Which Dead Man's Folly recording should you buy?
The novel read in full by the television Poirot, a BBC radio play, and a Collins retelling for English learners at the easiest level the Christie readers come in — a plain title, "B1" beneath it, and a fraction of the book.
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Short answer
David Suchet, complete, and the television Poirot; his listing even says "Complete and Unabridged" in its description, which few do. The BBC edition pairs John Moffatt with Julia McKenzie in a radio play — an adaptation, not the text. Roger May's listing is a Collins graded reader for people learning English, pitched at B1; the title gives nothing away, and the bare "B1" on the line beneath it is the only label.
The recordings, compared
| Narrator | Length | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Suchet Our pick | 6 hrs 1 min | Complete novel | The complete novel, read by the television Poirot. The description says "Complete and Unabridged" outright. |
| Full cast with John Moffatt, Julia McKenzie | 1 hr 49 mins | BBC full-cast dramatisation | A BBC radio play, with McKenzie as Ariadne Oliver. The title does not say so. |
| Roger May | 2 hrs 54 mins | Collins graded reader (B1) | NOT the novel: a Collins graded reader for people learning English at B1, the easiest level in the range, 48% of the complete reading. Plain title; a bare "B1" on the line beneath it. |

