*3.5
i was quite surprised at how much i actually did like those short stories. some more than others of course ("the final problem" especially just seems to me to lack in everything except maybe scenery), but overall they were very enjoyable. i do prefer christie's work. however, she is obviously very influenced by conan doyle, seeing how much she references sherlock holmes in her novels, be it directly or subtlelly as when she has poirot ask his friend to remember him of the one time he failed just as sherlock does in one of these stories with watson. however, her formidable characterisation and subtle humour is what i love so much, and that is just lacking when it comes to sherlock holmes. i never quite seem to grasp holmes (although enough to notice time and time again how off the portrayal in the bbc series actually is) or even watson and there is just no chemistry. but the riddles are often very intricate and interesting.