Harley Quin

The inimitable Agatha Christie intrigues, surprises, and delights with The Mysterious Mr. Quin-a riveting collection of short stories centered around the enigmatic Harley Quin, whose unpredictable comings and goings are usually a good indication that something is about to happen…and rarely for the best. It had been a typical New Year's Eve party. But as midnight approaches, Mr. Satterthwaite-a keen observer of human nature-senses that the real drama of the evening is yet to unfold. And so it proves when a mysterious stranger knocks on the door. Who is this Mr. Quin? Mr. Satterthwaite's new friend is an enigma. He seems to appear and disappear almost like a trick of the light. In fact, the only consistent thing about him is that his presence is always an omen-sometimes good, but sometimes deadly....

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. On his annual trip to Monte Carlo, Mr. Satterthwaite finds himself in the company of Mr. Quin, who is caught up in a mysterious love triangle.

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Mr. Satterthwaite's old friend Lady Barbara Stanleigh asks him to investigate her daughter Margery's claim that the family seat is haunted. He and Mr. Quin set about solving the mystery.

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Mr. Satterthwaite has come to Corsica with his friend the Duchess of Leith. There they meet the Duchess's cousin Naomi Carlton-Smith. Distraught that her fiancé has been accused of stealing, Naomi turns to Satterthwaite and the mysterious Mr. Quin for help.

Waiting for his car to be fixed, Mr. Satterthwaite sits in a tea shop called the Harlequin café, thinking of his friend Harley Quin, whom he hasn't seen in many years. Then, in a burst of sunshine, the very same Mr. Quin walks through the door, along with his diligent dog, Hermes. Satterthwaite is telling him the very long history of the family he is off to visit, when their conversation is interrupted by the abrupt entrance of a member of that very same family, intent upon replacing her harlequin cups. Satterthwaite desperately asks Quin to accompany him on his trip, but the ever-enigmatic Quin simply leaves his friend with one word, "Daltonism." What does that word mean, and what is the significance of Quin turning up at the tea shop on that day?

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Mr. Satterthwaite has moved to a Mediterranean island, where he encounters Anthony Cosden just as Cosden is about to leap to his death. Apparently this was not Cosden's first attempt; only yesterday he had been stopped from jumping by Harley Quin. Can they bring happiness back to the poor man's life?

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. When Mr. Satterthwaite's chauffeured car breaks down in isolated Kirklington Mallet, he seeks refuge at the local inn. There he finds only one other guest-the mysterious Mr. Quin. Can they both save Stephen, a local man, from being unjustly sentenced for murder?

When Mr. Satterthwaite visits a new exhibit at the Harchester Galleries, there is one painting that bears an unusual likeness to a mysterious acquaintance of his, Mr. Quin. In one bold move he purchases the canvas on the spot, and in another invites the artist of "The Dead Harlequin" to dine with him that night, with an empty place at the table set for Mr. Quin. Dinner conversation soon turns to the setting of "The Dead Harlequin," the doomed and ghostly house Charnley, where many have perished under tragic circumstances. But when a new guest is announced, it is not Mr. Quin but famed comic stage actress Aspasia Glen, who demands that she be given that very painting. Then comes a frantic telephone call from Alix Charnley herself, and Alix has the same request. What is the meaning of the painting, and can it shed any light upon the happenings at Charnley?

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. While visiting the rather dull, conventional Denmans, Mr. Satterthwaite unexpectedly meets Mr. Quin on a road called Harlequin's Lane. Even he can't foresee the impact that Quin will have on the Denmans and, indeed, on all the neighborhood's residents.

Mr. Satterthwaite and Colonel Melrose are comfortably ensconced in the Colonel's study when the phone suddenly rings. Someone has been murdered, and, as the county chief constable, the Colonel lets Satterthwaite accompany him to the scene of the crime. The two of them have opposing opinions on why Sir James Dwighton has been bashed over the head with a blunt instrument. Rumor had it that red-haired beauty Laura Dwighton and her guest, the very attractive Mr. Paul Delangua, were engaged in an illicit affair, and Paul was thrown out by the disgruntled Sir James. But the facts of the murder all seem to add up too nicely, and then Mr. Quin arrives on the scene….

On a dark evening, Mr. Harley Quin appears at the door of Royston Hall under the premise that his car has broken down. Once inside, he embarks upon the tragic tale of Royston Hall's former occupants, leading to a dramatic change in the perceptions of the current inhabitants – but has Mr. Quin's revelation come too late?

At Mr. and Mrs. Unkerton's party in Greenway's House, Mr. Satterthwaite learns of a haunted window: no matter how many times it is replaced, it always contains the image of a gentleman in a plumed hat. When gunshots are heard, Satterthwaite finds that two of the guests have been shot dead, which is shortly followed by a sighting of the gentleman in the newly-replaced windowpane. Can Mr. Quin shed light on the mystery?

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. At Covent Garden for a performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, Mr. Satterthwaite spots Mr. Quin during the intermission. After the show, they witness a fight outside the opera house. But what could have prompted such brutal behavior?

Previously published in the print anthology The Mysterious Mr. Quin. While staying with the Keeleys at their country house, Mr. Satterthwaite happens to be in the library while the younger guests are holding a séance. Among the nonsensical messages are two clear ones: "Quin" and "Laidell. " Before long, there is a tragic death in the house, and Satterthwaite, with a little help from Mr. Quin, correctly determines that it wasn't suicide, but murder!