a family at odds with each other over an inheritance, and a show more couple of long-time retainers who may not be as loyal as they appear. I still marvel at Christie's ability to develop a plot and establish a setting largely through dialogue. The flow isn't interrupted with long monologues or lengthy descriptions. Highly recommended. show less
This is one of Agatha Christie's most unusual novels, being a historical fiction whodunnit set in ancient Egypt around 2000 BC. It has tended to get overlooked due to the lack of the usual Christie Golden Age of crime fiction feel. However, I found this difference rather effective, as it thereby strips away the usual iconography and trappings and allows a concentration on the fractious relationships between the members of Imenhotep's family, whose lives have been disturbed by the appearance on the scene of a new young concubine the master of the house has installed to replace his deceased wife. There are quite a shocking number of deaths in the household before the final, surprising conclusion is revealed. This is one of only four show more Christie novels never to have been adapted for the screen or stage. show less
Book source ~ Purchased
Agatha Christie takes the wayback machine to Egypt in 2000 B.C. just to give us this delicious (wait, is that even an appropriate descriptor for a murder mystery?) murder mystery to solve. Or should I say multiple murders. Because this is Agatha Christie we’re talking about and I think there have been multiple murders in the few books I’ve read so far. Agatha sure delighted in killing people. I think I love her.
This is an interesting setting! Egypt in 2000 BC isn’t a subject I’m at all familiar with, so it’s fascinating to have a murder mystery set there. The characters are many and varied with a nice balance of likeable and not. The murderer is someone I had a hard time pinning down. Typical Agatha show more Christie. It’s hard to write a review without giving away any valuable clues, so I’ll just say I’m thoroughly enjoying my exploration into the worlds of Christie and will continue to pick up her books. show less
Agatha Christie takes the wayback machine to Egypt in 2000 B.C. just to give us this delicious (wait, is that even an appropriate descriptor for a murder mystery?) murder mystery to solve. Or should I say multiple murders. Because this is Agatha Christie we’re talking about and I think there have been multiple murders in the few books I’ve read so far. Agatha sure delighted in killing people. I think I love her.
This is an interesting setting! Egypt in 2000 BC isn’t a subject I’m at all familiar with, so it’s fascinating to have a murder mystery set there. The characters are many and varied with a nice balance of likeable and not. The murderer is someone I had a hard time pinning down. Typical Agatha show more Christie. It’s hard to write a review without giving away any valuable clues, so I’ll just say I’m thoroughly enjoying my exploration into the worlds of Christie and will continue to pick up her books. show less
If there was ever any doubt about Agatha Christie's status at the top of the crime fiction pantheon, this book lays those doubts to rest.
In a departure from her usual country-manor mysteries, Agatha Christie sets a story in Ancient Egypt. Imhotep, a mortuary priest, creates tensions among his family when he brings home a concubine named Nofret. They resent her coming and go out of their way to make her feel unwelcome, but she plays the situation to her own advantage and tattles to Imhotep. When he returns, he makes her the prime beneficiary of the family fortune and disinherits his sons and their family. Sounds like an excellent motive for murder, and indeed, when Nofret is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, there is little doubt that show more she was murdered (even if everyone says aloud that it was an accident).
With Nofret gone, you would think that the family would be at peace; however, other family members start to die. The big question: is it someone alive committing these murders, or is the ghost of Nofret back to haunt them?
This was an excellent book. The originality of the plot kept me going, waiting to see who would die next. I really don't have much else to say, except that it was an interesting read and worthy of inclusion on any Top 100 crime novels list. It was also a great way to come back to Agatha Christie's work after having been away from it for a while. show less
In a departure from her usual country-manor mysteries, Agatha Christie sets a story in Ancient Egypt. Imhotep, a mortuary priest, creates tensions among his family when he brings home a concubine named Nofret. They resent her coming and go out of their way to make her feel unwelcome, but she plays the situation to her own advantage and tattles to Imhotep. When he returns, he makes her the prime beneficiary of the family fortune and disinherits his sons and their family. Sounds like an excellent motive for murder, and indeed, when Nofret is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, there is little doubt that show more she was murdered (even if everyone says aloud that it was an accident).
With Nofret gone, you would think that the family would be at peace; however, other family members start to die. The big question: is it someone alive committing these murders, or is the ghost of Nofret back to haunt them?
This was an excellent book. The originality of the plot kept me going, waiting to see who would die next. I really don't have much else to say, except that it was an interesting read and worthy of inclusion on any Top 100 crime novels list. It was also a great way to come back to Agatha Christie's work after having been away from it for a while. show less
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Author Information
2,150+ Works 439,854 Members
One of the most successful and beloved writer of mystery stories, Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie was born in 1890 in Torquay, County Devon, England. She wrote her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920, launching a literary career that spanned decades. In her lifetime, she authored 79 crime novels and a short story collection, 19 show more plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language with another billion in 44 foreign languages. Some of her most famous titles include Murder on the Orient Express, Mystery of the Blue Train, And Then There Were None, 13 at Dinner and The Sittaford Mystery. Noted for clever and surprising twists of plot, many of Christie's mysteries feature two unconventional fictional detectives named Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. Poirot, in particular, plays the hero of many of her works, including the classic, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926), and Curtain (1975), one of her last works in which the famed detective dies. Over the years, her travels took her to the Middle East where she met noted English archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan. They married in 1930. Christie accompanied Mallowan on annual expeditions to Iraq and Syria, which served as material for Murder in Mesopotamia (1930), Death on the Nile (1937), and Appointment with Death (1938). Christie's credits also include the plays, The Mousetrap and Witness for the Prosecution (1953; film 1957). Christie received the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for 1954-1955 for Witness. She was also named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971. Christie died in 1976. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Öölane (15)
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Five Classic Murder Mysteries: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd / The Secret Adversary / The Boomerang Clue / The Moving Finger / Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie Crime Collection: Death Comes As The End, Evil Under The Sun, The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Death Comes as the End
- Original title
- Death Comes as the End
- Original publication date
- 1944
- People/Characters
- Esa (Imhotep's mother); Henet; Hori (Imhotep's scribe); Imhotep (ka-priest, Renisenb's father); Ipy (Renisenb's brother); Kait (Sobek's wife) (show all 12); Kameni; Nofret (Imhotep's concubine); Renisenb; Satipy (Yahmose's wife); Sobek (Renisenb's brother); Yahmose (Renisenb's brother)
- Important places
- Egypt (ancient)
- Dedication
- TO PROFESSOR S. R. K. GLANVILLE
Dear Stephen,
It was you who originally suggested to me the idea of a detective story se... (show all)t in Ancient Egypt, and but for your active help and encouragement this book would never have been written.
I want to say here how much I have enjoyed all the interesting literature you have lent me and to thank you once more for the patience with which you have answered my questions and for the time and trouble you have expended. The pleasure and interest which the writing of the book have brought to me you already know.
Your affectionate and grateful friend,
Agatha Christie - First words
- Renisenb stood looking out over the Nile.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)" ...Hori is a song in my heart forever.... That means—that there is no more death...."
- Original language
- English
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