Series
Publication
Harper Collins (2005)
Original publication date
1974-09-01
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Description
Captain Hastings recounts 18 of Poirot's early cases from the days before he was famous... Hercule Poirot delighted in telling people that he was probably the best detective in the world. So turning back the clock to trace eighteen of the cases which helped establish his professional reputation was always going to be a fascinating experience. With his career still in its formative years, the panache with which Hercule Poirot could solve even the most puzzling mystery is obvious. Chronicled by his friend Captain Hastings, these eighteen early cases - from theft and robbery to kidnapping and murder - were all guaranteed to test Poirot's soon-to-be-famous 'little grey cells' to their absolute limit.
User reviews
LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
As much as I prefer Christie's novels over the short stories, I do find that the short works make for interesting little diversions. As ever, they are well crafted and sure to entertain and amuse.
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Collection of short stories, most of which have been published before in other collections, although there were a couple that I didn't remember. As I've been reading Christie's crime stories in publication order, it was nice to see Hastings again.
LibraryThing member BookAngel_a
I'm trying to read all of Christie's writings, and I was disappointed with this. I thought I would love it, but I had already read all but two of the short stories. Of course, I love reading anything with Poirot and Hastings, but I was hoping for fresh material.
LibraryThing member Abbess
1974; a nice collection of some now very familar stories (from TV) mixed with several that were previously very difficult to find, having been published in book form either only in the UK or in the US but not both. All were previously published in magazines (from 1923 through 1936) and most of the
The Affair of the Victory Ball
� harlequinade and murder; a bit better than filmed version although that was very good
The King of Clubs
âÂ" a dancer gets blackmailed and does something about it
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stories were filmed early in the series with David Suchet as Poirot. Contains:The Affair of the Victory Ball
� harlequinade and murder; a bit better than filmed version although that was very good
The King of Clubs
âÂ" a dancer gets blackmailed and does something about it
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LibraryThing member charlie68
Entertaining audio-book by the two narrators.Like radio theatre. The stories themselves are all incredibly complicated but solved usually quite simply by Mr. Poirot. Someone whose two steps ahead of everyone else.
LibraryThing member Bruce_McNair
This book is a collection of short stories that tell the great Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s early cases, usually from the viewpoint of his friend Captain Hastings. The stories are a mixed bag, many with nice twists at the end - one of Agatha Christie’s trademarks. But there are a few with
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more predictable outcomes. Overall it’s a good collection. I give it 3.5 stars out of 5. Show Less
LibraryThing member Matke
This is a collection of 18 short stories which had previously been collected in other editions. As usual in collections, the quality varies from story to story. There are kidnappings, a spy story, and more usual murder mysteries.
Several plot line presented here are used to advantage in full length
Most of the stories are told by Hastings, who is truly a very nice man. It’s fun to see Poirot use his “foreignness” to bamboozle people into thinking that he’s a bit dim.
Among my favorites are Wasps Nest, Problem at Sea, The Veiled Lady (lifted from a Holmes story), and The Adventure of the Clapham Cook.
Several plot line presented here are used to advantage in full length
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murder mysteries. All sorts of devices are used: mistaken identity, the client as the criminal, the least obvious person—a Christie trademark.Most of the stories are told by Hastings, who is truly a very nice man. It’s fun to see Poirot use his “foreignness” to bamboozle people into thinking that he’s a bit dim.
Among my favorites are Wasps Nest, Problem at Sea, The Veiled Lady (lifted from a Holmes story), and The Adventure of the Clapham Cook.
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LibraryThing member smik
This title brings together 18 cases, and consisted of short stories I had mainly read in other collections. However I do not appear to have read Problem at Sea under that title.
It was originally called Poirot and the Crime in the Cabin and was not published till 1936.
The other 17 stories very
You can also find them on my list of 155 short stories
1 Plot summaries
1.1 The Affair at the Victory Ball
1.2 The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
1.3 The Cornish Mystery
1.4 The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
1.5 The Double Clue
1.6 The King of Clubs
1.7 The Lemesurier Inheritance
1.8 The Lost Mine
1.9 The Plymouth Express
1.10 The Chocolate Box
1.11 The Submarine Plans
1.12 The Third Floor Flat
1.13 Double Sin
1.14 The Market Basing Mystery
1.15 Wasps' Nest
1.16 The Veiled Lady
1.17 Problem at Sea
1.18 How Does Your Garden Grow?
The narrator in all of the stories is Captain Hastings and between them they create a history of his connection with Poirot both before World War One and after the war.
It was originally called Poirot and the Crime in the Cabin and was not published till 1936.
The other 17 stories very
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largely first appeared in magazines in 1923, 1924, 1925, and 1928, 1929, and 1932. Here is a set of links in Wikipedia.You can also find them on my list of 155 short stories
1 Plot summaries
1.1 The Affair at the Victory Ball
1.2 The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
1.3 The Cornish Mystery
1.4 The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
1.5 The Double Clue
1.6 The King of Clubs
1.7 The Lemesurier Inheritance
1.8 The Lost Mine
1.9 The Plymouth Express
1.10 The Chocolate Box
1.11 The Submarine Plans
1.12 The Third Floor Flat
1.13 Double Sin
1.14 The Market Basing Mystery
1.15 Wasps' Nest
1.16 The Veiled Lady
1.17 Problem at Sea
1.18 How Does Your Garden Grow?
The narrator in all of the stories is Captain Hastings and between them they create a history of his connection with Poirot both before World War One and after the war.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Figgles
An enjoyable collection of eighteen short stories featuring Poirot (and often narrated by Captain Hastings), primarily published in magazines in the 1920s and 1930s. These are light, fun and a quick read. They have the flavour of their era, and most have been adapted for television. Several
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contained the kernels of later novels and novellas (Market Basing Mystery / Murder in the News, How does your garden grow / Dumb Witness, Problem at sea / Death on the Nile). A good introduction to Poirot, or a nice reacquaintance with an old friend. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780007212873
Physical description
5.47 inches
Other editions
Poirot's Early Cases by Agatha Christie (Paperback)