The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest
Part 0.3 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories. A beautiful and bewitching woman wants Hercule Poirot's help to exonerate her lover, accused of murdering her husband. The husband's body was found in a chest-now the question is: who put it there?
The Second Gong
Part 0.4 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Lytcham Close, one of the oldest stately homes in England, is owned by the last remaining heir and ruled by his intolerable whims. Old Hubert demands complete silence when he plays music and times dinner exactly by a resounding gong. Rushing down at the sound of the second-or is it the first? -gong, Joan Ashby is about to find out that not only is dinner delayed, but something is going on that no one can explain. Everyone is thrown into disarray when Old Hubert never materializes and instead a new guest is announced: Hercule Poirot himself. What unfolds is a mystery of lovers, and a death that is not as it appears.
Poirot and the Regatta Mystery
Part 0.5 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Available for the first time in the U.S., this retelling of "The Regatta Mystery" features Hercule Poirot at his finest. A diamond merchant and his party step off their yacht to enjoy the festivities at shore. But when the youngest member of the party, Eve Leathern, decides to play a trick with a £30,000 diamond named The Morning Star, the fun suddenly escalates into a dramatic jewel theft. The most suspected member of the party begs Hercule Poirot to solve the disappearance of the valuable gem, pleading that he is not the thief. But if he isn't, who is?
The Chocolate Box
A Short Story
Part 1 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Chocolate Box," Poirot describes a case he was unable to solve. Investigating the apparent poisoning of a popular Belgian civil servant, Poirot goes undercover to expose the murderer, only to discover the case is not so tidy as he thinks. But who could have wanted the man dead? This short story originally appeared in the May 23, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Kidnapped Prime Minister
A Short Story
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Kidnapped Prime Minister," Poirot investigates the mysterious disappearance of the British Prime Minister during wartime. Apparently carjacked on the way to a peace conference, Poirot must overcome subterfuge and misdirection to solve the mystery. This short story originally appeared in the April 25, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Lemesurier Inheritance
A Short Story
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Lemesurier Inheritance," Poirot and Hastings are asked to keep an eye on the heir of a Northumberland estate. The house, thought to be cursed since the middle ages is the locale of several recent near-death accidents for the young boy and rumors of the curse increase. But is it possible the accidents are man-made? This short story originally appeared in the December 19, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Affair at the Victory Ball
A Short Story
Part 4 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's "The Affair at the Victory Ball," Poirot is enlisted by Chief Inspector Japp to assist in the investigation of a murder at a costumed Ball. Six attendees form a circle of suspicion when a young aristocrat and his fiancée are found dead. Poirot then makes an interesting discovery about the costumes worn by the six friends. This short story originally appeared in the March 7, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
A Short Story
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim," to win a bet with Inspector Japp, Poirot solves the mysterious robbery and disappearance of a banker from his home, all without leaving his seat. Is the culprit the businessman Mr. Davenheim was supposed to meet? Or is the situation more complicated? This short story originally appeared in the March 28, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Plymouth Express
A Short Story
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Plymouth Express," a rich young American woman is found murdered on the train from Bristol to Plymouth and her valuable jewelry missing. Poirot's suspects include her indebted gambler husband, her French adventurer lover, and her maid. But where is the murder weapon? This short story originally appeared in the April 4, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
A Short Story
Part 7 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of the Cheap Flat," Poirot's suspicions are aroused when he hears of a sweetheart deal on a flat. Doing a little freelance investigating, he soon learns that the flat is at the center of a case of international espionage and a potentially fatal double-cross. This short story originally appeared in the May 9, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Submarine Plans
A Short Story
Part 8 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, Poirot is summoned to the home of the head of the Ministry of Defense, to investigate the theft of top-secret plans for a new submarine.
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
A Short Story
Part 9 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook," Poirot is asked by a Mrs. Todd to investigate the sudden departure of her cook, Eliza. When elements of the case seem to correspond to miscellaneous articles read aloud from yesterday's paper to him by Hastings, Poirot begins to unravel a devilishly complex plot. This short story originally appeared in the November 14, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Cornish Mystery
A Short Story
Part 10 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Cornish Mystery," Poirot is asked to help a Cornwall woman who believes she is being poisoned by her husband. When Poirot and Hastings visit her home, they are shocked to find she has died. But is it really her husband who did the poisoning? This short story originally appeared in the November 28, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
A Short Story
Part 11 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor," Poirot investigates the case of a middle-aged man who died under suspicious circumstances just weeks after insuring his life for fifty thousand pounds. Could the man, who was in financial straits, have killed himself to benefit his beautiful young wife? This short story originally appeared in the April 18, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge
A Short Story
Part 12 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge," Poirot and Hastings are enlisted by a Mr. Roger Havering to help investigate the murder of his aristocrat uncle at his hunting lodge. Hastings discusses the murder with the housekeeper on the scene, but Poirot quickly deduces that her story doesn't add up. This short story appeared in the May 16, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
A Short Story
Part 13 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb," the widow of a famous Egyptologist consults Poirot on the suspicious death of her husband and an American financier, Bleibner. The mystery takes Poirot and Hastings to Egypt to investigate the site of an archaeological dig. But who could want the two men dead? This short story originally appeared in the September 26, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
A Short Story
Part 14 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's "The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan," Poirot and Hastings are called on to solve the case of Mrs. Opalsen's missing set of pearls, apparently stolen during a stay at the Grand Metropolitan Hotel. The two suspects are Mrs. Opalsen's maid and the hotel chambermaid, but both blame the other. Who is the real thief? This short story originally appeared in the March 14, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Market Basing Mystery
A Short Story
Part 15 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Market Basing Mystery," Poirot and Hastings are called on to investigate the suspicious death of a landowner in a small English town. What looks at first like a simple case of suicide quickly becomes more complex as Poirot interrogates the suspects in the home. This short story originally appeared in the October 17, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The King of Clubs
A Short Story
Part 16 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's "The King of Clubs," Poirot investigates the possible double murder of a famous dancer and theater impresario. Could the words of a fortune teller and a playing card provide a solution to the mystery? This short story originally appeared in the March 21, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
A Short Story
Part 17 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman," Poirot and Hastings investigate the suspicious death of Count Foscatini in his apartment in Regent's Court. Found dead at the dinner table, with three empty dinner plates, suspicion is immediately place on his two dinner guests. But is there more to the story? This short story originally appeared in the October 24, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Double Clue
A Short Story
Part 18 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Double Clue," Poirot investigates the robbery of a collection of medieval jewelry from the safe of a dealer. Since the theft occurred during a dinner party, the suspects could be any of the guests. But which one? This short story originally appeared in the December 5, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
A Short Story
Part 19 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly," Poirot investigates the kidnapping of Johnnie Waverly, the three-year-old son of a wealthy couple in Surrey. Could the butler be in on the plot? And why were all the clocks in the house set ten minutes ahead at the time of the kidnapping? This short story originally appeared in the October 10, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Case of the Missing Will
A Short Story
Part 20 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Case of the Missing Will," Poirot must help clever student Violet Marsh meet the terms of an unusual will by her Uncle Andrew. She must live in his house for a month and "prove her wits" if she is ever to receive his fortune. But is there another will? This short story originally appeared in the October 31, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Lost Mine
A Short Story
Part 21 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Lost Mine," Poirot investigates the suspicious disappearance of a Chinese businessman in London. Suspicion is focused on two Englishman, one of whom has an alibi and another who was in an opium den the night of the disappearance. A clear-cut case for Poirot soon becomes murky however. This short story originally appeared in the November 21, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
A Short Story
Part 22 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery," Poirot must prove the innocence of a young bank manager who has had a million dollars in bonds stolen from him while on a boat voyage to New York. Could it be one of his superiors? And why were the bonds being sold in New York before his ship arrived? This short story originally appeared in the May 2, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Veiled Lady
A Short Story
Part 23 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Veiled Lady," Poirot's investigation of a jewelry heist intersects with a case of blackmail brought to him by a heavily veiled lady. The woman wants to retrieve an embarrassing letter from an extortionist, but is she telling the whole truth? This short story originally appeared in the October 3, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Adventure of The Western Star
A Short Story
Part 24 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of "The Western Star," Poirot investigates the case of a missing diamond, "The Star of the East", belonging to Lady Yardly. But what is the connection between it and a similar diamond owned by the famous American film actress Mary Marvell? And why does a Chinese man want it returned? This short story originally appeared in the April 11, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
Double Sin
Part 25 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot both make appearances in Agatha Christie's Double Sin and Other Stories, a sterling collection of short mystery fiction that offers double the suspense, surprise, and fun. In one of London's most elegant shops, a decorative doll dressed in green velvet adopts some rather human, and rather sinister, traits. A country gentleman is questioned about a murder yet to be committed. While summoning spirits, a medium is drawn closer to the world of the dead than she ever dared imagine possible. In a small country church, a dying man's last word becomes both an elegy and a clue to a crime. These chilling stories, and more, cleverly wrought by master Agatha Christie and solved by the inimitable Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple.
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
A Short Story
Part 26 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding," Poirot is asked to attend a Christmas celebration in order to apprehend a jewel-thief who has taken advantage of an unwary eastern prince. Full of English holiday tradition and plenty of intrigue, this holiday tale first appeared in the December 12, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.
The Third-Floor Flat
Part 27 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Poirot's Early Cases. A woman's body is found in the third-floor flat of Friar Mansions, and who should live on the very same block but the perspicacious Hercule Poirot?
The Under Dog
Part 28 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Pretty Lily Margrave is not convinced that Hercule Poirot is needed in the matter of Sir Atwell's murder. At the request of her employer, Lady Atwell, she has already recounted what happened ten days ago in the Tower Room, and the victim's nephew has been charged with the murder. Nevertheless, Lady Atwell brings Poirot up to the great house, Mon Repos, to see if he can find out anything. While at first the family is struck by Poirot's ardent endeavor to uncover what befell Sir Atwell, his insistence on looking into every nook and cranny becomes too much for some to bear. A scrap of material, the contents of a tiny box, and his singular ingenuity lead the detective to uncover who is behind this violent act.
Wasps' Nest
Part 29 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Double Sin and Other Stories. At a garden party, Hercule Poirot realizes that a murder is being plotted and he must stop it before the fete comes to a fatal end.
The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
Part 30 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Major Hastings and Hercule Poirot are not interested in the mystery of the Spanish Chest, which has been reported in the papers so often that it seems to be an entirely closed case. But, when Hastings persuades Poirot to attend a fabulous party given by Lady Chatterton, they discover someone sequestered upstairs who is desperate for their help. Will the contents of a dead man's pockets reveal to the inscrutable eye of Hercule Poirot who the culprit is?
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Part 31 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Poirot's Early Cases. At a flower show, a mysterious woman gives Hercule Poirot an empty seed packet. The next day, she is found dead, and Poirot has his suspicions about the identity of the killer.
Dead Man's Mirror
Part 32 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Murder in the Mews: Four Cases of Hercule Poirot. Hercule Poirot attends an auction and gets much more than he bid on: a disputed will, gunshots, and ancient Egyptian spirits. This might be Poirot's strangest case yet.
Problem at Sea
Part 33 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Poirot's Early Cases. On a ship bound for Egypt, a woman is found stabbed to death in her cabin. Unfortunately for the murderer, Hercule Poirot is on board.
Triangle at Rhodes
Part 34 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
October on the island of Rhodes is a veritable paradise of privacy, beauty, and calm-or so Hercule Poirot has imagined. The reality is quite different, as the arrival of famed Chanel beauty Valentine Chantry causes a ripple of malice to be felt across the island. She captivates at least one married man with her wiles and good looks, as her brooding husband watches on. Poirot senses that someone has murder in their heart, and he guesses right. As things come to a tragic head, only Poirot the quiet observer can piece together what has happened in this lover's triangle.
The Incredible Theft
Part 35 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Murder in the Mews: Four Cases of Hercule Poirot. When the specifications for a new bomber plane are stolen, the Air Marshal enlists Hercule Poirot to help him find the culprit.
Murder in the Mews
Part 36 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology Murder in the Mews: Four Cases of Hercule Poirot. A young woman commits suicide while her roommate is away for the weekend. However, the lead inspector is sufficiently doubtful about the cause of death to call for the help of Hercule Poirot.
Yellow Iris
Part 37 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
An alarming telephone call, in which the phrases "it's life and death" and "the table with the yellow irises" are whispered, causes Hercule Poirot to rush to the luxuriant restaurant Jardin des Cygnes, desperate to stop an impending murder and find the person behind the voice on the phone. After bumping into an old acquaintance, he is invited to join a dinner party in full swing. But, just as the dancing and champagne are overflowing, a morbid announcement is made and the lights go out. By the time the lights come back on, everything has changed….
The Dream
Part 38 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Hercule Poirot is reluctant to answer a letter demanding his services by the reclusive and eccentric millionaire Benedict Farley. Farley wants him to diagnose his recurring dream of death, in which he shoots himself at precisely 3:28 p. M. Then, a week after dismissing Poirot, the dream becomes real. Each member of the Farley household that Poirot questions seems to be more puzzled than the one before. Was Benedict Farley's death a suicide, or are darker forces at work?
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds
Part 51 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Hercule Poirot is about to tuck into a very traditional English supper with his old friend Bonnington when a lone diner sparks his interest. Like clockwork, the man has eaten at the restaurant on Thursdays and Tuesdays for the last ten years, but no one on the staff knows his name. When "Old Father Time," as they have fondly nicknamed him, suddenly stops coming, Poirot believes that he might have picked up the one essential clue that could shed light on this mysterious man. Could what Old Father Time ordered as his final meal provide the key?
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly
Part 52 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Never before published-the lost classic, unseen for sixty years! A party game goes dead wrong in this ingenious mystery from the most beloved novelist of all time. Hercule Poirot, the world's favorite detective, has agreed to take part in a mock murder mystery in a charming English village-but when tragedy strikes, a different sort of game begins. In 1954, Agatha Christie wrote this novella with the intention of donating the proceeds to a fund set up to buy stained glass windows for her local church at Churston Ferrero, and she filled the story with references to local places, including her own home of Greenway. But, having completed it, she decided instead to expand the story into a full-length novel, Dead Man's Folly, which was published two years later, and donated a Miss Marple story (Greenshaw's Folly) to the church fund instead.
Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly
Part 52 of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
As a favour to an old friend, Hercule Poirot finds himself at a summer fete in Devon, taking part not in a Treasure Hunt, but a Murder Hunt, in this never-before-published novella version of Dead Man's Folly. Now released for the first time as an eBook exclusive publication. Sir George and Lady Stubbs, the hosts of a village fête, hit upon the novel idea of staging a mock murder mystery. In good faith, Ariadne Oliver, the well known crime writer, agrees to organise their murder hunt. But at the last minute Ariadne calls her friend Hercule Poirot for his expert assistance. Instinctively, she senses that something sinister is about to happen… In 1954, Agatha Christie wrote this novella with the intention of donating the proceeds to a fund set up to buy stained glass windows for her local church at Churston Ferrers, and she filled the story with references to local places, including her own home of Greenway. But having completed it, she decided instead to expand the story into a full-length novel, Dead Man's Folly, which was published two years later, and donated a Miss Marple story (Greenshaw's Folly) to the church fund instead. Unseen for sixty years, Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly is finally published in this eBook exclusive edition. • Unpublished for 60 years, finally available exclusively as an eBook.• 20,000 words - longer than most short stories.• Follows 'Poirot and the Regatta Mystery', another story available exclusively as an eBook, which has become the best-selling Christie eBook.• Cover image features David Suchet from the TV version of the story, broadcast on 30 October 2013.
Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories
Part of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
At last, a single volume that gathers together all of the short stories featuring Agatha Christie's most famous creation, Hercule Poirot. The dapper, mustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head and curious mannerisms has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century-and, in his own humble opinion, is "probably the greatest detective in the world." In this complete collection of more than 50 stories, ranging from short tales to novellas, Poirot faces violent murders, poisonings, kidnappings, and thefts-all solved with his characteristic panache. Only Agatha Christie could have devised cases worthy of Hercule Poirot's skill and "little gray cells".
The Theft of the Royal Ruby
Part of the Hercule Poirot Short Story series
Previously published in the print anthology The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding. A priceless ruby is stolen from a Far Eastern prince while he is in England. The ruby is intended for the prince's bride-to-be, and Hercule Poirot must find it before a scandal erupts.