The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Part 1 of the Hercule Poirot series
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a detective novel by Agatha Christie written in 1916, and first published in 1920 to rave reviews. Christie's first published novel, it introduced Hercule Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, who is settling in England near the home of his wealthy, recently widowed friend Emily Inglethorp. When the widow is found murdered via the administering of poison, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery. Featuring multiple red herrings and surprise twists, the book ushered in what is known as "The Golden Age of Detective Fiction".
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Part 1 of the Hercule Poirot series
Christie's first published novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is notable for introducing many of the character types, plot twists, and red herrings that would become commonplace during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Set in a remote country manor with a small handful of suspects, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the quintessential detective story and remains one of the most significant literary works in the mystery genre.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Part 1 of the Hercule Poirot series
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first detective novel by British writer Agatha Christie, introducing her fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It was written in the middle of the First World War, in 1916, and first published by John Lane in the United States in October 1920 and in the United Kingdom by The Bodley Head (John Lane's UK company) on 21 January 1921.
Styles introduced Poirot, Inspector (later, Chief Inspector) Japp, and Arthur Hastings.{3} Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When Mrs Inglethorp is murdered, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery.
The book includes maps of the house, the murder scene, and a drawing of a fragment of a will. The true first publication of the novel was as a weekly serial in The Times, including the maps of the house and other illustrations included in the book. This novel was one of the first ten books published by Penguin Books when it began in 1935.
The Murder on the Links
A Hercule Poirot Mystery
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
"Agatha Christie taught me many important lessons about the inner workings of the mystery novel before it ever occurred to me that I might one day be writing mysteries myself."-Sue Grafton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Kinsey Millhone novels
In this official edition featuring exclusive content from the Queen of Mystery, Hercule Poirot is called upon to solve a murder on a French golf course.
An urgent cry for help brings Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies face downwards in a shallow grave on a golf course.
But why is the dead man wearing his son's overcoat? And who was the impassioned love letter in the pocket for? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse . . .
With twists and turns until the final, satisfying conclusion, The Murder on the Links once again does not disappoint the legion of Agatha Christie fans.
The Murder on the Links
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie’s class mystery “Murder on the Links”, Hercule Poirot attempts to unravel the grisly conundrum of not one, but two dead bodies discovered on a French golf course.
An urgent cry for help brings Hercule Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies face down in a shallow grave on a golf course.
But why is the dead man wearing an overcoat that is too big for him? And for whom was the impassioned love letter in the pocket? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse.
The Murder on the Links
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
Hercule Poirot is without a doubt the greatest detective since Sherlock Holmes. He'll need all of his skill, intelligence, and wit to solve this crime. He is called to France and must solve a brutal murder on an upscale golf course. His only clues are the oversized jacket worn by the corpse and the love letter in one of the pockets. But before he can solve the case Poirot finds himself with another corpse on his hands.
The Murder on the Links
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's second Hercule Poirot mystery, "The Murder on the Links" (1923), a man has been found dead in a freshly dug grave adjacent to a golf course. Poirot and Captain Hastings arrive on the scene only to be met by a hostile local police detective who is unwilling to share information. But Poirot's methodical investigation slowly and surely reveals the real killer amid a host of suspects and clues.
Poirot Investigates
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot series
Poirot Investigates a host of murders most foul-as well as other dastardly crimes-in this intriguing collection of short stories from the one-and-only Agatha Christie. First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond... then came the "suicide" that was murder... the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat... A suspicious death in a locked gun room... a million dollar bond robbery... the curse of a pharaoh's tomb... a jewel robbery by the sea... the abduction of a prime minister... the disappearance of a banker... a phone call from a dying man... And, finally, the mystery of the missing will. What links these fascinating cases? Only the brilliant deductive powers of Hercule Poirot!
Poirot Investigates
Stories
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot series
Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and his assistant, Captain Hastings, solve perplexing cases of murder and deceit in this short mystery collection. One of Agatha Christie's most beloved sleuths, Hercule Poirot is the immortal protagonist of such classic mystery novels as Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. In Poirot Investigates, the first short story collection to feature the famous detective, he takes on the case of a Hollywood film star and her highly coveted diamond, the suspicious suicide of a man who's worth more dead than alive, the curse of a pharaoh's tomb, the abduction of a Prime Minister, and much more.
Poirot Investigates
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot series
Sourced from the U.S. first edition (which adds 3 stories to the British first edition, here is the original collection of Hercule Poirot stories. Included are:
1. The Adventure of the Western Star 2. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor 3. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat 4. The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge 5. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery 6. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb 7. The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan 8. The Kidnapped Prime Minister 9. The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim 10. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman 11. The Case of the Missing Will 12. The Clue of the Chocolate Box 13. The Veiled Lady 14. The Lost Mine
Also included is a lengthy introduction by Karl Wurf and an Agatha Christie bibliography.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Part 4 of the Hercule Poirot series
Voted the best crime novel ever written by the Crime Writers' Association: "Breathless reading from first to the unexpected last." -The Observer
The eminent Belgian detective Hercule Poirot has lost a friend to an unfortunate stabbing incident, and now, despite his retirement in a previously peaceful English village, he must return to work and find out who killed Roger Ackroyd-and how his demise may be connected to the dark secrets and tragic events surrounding Ackroyd's late fiancée, who died only the day before . . .
From the legendary novelist whose mysteries have sold more than two billion copies, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd remains one of Agatha Christie's most popular works, renowned for its twist ending.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Part 4 of the Hercule Poirot series
Hercule Poirot thought that retiring to a small village to do some gardening would bring his detective career to a halt. But, when Roger Ackroyd's body is found in his study with a knife stabbed into him, Poirot takes on the case. Ackroyd, whose wealthy fiancee had just recently committed suicide, is hosting a dinner party for a swathe of guests one night, when a friend comes to him in confidence and reveals that someone had been blackmailing his late fiancé. That is the last time anyone saw Mr. Ackroyd alive. Join one of Agatha Christie's most notable characters in this entertaining and surprising murder mystery.
The Big Four
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
Famed private eye Hercule Poirot tackles international intrigue and espionage in this classic Agatha Christie mystery.
Framed in the doorway of Hercule Poirot's bedroom stands an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man stares for a moment, then he sways and falls. Who is he? Is he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what is the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper?
Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life-and that of his "twin brother"-to uncover the truth.
The Big Four
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
An unexpected visitor called Mayerling comes in through Hercule Poirot's bedroom and collapses on the floor. The only clue to what he wants is his repeating Poirot's name and address and writing the number 4, many times. When Hastings jokingly calls it "The Mystery of the Big Four," the man begins speaking about an international crime cartel of that name. He describes the four leaders: Number 1 is a Chinese political mastermind named Li Chang Yen; Number 2 is probably American; Number 3 is a Frenchwoman; and Number 4 is known only as "the Destroyer." The man dies soon after and Poirot and Hastings go off on the trail of the Big Four.
In 1926 Christie was already deeply affected by the death of her mother earlier in the year and the breakdown of her marriage to Archibald Christie. Her brother-in-law, Campbell Christie, suggested that, rather than undergo the strain of composing a completely new novel, Christie should merely compile her most recent series of Poirot stories into a full length book. Campbell helped her revise the stories, which had been written for Sketch magazine, into a more coherent form for book publication.
The book was published a few weeks after the disappearance and reappearance of Christie. The resulting publicity over her name caused the new novel to become a sales hit. Sales were good enough to more than double the success of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. It sold despite not being a traditional murder mystery, being a tale of international intrigue and espionage, and opening the possibility of more spy fiction from Christie.
The Big Four
A Hercule Poirot Mystery
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
An unexpected visitor comes into Hercule Poirot's bedroom and collapses on the floor. The only clue as to what he wants is his repeating Poirot's name and address and writing the number 4, many times. When Poirot's friend Hastings jokingly calls it “The Mystery of the Big Four,” The visitor begins speaking about an international crime cartel of that name. He describes the four leaders: Number 1 is a Chinese political mastermind named Li Chang Yen, Number 2 is probably American, Number 3 is a Frenchwoman, and Number 4 is known only as "the Destroyer." The man dies soon after and Poirot and Hastings go off on the trail of the Big Four. Poirot's grandest and most dangerous case to date.
The Big Four
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
A tale of international intrigue and espionage featuring beloved detective Hercule Poirot. Originally published as a series of short stories in “Sketch” magazine, this tale of international intrigue and espionage begins when a visitor stumbles into detective Hercule Poirot's bedroom. In the final moments before his death, he tells Poirot of the crime cartel known only as the Big Four. What follows is Hercule Poirot's biggest case yet, taking him and his sidekick Arthur Hastings on the trail of the Big Four before their plans to take control of the world unfold.
Note: “The Big Four” contains characterization and thematic elements representative of prejudiced beliefs, particularly Sinophobia and Orientalism. While these views were never legitimate nor equitable, they were unfortunately commonplace at the time of writing and publication. Rather than glossing over this painful dimension of literary history, this eBook edition references the text as it was originally published so that it may be included when taking into consideration the overall impact of Agatha Christie's body of work. The beliefs and views present in this book do not reflect that of the publisher's.
The Big Four
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
Famed private eye Hercule Poirot tackles international intrigue and espionage in this classic Agatha Christie mystery. Framed in the doorway of Hercule Poirot's bedroom stands an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man stares for a moment, then he sways and falls. Who is he? Is he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what is the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life-and that of his "twin brother"-to uncover the truth.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
Prepare to embark on a thrilling journey aboard the luxurious Blue Train, bound for the French Riviera. A beautiful heiress, a precious collection of rubies, and a love triangle form the backdrop of Agatha Christie's fifth Hercule Poirot novel. As the Belgian detective sets out to solve the murder of American heiress Ruth Kettering, the reader is thrown into a web of suspicion and intrigue. Derek, her estranged husband, seems to be the prime suspect, but as Poirot delves deeper, the truth slowly unravels. Follow Poirot's reenactment of the deadly train ride...with the murderer on board. The "Queen of Crime's" masterful blend of suspense and misdirection will keep you guessing until the astonishing end.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
In this classic mystery by the Queen of Crime, Hercule Poirot boards a night train bound for the French Riviera... and murder.
American heiress Ruth Kettering needs to get away from it all. She's left her unhappy marriage behind her and booked a ticket on the luxurious Blue Train, heading to the French Riviera where her lover is waiting. But when the train arrives in Nice, Ruth is found dead in her cabin, and her priceless ruby is missing.
Although the evidence points to Ruth's estranged husband as the prime suspect, Hercule Poirot is not so sure. Now, to make sense of this perplexing puzzle, there's only one thing the great Belgian detective can do: recreate the murder. Originally published in 1928.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
Agatha Christie's beloved detective does it again!
Hercule Poirot solves the murder of a wealthy American socialite by staging an eerie reenactment of the journey with the killer along for the ride.
When the luxurious overnight passenger train from Calais to the Riviera, known as the Blue Train, arrives in Nice, a guard goes into the compartment of American heiress, Ruth Kettering and attempts to wake her. Unfortunately, she will never wake up, as she is dead, having been killed by a heavy blow to her head, disfiguring her almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious ruby, known as the 'Heart of Fire', is missing.
The prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, but detective Hercule Poirot, who also just happens to be a passenger on the train, is not convinced. He undertakes the investigation of the case by interviewing the girl's ex-husband, her father, her maid, her eccentric cousins and many other unconventional characters as he stages a reenactment of the journey.
Go along for the exciting ride with Poirot as he masterfully investigates this heinous crime. It is a mystery packed with greed, passion, and deceit. It's Agatha Christie at her best.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
On January 1, 2006, the first episode of series ten of Agatha Christie's Poirot, "The Mystery of the Blue Train," was made available for public viewing. This extended episode is based on the Agatha Christie book of the same name, which served as the source material. Guy Andrews wrote it, and Hettie Macdonald was the one who directed it.Poirot becomes involved in the investigation of the brutal murder of American heiress Ruth Kettering and the disappearance of her fabulous ruby known as the 'Heart of Fire' while he is on the Blue Train traveling between Calais and Nice. Who is to blame for this? To put together the pieces of the tragic puzzle, Poirot interviews the girl's father, her maid, her estranged husband, her eccentric cousins, and a host of other peculiar passengers.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
Robbery and brutal murder aboard a luxury transport ensnares the ever-attentive Hercule Poirot in The Mystery of the Blue Train, from Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie.
When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again-for a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing.
The prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, Derek. Yet Hercule Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie reenactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board. . . .
Black Coffee
Part 7 of the Hercule Poirot series
Sir Claud Amory's formula for a powerful new explosive has been stolen, presumably by a member of his large household. Sir Claud assembles his suspects in the library and locks the door, instructing them that the when the lights go out, the formula must be replaced on the table -- and no questions will be asked. But when the lights come on, Sir Claud is dead. Now Hercule Poirot, assisted by Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp, must unravel a tangle of family feuds, old flames, and suspicious foreigners to find the killer and prevent a global catastrophe.
Peril at End House
Part 8 of the Hercule Poirot series
In the Agatha Christie classic Peril at End House, a young woman who has recently survived a series of very close calls appears to be the target of a dedicated killer-and it's up to Hercule Poirot to save her life.
On holiday on the Cornish Riviera, Hercule Poirot is alarmed to hear pretty Nick Buckley describe her recent "accidental brushes with death." First, on a treacherous Cornish hillside, the brakes on her car failed. Then, on a coastal path, a falling boulder missed her by inches. Later, an oil painting fell and almost crushed her in bed.
So when Poirot finds a bullet hole in Nick's sun hat, he decides that this girl needs his help. Can he find the would-be killer before he hits his target?
Lord Edgware Dies
Part 9 of the Hercule Poirot series
When Lord Edgware Dies a most unnatural death, detective Hercule Poirot must solve a most confounding conundrum: if the obvious killer, the slain peer's spiteful wife, didn't do it, who did? A classic from the queen of mystery, Agatha Christie.
When Lord Edgware is found murdered the police are baffled. His estranged actress wife was seen visiting him just before his death and Hercule Poirot himself heard her brag of her plan to "get rid" of him.
But how could she have stabbed Lord Edgware in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? It's a case that almost proves to be too much for the great Poirot.
Murder on the Orient Express
Part 10 of the Hercule Poirot series
Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer. Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again.
Three Act Tragedy
Part 11 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's classic, Three Act Tragedy, the normally unflappable Hercule Poirot faces his most baffling investigation: the seemingly motiveless murder of the thirteenth guest at dinner party, who choked to death on a cocktail containing not a trace of poison.
Sir Charles Cartwright should have known better than to allow thirteen guests to sit down for dinner. For at the end of the evening one of them is dead-choked by a cocktail that contained no trace of poison.
Predictable, says Hercule Poirot, the great detective. But entirely unpredictable is that he can find absolutely no motive for murder....
Death in the Clouds
Part 12 of the Hercule Poirot series
Hercule Poirot must solve a perplexing case of midair murder in Death in the Clouds when he discovers that the woman in seat two of the airborne aeroplane he's traveling on is quite unexpectedly-and unnaturally-deceased.
From seat No. 9, Hercule Poirot was ideally placed to observe his fellow air passengers on the short flight from Paris to London. Over to his right sat a pretty young woman, clearly infatuated with the man opposite; ahead, in seat No. 13, sat a countess with a poorly concealed cocaine habit; across the gangway in seat No. 8, a writer of detective fiction was being troubled by an aggressive wasp. Yes, Poirot is almost ideally placed to take it all in, except what he did not yet realize was that behind him, in seat No. 2, sat the slumped, lifeless body of a woman. Murdered, and likely by someone in Poirot's immediate proximity.
The ABC Murders
Part 13 of the Hercule Poirot series
There's a serial killer on the loose, bent on working his way through the alphabet. There seems little chance of the murderer being caught -- until her makes the crucial and vain mistake of challenging Hercule Poirot to frustrate his plans ...
Murder in Mesopotamia
Part 14 of the Hercule Poirot series
Suspicious events at a Middle Eastern archaeological excavation site intrigue the great Hercule Poirot as he investigates Murder in Mesopotamia, a classic murder mystery from Agatha Christie. Amy Leatheram has never felt the lure of the mysterious East, but when she travels to an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert to nurse the wife of a celebrated archaeologist, events prove stranger than she could ever have imagined. Her patient's bizarre visions and nervous terror seem unfounded, but as the oppressive tension in the air thickens, events come to a terrible climax--in murder. With one spot of blood as his only clue, Hercule Poirot must embark on a journey not just across the desert, but into the darkest crevices of the human soul to unravel a mystery which taxes even his remarkable powers.
Cards on the Table
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 15 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's classic mystery, Cards on the Table, the wily Hercule Poirot is on the case when a bridge night turns deadly Mr. Shaitana is famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he is a man of whom everybody is a little afraid. So when he boasts to Hercule Poirot that he considers murder an art form, the detective has some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana's "private collection." Indeed, what begins as an absorbing evening of bridge is to turn into a more dangerous game altogether.…
Dumb Witness
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 17 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's Dumb Witness, Hercule Poirot investigates the very suspicious death of an elderly spinster who, fearing the very worst, had written to the great detective prior to her demise. Everyone blamed Emily Arundell's accident on a rubber ball left on the stairs by her frisky terrier. But the more she thought about her fall, the more convinced she became that one of her relatives was trying to kill her.…On April 17th she wrote her suspicions in a letter to Hercule Poirot. Mysteriously, he didn't receive the letter until June 28th…by which time Emily was already dead.…
Death on the Nile
Part 18 of the Hercule Poirot series
Following the success of Murder on the Orient Express directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, Twentieth Century Fox will next adapt this classic Hercule Poirot mystery for the big screen.
Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries, Death on the Nile.
The tranquility of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.
Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: "I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger." Yet in this exotic setting nothing is ever quite what it seems.
Appointment With Death
Part 19 of the Hercule Poirot series
Hercule Poirot may be on vacation, but a killer isn't. The victim's a hateful tourist despised even by her own children. For the guests at the resort hotel, sympathies are with the murderer, which means a tough job for the Belgian detective.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Part 20 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Hercule Poirot's Christmas, the holidays are anything but merry when a family reunion is marred by murder-and the notoriously fastidious investigator is quickly on the case.
Christmas Eve, and the Lee family's reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.
When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man. . . .
The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories
Featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Mr. Parker Pyne
Part 21 of the Hercule Poirot series
There's a body in a trunk; a dead girl's reflection is caught in a mirror; and one corpse is back from the grave, while another is envisioned in the recurring nightmare of a terrified eccentric. What's behind such ghastly misdeeds? Try money, revenge, passion, and pleasure. With multiple motives, multiple victims, and multiple suspects, it's going to take a multitude of talent to solve these clever crimes. In this inviting collection, Agatha Christie enlists the services of her finest-Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Parker Pyne-and puts them each to the test in the most challenging cases of their careers.
Sad Cypress
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 22 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery Sad Cypress, a woman damned by overwhelming evidence stands accused of murdering her romantic rival, and only Hercule Poirot stands between her and the gallows. Beautiful young Elinor Carlisle stood serenely in the dock, accused of the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. The evidence was damning: only Elinor had the motive, the opportunity, and the means to administer the fatal poison. Yet, inside the hostile courtroom, only one man still presumed Elinor was innocent until proven guilty. Hercule Poirot was all that stood between Elinor and the gallows.…
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Part 23 of the Hercule Poirot series
The meticulous detective Hercule Poirot suspects the worst of the death of a dentist in this classic mystery by Queen of Whodunits, Agatha Christie. Even the great detective Hercule Poirot harbored a deep and abiding fear of the dentist, so it was with some trepidation that he arrived at the celebrated Dr. Morley's surgery for a dental examination. But what neither of them knew was that only hours later Poirot would be back to examine the dentist, found dead in his own surgery. Turning to the other patients for answers, Poirot finds other, darker, questions.…
Evil Under the Sun
Part 24 of the Hercule Poirot series
The classic Evil Under the Sun, one of the most famous of Agatha Christie's Poirot investigations, has the fastidious sleuth on the trail of the killer of a sun-bronzed beauty whose death brings some rather shocking secrets into the light.
The beautiful bronzed body of Arlena Stuart lay face down on the beach. But strangely, there was no sun and Arlena was not sunbathing…she had been strangled.
Ever since Arlena's arrival the air had been thick with sexual tension. Each of the guests had a motive to kill her, including Arlena's new husband. But Hercule Poirot suspects that this apparent "crime of passion" conceals something much more evil.
Five Little Pigs
Part 25 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's classic, Five Little Pigs, beloved detective Hercule Poirot races to solve a case from out of the past. Beautiful Caroline Crale was convicted of poisoning her husband, but just like the nursery rhyme, there were five other "little pigs" who could have done it: Philip Blake (the stockbroker), who went to market; Meredith Blake (the amateur herbalist), who stayed at home; Elsa Greer (the three-time divorcée), who had her roast beef; Cecilia Williams (the devoted governess), who had none; and Angela Warren (the disfigured sister), who cried all the way home. Sixteen years later, Caroline's daughter is determined to prove her mother's innocence, and Poirot just can't get that nursery rhyme out of his mind.
The Hollow
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 26 of the Hercule Poirot series
Agatha Christie's classic, The Hollow, finds Poirot entangled in a nasty web of family secrets when he comes across a fresh murder at an English country manor. A far-from-warm welcome greets Hercule Poirot as he arrives for lunch at Lucy Angkatell's country house. A man lies dying by the swimming pool, his blood dripping into the water. His wife stands over him, holding a revolver. As Poirot investigates, he begins to realize that beneath the respectable surface lies a tangle of family secrets and everyone becomes a suspect.
The Labors of Hercules
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 27 of the Hercule Poirot series
In appearance Hercule Poirot hardly resembled an ancient Greek hero. Yet-reasoned the detective-like Hercules he had been responsible for ridding society of some of its most unpleasant monsters. So, in the period leading up to his retirement, Poirot made up his mind to accept just twelve more cases: his self-imposed 'Labours'. Each would go down in the annals of crime as a heroic feat of deduction.
The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories
Part 28 of the Hercule Poirot series
Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories is a collection of eleven tantalizing tales of murder and other criminal pursuits-including the classic title story, the basis for the 1957 Oscar-nominated Billy Wilder film starring Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power, and Charles Laughton. A murder trial takes a diabolical turn when the wife of the accused takes the stand.... A woman's sixth sense-and a loaded revolver-signal premonitions of doom.... A stranded motorist seeks refuge in a remote mansion and is greeted with a dire warning.... Detective Hercule Poirot faces his greatest challenge when his services are enlisted-by the victim-in a bizarre locked-room murder. From the stunning title story (which inspired the classic film thriller) to the rarest gems in detective fiction, these eleven tales of baffling crime and brilliant deduction showcase Agatha Christie at her dazzling best.
Taken at the Flood
Hercule Poirot Investigates
Part 29 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Agatha Christie's classic puzzler Taken at the Flood, the indefatigable Hercule Poiroit investigates the troubling case of a twice-widowed woman. A few weeks after marrying an attractive widow, Gordon Cloade is tragically killed by a bomb blast in the London blitz. Overnight, the former Mrs. Underhay finds herself in sole possession of the Cloade family fortune. Shortly afterward, Hercule Poirot receives a visit from the dead man's sister-in-law who claims she has been warned by "spirits" that Mrs. Underhay's first husband is still alive. Poirot has his suspicions when he is asked to find a missing person guided only by the spirit world. Yet what mystifies Poirot most is the woman's true motive for approaching him.…
Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
Part 30 of the Hercule Poirot series
Agatha Christie demonstrates her unparalleled mastery with Three Blind Mice and Other Stories-a classic compendium of mystery and suspense, crime and detection, whose title novella served as the basis for The Mousetrap, the longest running stage play in the history of the London theater. A blinding snowstorm-and a homicidal maniac-traps a small party of friends in an isolated estate. Out of this deceptively simple setup, Agatha Christie fashioned one of her most ingenious puzzlers, which in turn would provide the basis for The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in history. From this classic title novella to the deliciously clever gems on its tail (solved to perfection by Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple), this rare collection of murder most foul showcases Christie at her inventive best.
Three Blind Mice
A Short Story
Part 30 of the Hercule Poirot series
Previously published in the print anthology Three Blind Mice and Other Stories. The patrons and residents of the newly opened guesthouse Monkswell Manor find themselves trapped by a snowstorm and threatened by a psychotic killer. With a finite cast of characters in this "locked room" mystery, it is not long before suspicions are voiced, and, under growing pressure, even newlyweds Molly and Giles each start to suspect the other of being a killer.
The Under Dog and Other Stories
Part 31 of the Hercule Poirot series
A beautiful heiress has been found dead on a train. A playboy has been stabbed through the heart during a costume ball. An elderly woman suspects that she is being slowly poisoned to death. A prince fears for his reputation when his fiancée is embroiled in another man's murder. A forgotten recluse makes headlines after he is shot in the head. Who but Agatha Christie could concoct such canny crimes? Who but Belgian detective Hercule Poirot could possibly solve them? It's a challenge to be met-in a triumph of detection.
Mrs. McGinty's Dead
Part 32 of the Hercule Poirot series
In Mrs. McGinty's Dead, one of Agatha Christie's most ingenious mysteries, the intrepid Hercule Poirot must look into the case of a brutally murdered landlady.
Mrs. McGinty died from a brutal blow to the back of her head. Suspicion falls immediately on her shifty lodger, James Bentley, whose clothes reveal traces of the victim's blood and hair. Yet something is amiss: Bentley just doesn't seem like a murderer.
Could the answer lie in an article clipped from a newspaper two days before the death? With a desperate killer still free, Hercule Poirot will have to stay alive long enough to find out. . . .