Status
Available
Call number
Series
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Collection
Publication
New York, NY, Bantam Book, 1979
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Short Stories. Historical Fiction. HTML: 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… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member smik
The blurb on the book (not from the 1924 edition) says
Two things bind these eleven stories together - the brilliance and uncanny skill of the diminutive Belgian detective, and the stupidity of his Watson-like partner, Captain Hastings. Beyond narrating the stories, Hastings serves only one purpose
This short story collection saw Hercule Poirot's third appearance in 11 stories. He had previously appeared in THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES and THE MURDER ON THE LINKS.
Besides Poirot and Hastings, Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard makes several appearances. The stories are all pretty well set in the early 1920s and are narrated by Hastings. Poirot often tells Hastings that he really doesn't have what it takes to be a good detective, with the result that Hastings gets quite angry with Poirot's pomposity, but has to admit that, in the long run, Hercule Poirot is always right.
For me the pick of these stories is The Adventure of "The Western Star", The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb, and The Disappearance of Davenheim.
The cover shown top left is the dust-jacket illustration of the first UK edition. It certainly shows a familiar figure doesn't it!
All of the stories were first published, unillustrated, in the UK in The Sketch magazine during 1923.
In the US, all of the stories first appeared in the monthly Blue Book Magazine, 1923-1925, with 3 extra stories during 1925.
The stories are
The Adventure of "The Western Star"
The Western Star is a flawless diamond given to an actress by her doting husband as a wedding present. Legend says that it was once the left eye of a temple god, and the actress is receiving letters that threaten to steal it. The actress insists, against Hercule Poirot's advice, that she will be wearing it at a country houseparty on the weekend, and it is stolen under Poirot's very nose.
Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
Poirot is asked to investigate the death of a man who recently insured his life for a fortune. The doctor gives a verdict of heart failure. The widow is much younger than her dead husband and Poirot finds that suspicious.
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
This is the most tangled of the stories in this collection, and really the one that I found most difficult to follow, and that I liked the least. A friend of Hastings recounts the tale of a newly married couple who have managed to rent a flat in Knightsbridge for a remarkably low price. And yet others were told that the flat was already let. Hastings "solves" the mystery, and then Poirot demonstrates just how wrong Hasting's solution is.
The Mystery of Hunters Lodge
Poirot is recovering from influenza, and so he sends Hastings to Derbyshire to investigate a murder. Poirot says Hastings knows his methods but asks that Hastings report to him fully every day, and then follow to the letter any instructions he may send. Inspector Japp is already at the scene of the crime and rather unkindly remarks that to send Hastings is rather like to send the cart without the horse. Hastings finds the murder scene disappointingly lacking in clues. He reports to Poirot in a long letter and sends some photographs with it. Poirot is scathing about his efforts, and predictably solves the crime easily, although the culprits by this time have escaped.
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
A million dollars worth of Liberty Bonds which the London and Scottish Bank were sending to New York, have disappeared on board the liner in transit. And yet the bonds didn't vanish. They were sold in small parcels within half an hour of the ship docking in New York. Poirot takes on the case to oblige the pretty young fiance of the man who was in charge of the bonds on the voyage. According to Poirot the solution is too easy. Hastings get annoyed that Poirot has such a conceited opinion of himself.
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
Are the Egyptian tombs cursed? It certainly seems so when excavators of an Egyptian tomb die suddenly, one from a heart attack, and the other from blood poisoning. A few days later the nephew of one of them shoots himself. Lady Willard, the widow of the man who died of a heart attack, fears for her son and consults Hercules Poirot. Hastings finds it strange that Poirot seems to agree that a curse is a real possibility. Poirot even agrees to travel to Egypt to investigate, despite the fact that he is extremely prone to sea sickness. They arrive to find that there has been yet another death.
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
Hastings treats Poirot to a weekend at the Grand Metropolitan in Brighton, where the dresses and the jewellery of the women at dinner are magnificent. Hastings sees a couple that he knows and the man's wife wants to show him the pearl necklace she has in her room. She is devastated to find that they have disappeared. Who better to work out where they have gone than Hercule Poirot?
The Kidnapped Prime Minister
This story is set just after the end of the First World War. England's Prime Minister has nearly been assassinated on the eve of the approaching Allied Conference. But there is worse to come. The Prime Minister has disappeared, kidnapped. It appears the abduction took place in France, although his secretary has been found chloroformed and gagged, in an abandoned farm. This was a national crisis in which Poirot made a valuable contribution.
The Disappearance of Davenheim
Poirot and Hastings are expecting Inspector Japp to tea. The papers are full of the strange disappearance of the senior partner of a firm of well-known bankers and financiers. Japp lays the evidence before them, Hastings jumps to the obvious, and Poirot tells Japp exactly where to find Davenheim.
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Dr. Hawker, a near neighbour, often drops in on Hastings and Poirot for a chat. Hawker is a great admirer of Poirot's genius. Hawker's housekeeper comes to tell him that he has had a very strange phone call from an Italian Count he has been attending. When they arrive, the Count is dead, killed by a nasty blow to the head. Poirot is puzzled by the murder scene, by the absence of something he thinks ought to be there.
The Case of the Missing Will.
Miss Violet Marsh has been left Crabtree Manor by her uncle in an extraordinary will. She may live in the house for a year, but must prove her wits in that time, otherwise his large fortune will pass to charity. Poirot concludes there must be a second will, one she is meant to find, and he undertakes to look for it for her. Hastings on the other hand thinks Miss Marsh is really cheating by employing Poirot to solve the problem for her.
Two things bind these eleven stories together - the brilliance and uncanny skill of the diminutive Belgian detective, and the stupidity of his Watson-like partner, Captain Hastings. Beyond narrating the stories, Hastings serves only one purpose
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- to highlight Poirot's brilliance by displaying his own stupidity.This short story collection saw Hercule Poirot's third appearance in 11 stories. He had previously appeared in THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES and THE MURDER ON THE LINKS.
Besides Poirot and Hastings, Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard makes several appearances. The stories are all pretty well set in the early 1920s and are narrated by Hastings. Poirot often tells Hastings that he really doesn't have what it takes to be a good detective, with the result that Hastings gets quite angry with Poirot's pomposity, but has to admit that, in the long run, Hercule Poirot is always right.
For me the pick of these stories is The Adventure of "The Western Star", The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb, and The Disappearance of Davenheim.
The cover shown top left is the dust-jacket illustration of the first UK edition. It certainly shows a familiar figure doesn't it!
All of the stories were first published, unillustrated, in the UK in The Sketch magazine during 1923.
In the US, all of the stories first appeared in the monthly Blue Book Magazine, 1923-1925, with 3 extra stories during 1925.
The stories are
The Adventure of "The Western Star"
The Western Star is a flawless diamond given to an actress by her doting husband as a wedding present. Legend says that it was once the left eye of a temple god, and the actress is receiving letters that threaten to steal it. The actress insists, against Hercule Poirot's advice, that she will be wearing it at a country houseparty on the weekend, and it is stolen under Poirot's very nose.
Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
Poirot is asked to investigate the death of a man who recently insured his life for a fortune. The doctor gives a verdict of heart failure. The widow is much younger than her dead husband and Poirot finds that suspicious.
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
This is the most tangled of the stories in this collection, and really the one that I found most difficult to follow, and that I liked the least. A friend of Hastings recounts the tale of a newly married couple who have managed to rent a flat in Knightsbridge for a remarkably low price. And yet others were told that the flat was already let. Hastings "solves" the mystery, and then Poirot demonstrates just how wrong Hasting's solution is.
The Mystery of Hunters Lodge
Poirot is recovering from influenza, and so he sends Hastings to Derbyshire to investigate a murder. Poirot says Hastings knows his methods but asks that Hastings report to him fully every day, and then follow to the letter any instructions he may send. Inspector Japp is already at the scene of the crime and rather unkindly remarks that to send Hastings is rather like to send the cart without the horse. Hastings finds the murder scene disappointingly lacking in clues. He reports to Poirot in a long letter and sends some photographs with it. Poirot is scathing about his efforts, and predictably solves the crime easily, although the culprits by this time have escaped.
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
A million dollars worth of Liberty Bonds which the London and Scottish Bank were sending to New York, have disappeared on board the liner in transit. And yet the bonds didn't vanish. They were sold in small parcels within half an hour of the ship docking in New York. Poirot takes on the case to oblige the pretty young fiance of the man who was in charge of the bonds on the voyage. According to Poirot the solution is too easy. Hastings get annoyed that Poirot has such a conceited opinion of himself.
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
Are the Egyptian tombs cursed? It certainly seems so when excavators of an Egyptian tomb die suddenly, one from a heart attack, and the other from blood poisoning. A few days later the nephew of one of them shoots himself. Lady Willard, the widow of the man who died of a heart attack, fears for her son and consults Hercules Poirot. Hastings finds it strange that Poirot seems to agree that a curse is a real possibility. Poirot even agrees to travel to Egypt to investigate, despite the fact that he is extremely prone to sea sickness. They arrive to find that there has been yet another death.
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
Hastings treats Poirot to a weekend at the Grand Metropolitan in Brighton, where the dresses and the jewellery of the women at dinner are magnificent. Hastings sees a couple that he knows and the man's wife wants to show him the pearl necklace she has in her room. She is devastated to find that they have disappeared. Who better to work out where they have gone than Hercule Poirot?
The Kidnapped Prime Minister
This story is set just after the end of the First World War. England's Prime Minister has nearly been assassinated on the eve of the approaching Allied Conference. But there is worse to come. The Prime Minister has disappeared, kidnapped. It appears the abduction took place in France, although his secretary has been found chloroformed and gagged, in an abandoned farm. This was a national crisis in which Poirot made a valuable contribution.
The Disappearance of Davenheim
Poirot and Hastings are expecting Inspector Japp to tea. The papers are full of the strange disappearance of the senior partner of a firm of well-known bankers and financiers. Japp lays the evidence before them, Hastings jumps to the obvious, and Poirot tells Japp exactly where to find Davenheim.
The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Dr. Hawker, a near neighbour, often drops in on Hastings and Poirot for a chat. Hawker is a great admirer of Poirot's genius. Hawker's housekeeper comes to tell him that he has had a very strange phone call from an Italian Count he has been attending. When they arrive, the Count is dead, killed by a nasty blow to the head. Poirot is puzzled by the murder scene, by the absence of something he thinks ought to be there.
The Case of the Missing Will.
Miss Violet Marsh has been left Crabtree Manor by her uncle in an extraordinary will. She may live in the house for a year, but must prove her wits in that time, otherwise his large fortune will pass to charity. Poirot concludes there must be a second will, one she is meant to find, and he undertakes to look for it for her. Hastings on the other hand thinks Miss Marsh is really cheating by employing Poirot to solve the problem for her.
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LibraryThing member amareshjoshi
The usual silliness. With 1920s style racism and militarism thrown in. One amusing note: Hastings refers to Inspector Japp as "a little ferret-faced fellow". Quite a different image from the actor who played him on the BBC series.
There are a few pages at the end of the book where Christie explains
There are a few pages at the end of the book where Christie explains
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where she came up with the idea of Poirot and what his favorite cases may have been. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookAngel_a
I just love Poirot! These 11 stories are extremely enjoyable. Poirot is his usual lovably arrogant self. Poirot fans will enjoy the last tale, which is Poirot's only "failure". Each story has a satisfying conclusion and the expected tricky plot twists.
LibraryThing member IrishHolger
Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes was always at best when confined to the limits of a short story. In novel form he always suffered badly. With Agatha Christie and Poirot it seems to be the other way round. Whereas her novels are some of the best Whodunnits ever, her short stories are not all
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that mysterious and full of badly fledged out characters and incredibly forced situations. For completists only I guess. Show Less
LibraryThing member RebeccaAnn
One of the best thing about Agatha Christie's mysteries are they are almost interactive. You spend the entire novel constantly changing who you think the culprit is. Every clue is given to you and yet, at the end, Christie still manages to dupe you.
This collection of short stories, however, didn't
Granted, Christie's schemes were still brilliant and there were a couple fascinating stories in here. My favorites were The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb, The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim, and The Chocolate Box (the first Christie book/short story in which Poirot actually fails to figure out whodunnit).
So while many of the scenarios were entertaining and fun to read, I missed the chance to solve the case myself. I would still recommend this book for die hard Agatha Christie lovers out there who want to read all of her books (like me) but a casual reader might want to just skip this book.
This collection of short stories, however, didn't
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allow that type of guesswork. Rarely was the reader provided with all the clues necessary to solve the case. A lot of time, a necessary clue was given after Poirot had already solved the case for us. It was a bit disappointing.Granted, Christie's schemes were still brilliant and there were a couple fascinating stories in here. My favorites were The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb, The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim, and The Chocolate Box (the first Christie book/short story in which Poirot actually fails to figure out whodunnit).
So while many of the scenarios were entertaining and fun to read, I missed the chance to solve the case myself. I would still recommend this book for die hard Agatha Christie lovers out there who want to read all of her books (like me) but a casual reader might want to just skip this book.
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LibraryThing member Teipu
Summary:
11 stories about the cases of the famous detective Hercule Poirot told by his friend Captain Hastings. The crimes vary from robbery and kidnapping to murder and take mostly place in London (one story in Egypt, one partly in France) before, while or after the first World War.
Opinion:
While
The best story was "The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim", as I would have never thought of that conclusion!
11 stories about the cases of the famous detective Hercule Poirot told by his friend Captain Hastings. The crimes vary from robbery and kidnapping to murder and take mostly place in London (one story in Egypt, one partly in France) before, while or after the first World War.
Opinion:
While
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some cases are really interesting and surprising, others are really confusing or absurd (especially "The Adventure of the Eqyptian Tomb" and "The Kidnapped Prime Minister"). The most scenarios really remind me of the Sherlock Holmes stories, but Poirot is much more unappealing.The best story was "The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim", as I would have never thought of that conclusion!
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LibraryThing member lahochstetler
I don't think this about all of Christie's Poirot episodes, but this collection reminded me very much of Sherlock Holmes. It might be the short story format, it might be the use of Hastings as narrator, or it might be Hastings's Watson-style toadying. It's probably also Poirot's insistence on the
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simplicity of the solution, based on logic and reasoning. In novel-length works Poirot's style is usually to gather all of the suspects and offer a dramatic revelation of the culprit. In these short stories Poirot engages in setting traps and capturing criminals red-handed. Again, this is much more like Holmes than Poirot. In each of these cases Poirot is the only one with any focus. All of the other characters, including Hastings, are led astray by incorrect assumptions. I had the same reaction to Poirot short stories as I did to Miss Marple stories- they're a bit of fun, but I prefer the novel-length works. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tanya-dogearedcopy
Individually, I can't say much for the mysteries themselves. There wasn't enough information given in any of the stories to help the listener solve any of the whodunnits; but overall the stories provide nice background color for the characters of Poirot and Hastings. David Suchet, the actor who
Redacted from the original blog review at dog eared copy, Hercule Poirot Mysteries (1-4): Mini Op-Ed Reviews, 10/10/2011
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played Hercule Poirot in the BBC series, narrates. As to be expected, he was great at portraying Poirot and very good at the other male characters; but his women and Americans were truly awful.Redacted from the original blog review at dog eared copy, Hercule Poirot Mysteries (1-4): Mini Op-Ed Reviews, 10/10/2011
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LibraryThing member Barb_H
Audiobook of short stories of Hercule Poirot. The stories moved so fast that it was kind of hard to keep up and follow what was going on most of the time. I probably should have read this instead, although I think my mind would have wondered too much still lol. The stories I was able to follow well
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were good though, very entertaining. And I loved the narrator's voice. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
This is the first collection of short stories published. The stories are narrated by Captain Hastings as Watson to Poirot's Holmes. The stories are an interesting bunch, mainly because they herald themes, such as natural justice, that Christie picked up in her later work.
LibraryThing member antiquary
This is a duplicate copy. Personally I agree with Ambrose Bierce that (all too often) a novel is only a short story padded, especially when it comes to mysteries. These Poirot short stories really established him as a series character, as the Strand magazine short stories established Sherlock
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Holmes. It is a pity they are told by the fatuous and self=flattering Captain Hastings, a far stupider Watson than Watson ever was. On the plus side, several of the crimes are thefts or the like rather than murders. It is nice not to always have a body. Show Less
LibraryThing member jrsearcher
The short stories always seem to have some sort of "gotcha" Sometimes, AC drops a clue, but its obscurity is somewhat frustrating (the point of not "using one's little grey cells, I suppose.)
And, Hastings is still an idiot.
And, Hastings is still an idiot.
LibraryThing member bbbart
Being the third in the Poirot series of Agatha Christie, the fourth one for me to read, I was least impressed by `Poirot Investigates'. This book is a small series in itself with about ten short stories of Poirot investigating and solving distinct cases.
Sure, the murders, crimes and mysteries are
Nevertheless, an enjoying read if one doesn't go through all the stories in one night, I suppose. :-)
Sure, the murders, crimes and mysteries are
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all very well thought off, much distinct and unique, but there is hardly any room in the stories for plot lines other than the straightforward one of solving the case. Nor do the stories shed much extra light on the characters of Poirot or Hasting or do you see them evolve throug the book. The fact that all stories are so short and quickly solved also leaves little room for the reader to try and break his head over it himself.Nevertheless, an enjoying read if one doesn't go through all the stories in one night, I suppose. :-)
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LibraryThing member jguidry
A short story collection starring Hercule Poirot. As with any anthology, some stories were good, some not so good. Overall, I enjoyed the collection. It was hard to read some of the racist remarks throughout the stories, though. It is difficult to separate the time period the stories were written
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from my modern belief systems. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie is a collection of eleven short stories, all featuring Hercule Poirot and his friend Colonel Hastings. Originally published in 1924, these stories are all meant to highlight Poirot’s superb skill at detection as he solves each one quickly and ties up all the
In |”The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge” Poirot cannot even go to investigate the case in person as he is suffering from influenza. Instead he has Hasting go, ask questions and then telephone him. To everyone’s surprise he is able to solve the case immediately which stretched my believability somewhat. I also enjoyed that some of these stories were very easy for the reader to figure out, making me feel a little more on a level with Poirot. The both of us could feel smug while Hastings and the police struggled to find the answer.
Overall I found Poirot Investigates a very engaging set of stories which included a locked room mystery, the abduction of a Prime Minister, a million dollar robbery and enough murders to satisfy the bloodthirsty. All are written with Christie’s light touch and flair. Reading this book is very much like taking a trip back to 1920’s Britain with the added bonus of the amazing deductive powers of Hercule Poirot.
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loose ends.In |”The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge” Poirot cannot even go to investigate the case in person as he is suffering from influenza. Instead he has Hasting go, ask questions and then telephone him. To everyone’s surprise he is able to solve the case immediately which stretched my believability somewhat. I also enjoyed that some of these stories were very easy for the reader to figure out, making me feel a little more on a level with Poirot. The both of us could feel smug while Hastings and the police struggled to find the answer.
Overall I found Poirot Investigates a very engaging set of stories which included a locked room mystery, the abduction of a Prime Minister, a million dollar robbery and enough murders to satisfy the bloodthirsty. All are written with Christie’s light touch and flair. Reading this book is very much like taking a trip back to 1920’s Britain with the added bonus of the amazing deductive powers of Hercule Poirot.
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LibraryThing member jimgysin
This collection of fourteen Hercule Poirot short stories shows just how difficult it is to work well in the format, especially when it comes to mysteries. It's very hard to include many red herrings or an expanded cast of potential guilty parties when you don't have hundreds of pages of narrative
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at your disposal, which means that it's very hard to trick your readers and leave them in the dark until the final denouement. (This is also why mystery television series composed of standalone episodes have never particularly appealed to me, as I can't remember the last time I remained in the dark for the entire 43 minutes of an episode. The poor writers simply don't have enough time to build a really good mystery.) Still, there are some interesting bits here, both in terms of the mysteries themselves and in terms of revelations regarding Poirot himself, but it's just not up to the level of the novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member miyurose
I almost always like Agatha Christie, but I think her mysteries work better in novel format, rather than short stories. These were entertaining, but got a little repetitive. As you read one after the other, it gets easier to pick out the tricks of the trade. This book is perhaps best consumed a
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little at a time, something you pick up once every few weeks and knock out a story from. Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Poirot Investigates (American Version), Christie
? ? ?
11 3 different not-so-short stories: that did not really engage me.
All were: featuring a person who asked for help, Hastings being a lost as ever, M. Poirot being as clever as ever, but without much of a story or clues. After a brief explanation
1. The Adventure of "The Western Star": Jewel thievery & duplicity at the Full Moon
2. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor: M. Poirot investigates a murder made to look like suicide
3. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat: Two spies, Naval Plans, a murderous Italian in a cheaply sublet flat
4. The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge: A wife & maid are locked out of the room while the man of the house is killed by a bearded stranger,
5. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery: A banker's nephew is sent abroad w/ a million in bonds, when they disappear en route to their destination, M. Poirot investigates
6. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb: Death by curse of several Egyptologists, a nephew in need of money, a wife convinced of the curse
7. The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan: A rich woman goes to her room in order to show M. Poirot her exquisite pearls, but she find they are gone!
8. The Kidnapped Prime Minister: On his way to a very important & secret peace conference the Prime Minister is waylaid, M. Poirot sets out to find him.
9. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim: Mr. Davenheim goes out to post some correspondence, he does not return to meet his visitor... The safe's contents are missing... M. Poirot solves it all and never leaves his chair
10. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman: A telephoned cry for help from the Count, the butler takes a stroll, a table set for dinner and then cleared
11. The Case of the Missing Will: An Uncle leaves his clever niece a will, but then he writes a second one and hides it.... M. Poirot is hired to find it.
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12. The Veiled Lady: A jewel theft in broad daylight, a young woman being blackmailed, and a Chinese Puzzle Box
13. The Lost Mine: Poirot was once given shares in an ancient Chinese mine as payment for an investigation, but the papers were lost and a visit to an Opium Den was necessary to locate them
14. The Chocolate Box: M. Poirot's one "failure" to uncover the murderer of the French Deputy who was living in Brussels and was about to play an important political role in the separation of Church & State
? ? ?
11 3 different not-so-short stories: that did not really engage me.
All were: featuring a person who asked for help, Hastings being a lost as ever, M. Poirot being as clever as ever, but without much of a story or clues. After a brief explanation
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of the situation and a short discussion between M. Poirot & Hastings; VOILA! M. Poirot has the solution.1. The Adventure of "The Western Star": Jewel thievery & duplicity at the Full Moon
2. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor: M. Poirot investigates a murder made to look like suicide
3. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat: Two spies, Naval Plans, a murderous Italian in a cheaply sublet flat
4. The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge: A wife & maid are locked out of the room while the man of the house is killed by a bearded stranger,
5. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery: A banker's nephew is sent abroad w/ a million in bonds, when they disappear en route to their destination, M. Poirot investigates
6. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb: Death by curse of several Egyptologists, a nephew in need of money, a wife convinced of the curse
7. The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan: A rich woman goes to her room in order to show M. Poirot her exquisite pearls, but she find they are gone!
8. The Kidnapped Prime Minister: On his way to a very important & secret peace conference the Prime Minister is waylaid, M. Poirot sets out to find him.
9. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim: Mr. Davenheim goes out to post some correspondence, he does not return to meet his visitor... The safe's contents are missing... M. Poirot solves it all and never leaves his chair
10. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman: A telephoned cry for help from the Count, the butler takes a stroll, a table set for dinner and then cleared
11. The Case of the Missing Will: An Uncle leaves his clever niece a will, but then he writes a second one and hides it.... M. Poirot is hired to find it.
***************************************************************************
12. The Veiled Lady: A jewel theft in broad daylight, a young woman being blackmailed, and a Chinese Puzzle Box
13. The Lost Mine: Poirot was once given shares in an ancient Chinese mine as payment for an investigation, but the papers were lost and a visit to an Opium Den was necessary to locate them
14. The Chocolate Box: M. Poirot's one "failure" to uncover the murderer of the French Deputy who was living in Brussels and was about to play an important political role in the separation of Church & State
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LibraryThing member Schmerguls
This is a book of short stories. When I finished them I said the book was good, but I was not crazy about Poirot.
LibraryThing member TomDonaghey
Poirot Investigates (1923) (Poirot # 3) by Agatha Christie. This is the third outing for Poirot and his Watson, Captain Hastings. As narrator to the eleven tales herein Hastings does a serviceable job, his lack of understanding of the various cases only serving to underscore Poirot’s brillance.
No matter what the case, from blackmail, jewels that have gone missing, an unusually inexpensive apartment in a very costly block of flats, missing Prime Ministers or Egyptian curses (keep in mind Dame Agatha’s husband was an archeologist) our detective shines his searchlight of an intellect and reveals the hidden truths.
The thing to remember with a book such as this is that this is the basis for much of what comes later. I’ve seen the film and television adaptations of Dame Agatha’s detectives, but going back to the source material is very refreshing. Poirot is still a “NEW” detective. His quirks are not expected but fresh, his “little gray cells” are not a cliched saying for him but rather a novel look at the detection process (okay, purists will look to Mr. Holmes and his bowl full of shag as meditation device) and his habit of not acting like a bloodhound but sitting and thinking carefully, well, that is still brand new.
If in long form or the short story, Poirot never fails to entertain.
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No matter what the case, from blackmail, jewels that have gone missing, an unusually inexpensive apartment in a very costly block of flats, missing Prime Ministers or Egyptian curses (keep in mind Dame Agatha’s husband was an archeologist) our detective shines his searchlight of an intellect and reveals the hidden truths.
The thing to remember with a book such as this is that this is the basis for much of what comes later. I’ve seen the film and television adaptations of Dame Agatha’s detectives, but going back to the source material is very refreshing. Poirot is still a “NEW” detective. His quirks are not expected but fresh, his “little gray cells” are not a cliched saying for him but rather a novel look at the detection process (okay, purists will look to Mr. Holmes and his bowl full of shag as meditation device) and his habit of not acting like a bloodhound but sitting and thinking carefully, well, that is still brand new.
If in long form or the short story, Poirot never fails to entertain.
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LibraryThing member dh-writer
I was expecting a Poirot novel. This is a collection of short short stories. More like vignettes or summaries. They don't give you much chance to try to solve the crime yourself. Still, vintage Poirot is always a fun read.
LibraryThing member Figgles
A selection of early Poirot short stories, set in the interwar years (originally published in 1924),, many of which have thriller-ish overtones. Plenty of fun to be had, with the relationship between the slightly obtuse Hastings and the conceited, but always right, Hercule Poirot. Slight and short,
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a quick read with a sense of time and place. Came back to this as I'm listening to the entertaining podcast "All about Agatha" (available on many streaming platforms). Show Less
LibraryThing member Wiszard
Very good book of short stories from the master mystery author Agatha Christie. Join Hercule Poirot as he solves numerous crimes unsolvable by the police. This book is very enjoyable. I had difficulty putting it down.
LibraryThing member reading_fox
A collection of short stories with Hercule Poirot, knowing all the answers and poor old Captain Hastings bumbling about afterwards having everything explained to him. Poirot's little grey cells do much without evidence, and sometimes he disappears gathering facts only later presented to the reader.
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So as such it can be disappointing if you're trying to guess the solutions - but that's not really the point of Christie's' writing. They're all fun little character studies, and enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie is a 2001 Harper publication- originally published in 1925
A clever and lively group of eleven short stories by Agatha Christie, featuring Hercule Poirot!
Short stories are a hard sell for me, normally, but this book was a perfect fit for me right now. The
4 stars!
A clever and lively group of eleven short stories by Agatha Christie, featuring Hercule Poirot!
Short stories are a hard sell for me, normally, but this book was a perfect fit for me right now. The
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stories in this collection are very short and I could read one or two a night a feel a sense of accomplishment. Not only that, the mysteries were so entertaining and fun I felt my mood lighten with each session with Agatha’s brilliant detective! 4 stars!
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1924-03-01
ISBN
0553128388 / 9780553128383