Which Agatha Christie detectives are the best? List of Agatha Christie books: description and download in English
On January 12, 1976, at the age of 85, the queen of detective stories, writer Agatha Christie, died in Oxfordshire.
The result of Agatha Christie's literary work was 60 detective novels, 6 psychological novels (she wrote them under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott), 19 collections of short stories and 16 plays.
Agatha Christie's books have been published in over 4 billion copies and translated into more than 100 languages.
Of course, not all the works of the famous Englishwoman are original and captivate the reader from beginning to end: she has repetitions, cliches, and simply passable things. But most novels still keep the reader in great suspense: who the criminal is is not clear until the very last pages, and sometimes even lines.
"RG" tried to find the most twisted plots among Christie's extensive work.
1. "Murder on the Golf Course", 1923.
The novel begins with Hastings meeting a young woman on the Paris-Calais train, with whom he falls hopelessly in love. Her name is Dulcie Duveen. French oligarch Paul Reno was killed at his villa Genevieve. The day before his death, he sent a letter to the legendary detective Hercule Poirot asking him to come to his villa.
Poirot doesn't have time. At night, Monsieur Renault and his wife are attacked by two unknown men. Madame Renault is tied up and her husband is taken away. His body would later be discovered on an unfinished golf course. Poirot finds out that two weeks before his death, Renault changed his will. According to the new will, he bequeathed all his property to his wife, and left practically nothing to his son.
At the crime scene, the murdered man’s watch was found, which, although broken, continues to tick, but is exactly two hours too fast. Poirot has many questions. In particular, he is surprised that the servants did not hear anything, that the body was left where it would be quickly found, that the clock was rushing.
In the end, the following becomes clear: one man did something wrong in his youth and was forced to leave for Canada. There he became rich and returned back to France under the false name of Renault. But one woman recognized him and began to blackmail him. He decided to fake his own murder. But first he wrote a letter to Hercule Poirot that he was being threatened and asked for protection. When Poirot arrived, he picked up the corpse of a tramp and dressed him in his suit.
But Reno was killed anyway.
2. "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", 1926.
This novel is today recognized as one of Agatha Christie's best creations and a masterpiece of the genre. Thanks to the writer’s innovative technique, the detective rule “the reader must suspect each of the characters” received a new meaning. On November 6, 2013, the Crime Writers Association (CWA) recognized the novel as the best detective story of all time.
The novel takes place in the fictional English village of Kings Abbot. The story is told from the perspective of Dr. James Sheppard, who becomes an assistant to private detective Hercule Poirot, one of Christie's favorite characters.
The action begins with the death of Mrs. Ferrar, a wealthy widow rumored to have murdered her husband. The villagers believe that the widow committed suicide until Roger Ackroyd, a widower who was planning to marry Mrs. Ferrar, dies.
The following are under suspicion: Roger's daughter-in-law (the wife of his late brother Cecil) Mrs. Ackroyd, who suffers from hypochondria and has neurotic tendencies, who has many debts due to her extravagant expenses, daughter Flora, Major Blunt - an avid hunter, Geoffrey Raymond - Ackroyd's personal secretary, Roger's stepson Ralph Paton, also in huge debt, Parker, a nosy butler, and Ursula Bourne, a maid fired on the eve of the murder.
The first suspect is Ralph Paton, who is the heir of the murdered man. In addition, some evidence clearly points to him. Poirot, who has recently arrived in the village, begins an investigation at the request of Flora, who is engaged to Ralph.
The most notable technique, the use of which has led to much discussion, is the use of a narrator who ends up being the murderer. Agatha Christie's point was that Dr. Sheppard is not withholding the truth or lying - he is simply not saying anything. In particular, he "forgets" to mention what happened between 20.40 and 20.50, when Roger Ackroyd was actually killed.
In addition, many events occur in the novel that are distracting but have nothing to do with the crime itself (for example, Ralph's disappearance). At the same time, events take on new meaning in the eyes of the reader when the killer becomes known. Dr. Sheppard himself is amazed at his duplicity, the complexity of the investigation and the fact that so many people were under suspicion.
3. "Murder on the Orient Express", 1934.
Hercule Poirot, who is in Istanbul, urgently needs to leave for England. But all the seats on the famous Orient Express are suddenly taken. But the director of the company that owns the train, Monsieur Bouc, travels on the express himself and finds a place for Poirot. The next morning at breakfast, Poirot notices that in the carriage there are people of various nationalities, who came together quite by chance on this journey. One of the passengers, an unpleasant, suspicious American named Ratchett, offers Poirot to become his bodyguard for a substantial sum, since Ratchett has received death threats, but Poirot refuses. At night, Poirot is awakened by a knock on the door. When he leans out of the compartment to see who is disturbing his peace, he sees a woman in a kimono. In the morning it is discovered that the train, due to skidding, has stopped dead somewhere on the territory of Yugoslavia, and Mr. Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, with the door locked from the inside and the window open. However, Mrs. Hubbard, an elderly talkative American woman, claims that a man passed through her compartment, adjacent to Ratchett’s, at night.
Monsieur Bouc asks Poirot to investigate the case, and Poirot agrees. From the very beginning, the matter turns out to be very strange. Twelve knife wounds, both fatal and small, were found on the body of the murdered man, inflicted by both right-handed and left-handed people. There are too many clues in the compartment, and they all point to people who, at first glance, have nothing to do with the case. In addition, passengers confirm each other's alibis.
Poirot manages to identify the murdered man. The mysterious Ratchett turns out to be Cassetti, the organizer of the sensational kidnapping and murder of the Armstrong child, who managed to escape justice. Poirot realizes that all the passengers are connected to the Armstrong family, including the French conductor whose daughter was a kidnapping suspect and jumped out of a window.
Having gathered all the characters, Poirot sets out two versions of what happened. According to the first version, Cassetti was killed by a member of the mafia who entered the train in the conductor's uniform and escaped in a kimono. According to the second, Cassetti was killed by all the passengers on the carriage, except Poirot and Monsieur Bouc. This version, which at first glance is incredible, but the only one that explains all the facts, is supported by the fact that there were 12 passengers, as well as wounds, and all the passengers were associated with the Armstrong family, which suffered from Cassetti.
Poirot invites Monsieur Bouc and the Greek doctor to choose which version will be presented to the Yugoslav police.
4. "The Alphabet Murders", 1936.
Not Christie's most famous novel.
A serial killer kills unrelated people in alphabetical order of their names: Alice Usher from Andover, Betty Bernard from Bexhill-on-Sea, etc. The killer sends Hercule Poirot a letter before each murder, telling where and when the next crime will take place .
But Poirot and the police arrive too late each time. The killer signs ABC and leaves an ABC Railway Guide at the scene of each crime next to the body. Poirot and the police are confused until a chain of evidence leads them to believe that the killer is a traveling salesman selling stockings. Then a murder occurs, which was supposed to be the killer with the letter D, but another person dies. After which the stocking seller Alexander Bonaparte Caste comes to the police and surrenders. It would seem that the case is closed, but Cast, who confessed to the murders, claims that this is the first time he has heard about Hercule Poirot, and cannot explain the appearance of the letters. Cast suffers from epilepsy and experiences memory loss. He admits that he does not remember committing the murders, but believes that it was he who committed them, since each time he found himself near the crime scene. However, the police discover that the suspect has an alibi for the time of the 2nd murder - he was playing dominoes with one of the hotel guests. On the other hand, the alibi may turn out to be fake, since there is evidence of Caste's guilt. Poirot first suspects and then proves that Cast is innocent and finds the real murderer.
5. "Ten Little Indians", 1939.
"Ten Little Indians" was Christie's first work with the theme of "the perfect murder." In addition, it gave the idea for the creation of many detective books and psychological films, in which techniques from of this work: the role of a maniacal killer is assigned to one of the victims, the killer acts as the plot develops, while remaining “behind the scenes”, the actions take place in a limited area according to the scenario planned by the killer, even in his absence...
The plot is really intricate. Ten complete strangers (except for one married couple) come to the island at the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Onim (Alec Norman Onim and Anna Nancy Onim). But there are no “anonymous” people on the island. In the living room there is a tray with ten porcelain little angels, and in the room of each of the guests there is a children's counting rhyme.
When the guests gather in the living room, the butler Rogers, according to the written order Onim left for him, turns on the gramophone. The guests hear a voice that accuses them of committing murders. So, Dr. Armstrong operated an elderly woman, being drunk, as a result of which she died.
Emily Brent kicked out a young servant, Beatrice Taylor, from her house after learning that she had become pregnant out of wedlock; the girl drowned herself. Vera Claythorne was the nanny of Cyril Hamilton, who stood in the way of her lover Hugo's inheritance. While swimming, Vera allowed the boy to swim behind a rock - as a result, he fell into the current and drowned. Judge Lawrence John Wargrave sentenced Edward Seaton to death. The guests begin to suspect a bad joke.
The boat that brought the guests does not return. A storm begins and the guests are stranded on the island. They begin to die one after another, in accordance with the children's rhyme about little blacks whose statuettes disappear with each death. The police arriving on the island find 10 corpses. Inspector Mayne and Sir Thomas Lagg from Scotland Yard are trying to restore the chronology of events and unravel the mystery of the murders on the island, but in the end they reach a dead end.
Clarity comes only when the fishermen find a bottle with a letter and hand it over to Scotland Yard. The author of the letter is Judge Wargrave. Even in his youth, he dreamed of murder, but his desire for justice prevented him, which is why he became a judge. Being terminally ill, he decided to satisfy his passion and selected ten people who committed murders, but for some reason escaped punishment.
6. "Corpse in the library", 1942.
The Bantry couple are awakened in the morning by worried servants - the maid found the corpse of a young blonde in an evening dress in the library. The murdered woman is not known to anyone in the house; it is unclear how she got there. The police arrive and begin an investigation. Mrs. Bantry invites Miss Marple, another regular character in Christie's stories, to take a look at the scene, hoping that she will find a clue.
It turns out that the murdered woman is Ruby Keene, a dancer from the Majestic Hotel. Her body is identified by her cousin, Josephine Turner (Josie), who works there. Having learned about the identity of the murdered woman, the police begin an investigation at the Majestic, and Miss Marple and Mrs. Bantry are sent there. Several suspects are immediately discovered. The financier Jefferson lives at the hotel with his son-in-law, daughter-in-law and youngest grandson. Having met Ruby, Jefferson takes a liking to the girl and decides to bequeath part of his fortune to her. Of course, for the relatives who were losing part of their inheritance, Ruby's death was beneficial. But here's the problem: according to the doctor's conclusion, Ruby was killed the evening before the body was discovered. But in the evening Ruby danced at the Majestic, and after she left, all the suspects sat in the hall playing cards until midnight, in full view of many witnesses. Thus, they have an undeniable alibi.
The police investigation switches to the search for a certain “filmmaker”, with whom, according to Josie, Ruby was familiar. Basil Blake, who lives in St. Mary Mead and has been to the Majestic, comes under suspicion. Meanwhile, the police find the body of high school student Pamela Reeves, who disappeared on the day of Ruby's death - she went to London with her friends, decided to go shopping alone, and did not return home in the evening. A burnt corpse, identified only by its belongings, is found in a quarry on the road between the Majestic and St. Mary Mead, in a burnt-out car stolen from the hotel that night.
The police secretly take samples from Basil Blake's car and find glitter from Ruby Keene's dress in the back seat. Basil claims that on the night of the murder he returned from a party very drunk and found Ruby already dead in his house, on the carpet in front of the fireplace. Frightened, he decided to get rid of the body: he took it out in the car, drove up to Bantry's house, broke open the library window, threw Ruby's body on the floor and drove home. The police believe that Blake killed Ruby Keene for personal reasons, and Pamela Reeves was killed because, returning from London, she turned out to be an unwitting witness to the murder.
Miss Marple is not satisfied with these explanations. They give her no rest strange words, said to Josie after the identification, the chewed nails of Ruby Keene, the cheap evening dress that the murdered woman was wearing, clearly unsuitable for a night out. She continues to look for the killer among Jefferson's relatives. After talking with Pamela Reeves' classmates, she reveals close friend the murdered woman, with whom she shared a secret: it turns out that Pamela was invited to act in films, but first she had to pass a screen test. It was to them that she went alone before disappearing.
In a conversation with Blake's wife, Miss Marple guesses that if one of the suspects entered into a marriage secretly from Jefferson, then his wife or husband, having no apparent motive for the murder, becomes an interested party. A check reveals that the murdered woman's cousin, Josie, actually secretly married Jefferson's son-in-law, Mark Gaskell. They organized the murder of Ruby Keene so as not to lose part of the inheritance. The killers had previously found Pamela, who looked similar to Ruby, and lured her to an imaginary “screen test” at the hotel. The girl was asked to change into Ruby's dress, put on make-up to make her look more like her, and then slipped her a drug. The drugged Pamela was taken to Blake's empty house and strangled there. It was her body that Blake found. Josie then "identified" the made-up Pamela as Ruby without arousing suspicion, leading the police to believe that Ruby had been killed before midnight, when Gaskell and Josie were in plain sight. Later, Josie killed her cousin, dressed her in Pamela's dress, and the body was taken out and burned in the car. The killers hoped that Blake, having found the body, would call the police, and suspicion would immediately fall on him. Blake's drunken antics confused the cards of the criminals - the corpse turned out to be completely different from where it was planned...
7."Murder Announced", 1950
The novel takes place in the English village of Chipping Cleghorn. A strange advertisement was published in the local newspaper: “A murder has been announced that will take place on Friday, the twenty-ninth of October, at eighteen hours, thirty minutes in Little Paddocks. Today only! Friends, hurry up to take part.”
Little Paddocks is a small estate inhabited by the elderly Miss Letitia Blacklock, her childhood friend Dora Banner, distant nephews Julia and Patrick Simmons, the immigrant cook Mitzi, and the young widow Philippa Hames. In the village, the announcement is perceived as a joke by Patrick (he is known to be a fan of practical jokes) or an original invitation to a party, but in Little Paddocks they also learn about this joke from the newspaper. Realizing that the influx of guests at the appointed time cannot be avoided, the owners are preparing to receive them, although they are at a loss.
At the appointed time, under various pretexts, a whole living room of people gathers in Little Paddocks: Colonel Easterbrook and his wife, Mrs. Swettenham and her son, friends Emmy Murgatroyd and Miss Hinchcliffe living in the same house, as well as the local priest’s wife Mrs. Harmon. Exactly at 18:30, the lights in the house go out, a stranger appears at the door with a lantern, saying: “Hands up” or something similar, then shots are heard. When the light is turned on, it turns out that the “criminal” himself, an unknown young man, was killed, and Miss Blacklock was also slightly wounded - the bullet only grazed her earlobe. An investigation begins.
The identity of the murdered man is quickly established - this is Rudi Scherz, a Swiss, known to the local police as a petty swindler: he worked at the Royal Spring Hotel and had previously come to Miss Blacklock to ask for money, calling himself the son of the owner of the hotel, where during the war she stayed with her sister, and telling some unlikely story. By chance, Miss Marple was staying at the Royal Spring Hotel at that time. She joins the investigation. Quickly enough, Miss Marple realizes that, most likely, they really wanted to kill Miss Blacklock, and Rudy Schertz was paid to stage an armed raid on the house. Patrick Simmons comes under suspicion - he not only loves pranks, but is also Letitia's heir. However, it quickly becomes clear that there are two more suspects. The police interview the residents of the house and neighbors and establish that the millionaire Gedler, for whom Miss Blacklock was an assistant in his youth, bequeathed his entire fortune to her if she survived his wife Belle, who is seriously ill and could die from week to week. However, if Miss Blacklock dies before her, the inheritance will go to Gedler's nephews. Apart from the approximate ages of these twins, Miss Blacklock and Mrs. Gedler are only known by their first names - Pip and Emma. Nobody knows where they are now, that is, they could easily be hiding under false names somewhere in the neighborhood of Miss Blacklock...
8. "The Mousetrap", play, 1952.
In London, 23,000 performances of this most famous play by the writer were performed, and at the end of each, the audience is asked not to tell how the play ends.
A murder has been committed in London. A notebook is found near the body of the victim, Maureen Lyon. The police announce on the radio that they are looking for a murder suspect: a man in dark coat, light scarf and felt hat. At the Monkswell Manor boarding house, which belongs to the young married couple Ralston, guests begin to gather - Christopher Wren, Mrs. Boyle, Major Metcalfe and Miss Casewell. Due to snowfall, they find themselves locked in the house and read about a murder in the newspaper. Another guest arrives - Mr. Paravicini, whose car is stuck in the snow.
Sergeant Trotter from the police arrives on skis at the hotel, declaring that the murderer from London is in the boarding house. Soon Mrs. Boyle is found murdered, and Sergeant Trotter's version is confirmed. He begins an investigation. Suspicion falls on Ren, whose signs are similar to those of the alleged killer, but it soon becomes clear that the killer could be any of those present. The suspects try to stage a second murder to get to the bottom of it and try to prevent a third. Sergeant Trotter gathers everyone in the hall, deciding to prepare a trap for the criminal.
9. "Pocket full of rye", 1953.
Prominent businessman Rex Fortescue dies in his office over a traditional cup of morning tea. The results of the medical examination clearly indicate poisoning with an alkaloid isolated from yew wood. The poison does not act immediately, so, judging by the time of death, the businessman was poisoned at home, during breakfast. When examining the deceased's pockets, in addition to ordinary things, grains of rye were found. Old Fortescue was not loved by his relatives, and his death was beneficial to almost every member big family. The first suspect is the young wife Adele, the main heir of the deceased. It quickly becomes clear that the eldest son, Percival, has recently been quarreling with his father, Jennifer’s daughter-in-law cannot stand Rex Fortescue, and her father forbade her daughter to get married. Unexpectedly, the youngest son Lancelot arrives, who had long quarreled with his father and lived with his wife in Africa. He says that his father suddenly sent a letter with the intention of making peace.
After evening tea, Adele is found dead. The cause of death of the young widow turns out to be cyanide poisoning. The young maid Gladys behaves strangely, is clearly nervous and disappears somewhere at the end of the day. She is found strangled behind the house where she hung her clothes to dry after washing: there is a clothespin on the dead woman’s nose. After examining her room, the police inspector finds newspaper clippings with photographs of her favorite artists, articles about fantastic drugs, and letters from a young man named Albert Evans.
Miss Marple arrives at Yew Hut (the name of the Fortescue family home) after learning about the murders. The reason for her interest is Gladys Martin, whom Miss Marple herself taught the craft of a servant several years earlier. Gladys did not forget her mentor and wrote to her regularly. It occurs to the old lady that the murders are taking place in accordance with the nursery rhyme: "Sing a song for sixpence", according to which the blackbirds begin to sing when the king is counting his treasury, the queen is having breakfast in the small drawing room, and the maid is in the garden. The killer, whoever he is, commits crimes in accordance with the rhyme. Perhaps he is mentally ill? The rhyme also mentions blackbirds in the pie. It turns out that some time ago the late Rex was given dead birds both in his room and in his food. Miss Marple reports her suspicions to the police and begins her own investigation.
The police get to the bottom of an old dirty story: once upon a time, Rex Fortescue may have caused the death of his companion Mackenzie: the latter's wife was obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200brevenge, raised her children, instilling in them hatred of Rex Fortescue, and eventually ended up in a psychiatric clinic. It is not known exactly where the children are now. There is an assumption that it is the Mackenzie children who are behind the crimes. From the confused explanations of the woman who has gone crazy, the inspector understands that the son died in the war, and the mother disowned her daughter and does not want to see her, but through the staff he learns that money is deposited into the clinic regularly.
Miss Marple, having carefully studied the things of the deceased Gladys, having considered everything she knew about the girl and read in her letters, indicates the true killer. This is Lancelot Fortescue, youngest son of Rex Fortescue. At the resort, using a fictitious name, he met Gladys and easily turned the head of an ugly and not very smart girl who dreams of a “Prince Charming.”
Later, he told Gladys some heartbreaking story and convinced him to add a certain substance to the marmalade, which only old Fortescue in the family ate, which the girl considered a “truth serum,” and also to put rye grains in her father’s pocket. Allegedly, this was necessary to force Rex to confess to some “old sins” and restore justice. The girl in love, sincerely believing everything her lover said, did as he said. As a result, the main goal was achieved: the father was removed from the road. To cover his tracks, Lance used a children's rhyme: upon arriving at the Yew Hut, he added cyanide to Adele's tea to make the second line of the rhyme "come true", and then killed Gladys, who knew him by sight and was an unwitting perpetrator of the murder.
Lance's goal was, by becoming a co-owner of Rex Fortescue's enterprise inherited by his brothers, to gain control of the Blackbirds mine - the same one because of which Mackenzie died at one time and which did not generate any income. As it turned out, later deposits of uranium were found in these places, which was not needed by anyone at the time the mine was created, but now could make its owner rich.
The ending of the novel is interesting. After completing the case, having told everything to the police, Miss Marple returns to her home in St. Mary Mead, and finds there a letter delivered immediately after her departure to London. This is the last letter from Gladys. In it she talks about her lover and, most importantly, the letter contains a photograph Gladys secretly took of her young man. It really is Lance Fortescue - the irrefutable evidence that explains the whole case turns out to have been waiting for Miss Marple at her house all this time!
10. "4.50 from Paddington", 1957.
Mrs. McGillicady, while traveling on a train, witnessed a murder - she saw a man strangle a woman in the compartment of a train car that was running on a parallel line. The police did not take the old woman’s testimony with much confidence, but still checked it without finding any traces of a crime. Arriving from St. Mary Mead, Mrs. McGillicady tells her friend Miss Marple about what she saw and asks her to figure out what happened. Unlike the police, Miss Marple, knowing the witness well, is absolutely sure that she would not have made up this story to attract attention. But upon contacting the police again, the women learn that a thorough investigation did not yield any results. After the murder there should have been a corpse, but the police did not find either a corpse or any traces that someone was hiding it either on the train or near railway tracks. Miss Marple takes on the matter herself.
The killer could neither leave the body on the train (it would have been found quickly), nor throw it out of the train (then it would remain next to the tracks), nor carry it out (there was simply no way for this). Having examined the scene, Miss Marple discovers that if the body was thrown out immediately after the murder, it turned out to be near Rutherford Hall - an old estate, along the border of which the railway runs in this place. The body that fell from the train must have rolled quite far from the tracks. Since the body was not found, the killer apparently threw it out of the train here, and then took it and hid it. This means that the crime was premeditated, and the killer must have some connection with Rutherford Hall. To find out what is happening on the estate, Miss Marple sends Lucy Islesburrow there, a professional housewife who lives by working as a servant in various places for a short time and, during her work, ensures perfect order there, completely freeing employers from economic problems. Lucy's task is to find a body that Miss Marple believes is hidden on the estate. Miss Marple herself settles nearby for a while, with her former maid.
Luther Krekenthorpe lives in Rutherford Hall - an old curmudgeon, a hypochondriac, a family tyrant, who considers himself an art connoisseur, who is looked after by his unmarried daughter Emma. There are three more sons, Cederic, Harold and Alfred, but they live separately, getting together only at Christmas. A fourth brother, Edmund, was killed in the Second World War, and another daughter, Edith, died four years ago, leaving a son, Alexander Eastleigh. Luther does not like his sons, largely due to the fact that his own father, a wealthy industrialist, being disappointed with his son's lifestyle, did not leave him his fortune. Luther receives only a relatively small benefit, and the entire fortune will go to his children and grandchildren when he dies.
Lucy fulfills her task perfectly - she finds a corpse in an antique sarcophagus kept in one of the barns of the estate. There is no doubt that the murderer is one of those who lives or visits Rutherford Hall. The most difficult thing remains - to establish the woman’s identity and find out who of the many people was interested in her death. According to one of the assumptions, the murdered woman was a woman who had recently written to them, calling herself Martina, the wife of the deceased Edmund. She said that she was going to come to ask for help with funds for her son’s education. If the murdered woman is indeed Edmund's wife, and her son is Edmund's son, then he can claim a share of Crackenthorpe's inheritance, that is, his children become interested in the woman's death.
Since the killer is a man, Harold, Cederic, Alfred, as well as Brian Eastley, Edith's husband and Alexander's father, come under suspicion. A police check reveals that none of them have a proven alibi for the time of the crime and all of them have money problems.
After another dinner, the entire Krekenthorp family suddenly falls ill - everyone has symptoms of severe poisoning. After some time, Alfred dies. Analysis by family doctor Quimper confirms there was arsenic in the curry. And a few days later, already at home, Harold dies - on behalf of Dr. Quimper, he was sent pills that, as it turned out, contained poison. Krekenthorpe Sr.'s will is drawn up in such a way that the entire estate is divided among Luther's children who will be alive at the time of his death. A suspicion arises that someone from the family decided to eliminate their rivals in order to remain the only contender for the inheritance. In addition to his grandfather's fortune, this man will receive the Rutherford Hall estate itself. However, through the efforts of Miss Marple, it is possible to establish the identity of the murdered woman and the true picture of the crime. Martina is discovered alive - she really knew Edmund, but he died before he could marry her. The murdered woman is Anna Stravinskaya, an actress of a touring variety show troupe, the wife of Dr. Quimper, who ran away from him many years ago. Anna did not give the doctor a divorce because she was a believing Catholic. The doctor (who always claimed that his wife died in her youth), wanting to marry Emma Krekenthorpe, had to get rid of his wife, for which he met her, killed her on the train and hid the body on the territory of Rutherford Hall, where he constantly visited. He was the author of the letters on behalf of Martina, and he poisoned the brothers in order to give the police the impression that the killer was someone from the family.
Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, née Miller, better known as Agatha Christie - English writer. He is one of the world's most famous authors of detective fiction and is one of the most published writers in the entire history of mankind (after the Bible and Shakespeare).
Occupation:
novelist, playwright
Years of creativity:
1920 – 1976
Direction:
fiction
Genre:
detective, adventure novel, spy novel, autobiography
Debut:
The Mysterious Affair in Styles
Her parents were wealthy immigrants from the United States. She was the youngest daughter in the Miller family. The Miller family had two more children: Margaret Frary (1879-1950) and a son, Louis "Monty" Montan (1880-1929). Agatha received a good education at home, in particular music, and only stage fright prevented her from becoming a musician.
During the First World War, Agatha worked as a nurse in a hospital; she loved the profession and described it as “one of the most rewarding professions a person can engage in.” She also worked as a pharmacist in a pharmacy, which subsequently left an imprint on her work: a total of 83 crimes in her works were committed through poisoning.
For the first time, Agatha Christie married on Christmas Day in 1914 to Colonel Archibald Christie, with whom she had been in love for several years - even when he was a lieutenant. They had a daughter, Rosalind. This period marked the beginning of Agatha Christie's creative career. In 1920, Christie's first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published. There is an assumption that the reason for Christie’s turn to the detective was a dispute with her older sister Madge (who had already proven herself to be a writer) that she, too, could create something worthy of publication. Only the seventh publishing house published the manuscript in a circulation of 2,000 copies. The aspiring writer received a fee of £25.
Disappearance.
In 1926, Agatha's mother died. Late that year, Agatha Christie's husband, Archibald, admitted to infidelity and asked for a divorce because he had fallen in love with fellow golfer Nancy Neal. After an argument in early December 1926, Agatha disappeared from her home, leaving a letter to her secretary in which she claimed to be heading to Yorkshire. Her disappearance caused a loud public outcry, since the writer already had fans of her work. For 11 days, nothing was known about Christie's whereabouts.
Agatha's car was found, and her fur coat was found inside. A few days later the writer herself was discovered. As it turned out, Agatha Christie registered under the name Teresa Neil at the small spa hotel Swan Hydropathic Hotel (now Old Swan Hotel). Christie offered no explanation for her disappearance, and two doctors diagnosed her with amnesia caused by a head injury. The reasons for the disappearance of Agatha Christie were analyzed by British psychologist Andrew Norman in his book The Finished Portrait, where he, in particular, argues that the hypothesis of traumatic amnesia does not stand up to criticism, since Agatha Christie's behavior indicated the opposite: she registered in a hotel under the name of her husband’s mistress, she spent time playing the piano, spa treatments, and visiting the library. However, after examining all the evidence, Norman came to the conclusion that there was a dissociative fugue caused by a severe mental disorder.
According to another version, her disappearance was planned specifically to take revenge on her husband, whom the police inevitably suspected of the murder of the writer.
Archibald and Agatha Christie's marriage ended in divorce in 1928.
Second marriage and later years.
In 1930, while traveling around Iraq, at excavations in Ur, she met her future husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan. He was 15 years younger than her. Agatha Christie said about her marriage that for an archaeologist a woman should be as old as possible, because then her value increases significantly. Since then, she periodically spent several months a year in Syria and Iraq on expeditions with her husband; this period of her life was reflected in the autobiographical novel “Tell How You Live.” Agatha Christie lived in this marriage for the rest of her life, until her death in 1976.
Thanks to Christie's trips to the Middle East with her husband, several of her works took place there. Other novels (such as And Then There Were None) were set in or around Torquay, Christie's birthplace. The 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express was written at the Hotel Pera Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. Room 411 of the hotel where Agatha Christie lived is now her memorial museum. The Greenway Estate in Devon, which the couple bought in 1938, is protected by the National Trust.
Christie often stayed at the mansion Abney Hall in Cheshire, which belonged to her brother-in-law James Watts. At least two of Christie's works were set on this estate: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, a story also included in the collection of the same name, and the novel After the Funeral. “Abney became an inspiration to Agatha; hence the descriptions of such places as Stiles, Chimneys, Stonegates, and other houses, which in one degree or another represent Abney, were taken.”
In 1956, Agatha Christie was awarded the Order of the British Empire, and in 1971, for her achievements in the field of literature, Agatha Christie was awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, the holders of which also acquire the noble title “Dame”, used before the name. Three years earlier, in 1968, Agatha Christie's husband, Max Mallowan, was also awarded the title of Knight of the Order of the British Empire for his achievements in the field of archaeology.
In 1958, the writer headed the English Detective Club.
Between 1971 and 1974, Christie's health began to deteriorate, but despite this she continued to write. Experts at the University of Toronto examined Christie's writing style during these years and suggested that Agatha Christie suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
In 1975, when she was completely weakened, Christie transferred all the rights to her most successful play, The Mousetrap, to her grandson, Mathew Prichard, who also inherited the rights to some of her literary works, and his name is still associated with Foundation "Agatha Christie Limited".
The last book published during Agatha’s lifetime was “The Curtain.” Christie hesitated for a long time to publish it, as if sensing that it was a requiem. According to the plot of the story, in Stiles, the setting of the first novel, Hercule Poirot dies after solving another murder. Poirot's game is over, Agatha Christie's life is over. Poirot's farewell letter to Hastings is like Agatha's farewell to her readers. " We will never again set foot on the path of crime together. But it was wonderful Life! Oh, what a wonderful life it was!»
Agatha Christie died on January 12, 1976, at home in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, after a short cold, a year after the triumph of her last book.
Agatha Christie's autobiography, which the writer graduated in 1965, ends with the words: “ Thank you, Lord, for my good life and for all the love that has been given to me.».
Christie's only daughter, Rosalind Margaret Hicks, also lived to be 85 years old and died on October 28, 2004 in Devon.
We remembered the 10 most striking adaptations of the writer’s works, accumulated over 90 years.
PoirotThe series tells the story of unimaginable investigations conducted by a detective with a non-trivial mindset and a chic mustache, Hercule Poirot.
Poirot's FailureRussian adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. This time Poirot is investigating the mysterious murder of the owner of the mansion, Roger Ackroyd, who died in his own office.
The Mystery of the BlackbirdsInspector Neil is investigating a series of murders. All the victims are poisoned with arsenic, and numerous family members of the victims are suspected. Miss Marple comes to the inspector's aid.
Why didn't they ask Evans?Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, 1980
While playing golf, Bobby Jones discovers a dying man who, judging by his wounds, fell off a cliff. Before his death, he only managed to say: “Why didn’t they ask Evans?”
Ten Little Indians, 1987Eight strangers are invited by a mysterious host to a dinner party at a luxurious mansion. Immediately after arriving, someone begins to kill them one by one. Who is this cold-blooded villain?
Witness for the prosecutionWitness for the Prosecution, 1957
Wilfrid Robarts, a seriously ill lawyer who has been forbidden by doctors to continue working on criminal cases, spits on the doctors' instructions and agrees to pursue his last desperate case.
crooked little houseCrooked House, 2017
Rich Aristide Leonidas dies from an unknown illness. He was sick for many years, but it was definitely someone close to him who “finished off” him. Young detective Charles Hayward takes on the investigation of the mysterious death. All members of the deceased’s family come under suspicion, including his granddaughter Sofia, for whom the detective has an uneasy feeling.
Murder on the Orient ExpressMurder on the Orient Express, 1974
EMI Film Distributors
1930s. A group of strangers travel across Europe on a luxury train called the Orient Express. Suddenly, one of the passengers is found dead. Who had the motive?
Death on the NileDeath on the Nile, 1978
EMI Films Ltd.
The heiress to a multimillion-dollar fortune, Linnet has managed to spoil the blood of many in her life. Going on her honeymoon, she is afraid of being unprotected and persuades detective Poirot to become her bodyguard.
Evil under the sunEvil Under the Sun, 1981
EMI Films Ltd.
Poirot goes to investigate a case on an exotic island in the middle of the Adriatic. Sea, palm trees, sand, exquisite cocktails and public and, of course, a mysterious murder.
Over the 86 years of her life, Agatha Christie wrote almost 70 novels. That's a lot. If you read so many detective stories in a row, you will probably want to kill someone yourself.
Fortunately, literature experts believe that only 10 works by the British writer are true masterpieces. Ten is not so much anymore. After ten detectives it is quite possible to be satisfied with blackmail, robbery or, in extreme cases, torture.
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" (1926)
Hercule Poirot investigatesYou'll never guess who the killer is. Is it true. The book was published in 1926 and caused a real shock. Until now, not a single author of detective novels has thought of making him a murderer... That's it, that's it, keep quiet.
"Murder at the Vicarage" (1930)
Miss Marple InvestigatesAnother innovation: for the first time, a decrepit old maid appeared on stage as a detective, with whom the audience immediately fell passionately in love. Now the old lady will have to stay on this stage for almost half a century: in the latest novels with her participation, the writer hints that Miss Marple has already exceeded a hundred years.
"Murder on the Orient Express" (1934)
Hercule Poirot investigates
The detective story was filmed about a million times - in all countries that managed to invent film. Again, you probably won’t be able to guess the killer. The book also immortalized the train that ran from Istanbul to Paris, a luxurious luxury express train. Velvet curtains, silver cup holders, corpses in the compartment - everything is as it should be.
"The Mystery of Endhouse" (1932)
Hercule Poirot investigatesIn addition to the twisted plot, there is an excellent description of the golden youth of the Great Depression, from which it follows that our great-grandmothers had sex with anyone and drove cars. It’s strange that they had such decent and well-intentioned great-grandchildren.
"Death on the Nile" (1937)
Hercule Poirot investigatesThe detective story is written so captivatingly that you are tempted to give up everything, take a ticket on a Nile cruise and be gracefully killed there. There are also a great many film adaptations - what director wouldn’t want to make a film on a magnificent steamship, where everyone is wearing pearls and tuxedos?
"Ten Little Indians" (1939)
Investigated by Thomas Legge and Inspector Mayne
“Ten little Indians decided to have lunch - one choked, and there were nine of them left.” The most difficult and tragic of the writer's detective stories. The perfect thriller: the whole truth about the darkness of criminal souls. We have filmed it by Govorukhin - with the brilliant Tatyana Drubich in the title role. And yes, for reasons of political correctness in the West, the novel is now published under the title “And Then There Were None.”
"Death Comes at the End" (1944)
No one is investigatingAn archaeologist husband is a great resource for any mystery writer. The novel takes place in Ancient Egypt, four thousand years ago. A detailed and quite historically accurate observation of the life of an ancient Egyptian family in which a secret killer operates. With this book, Lady Agatha proved that she knows how to make readers fall in love not only with British life. Her Egyptian is also very seductive.
"Evil Under the Sun" (1941)
Hercule Poirot investigates
Beach, palm trees, sun, a brilliant hotel on the island - and the famous sociopathic actress in the role of the main animator, who diligently pesters all the guests in turn and in the end finds herself the victim of a brutal murder. An amazing detective story, reading which you sincerely and fervently wish that the killer of this charming lady was never found.
"The Crooked Little House" (1949)
Investigated by Charles HaywardA purely family affair: at the funeral of a rich old Greek, his large, worthless family squabbles over an inheritance. And then strange deaths begin. It is impossible to describe what is happening in more detail, it would be a complete spoiler, but again, the killer is very difficult to guess even for an experienced reader.
"4.50 from Paddington" (1957)
Miss Marple InvestigatesAnother favorite book of film adaptations. An old woman on a train catches a glimpse of a man strangling a woman in a compartment of another train. However, maybe the old lady was just imagining this horror? And even if not, where to look for the killer and the victim, who are they? (Electronic personalized tickets will not be invented until half a century later.) But these trifles will not stop Miss Marple!
The Thirteen Problems Jun.6 1932, Collins, Crime Club
The Tuesday Club Murders (US) Feb.26 1933, Dodd, Mead and Company
Thirteen Mysterious Cases
13 riddles
Miss Marple's Club
- The Thirteen Problems collection includes 13 stories, which are told in turn by Miss Marple's guests, and one of them is told by herself. Listeners of the story are asked to guess the criminal. All this is the “Tuesdays” club presented below:
Sanctuary Oct. 1954 Woman's Journal
Man on the Chancel Steps Mar. 1963, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Holy place
Dancer's Necklace
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) .Strange Jest Nov.2 1941, This Week
A Case of Buried Treasure Jul. 1944, The Strand Magazine
Old uncle jokes
Unusual joke
Disguised treasure
Strange joke
Risky joke
The Case of the Buried Treasure1950, Dodd, Mead and Company in
Nov.16 1941, This Week
Village Murder Jan. 1973, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Measure of death
Murder of Mrs. Sp e nlow
Murder of Mrs. Sp uh nlow
Murder by measure
Fatal centimeter
The Case of the Caretaker Jan. 1942, The Strand Magazine
The Caretaker's Case
Cure for Miss Marple
The Case of the Watchman's Widow
Keeper of the old house
The Case of the Perfect Maid 1950, Dodd, Mead and Company in Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
The Perfect Maid Apr. 1942, The Strand Magazine
The Maid Who Disappeared 1942, Chicago Sunday Tribune
The Servant Problem Jul. 1957, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The case of the best of the maids
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Perfect Maid
Flawless Maid
Miss Marple Tells a Story 1939, Dodd, Mead and Company in
Behind Closed Doors 1935, Home Journal; 1934, radio BBC
Miss Marple talks
Miss Marple remembers...
The Dressmaker's Doll Dec. 1958, Woman's Journal
Doll in the fitting room
Milliner doll
Doll in the studio
In the twilight of the mirror
In the mirror
Shadow on the glass
I saw in the old mirror
There in the darkness, behind the mirror...
Reflection in the mirror
- A Fairy in the Flat
- A pot of Tea
- The Affair of the Pink Pearl
- The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger
- Finessing the King | The Gentleman Dressed in Newspaper
- The Case of the Missing Lady
- Blindman's Bluff (Blind and Death)
- The Man in the Mist
- The Crackler
- The Sanningdale Mystery
- The House of Lurking Death
- The Unbreakable Alibi
- The clergyman's douther | The Red House (The priest's daughter | House under a tiled roof)
- The ambassador's Boots (Ambassador's Boots)
- The Man Who Was No. 16 (The Man Who Was Number 16)
The Veiled Lady Oct.3 1923, The Sketch
The Case of the Veiled Lady Mar.3 1923, The Sketch
The Clue of the Veiled Lady Mar 1925 Blue Book Magazine
The Chinese Puzzle Box Mar. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Lady under the veil
Visit from a Stranger
Lady under the veil
Lady in a black veil
The investigation is led by Hercule Poirot.
- Foreword (Introduction; Preface; Prologue)
- The Nemean Lion (Nov. 1939, The Strand Magazine); The Kidnaped Pekinese (Sep. 18 1944, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine); The Case of the Nemean Lion (Sep. 1950, Amalgamated Press) (Nemean Lion)
- The Lernean Hydra (Dec. 1939, The Strand Magazine); The Invisible Enemy (Sep.3 1939, This Week); The Case of the Gossipers (Feb.27 1946, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Lernaean Hydra)
- The Arcadian Deer (Jan. 1940, The Strand Magazine); Vanishing Lady (May.19 1940, This Week) (Cerenean Hind; Arcadian Hind)
- The Erymanthian Boar (Feb. 1940, The Strand Magazine); Murder Mountain (May.5 1940, This Week); The Case of the Erymanthian Boar (Nov.11 1950, Amalgamated Press)
- The Augean Stables (Mar. 1940, The Strand Magazine)
- The Stymphalean Birds (1947, Dodd, Mead and Company); The Vulture Women on the cover and The Case of The Vulture Women in the table of contents (Sep.17 1939, This Week); Birds of Ill-Omen (Apr. 1940, The Strand Magazine) (Stymphalian Birds)
- The Cretan Bull (May. 1940, The Strand Magazine); Midnight Madness (Sep.24 1939, This Week); The Case of the Family Taint (Apr.29 1946, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine); The Case of the Cretan Bull (Oct. 1950, Argosy) (Cretan Bull)
- The Horses of Diomedes (Jan. 1940, The Strand Magazine); The Case of the Drug Peddler (Jan. 1945, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Horses of Diomedes; Mares of Diomedes)
- The Girdle of Hyppolita (Jul. 1940, The Strand Magazine); The Disappearance of Winnie King (Sep.10 1939, This Week); The Case of the Missing Schoolgirl (Jan. 1946, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Hippolyta's Belt)
- The Flock of Geryon (Aug. 1940, The Strand Magazine); Weird Monster (May. 1940, This Week) (Geryon's Flock; Geryon's Sheep)
- The Apples of Hesperides (Sep. 1940, The Strand Magazine); The Poison Cup (May.12 1940, This Week) (Apples of the Hesperides)
- The Capture of Cerberus (1947, Dodd, Mead and Company); Meet Me in Hell (Mar.16 1947, This Week); Case of the Capture of Cerberus (Dec.1950, Amalgamated Press); Hercule Poirot in Hell (Jun. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Taming of Cerberus; Captivity of Cerberus) The story was submitted by The Strand Magazine, rewritten and first published in the magazine This Week.
- Introduction
- The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding*, (also The Theft of the Royal Ruby (American, slightly modified and slightly expanded version)) (The Adventure of Twain Pudding | The Theft of the Royal Ruby | The Adventure of Christmas | The Story of the Christmas Pudding).
- The Mystery of the Spanish Chest** (other).
- The Under Dog (Apr.1 1926, Mystery Magazine) (The Dog That Doesn't Bark; Loser; The Hunted Dog; Defeated; Murder at Mon Repos).
- The Dream (Oct.23 1937, The Saturday Evening Post) (Dream).
- Greenshow's Folly (Greenshaw's Quirk | Greenshaw's Quirk | Greenshaw's Folly | Greenshaw's Caprice | Greenshaw's Dear Caprice | Lost Key).
- Double Sin (in other words)
- Wasp's Nest (otherwise)
- The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
- Greenshaw's Folly (Greenshaw's Quirk | Greenshaw's Quirk | Greenshaw's Folly | Greenshaw's Caprice | Greenshaw's Dear Caprice | Lost Key)
- The Double Clue (other)
- The Last Seance (Last session | Last spiritualistic session)
- The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest (Jan. 1932, The Strand Magazine)***** (The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest).
The original version of the extended story about Poirot, The Mystery of the Spanish Chest.
- How Does Your Garden Grow? (in other)****
- Yellow Iris (Jul. 1937, The Strand Magazine); Hercule Poirot and the Sixth Chair (Dec. 1966, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Yellow Irises).*
The central idea of the story formed the basis of the novel Sparkling Cyanide (1945).
- The Dream (other).***
- Problem at Sea (in other)****
- Murder in the Mews (Sep.-Oct. 1936 (2 parts), Redbook Magazine) | Mystery of the Dressing Case
- The Incredible Theft (Apr.6-12 1937 (6 parts), Daily Express)
The story The Incredible Theft is absent from the first American version of the collection and is present only in the English version.
- (2) Dead Man's Mirror (Mar.15 1937, Collins, Crime Club) (Dead Man's Mirror; Broken Mirror; Dead Man's Mirror; The Last of the Chevenix Gores; The Last Baronet)
Revised version of the story The Second Gong (1932).
- (3) Triangle at Rhodes (Feb.2 1936, This Week); Poirot and the Triangle at Rhodes (May. 1936, The Strand Magazine); Before It's Too Late (Dec. 1956, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine); Double Alibi (Aug. 1958, Amalgamated Press) (The Rhodes Triangle; Poirot and the Rhodes Triangle; The Rhodes Triangle)
- The Adventure of the "Western Star" (Apr.11 1923, The Sketch) e"Stars of the West"; Adventure I"Stars of the West"; The Mystery of the Star of the West)
- The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor (Apr.18 1923, The Sketch); The Marsdon Manor Tragedy (Mar. 1924, Blue Book Magazine)
- The Adventure of the Cheap Flat (May.9 1923, The Sketch) (Cheap Flat; Cheap Flat Mystery; Too Cheap Flat)
- The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge (May.16 1923, The Sketch); The Hunter's Lodge Case (Jun. 1924, Blue Book Magazine) (Mystery of the Hunter's Lodge; Mystery of the Hunter's Lodge; Mystery of the Hunter's Lodge; Murder in Hunters -Lodge; Mystery of the Hunter's Lodge; Mystery at Hunter's Lodge)
- The Million Dollar Bond Robbery (May.2 1923, The Sketch); The Great Bond Robbery (Apr. 1924, Blue Book Magazine) (Stolen Million; Million Dollar Robbery; One Million Dollar Theft)
- The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb (Sep.26 1923, The Sketch); The Egyptian Adventure (Aug. 1924, Blue Book Magazine); The Egyptian Tomb (Aug. 1963, The Saint Detective Magazine)
- The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolita; The Curious Disappearance of the Opalsen Pearls (Mar.14 1923, The Sketch); Mrs. Opalsen's Pearls (Oct. 1924, Blue Book Magazine) (Trouble at the Grand Metropolitan Hotel; Theft at the Grand Hotel; Theft at the Grand Hotel; Theft of jewelry at the Grand Metropolitan; Incident at the Grand Hotel Metropolitan")
- The Kidnapped Prime Minister (Apr.25 1923, The Sketch); The Knidnaped Premier (Jul. 1924, Blue Book Magazine)
- The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim (Mar.28 1923, The Sketch); Mr Davenby Disappears (Dec. 1923, Blue Book Magazine); Hercule Poirot, Armchair Detective (Nov. 1958, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim; The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim; The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim; The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim)
- The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman (Oct.24 1923, The Sketch); The Italian Nobleman (Dec. 1924, Blue Book Magazine)
- The Case of the Missing Will (Oct.31 1923, The Sketch); The Missing Will (Jan. 1925, Blue Book Magazine); Sporting Challenge (Nov. 1958, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (The Missing Will; The Mysterious Will; The Case of the Missing Will; The Case of the Missing Will; The Lost Will)
- The Lost Mine (Nov.21 1923, The Sketch) (Lost mine; Abandoned mine; Lost mine; Abandoned mine; Lost mine)
- The Chocolate Box (1925), The Clue of the Chocolate Box (May.23 1923, The Sketch) (Box of chocolates; Box of chocolates; Box of chocolate)
- The Unexpected Guest (Jan. 1924, The Sketch)
1. The Unexpected Guest
2. The Man from the Asylum - The Adventure of the Dartmoor Bungalow | (The Dartmoor Adventure*)
3. We hear more about Li Chang Yen
4. The Importance of a Leg of Mutton - The Lady on the Stairs (Jan. 1924, The Sketch)
5. Disappearance of a Scientist
6. The Woman on the Stairs - 7. The Radium Thieves (Jan. 1924, The Sketch)
- 8. In the House of the Enemy (Jan.30 1924, The Sketch) (In the Enemy's Lair)
- The Yellow Jasmine Mystery (Feb.6 1924, The Sketch_
9. The Yellow Jasmine Mystery
10. We investigate at Croftlands - 11. A Chess Problem (originally The Chess Problem (Feb. 1924, The Sketch))
- The Baited Trap (Feb. 1924, The Sketch)
12. The Baited Trap
13. The Mouse walks in - 14. The Peroxide Blonde (originally The Adventure of the Peroxide Blonde (Feb.27 1924, The Sketch)) (Dyed Blonde)
- 15. The Terrible Catastrophe* (Catastrophe)
- 16. The Dying Chinaman | (The Enemy Strikes*) (The Dying Chinese Man)
- The Crag in the Dolomites (Mar.19 1924, The Sketch)
17. Number Four wins the trick (Number Four wins again)
18. In the Felsenlabyrinth (At the Big Four headquarters) - The Affair at the Victory Ball (Mar.1923, The Sketch); The Six Chinese Figures (Oct. 1955, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Murder at the Victory Ball; Affair at the Victory Ball; Incident at the Victory Ball; Comedy of Masks)
- The Adventure of the Clapham Cook (Nov.14 1923, The Sketch) (The Disappearance of the Clapham Cook; The Case of the Clapham Cook; The Case of the Clapham Cook)
- The Cornish Mystery (Nov. 1923, The Sketch) (Cornish Mystery; Cornish History; Cornish Mystery)
- The Double Clue (Dec.5 1923, The Sketch)
- The King of Clubs (Nov. 1923, Blue Book Magazine); The Adventure of the King of Clubs (Mar.21 1923, The Sketch) (The Mystery of the King of Clubs; King of Clubs)
- The Lemesurier Inheritance (Dec.18 1923, The Sketch)
- The Lost Mine (other)
- The Plymouth Express (Apr.4 1923); The Plymouth Express Affair (Jan. 1924, Blue Book Magazine); The Mystery of the Plymouth Express (Apr.4 1923, The Sketch); The Girl in Electric Blue (Mar. 1955, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine) (Express to Plymouth; Plymouth Express)
The plot was adapted into a novel The Mystery of the Blue Train. - The Chocolate Box (other)
- The Submarine Plans (Nov.7 1923, The Sketch) (Drawings of a submarine; Project of a submarine; Drawings of a submarine) Subsequently expanded into a story The Incredible Theft (1937).
- Double Sin (Sep.23 1928, Sunday Dispatch); By Road or Rail (Mar.30, 1929, Detective Story Magazine) (Double Sin; One Way Ticket; Return Ticket)
- The Market Basing Mystery (Oct.17 1923, The Sketch)
Expanded into the story Murder in the Mews (Sep.-Oct. (2 parts) 1936, Redbook Magazine). - Wasp's Nest (Mar.9 1929, Detective Story Magazine); The Worst of All (Nov.20 1928, Daily Mail) (Hornet's Nest)
- Problem at Sea (1939, Dodd, Mead and Company); Poirot and the Crime in Cabin 66 (Feb. 1935, The Strand Magazine); The Mystery of the Crime in Cabin 66 (1943, Bantam Books) (Marine Investigation; Incident at Sea; Incident at the Pier)
- How Does Your Garden Grow? (Jun. 1935, Ladies Home Journal) (What's growing in your garden?; How wonderful everything is in your garden; How is your garden growing; What's growing in Mary's garden?) The plot served as the basis for the novel Dumb Witness (1937).
- The Harlequin Tea Set.
After a car breakdown main character Mr. Satterthwaite accidentally meets Harley Keene in a roadside cafe. He tells an old acquaintance that he is going to visit a family and feels that something is about to happen. Keen helps him understand the signals of his intuition and gives him an important clue that will help prevent the crime. - The Second Gong (Jun. 1932, Ladies Home Journal) (Second strike of the gong; Second gong).** Original version of the story Dead Man's Mirror (1937).
- Yellow Iris (other).**
The story of Hercule Poirot. - Magnolia Blossom (Magnolia Flower).***
Outside the series - Next To A Dog (Together with a dog).***
A story outside of series. - The House of Dreams*
- The Actress*
- The Edge*
- Christmas Adventure (early version, expanded into The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding***)
- The Lonely God*
- Manx Gold*
- Within a Wall*
- The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest (other)**
- While the Light Last*
- The Hound of Death(Death Hound | Death Hound).*
- The Red Signal**
- The Fourth Man (Fourth Man | Companion).**
- The Gypsy (Gypsy).*
- The Lamp*
- Wireless (I'm Coming for You, Mary! | When the Gods Laugh (separately)).
- The Witness for the Prosecution (Prosecution Witness).**
One of best stories writers. In 1953, Agatha Christie created a play based on the story, and in 1957 these works were filmed. The film is still considered one of the best detective films in cinema history. Main role performed by Marlene Dietrich. You can read this story by Agatha Christie in English by downloading this collection of works. - The Mystery of the Blue Jar (The Mystery of the Blue Jug**).
- The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael.*
- The Call of Wings.*
- The Last Seance (Last spiritual session | Last session).***
- SOS.**
- The Listerdale Mystery.*
- Philomel Cottage
- The Girl in the Train*
- Sing a Song of Sixpence(Sixpence Song | Long live sixpence!).**
- The Manhood of Edward Robinson (Metamorphosis of Edward Robinson | The Trial of Edward Robinson)
A non-series story that appears only in this collection. The plot of this adventurous story is built around the main character, who won 500 pounds and wants to spend it. - Accident.**
- Jane in Search of a Job (Jane is looking for a job).*
- A Fruitful Sunday (Fruitful Sunday | Lucky Sunday).*
- Mr Eastwood's Adventure (Mr. Eastwood's Adventure).**
- The Golden Ball (Red Ball).*
- The Rajah's Emerald (Rajah's Emerald).*
- Swan Song.*
The Tuesday Night Club Dec.1927, The Royal Magazine
The Solving Six Jun.2 1928, Detective story magazine
The Tuesday Club Murders Sep. 1933, Great Detective
Club "Tuesday"
Tuesday night club
Club "Tuesdays"
Nightclub on Tuesdays
A story about the creation of the club and the first mysterious case.
The Idol House of Astarte Jan.1928, The Royal Magazine
The Solving Six and the Evil Hour Jun.9 1928, Detective Story Magazine
The "Supernatural" Murder Sep. 1965,
Sanctuary of Astarte
Murder in the Temple of Astarte
Temple of Astarte
Temple of Astarte
Temple of the goddess Astarte
Ingots of Gold Feb. 1928, The Royal Magazine
The Solving Six and the Golden Grave Jun.16 1928, Detective Story Magazine
Miss Marple and the Golden Galleon Mar. 1967, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Gold bars
Gold bars
The Bloodstained Pavement / The Blood-Stained Pavement Mar. 1928, The Royal Magazine
Drip! Drip! Jun.23 1928, Detective Story Magazine
The Miss Marple and the Wicked World Jan. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Blood on the panel
Blood on the pavement
Drops of blood on the sidewalk
Motive and opportunity
Motive vs Opportunity
Motive or opportunity?
Intention and opportunity
The Thumb Mark of St. Peter/The Thumb-Mark of St. Peter May. 1928, The Royal Magazine
Ask and You Shall Receive Jun. 1967, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Finger of Saint Peter
Fingerprints of Saint Peter
St. Peter's fingerprint
Saint Peter's fingerprint
The Blue Geranium Dec. 1929, The Story-Teller Magazine
Blue geranium
Blue geranium
The Companion Jun. 1932, Collins, Crime Club
The Companions Mar. 1930, The Pictorial Review
The Resurrection of Amy Durrant Jan. 1930, The Story-Teller Magazine
Companion
Death of a Companion
The story was expanded into the novel A Murder is Announced (1950).
The Four Suspects Apr. 1930, The Story-Teller Magazine
Some Day They Will Get Me May. 1958, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Four under suspicion
Four suspects
Flowers of Death
A Christmas Tragedy Jun. 1932, Collins, Crime Club
The Hat and the Alibi Jan. 1930, The Story-teller
Never Two Without Three Jan. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Never Two Without Three: or, A Christmas Tragedy Sep. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Christmas tragedy
Tragedy at Christmas
Tragedy at the hotel
Tragedy on Christmas Eve
The Herb of Death Mar. 1930, The Story-teller
Foxglove in the Sage Mar. 1962, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Dead grass
Death Grass
Deadly salad
The Affair at the Bungalow May. 1930, The Story-teller
Bungalow incident
Once upon a time in a bungalow
Death by Drowning Nov. 1931, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine
Village Tragedy Dec. 1957, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Death of Miss Ro bonds Emmot
Death of Miss Ro PS Emmot
Death by Drowning
Drowned woman
The Moving Finger Mar.28-May.16 1942 (8 parts), Collier's Weekly; Jul. 1942, Dodd, Mead and Company
Moving Finger Oct.17-Nov.21 1942 (in 6 abridged parts), Woman's Pictorial
One finger
Pointing finger
Holidays in Limstock
Poison Feather
Moving finger
Finger of fate
Smoke without fire
This is one of two novels (the other Three Act Tragedy (1934) ), in which the American and English versions differ significantly from each other: the American version is shorter by about 9,000 words.Gerald and Joanna, brother and sister, come to the village of Limstock while Gerald, a military pilot, is recovering from an injury. However, they soon begin to receive dirty anonymous messages accusing them of being lovers. It turns out that many in the villages received similar letters, which ultimately led to scandals and gossip. Soon the body of the lawyer’s wife is discovered with one of these letters and a note “I can’t...”. The police begin searching for the author, but the investigation is progressing slowly and the vicar's wife invites her own expert - Miss Marple.
They Do It with Mirrors Apr.26-May.31 1952 (in 8 abridged parts), John Bull; Nov.17 1952, Collins, Crime Club
Murder with Mirrors (US) Apr. 1952, Cosmopolitan(abbreviated); 1952, Dodd, Mead and Company
Using mirrors
Mirror Trick
Game of Mirrors
Mirror game
Life for saving my son
Miss Marple visits her old friend Ruth, with whom she studied in Italy. She is sure that her sister is in danger, but cannot explain the reasons for her excitement. She asks Jane to visit her sister, who lives in her mansion with her third husband who runs the place, as well as a large number of other people, only some of whom are her relatives...
The Mirror Crack"d from Side to Side Nov.12 1962, Collins, Crime Club
The Mirror Crack"d Sep. 1963, Dodd, Mead and Company
The mirror is cracked
And, cracking, the mirror rings...
...And in the cracks there is a mirror circle
Cracked mirror
The mirror broke, ringing
The famous American film star settled in the once quiet English village of St. Mary's Middle, now actively being built up with modern houses. In honor of the housewarming, she throws a reception for local residents. One of them drinks a cocktail at the party and dies. The police are confident that the drink was intended for the movie star, but Miss Marple has her own thoughts. During the investigation, she discovers dark pages in the movie star's past and threads connecting her with local residents...
A Caribbean Mystery Nov. 1964, Collins, Crime Club
Caribbean mystery
Miss Marple in the West Indies
The doctor recommends Miss Marple to go to the sea. A loving nephew sends his aunt to Barbados... And now Miss Marple sits outside the hotel and talks with Major Palgrave, who once worked in the colonial police. Word by word, the interlocutor begins to tell a story about a murderer who staged the suicides of his wives. He even had a photograph of him, but embarrassed by the passerby, he never showed it. The next day, the major died from an attack of hypertension, but Miss Marple is not sure that this was due to illness...
Sleeping Murder Oct. 1976, Collins, Crime Club
Sleeping killer
Sleeping Murder
Forgotten Murder
The novel was written in 1940 and left in reserve. Shortly before her death, Agatha Christie allowed its publication, but did not live to see it. She subsequently changed the working title Murder in Retrospect, as the American publisher used it for another of her novels. She changed it to Cover Her Face, however, this too had to be changed, since a book by another author under that title was published in 1962.Newlyweds buy a house in the province. The girl begins to think that she has already been in this house and even saw a murder in it. She thinks she is already going crazy, but Miss Marple has a different opinion.
Miss Marple's Final Cases and Two Other Stories Oct. 1979, Collins, Crime Club
Miss Marple's Last Cases
The Caretaker's Case
Miss Marple's latest investigations
Miss Marple's Last Cases and Two Stories
- The collection includes 8 stories, 6 of which are about Miss Marple, and the last two - The Dressmaker's Doll and In a Glass Darkly - stories with a mystical twist outside the series.
This collection does not include the story Greenshaw's Folly (1960), which has been added in some new editions since 2010. The story is available in the collection Double Sin and Other Stories (1961).
Books older than 1973 are protected by law. Stories of interest can be downloaded from other collections.
Parker Pyne Investigates Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective Nov. 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company
Parker Pine investigates
Mr Parker Pyne
Mr. Parker Pyne, Master of Happiness
12 first stories with Parker Pyne, Miss Lemon and Ariadne Oliver.
- The collection includes the following stories by Agatha Christie:
The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Case of the Forsaken Wife Nov. 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company in Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective
The Woman Concerned Oct.8 1932, Woman's Pictorial
The Case of a Middle-Aged Woman
The case of a middle-aged lady
The case of a middle-aged lady
The case of the middle-aged wife
The case of the middle-aged wife
The Case of the Discontented Soldier Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Case of the Retired Officer Nov. 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company in Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective
The Soldier Who Wanted Danger Aug. 1932, Cosmopolitan
Adventure – By Request Oct.15 1932, Woman's Pictorial
The case of a disgruntled military man
Major Wilbraham seeks danger
Parker Pyne: The Case of the Bored Soldier
The Case of the Bored Soldier
The Incident of the Disgruntled Major
The case of a disgruntled military man
Major Wilbraham's Case
The Case of the Distressed Lady Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Pretty girl who wanted a ring Aug. 1932, Cosmopolitan
Faked! Oct.22 1932, Woman's Pictorial
The Cat and the Chestnut Oct. 1957, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
The Story of an Excited Lady
The case of a conscientious girl
The Incident of the Young Lady in Trouble
The Case of the Distressed Lady
The Case of the Distressed Lady
The Case of the Upset Lady
The Case of the Discontented Husband Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Case of the Dissatisfied Husband Nov. 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company in Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective
The Husband Who Wanted To Keep His Wife Aug. 1932, Cosmopolitan
His Lady's Affair Oct.29 1932, Woman's Pictorial
The Case of the Unhappy Husband
The Case of the Disgruntled Husband
The Case of the Dissatisfied Husband
Twice Rejected
The Case of the Dissatisfied Spouse
The Case of the City Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Case of the Office Clerk Nov. 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company in Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective
The Clerk Who Wanted Excitement Aug. 1932, Cosmopolitan
The £10 Adventure Nov. 1932, The Strand Magazine
The Case of the Clerk
Clerk's story
The Case of the Tired Clerk
The Case of the City Clerk
Incident with the City Clerk
The Case of the Rich Woman Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Rich Woman Who Wanted Only To Be Happy Aug. 1932, Cosmopolitan
The Case of the Rich Lady
The Case of the Rich Lady
Rich Woman's Case
The Case of the Rich Woman
The story of a wealthy lady
Have You Got Everything You Want? Apr. 1933, Cosmopolitan
Express to Stamboul Jun. 1965, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
The Arabian nights of Parker Pyne: On the Orient Express Jun. 1933, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine
Whatever your heart desires
Do you have everything you want?
You just have to want it
Express to Istanbul
Did you get everything you wanted?
Everyone got everything they wanted
The Gate of Baghdad Apr. 1933, Cosmopolitan
The Arabian nights of Parker Pyne: At the Gate of Baghdad Jun. 1933, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine The Gate of Death Jun. 1966, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Doors of Baghdad
Road to Baghdad
Baghdad Gate
The first of two stories about Parker Pyne, where he investigates a murder.A detective is traveling by bus from Damascus to Baghdad when one of the passengers is suddenly found dead.
The House at Shiraz Apr. 1933, Cosmopolitan
The Arabian nights of Parker Pyne: In the House at Shiraz Jun. 1933, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine
The Dream House of Shiraz Sep. 1966, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
House in Shiraz
House near Shiraz
The Pearl of Price Nov. 1934, Collins, Mystery in Parker Pyne Investigates
The Valuable Perl Nov. 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company in Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective
More Arabian nights of Parker Pyne: The Pearl Jul. 1933, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine
Once a Thief Nov. 1957, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Priceless Pearl
Temptation
A pearl of great price
What is a pearl worth?
Dear pearl
Death on the NileDeath on the Nile Apr. 1933, Cosmopolitan
More Arabian Nights of Parker Pyne: Death on the Nile Jul. 1933, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine
Death on the Nile
A story of the same name as the 1937 novel about Hercule Poirot. The details of the plot vary considerably, although the general characteristics of the characters can be discerned. The last of two stories in which Parker Pyne investigates a murder.A detective is traveling on a ship along the Nile, where one of the passengers turns to him, suspecting that her husband is gradually poisoning her...
The Oracle at Delphi Apr. 1933, Cosmopolitan
More Arabian Nights of Parker Pyne: The Oracle at Delphi Jul. 1933, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine
Delphic Oracle
Oracle of Delphi
Sparkling Cyanide (UK) Dec. 1945, Collins, Crime Club
Remembered Death (US) Feb. 1945 Dodd, Mead and Company(book); Jul.15-Sep.2 1944 (8 parts), The Saturday Evening Post(magazine)
Sparkling cyanide
Memorial Day
Extended version of the story Yellow Iris(1937) with Hercule Poirot, who was replaced by Colonel Race.Several months after Mrs. Barton's suicide, believed to be due to depression, her husband receives a letter claiming that she has been murdered. Trying to clarify the truth, he himself dies. As a result, his friend Colonel Race and secret police agent Anthony Brown are trying to bring the matter to an end.
Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Feb. 1945 Dodd, Mead and Company
Three blind mice (the collection was not officially published in Russian)
- The collection includes 9 stories:
Three Blind Mice May. 1948, Cosmopolitan; 1947, radio BBC(slightly different)
Three blind mice
Three blind mice
The famous play The Mousetrap was written based on the story. At Agatha Christie's request, the story was never published in the UK, so as not to reveal the intrigue of the play.A notebook dropped by the killer was found near the crime scene. A note was found in it: “Manxwell Estate.” The police believe that the next murder will happen there and send their agent there, Sergeant Trotter.
Strange Jest Nov.2 1941, This Week
A Case of Buried Treasure Jul. 1944, The Strand Magazine
Old uncle jokes
Unusual joke
Disguised treasure
Strange joke
Risky joke
This Miss Marple story should not be confused with The Case of the Buried Treasure- this is the name of a book by another author.Shortly before his death, Uncle Matthew tells his relatives that he does not believe in banks and will bury his fortune in the garden. Now the heirs cannot find him and hope that Miss Marple's intuition can help them.
Tape-Measure Murder / Tape Measure Murder 1950, Dodd, Mead and Company in Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
The Case of the Retired Jeweler Nov.16 1941, This Week
Village Murder Jan. 1973, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Measure of death
Murder of Mrs. Sp e nlow
Murder of Mrs. Sp uh nlow
Murder by measure
Murder weapon - tailor's tape
Fatal centimeter
In this story, Miss Marple will solve the murder of Mrs. Spenlow, who was found strangled by a seamstress who brought her a new dress home.
The Case of the Perfect Maid 1950, Dodd, Mead and Company in Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
The Perfect Maid Apr. 1942, The Strand Magazine
The Maid Who Disappeared 1942, Chicago Sunday Tribune
The Servant Problem Jul. 1957, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The case of the best of the maids
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Perfect Maid
Flawless Maid
The maid Gladys is accused of theft, but Miss Marple suspects that this is done for ulterior motives.
The Case of the Caretaker Jan. 1942, The Strand Magazine
The Caretaker's Case
Cure for Miss Marple
The Case of the Watchman's Widow
Keeper of the old house
Miss Marple has chondritis after suffering from the flu. Her doctor, who wants her to do something interesting and get back on her feet quickly, offers her his manuscript with a murder mystery.
Jan. 1929,
In the Third Floor Flat Jan.5 1929, Detective Story Magazine
Lost Key
Apartment on the fourth floor
Jun. 1925, Blue Book Magazine
The Sketch
Johnny's Adventure Way believed
Johnny's Adventure Wei believed
Johnny's Adventure Ue believed
Kidnapping of Johnny Waverly
Four and Twenty Blackbirds Nov.9 1940, Collier's Weekly
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds 1950, Dodd, Mead and Company in Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
Mar. 1941, The Strand Magazine
Black currant
The dead man had white teeth
Twenty-four blackbirds
Twenty four blackbirds
The Love Detectives Oct.30 1926, Flynn's Weekly
At the Crossroads Dec. 1926, The Story-Teller
It's about love
At the crossroads
Love detective
Charming detectives
Endless Night Oct.30 1967, Collins, Crime Club
Night darkness
Endless night
Night without end
Eternal darkness
The novel received high reviews from critics and is considered one of the most successful later works Christie.Michael is not a rich man, but he is an ambitious young man. He dreams of buying one estate and starting a family. Near this place he meets Ellie. The inspired girl turns out to be a rich heiress and buys the land on which they met in order to build a house for them. But this land is considered cursed by local residents. Do they have a future?
The Secret Adversary Jan. 1922, The Bodley Head; Aug.2-Dec.2 1921 (17 parts), The Times
Mysterious enemy
Mysterious Rival
Secret Rival
The first Tommy and Tuppence novel and the second detective novel published by Agatha Christie.Post-war 1919. A young couple, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, have neither work nor money. They decide to start a joint venture Young Adventurers Ltd and are ready to take on any job. But their very first meeting with a client, and Tuppence's chosen pseudonym from an earlier overheard conversation, plunges them into greater danger than they could have imagined.
Partners in Crime Aug. 1929, Dodd, Mead and Company
Partners in crime
The second book is about the investigations of Tommy and Tuppence. All 15 stories are original parodies of detective stories by other authors (for example, Arthur Conan Doyle) and imitate them in a humorous way. List of works included in the collection Partners in Crime:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Jun. 1926, Collins
Who Killed Ackroyd? Jul.16-Sep.16 1925 (54 parts with minor differences), The Evening News
Roger's Murder
Murder of Roger E Croyd
The Murder of Roger A Croyd
The novel was adapted for the stage by Michael Morton into a play Alibi (1928) - the first adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel for the stage.The action takes place in an English village and begins with the death of a wealthy widow who was rumored to have killed her husband. Everyone believed that she had committed murder until Roger Ackroyd, a widower who was going to marry her, although he already had a daughter-in-law, dies.
The story is told from the perspective of Dr. James Sheppard, who is well versed in murder and will help Poirot in this complicated case.
Mar. 1928, Collins; Feb.1-Mar.15 1928 (in 8 parts, without the first two chapters), The Star
The Mystery of the Blue Train
The Mystery of the Blue Express
The basis for the novel was the story The Mystery of the Plymouth Express (1923) .The only daughter of a deceased American millionaire, who had recently received a huge inheritance, was found strangled in her compartment. Blue train, plying between the shores of the English Channel and the French Riviera, where she fled from the everyday life of marriage to her lover. Obviously, the girl became a victim of robbery - priceless rubies, which may have once belonged to Catherine the Great, disappeared from the compartment. Whether everything is so obvious in this case is up to one of the passengers, Hercule Poirot, to decide.
Three Act Tragedy (UK) Jan. 1935, Collins, Crime Club
Murder in Three Acts (US) Jun.9-Jul.14 1934 (6 parts), Saturday Evening Post(magazine); 1934, Dodd, Mead and Company(book)
Tragedy in three acts
Drama in three acts
One of two novels, along with The Moving Finger (1942) , where the American version of the novel differs significantly from the English one: the murderer's motive is changed, but not so much that other chapters have to be changed.Thirteen guests have dinner at the Crow's Nest bungalow, where they have been invited by a famous theater actor. It was not a particularly good day for Pastor Babbington, who choked to death on his own cocktail. Some time later, another guest dies under the same circumstances. Mr. Satterthwaite (known from some stories with Harley Keene) and Miss Egg Lytton Gore take on the investigation. Later, his friend Hercule Poirot joins them.
Poirot Lends a Hand 1946, Polybooks
A little-known collection of three stories different years, which are available in other collections:
Problem at Pollensa Bay Nov. 1936, The Strand Magazine
Siren Business Sep.5 1936, Liberty
Trouble in Pollensa Bay
Case in Pollensa
Case in the Gulf of Pollensa
The Regatta Mystery 1939, Dodd, Mead and Company
The secret of the regatta
(May.3 1936, The Hartford Courant) , .To the collection The Labors of Hercules includes a preface and 12 Poirot stories over the years, which were originally serialized in magazines such as This Week and Strand Magazine. Each story is a case, ironically compared with the myths about the exploits of Hercules:
- List of short stories:
To the collection The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding includes 6 stories by Agatha Christie in English: A famous collection of 6 stories from different years.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds Nov.9 1940, Collier's Weekly
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds 1950, Dodd, Mead and Company in Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
Poirot and the Regular Customer Mar. 1941, The Strand Magazine
Black currant
The dead man had white teeth
Twenty-four blackbirds
Twenty four blackbirds
Poirot is having lunch with a friend at his favorite restaurant, a conversation comes up about people's habits and suddenly Poirot notices that the elderly man is eating something completely different from what he usually ordered...
*An earlier version of the story is in the collection While the Light Lasts and Other Stories
**An earlier version of the story, The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest, appears in The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories
In the first five stories, the investigation is led by Hercule Poirot, and only in the last - by Miss Marple.
To the collection Double Sin and Other Stories includes 8 stories by Agatha Christie from different years in English:
The Dressmaker's Doll Dec. 1958, Woman's Journal
Doll in the fitting room
Milliner doll
Doll in the studio
In the fitting room of the studio, it is unclear where a doll began to appear. She causes fear, bewilderment and hatred among the two owners of the atelier. But is it really worth fearing?
Sanctuary Oct. 1954 Woman's Journal
Man on the Chancel Steps Mar. 1963, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Holy place
Dancer's Necklace
This story should not be confused with Agatha Christie's other Miss Marple novel. The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) .The priest's wife discovers a man lying on the steps leading to the altar, who manages to whisper two words "Holy..., refuge." She and her friend Miss Marple now have to solve the mystery and find out why the murder happened.
To the collection The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories included the following stories by Agatha Christie:
The Regatta Mystery 1939, Dodd, Mead and Company
The secret of the regatta
Mysterious incident during the regatta
Rewritten version of the original story Poirot and the Regatta Mystery (May.3 1936, The Hartford Courant) , which was published only once before 2008. Agatha Christie replaced Hercule Poirot with Parker Pine in this story.Problem at Pollensa Bay Nov. 1936, The Strand Magazine
Siren Business Sep.5 1936, Liberty
Trouble in Pollensa Bay
Case in Pollensa
Case in the Gulf of Pollensa
Incident in the Gulf of Pollensa
The investigation is being led by Parker Pyne.
Miss Marple Tells a Story 1939, Dodd, Mead and Company in The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories
Behind Closed Doors 1935, Home Journal; 1934, radio BBC
Miss Marple talks
Miss Marple remembers...
Miss Marple recalls a story about how her friend came to visit her with an acquaintance who could soon be accused of murdering his wife.
In a Glass Darkly Jul.28 1934, Collier's Weekly
In the twilight of the mirror
In the mirror
Shadow on the glass
I saw in the old mirror
There in the darkness, behind the mirror...
Reflection in the mirror
The main character sees in the mirror a scene of a woman being strangled. But when he turned around, he found no one. Without seeing the killer's face, he still managed to notice the scar on his hand. Soon he notices a similar scar on his sister's fiancé. The engagement is upset. But what was it, when did it happen or, perhaps, will it happen?
The collection includes 2 novellas and 2 short stories, previously published in magazines and subsequently expanded:
The presented collection consists of fourteen small early stories, telling about the investigations of Hercule Poirot.
The Veiled Lady Oct.3 1923, The Sketch
The Case of the Veiled Lady Mar.3 1923, The Sketch
The Clue of the Veiled Lady Mar 1925 Blue Book Magazine
The Chinese Puzzle Box Mar. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Lady under the veil
Visit from a Stranger
Lady under the veil
Lady in a black veil
The investigation is led by Hercule Poirot.
This novel has the most unusual structure of all, as it began with 12 short stories featuring villains from the Big Four dreaming of world domination, which were published separately in the magazine The Sketch throughout 1924. Some of these stories were eventually divided into chapters.
- The original story/concluding chapters of the novel.
*In the USA, the novel's stories were published from 1927 to 1928 in the magazine Blue Book. All the stories (abbreviated in some places) were published (except for The Terrible Catastrophe). The names of two have been changed (in the list in parentheses).
To the collection Poirot's Early Cases includes 18 stories:
The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly Jun. 1925, Blue Book Magazine
The Kidnapping of Johnnie Waverly Oct. 1923, The Sketch
Johnny's Adventure Way believed
Johnny's Adventure Wei believed
Johnny's Adventure Ue believed
Kidnapping of Johnny Waverly
A three-year-old boy is kidnapped after a series of anonymous threats to do so unless money is paid. The child was kidnapped right from the house and the servant is under suspicion. Poirot gets involved in the case.
The Third Floor Flat (sometimes called The Third-Floor Flat) Jan. 1929, Hutchinson's Adventure & Mystery Story Magazine
In the Third Floor Flat Jan.5 1929, Detective Story Magazine
Lost Key
Apartment on the fourth floor
Young people are trying to get into an apartment at night, the keys to which have been lost. They use the elevator for coal, but mistakenly end up in another apartment, where they get dirty with blood and then discover a corpse. Having assessed the situation, the young people remember that the famous Hercule Poirot lives on the 5th floor and rush to him...
The Veiled Lady Oct.3 1923, The Sketch
The Case of the Veiled Lady Mar.3 1923, The Sketch
The Clue of the Veiled Lady Mar 1925 Blue Book Magazine
The Chinese Puzzle Box Mar. 1961, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Lady under the veil
Visit from a Stranger
Lady under the veil
Lady in a black veil
The investigation is led by Hercule Poirot.
List of works by Agatha Christie from different years that were included in the collection "Problem at Pollensa Bay and Other Stories":
The Love Detectives Oct.30 1926, Flynn's Weekly
At the Crossroads Dec. 1926, The Story-Teller
It's about love
At the crossroads
Love detective
Charming detectives
A man who was interested in lovers
The plot of the story is similar to the novel The Murder at the Vicarage (1930), which investigates the murder of Miss Marple.A woman and her lover confess to the murder of her husband, but their story does not pass the test of facts and suspicion falls on the valet. But is he a murderer? If Harley Keene and Mr. Satterthwaite had not been involved in the investigation, an innocent person might have been brought to trial.
Problem at Pollensa Bay Nov. 1936, The Strand Magazine
Siren Business Sep.5 1936, Liberty
Trouble in Pollensa Bay
Case in Pollensa
Case in the Gulf of Pollensa
Incident in the Gulf of Pollensa
The investigation is being led by Parker Pyne.
The investigation is being led by Parker Pyne.
The Regatta Mystery 1939, Dodd, Mead and Company
The secret of the regatta
Mysterious incident during the regatta
Rewritten version of the original story Poirot and the Regatta Mystery (May.3 1936, The Hartford Courant) , which was published only once before 2008. Agatha Christie replaced Hercule Poirot with Parker Pine in this story.The rights to this collection are protected by the state. You can download stories that interest you in other collections.
To the collection While the Light Lasts and Other Stories includes 9 little-known stories from different years, several of which mention Poirot. The publication contains editorial notes, including about one of Agatha Christie's most unusual stories - Manx Gold. These short stories, originally published in various magazines, contain many sketches of future novels.
- Collection contents:
The rights to this collection and the editorial notes in it are protected by the state.
In the famous collection of Agatha Christie The Hound of Death includes 12 stories in English:
***Also included in the collection Double Sin and Other Stories
List of works by Agatha Christie in English that are included in this collection:
*Also in The Golden Ball and Other Stories
**Also in Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories
