This gem is hailed as one of her best, and I can totally see why. It's a perfect entry point into Christie's world—short, engaging, and leaves you hungry for more.

What's truly brilliant is how she introduces and fleshes out 10 distinct characters in such a tight space. You can practically see them leap off the pages. The murder mystery, cleverly woven around them, keeps you on the edge with a sense of uncertainty. We know what's coming thanks to the nursery rhyme, yet Christie manages to keep us guessing about the how and, more importantly, the who.

I thought I had it figured out twice, confidently pointing fingers at the supposed killer, only to be blindsided when they met an unexpected demise. The constant twists and turns had me hooked.