What good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, VioWhat good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, Violet went to live with her uncle on his farm, and they mostly got along very well.
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It wasn't until she decided to further her education that a rift developed between them. As his only living relative, her uncle had planned to leave his fortune to his niece. However, he told her if she went ahead with this hair-brained idea of more schooling, he'd cut her out of the will. Violet went to school.
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They were still on speaking terms when he died, and he apparently decided to give her a sporting chance to get his money. She had one year to live in his house and prove how clever she was by pitting her smarts against his. If she failed, all of his money went to charity, and she would get diddly-squat. She assumed this meant he's hidden a new will in her favor somewhere on his property.
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So what does education do for you? Well, in Violet's case, it told her to always call in an expert. Poirot solved the mystery, while Hastings wondered what her uncle would think about the way Violet beat him at his own game.
This is notThe Thirteen Problems. That's the original collection of Marple shorts. <--buyer beware and all that jazz. But this one does have quite a feThis is notThe Thirteen Problems. That's the original collection of Marple shorts. <--buyer beware and all that jazz. But this one does have quite a few of those stories mixed in with a few different ones. I've included links to the individual shorts in case you want to check them out.
The Tape-Measure Murder Not my favorite Marple. And yet, is any Marple a bad Marple? So. This one deals with a woman whose husband is the main suspect in her murder, mainly because he isn't showing the appropriate amount of emotion.
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Strange Jest This is the story of a rich uncle who leaves his niece and nephew (who want to get married) to hunt for his fortune after he dies. To be honest it felt a bit like Manx Gold because in that one you have two cousins who want to get married but have to hunt for the treasure that their rich old relative leaves for them, as well. However, that one is more of a real treasure hunt with clues, and this one is that he didn't trust banks and they're just hunting around in the house for what the crazy old fart did with all of his money.
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Sanctuary A man dies from a gunshot wound in the parson's wife's arms, whispering the word sanctuary with his dying breath. A little dramatic, no?
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Greenshaw's Folly Raymond West, Miss Marple's lovable nephew, brings home a mystery to his Aunt Jane. While trying to entertain a friend from the city with the local sight of an oddly built local house, he stumbles into a family drama and a murder-to-be decades in the making.
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The Case of the Perfect Maid Miss Marple knows. She's like Santa Claus or something when it comes to who has been bad or good, and her friends and neighbors would do well to listen to her advice when it comes to the hiring and firing of servants. Or employees as we call them these days.
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The Case of the Caretaker Miss Marple, recovering from a bad bout of the flu, was feeling depressed. I guess that's a thing? Anyway, it took a lot out of her and she'd started to fall into a funk. So her good friend and physician, Doctor Haydock, brings her a file with a case he recently had so she can solve the whodunnit.
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The Blue Geranium When Arthur & Dolly Bantry ask Sir Henry Clithering who he would like to invite over as a dinner guest to round out their house party, he shocks them by asking for Miss Marple to be included. When he tells Dolly about the uncanny way the elderly spinster solved the mysteries of the Tuesday Night Club the year before, she starts to think maybe Miss Marple could help her solve a seemingly paranormal murder mystery.
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The Companion Miss Marple solves the case of the lady's companion who drowned off the shore of Gran Canaria island. How? She noticed a bit of weight gain for what it was.
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The Four Suspects Sir Henry Clithering, a member of the Tuesday Night Club, takes his turn and tells a story. The title refers to a running theme in Agatha Christie's mysteries, where the goal of solving a murder isn't just to punish the guilty but to free the other parties who might be suspects from the suspicion of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
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Motive v. Opportunity What is it with so many of Christie's characters getting taken in by spiritualists all the time!? I'm guessing that was probably a very talked-about THING back in the day. Ooooh! Did you hear about Gertrude? She's been seeing that Madame Zartan on the regular since her husband died, and I'm pretty sure that wacky bitch is bleeding her dry. I'll bet her kids won't inherit a pot to piss in by the time she's done. Or something along those lines. Point is, vulnerable people have always existed to become the prey of unscrupulous snake oil salesmen.
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The Thumbmark of St. Peter This is a good one for 2 reasons. 1) Miss Marple takes her turn and tells the Tuesday Night Club of a murder that she helped solve. 2) In an adorable twist, Ramond West teases his Aunt Jane that there is at least one thing she doesn't know. But she pops back and shocks him by telling him that she does know he proposed to Joyce (the artist in the group) that very evening.
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The Bloodstained Pavement This time when the Tuesday Night Club meets, Joyce (Raymond West's future wife) tells the story of her time painting in the small coastal village of Rathole. She witnesses a husband and wife go off on a bathing trip with a woman they ran into when they got to the hotel. Without realizing what she was doing, Joyce painted blood stains onto her painting. When the wife drowns a few weeks later, Joyce wonders if she had some sort of a premonition.
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The Herb of Death It's Mrs. Bantry's turn to tell a story to the Tuesday Night Club and she's not at all sure she can make her's sound interesting. And to be fair, she hems and haws and does a fantastic job of messing it up. It's a case of (gasp!) poisoning where everyone got sick but only one person died. Was it an accident that there was foxglove in the sage, or did something more nefarious happen?
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This would be a good one for fans of Miss Marple. Recommended....more
A collection of "Spring" mysteries from the Queen of Crime. Which basically means you get a good sampling of some of Agatha Christie's short stories. IfA collection of "Spring" mysteries from the Queen of Crime. Which basically means you get a good sampling of some of Agatha Christie's short stories. If any particular one catches your eye, I've left a link to a slightly longer review of each individual story.
The Market Basing Mystery Is a suicide sometimes just a suicide? That's what Poirot wonders when he, Hastings, & Japp get called in to look at a potential locked room murder that has the local constable scratching his head.
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The Case of the Missing Lady Ok, this one is kind of funny. Tommy and Tuppence (as the title suggests) head off to investigate a missing lady. She's the fiance of some explorer dude who's a bit of an ass (doesn't like to talk to chubby chicks). She isn't where she said she would be when he returned from abroad, and he's getting worried.
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The Herb of Death It's Mrs. Bantry's turn to tell a story to the Tuesday Night Club and she's not at all sure she can make her's sound interesting. And to be fair, she hems and haws and does a fantastic job of messing it up. It's a case of (gasp!) poisoning where everyone got sick but only one person died. Was it an accident that there was foxglove in the sage, or did something more nefarious happen?
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How Does Your Garden Grow? Did a greedy maid poison her mistress? Poirot receives a letter from an elderly woman who wants his advice. Intrigued by her phrasing, he asks Miss Lemon to send a letter back agreeing to come to her home. Before he can see her, he receives word that she has died. Poisoned!
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Swan Song A famous opera singer gets her revenge. It's one of those stories that men would do well to pay attention to, as it shows how long a woman will wait to get payback. Sleep with one eye open, sir.
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Miss Marple Tells a Story I loved the way Miss Marple narrated the story in a hilarious humblebrag kind of way. When a lawyer brings his client to Jane and asks her to listen to the story of the events leading up to him finding his wife dead in their hotel room, the client in question thinks it's a waste of time. However, just as her lawyer friend hoped, the fluffy old lady manages to see a few things that everyone else missed and ends up saving his bacon.
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Have You Got Everything You Want? Theft on the Orient Express! A lovely young woman, Mrs. Elsie Jeffries, runs into Pyne the famous train, and confides in him that she is unhappy. This sort of problem is right in Parke Pyne's wheelhouse. She is newly married to a very proper man, but she found a secret message on blotter paper in his office that read, "just before Venice would be the best time.", and now she's worried.
Ingots of Gold Once again the Tuesday Night Club meets up, and this time it's Miss Marple's own nephew, writer Raymond West, who tells a story. He hopes that the group (well, actually Miss Marple) can figure out what happened when his friend, John Newman, was kidnapped while his salvage ship was robbed of its treasure.
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The Soul of the Croupier Mr. Satterthwaite is in Monte Carlo at a casino when Mr. Quin shows up to help him reunite a pair of lovers. But is there more than one couple whose future hangs on Lady Luck?
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The Girl in the Train Do you believe in love at first sight? After too many late nights spent on the town, George Rowland gets fired and cut off by his wealthy uncle. He decides to hop on a train and take a trip to Rowland Castle in the hopes that, even though he only shares a last name, they will somehow greet him with open arms. You can clearly see why his uncle tossed him out.
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Greenshaw’s Folly Raymond West, Miss Marple's lovable nephew, brings home a mystery to his Aunt Jane. While trying to entertain a friend from the city with the local sight of an oddly built local house, he stumbles into a family drama and a murder-to-be decades in the making.
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This is a nice little smorgasbord of her shorts for anyone looking to dip their toes in the water without investing too much time. Recommended. ...more
13 short stories featuring all of Agatha's most famous detectives. I've left a link to each individual story that has a slightly longer review if any p13 short stories featuring all of Agatha's most famous detectives. I've left a link to each individual story that has a slightly longer review if any particular story catches your fancy.
The Veiled Lady A hot chick wearing a veil walks into a bar... How do you know she's hot, my rotund Belgian friend? Shut up. My mustache gives my little grey cells super-deduction skills.
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The Nemean Lion A yappy Pekinese dog (standing in for the lion) has been kidnapped, ransomed, and returned safely. So what's the problem?
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The Girdle of Hyppolita How are art thieves connected with a schoolgirl who goes missing for a few hours on a field trip? Poirot will help his old friend Inspector Japp find out.
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The Market Basing Mystery Is a suicide sometimes just a suicide? That's what Poirot wonders when he, Hastings, & Japp get called in to look at a potential locked room murder that has the local constable scratching his head.
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Tape-Measure Murder Not my favorite Marple. And yet, is any Marple a bad Marple? So. This one deals with a woman whose husband is the main suspect in her murder, mainly because he isn't showing the appropriate amount of emotion.
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The Blue Geranium When Arthur & Dolly Bantry ask Sir Henry Clithering who he would like to invite over as a dinner guest to round out their house party, he shocks them by asking for Miss Marple to be included. When he tells Dolly about the uncanny way the elderly spinster solved the mysteries of the Tuesday Night Club the year before, she starts to think maybe Miss Marple could help her solve a seemingly paranormal murder mystery.
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The Four Suspects Sir Henry Clithering, a member of the Tuesday Night Club, takes his turn and tells a story. The title refers to a running theme in Agatha Christie's mysteries, where the goal of solving a murder isn't just to punish the guilty but to free the other parties who might be suspects from the suspicion of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
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The Face of Helen This is a Harley Quin mystery, so it's Mr. Sattherwaite to the rescue of an extremely beautiful young woman who attracts what we would call stalkers these days. She's found a nice man she wants to marry, but Sattherwaite can't help but think that not all is right. There was another man who was interested in her, and even though he says he wishes her well, Sattherwaite can't shake the feeling that he was missing something. What is it Mr. Quin wants him to do?!
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The Bird with the Broken Wing Suicide or murder? After hearing his friend's name spelled out on a OUJA board, Mr. Satterthwaite decides to accept the invitation to a house party that he had previously thought to decline.
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The Regatta Mystery This story originally started its life with Poirot in the lead role. Poirot and the Regatta Mystery is essentially the same story but for whatever reason Christie decided to put Pyne into the driver's seat when she published the short story collection The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories in 1939. However, the essential story of a diamond theft stayed the same. Much like my reviews of each individual story.
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Problem at Pollensa Bay Parker Pyne helps a momma out. And like most of the help he gives his clients, it's not the help they asked for but the help that they actually need.
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The Unbreakable Alibi A mystery without a crime. A well-off (but not very bright) young man comes in to get a bit of help winning a betand hopefully the girl of his dreams.
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Accident An overzealous cop pokes his nose in the wrong spot.
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It's a nice selection of Christie's stuff. Recommended for fans....more
A nice hodgepodge of Christie's shorts. If you are interested in a particular story, I've left individual links that will take you to slightly longer rA nice hodgepodge of Christie's shorts. If you are interested in a particular story, I've left individual links that will take you to slightly longer reviews.
The Blood-Stained Pavement This time when the Tuesday Night Club meets, Joyce (Raymond West's future wife) tells the story of her time painting in the small coastal village of Rathole. She witnesses a husband and wife go off on a bathing trip with a woman they ran into when they got to the hotel. Without realizing what she was doing, Joyce painted blood stains onto her painting. When the wife drowns a few weeks later, Joyce wonders if she had some sort of a premonition.
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The Double Clue Double Clue!? <--That's 2 clues too many, bitches. And everyone's favorite Belgium detective is onto that shit.
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A Death on the Nile DEATH ON THE NILE! The lesser known story... This is not to be confused with Christie's more famous full-length novel of the same name.
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Harlequin's Lane This is the spookiest of all the Harley Quin stories, IMHO.
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The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman Count Foscatini has been coshed over the head! But who is Count Foscatini? And why should we care if he got his head coshed in? Poirot and Hastings get pulled into this murder mystery because they were having dinner with their friend and neighbor, Dr. Hawker when he got a desperate call from the Count telling him he had been attacked. Help! <--says Foscatini
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Jane in Search of a Job Princess swap! Sort of. A young woman (Jane) who needs some money answers an advertisement looking for someone who fits her description and can speak French. As a reader, we know this is ALWAYS a bad idea, but our heroine has yet to figure that out.
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The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim Never bet against a Belgian! Japp tells Poirot about a case he's working on that deals with a wealthy banker who walked out of his house to go into the town and mail a few letters, then disappeared off the face of the earth. He was supposed to meet up with a man he had some bad blood with, but he never showed back up at this house. Did this man have something to do with his disappearance?
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The Idol House of Astarte Miss Marple and her Tuesday Night Club friends listen to the clergyman of their group tell a story about the time he witnessed a man killed by seemingly supernatural forces. The beautiful young socialite, Diana Ashley, convinces the other guests to play dress up and go out to the supposedly sacred grove of Astarte (on the property) that had a small temple/house there. It's all fun and games till the owner of the house, Sir Richard, falls over dead with a stab wound and there's no knife to be found. How did this toga party go so wrong?!
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The Rajah's Emerald 1st appearance of James Bond! But not that James Bond. No, years before Ian Flemming gave the world an iconic super spy, Agatha Christie gave us a disgruntled young man who lucked into an adventure by picking up the wrong shorts.
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The Oracle at Delphi This is one of if not the best Parker Pyne short out there! Picking up after the short story Death on the Nile, where Pyne made the decision to travel under an alias for the rest of his vacation, so he could avoid getting drawn into cases.
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The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger I listened to this little short Tommy & Tuppence and enjoyed it quite a bit. There wasn't anything really amazing about it, but I like the spunk of this particular crime-fighting couple. What can I say? They're cute!
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The Incredible Theft The theft of secret bomber plans at a house party means everything needs to be kept hush-hush. One of Lord Mayfield's guests is widely suspected to be a spy. Unfortunately, it looks like they have quite a tidy alibi for the time the papers went missing.
A short story about a woman named Mary who lived on an island with her son.
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This one was part of some religious shorts Agatha Christie did for CA short story about a woman named Mary who lived on an island with her son.
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This one was part of some religious shorts Agatha Christie did for Christmas, and it was pretty sweet. (view spoiler)[Mary is living on some island treating the apostle John "like a son". He's having visions and seizures all over the place, and she's just tucking cloth in his mouth so he doesn't choke on his tongue. These sailors come looking for some Queen (her) but she's so humble and wonderful she doesn't seem to know what they're talking about. In the end, Jesus shows up in a boat, and they walk out on the water together where he apparently "takes her home". Meanwhile, John wakes up and starts writing prophecy down. (hide spoiler)] Yeah, it was kind of wacky, but... But at the end, I was like, Awww. Jesus came back for his mom.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of Christie's more well-known books, and I think if you're already a fan of the book, you'll enjoy this.
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I'vThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of Christie's more well-known books, and I think if you're already a fan of the book, you'll enjoy this.
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I've already reviewed the book itself, so this is just for the BBC full-cast production. The voice actors bring this story to life in a well-done radio play that includes sound effects and music. Everything remains faithful to the original, but it's all condensed, so you don't really get the buildup to the big reveal that you normally would. In other words, this isn't a substitute for the book, but more like a companion piece for those who have already read it.
What good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, VioWhat good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, Violet went to live with her uncle on his farm, and they mostly got along very well.
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It wasn't until she decided to further her education that a rift developed between them. As his only living relative, her uncle had planned to leave his fortune to his niece. However, he told her if she went ahead with this hair-brained idea of more schooling, he'd cut her out of the will. Violet went to school.
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They were still on speaking terms when he died, and he apparently decided to give her a sporting chance to get his money. She had one year to live in his house and prove how clever she was by pitting her smarts against his. If she failed, all of his money went to charity, and she would get diddly-squat. She assumed this meant he's hidden a new will in her favor somewhere on his property.
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So what does education do for you? Well, in Violet's case, it told her to always call in an expert. Poirot solved the mystery, while Hastings wondered what her uncle would think about the way Violet beat him at his own game.
What good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, VioWhat good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, Violet went to live with her uncle on his farm, and they mostly got along very well.
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It wasn't until she decided to further her education that a rift developed between them. As his only living relative, her uncle had planned to leave his fortune to his niece. However, he told her if she went ahead with this hair-brained idea of more schooling, he'd cut her out of the will. Violet went to school.
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They were still on speaking terms when he died, and he apparently decided to give her a sporting chance to get his money. She had one year to live in his house and prove how clever she was by pitting her smarts against his. If she failed, all of his money went to charity, and she would get diddly-squat. She assumed this meant he's hidden a new will in her favor somewhere on his property.
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So what does education do for you? Well, in Violet's case, it told her to always call in an expert. Poirot solved the mystery, while Hastings wondered what her uncle would think about the way Violet beat him at his own game.
Both titles make sense because the pudding plays a part in the recovery of the ruby.
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The gist of this one is that Poirot is called in to help an eastern prince because he's messed up in a big way. He's engaged to be married but unwisely decided to have one last hurrah with a ho. Unfortunately for him, this chick made off with his family jewels. And he needs these jewels to present to his wife-to-be and her family. If the police get involved, the word might get out and the scandal would ruin everything. And I think it's pretty safe to say his fiance wouldn't be too happy to learn that he let some hussy take her wedding gift to the bathroom with her.
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Somehow the Powers That Be suspect someone who is staying at a house called Kings Lacey has the jewel. Poirot then gets foisted on this family supposedly so that he can experience a traditional English Christmas. And here's where the Christmas pudding from the title comes in because I'm guessing that's an English thing. I mean, we don't have week-old pudding as part of our holiday celebration in the States. So, you know...
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And I absolutely loved Mrs. Lacey. She's the heart and soul of the whole thing and it's worth reading for her character alone. Cheeky little kids & unsuitable boyfriends mingle in with the mistletoe & presents. So, while Poirot is there to find a thief, he actually does get a REAL family Christmas experience while he's doing it.
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But don't worry. Even with all the Christmas crazy, Hercule Poirot will still solve the case.
Now, I've read and listened to this story before. Several times. But this time around I listened to the dramatized version and it was pretty fun, especially if you're trying to find something holidayesque to listen to. I have to say that I actually prefer the regular audiobook narration, though.
The original idea came from the 1923 short story Christmas Adventure. If you can find that one, check it out!...more
Just when I thought it was over, I ran across a few more Christie shorts that I hadn't read. Lord help. Literally, because they're all religious storieJust when I thought it was over, I ran across a few more Christie shorts that I hadn't read. Lord help. Literally, because they're all religious stories.
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The skinny gist is that a disobedient donkey meets the baby Jesus and it changes his perspective on things. This certainly isn't the first time an author has created a story about the animals who were present in the barn Jesus was born in and it won't be the last. And of course, since this is a story about a donkey, it also references Jesus' return to Jerusalem riding a donkey at the end.
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I think this is a nice, if bittersweet story that would appeal to Christians.
This is a short religious story about a widow named Mrs. Hargreaves who is actually not a bad person. Thing is, she just doesn't quite get other peoplThis is a short religious story about a widow named Mrs. Hargreaves who is actually not a bad person. Thing is, she just doesn't quite get other people's emotions. Now, she tries to say and do all the right things, she just really doesn't enjoy being in the company of other people or engaging with them.
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However, after taking a water bus (couldn't you just say boat?) to get away from the crowds, she meets a special stranger who changes her life with a touch. After this, she briefly understands what all of the fuss is about.
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I found it kind of weird that she knew she wouldn't be able to hold on to her newfound emotional understanding, but...whatever. This definitely isn't a favorite of mine but if you are religious this might ding a few bells for you.
Five of Poirot's short stories all in one collection. I'd personally go with a more comprehensive collection if you're looking to buy, but if you find Five of Poirot's short stories all in one collection. I'd personally go with a more comprehensive collection if you're looking to buy, but if you find this on sale somewhere you could do worse. And the Egyptian tomb story is definitely worth having, imho. I've left a link to slightly longer reviews of each of the stories if you're interested in a particular one.
The Adventure of 'The Western Star' Cursed jewelry? The famous American actress, Miss Mary Marvell, has been receiving menacing letters telling her that the jewel given to her as a wedding present is about to get repoed. The jewel will supposedly be reunited with its twin (which belongs to Lady Yardly) before the next full moon as they are the stolen eyes of an idol. It's very spooky stuff. Really.
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery Did a young bank employee steal a million dollars in bonds? When the portmanteau carrying the bonds is clumsily broken into on a ship bound for the United States, Philip Ridgeway's fiancee goes to Poirot and begs him to clear his name. Could Hercule ever say no to a pretty young woman?
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The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb I love this one and always have. The tv episode is one of my favorites as well, so this was a win-win for me.
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After several untimely deaths surrounding an archaeological dig site prompt a frantic mother to call in Poirot, he and Hastings race against the clock to unravel the mystery. Is there really an ancient Egyptian curse or is something far more corporeal to blame? ...more
4 stars for the excitement of finding lost stories! The stories themselves are kind of iffy... These are two of Agatha Christie's unpublished works that4 stars for the excitement of finding lost stories! The stories themselves are kind of iffy... These are two of Agatha Christie's unpublished works that were found after her death. Admittedly, I had to do a bit of fancy footwork to find them without purchasing a copy of this book, so what I did was check out the book Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran. He has both of the stories in his book, along with background information of when and where they were found, "clues" to when they were potentially written & why they possibly weren't published, and pictures of the notebooks themselves. I may go back and read his book in its entirety someday but for now, I just wanted to take a peek at these lost stories.
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The Capture of Cerberus <--unpublished version! Not to be confused with The Capture of Cerberus that was published in the short story collection The Labors of Hercules. Reading that short and looking up its history was actually how I found out about this one. See, The Labors of Hercules contains 12 labors that Hercule Poirot does in order to "retire", and he bases each of the cases off of one of Hercules' labors. Christie published each short story in a magazine and then later put them all together for her Poirot book. PLOT TWIST! Except for The Capture of Cerberus. Why is that, Anne? <--I'm assuming you asked. Well, in 1939 The Strand Magazine rejected this story and it wasn't until Christie rewrote it and published the collection in 1947 that the last labor saw the light of day.
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Why did the magazine reject it? Possibly because WWII was on the horizon and this original version was politically motivated. Christie didn't seem to write much about politics, but this time around there were thinly veiled references to the political leaders of the day, with the main story revolving around a Hitleresque character. The story itself is pretty stupid with faux Hitler finding religion and deciding to preach peace to the young brotherhood. I could see a lot of silly ideas that she eventually recycled in her terrible Passenger to Frankfurt novel, which was written late in her life.
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In this story Poirot must find out if Great Value Hitler was really assassinated or if the Nazi party is hiding him away somewhere. He uses a guy with a big dog to help him and eventually gifts this Cereberus to Countess Vera Rossakoff. This is nothing like the published version in which he helps the Countess by finding drug dealers in her club - which is guarded by a big dog they call Cerberus.
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The Incident of the Dog's Ball This is the second lost novella and is basically an unpublished short story version of Dumb Witness. The characters are renamed and the cast is expanded, but the core of the story is still there.
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Poirot gets an odd letter from an elderly woman three months after her death. When he goes to investigate, he finds that she had an accident on the stair a few days before she wrote to him, and then before a month was up she died of what looked to be natural causes due to an ongoing condition. Poirot isn't satisfied.
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It is thought that she didn't publish it because (perhaps) she was of the opinion at that point that full-length novels were just more bang for her buck. Why get a few pennies from a magazine when with a little more time she could just sell the novel? Smart lady.
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Ok. I think I've read all of her stories except Curtain. And I've been saving that for last! If so, that means I'm almost done with my Agatha Christie Mystery quest and I can move on with my life. <--this has nothing to do with the review but I'm just so dammed excited!
The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim Never bet against a Belgian! Japp tells Poirot about a case he's working on Six solid short stories featuring Poirot.
The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim Never bet against a Belgian! Japp tells Poirot about a case he's working on that deals with a wealthy banker who walked out of his house to go into the town and mail a few letters, and disappeared off the face of the earth. He was supposed to meet up with a man he had some bad blood with, but he never showed back up at this house. Did this man have something to do with his disappearance?
A man contacts Poirot asking for his help in solving the murder of his elderly uncle, but Hercule (still recovering from the flu) sends Hastings in as his proxy. As you can imagine, Hastings gets it all wrong and Poirot ends up solving the case from his comfy chair.
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat When something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Words to live by. When a young married couple dives into the housing market to look for an affordable apartment, they toss that adage right into the trash bin and almost end up paying the ultimate price for it.
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The Adventure of The Italian Nobleman Count Foscatini has been coshed over the head! But who is Count Foscatini? And why should we care if he got his head coshed in? Poirot and Hastings get pulled into this murder mystery because they were having dinner with their friend and neighbor, Dr. Hawker, when he got a desperate call from the Count telling him he had been attacked. Help! <--says Foscatini
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The Tragedy at Marsden Manor A heavily insured man facing financial ruin suddenly drops dead, leaving his much-younger wife set for life. The insurance company wants Poirot to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death before they pay up, though. And so, with Hastings in tow, Hercule takes a trip to Essex to visit Marsdon Manor to see if anything looks fishy.
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The Case of the Missing Will What good is an education? More specifically, what good is an education for women? <--said Violet Marsh's Uncle Andrew. When she was orphaned at 14, Violet went to live with her uncle on his farm, and they mostly got along very well.
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A rift developed when she decided to further her education and he cut her out of his will. Ish. So what does education do for you? Well, in Violet's case, it told her to always call in an expert. Poirot solved the mystery, while Hastings wondered what her uncle would think about the way Violet beat him at his own game.
Not sure why these two are being sold together besides the fact that they both have even shorter versions you can track down if you are so inclined. HoNot sure why these two are being sold together besides the fact that they both have even shorter versions you can track down if you are so inclined. However, they are both good stories if you're a Poirot fan.
The murdered man told his wife he was traveling out of town, then went by his best friend's house to talk about something. A servant remembers letting him into the room he was found in, but his friend says he never saw him. A house party that included his wife and other friends was scheduled for that evening and carried on as usual with no one suspecting that he was in the room, as well. The next morning a servant saw a dark stain on the floor and traced it back to the trunk that was partially hidden by the screen, discovered the body, and alerted the police.
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The dead man's wife is one of those women that all the men are secretly in love with, including his best friend. <--he's been arrested, btw and she's gone to Poirot because she doesn't believe it did it. Now it's up to Poirot to discover whodunnit and why.
I liked this one! It felt like one of those rare shorts that feel as fleshed out as they can be, and it made quite fun reading.
For those of you who are (like me) completionists, this is actually an expanded version of another Christie short, The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest.
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is also known as The Theft of the Royal Ruby. Both titles make sense because the pudding plays a part in the recovery of the ruby.
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The gist of this one is that Poirot is called in to help an eastern prince because he's messed up in a big way. He's engaged to be married but unwisely decided to have one last hurrah with a ho. Unfortunately for him, this chick made off with his family jewels. And he needs these jewels to present to his wife-to-be and her family. If the police get involved, the word might get out and the scandal would ruin everything. And I think it's pretty safe to say his fiance wouldn't be too happy to learn that he let some hussy take her wedding gift to the bathroom with her.
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Somehow the Powers That Be suspect someone who is staying at a house called Kings Lacey has the jewel. Poirot then gets foisted on this family supposedly so that he can experience a traditional English Christmas. And here's where the Christmas pudding from the title comes in because I'm guessing that's an English thing. I mean, we don't have week-old pudding as part of our holiday celebration in the States. So, you know...
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And I absolutely loved Mrs. Lacey. She's the heart and soul of the whole thing and it's worth reading for her character alone. Cheeky little kids & unsuitable boyfriends mingle in with the mistletoe & presents. So, while Poirot is there to find a thief, he actually does get a REAL family Christmas experience while he's doing it.
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But don't worry. Even with all the Christmas crazy, Hercule Poirot will still solve the case.
The original idea came from the 1923 short story Christmas Adventure. If you can find that one, check it out!
Three Poirot stories in one collection. As with most of these small short story collections, I personally think you would be better off grabbing a largThree Poirot stories in one collection. As with most of these small short story collections, I personally think you would be better off grabbing a larger volume if you're looking to buy. However, all three of these are good (imho) so knock yourself out if you find this in a yard sale somewhere.
Dead Man's Mirror An extremely eccentric man seemingly commits suicide after summoning Poirot to his home with no explanation. When Poirot arrives at Sir Gervase Chevenix-Gore's home he finds out no one is expecting him, but he is just in time for the discovery of the body.
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A locked-room mystery with a great cast of characters that keeps you guessing til the end. Mr. Satterthwaite from Three Act Tragedy & The Mysterious Mr. Quin has a small cameo in this one, as well.
Really enjoyed this one!
On a side note to the Christie nerds, this was expanded from the 1932 short story The Second Gong.
Triangle at Rhodes A love triangle turns deadly in a way I didn't see coming! Poirot and the other guests notice that the resident hotel hottie appears to be quickly stealing a mousy woman's handsome husband, while simultaneously angering her own.
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Poirot sees that there is more going on than meets the eye and tries to warn Mrs. Mousy to leave before... Well, before. I liked this one quite a bit!
Murder in the Mews Poirot and Japp investigate a murder that has been made to look like suicide. Badly made to look like suicide. Poirot has to untangle quite a few knots to unravel a blackmailer's scheme gone wrong. But unravel them he does.
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Keep your eye on the attache case at the golf course. Or not. Could just be a red herring after all.
The Plymouth Express An heiress is murdered on a train and her grieving father hires Poirot to find her killer.
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Was it her soon to be ex-husband,The Plymouth Express An heiress is murdered on a train and her grieving father hires Poirot to find her killer.
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Was it her soon to be ex-husband, her con man lover, or someone else entirely? Poirot will stroke his mustaches and Hastings will misread every clue, but at the end of the story, the guilty will be punished. The Plymouth Express was later expanded into the full-length novel, The Mystery of the Blue Train.
The Submarine Plans Whodunnit? Poirot and Hastings get called to a politician's house when the plans for a hush-hush submarine get stolen. Lord Alloway, a mover and shaker in England's political circles and possibly the next Prime Minister, is hosting a house party when he realizes that top secret plans for the Allies' new Z-type sub. And who should be one of the guests but Mrs. Conroy, a beautiful woman who is already suspected of being someone who sells secrets to England's enemies. Case solved, right? Mais non! Because she has the alibi unshakable!
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It's not what you think in this strange tale of spies, lies, blackmail, and (most surprising of all!) morally upright politicians.
The idea for this was slightly expanded upon in the longer novella The Incredible Theft. Man, I'm finding that Agatha did that a lot!
Problem at Sea Who killed the obnoxious Mrs. Clapperton? It should have been her henpecked husband, but he has an airtight alibi as he was on shore with two cute young women. It looks as though it was one of those dirty natives snuck into her room and killed the woman while she slept, then riffled her room looking for things to steal. But that doesn't make sense to Poirot.
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It's a sea voyage mystery, so you have an interesting group of people thrown together that wouldn't normally be in the same room, much less be mixed up in a murder. That's always cool. But. The conclusion to this thing is just off the wall and weird, and it makes as much sense as an old episode of Scooby Doo. (view spoiler)[ Her husband was a ventriloquist and threw his voice to make it sound like his wife was alive and answering him from outside of the locked room.
This isn't one of the better shorts, to be honest, and I'd skip it unless you're a Christie Completionist like myself.
How Does Your Garden Grow? Did a greedy maid poison her mistress? Poirot receives a letter from an elderly woman who wants his advice. Intrigued by her phrasing, he asks Miss Lemon to send a letter back agreeing to come to her home. Before he can see her, he receives word that she has died. Poisoned!
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At first, it looks like the maid was the only one who could have slipped her a Mickey, but also the only one who wouldn't profit from her death. Then news comes in that the old lady had disinherited her niece and nephew and left everything to her little Russian maid. But Poirot isn't convinced. And thanks to a few disorderly shells in the garden, he discovers who the real culprits are in the woman's murder. As an interesting side note, this is the 1st appearance of Miss Lemon.
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The Market Basing Mystery Is a suicide sometimes just a suicide? That's what Poirot wonders when he, Hastings, & Japp get called in to look at a potential locked room murder that has the local constable scratching his head.
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Local constable? Well, yes. Japp invited Poirot & Hastings to spend the weekend with him in Market Basing. While there, a wealthy but reclusive man was found dead in his mansion, and Constable Pollard seeks out the famous Scotland Yard detective and asks if he would be willing to lend his expertise. Of course, he gets a twofer with Poirot.
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On the surface, it looks as though someone tried to make the murder of Walter Protheroe look like a suicide. The gun was found in the wrong hand, for starters. And then it's discovered that a man and his wife were there, the same evening as his suicide, trying to blackmail Protheroe over something that had happened years before. <--the hobo heard it all! Thank goodness Inspector Japp is on the scene to solve the case!
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Just kidding. It's up to Poirot to unravel the mystery at Market Basing....more
Man, this is just a smorgasbord of some of Agatha Christie's best stories. Anyone who is looking to sample her different detectives could do a lot worsMan, this is just a smorgasbord of some of Agatha Christie's best stories. Anyone who is looking to sample her different detectives could do a lot worse than this collection. I've added links with reviews to each story listed for anyone who is interested.
Triangle at Rhodes A love triangle turns deadly in a way I didn't see coming! Poirot and the other guests notice that tTwo of Christie's Poirot shorts.
Triangle at Rhodes A love triangle turns deadly in a way I didn't see coming! Poirot and the other guests notice that the resident hotel hottie appears to be quickly stealing a mousy woman's handsome husband, while simultaneously angering her own.
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The Incredible Theft The theft of secret bomber plans at a house party means everything needs to be kept hush-hush. One of Lord Mayfield's guests is widely suspected to be a spy. Unfortunately, it looks like they have quite a tidy alibi for the time the papers went missing.
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Both of these are decent, but I think you'd get more bang for your buck if you opt for a larger collection....more
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