The Mysterious Affair at Styles
by Agatha Christie
read by Charles Armstrong
Part 1 of the Hercule Poirot series
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a detective novel that was written by Agatha Christie in 1916 and first published in 1920 to rave reviews. It introduces her famous detective Hercule Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, who settles in England near the home of his wealthy, recently widowed friend Emily Inglethorp. When the widow is found murdered via the administering of poison, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery. Featuring multiple red herrings and surprise twists, the book ushered in what is known as The Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
The Murder on the Links
A Hercule Poirot Mystery
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rayburn
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
The detective story was more or less invented by Edgar Allen Poe, but he more or less lost interest with the genre and moved on, with the next leading practitioner being Arthur Conan Doyle with his Sherlock Holmes tales. It was about thirty-three years before Agatha Christie entered the detective mystery field, and she wound up becoming one of the most well-known English authors of the twentieth century. Her success was so extraordinary she became the bestselling novelist of all time, with only the Bible and Shakespeare exceeding her sales.
Her accomplishments often came in unusual fashion, as she would be walking down a street and a plot idea would come to her. All this had begun when she had a poem published in a local London newspaper when she was only four years old. Remarkable, yes, but the extremely early beginning led to her tremendous success. She finally created a play, The Mousetrap, that began in 1952 and had more than 27,000 performances before being finally halted in mid-March, 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. For now, let's listen to one of her creations for the infamous Belgian detective/investigator Hercule Poirot. You can rest assured we'll find out "whodunnit."
Murder on the Links
by Agatha Christie
read by B. J. Harrison
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
Paul Renauld knows he will soon be murdered. But after frantically reaching out to Hercule Poirot for help, by the time Poirot and Hastings arrive it is too late. Renauld's body was just discovered next to a newly dug grave in the adjacent golf course. His wife relates that masked men broke into their villa at 2 a.m., tied her up, and took her husband. ¶ Spurious motives and nefarious histories come to light, as Poirot peels back each elusive layer with fastidious aplomb.
The Murder on the Links
by Agatha Christie
read by Charles Armstrong
Part 2 of the Hercule Poirot series
When a man is found dead in a freshly dug grave adjacent to a golf course, Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings arrive on the scene only to be met by a hostile local police detective who is unwilling to share information. But Poirot's methodical investigation slowly and surely reveals the real killer amid a host of suspects and clues, including an impassioned love letter and heavy lead piping found near the body. However, as Poirot and Hastings rush to solve the murder, a similarly slain corpse and fresh clues are discovered.
Poirot Investigates
His Early Cases
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rayburn
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot series
You will soon discover that Captain Arthur Hastings is on hand to relate confirming details of case after case. Hastings was an ongoing friend and adventure companion of the often exuberant Belgian investigator who once proudly proclaimed, "I am the greatest detective in the world."
In the tales related by Hastings, we soon discover the supremely confident little man lived up to his apparent braggadocio. His statement was rarely, if ever, challenged. Anyone taking umbrage to the proud claim was soon to back off and accept it. The expressed personal opinion was plain enough, nothing other than unvarnished fact.
Even with some misgivings, Hastings had to admit his compatriot always managed to stand upright no matter how implicit demands for retraction or truth might be.
Listen now to discern the facts as Hastings begins the narrative.
Poirot Investigates
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rubinstein
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot series
An American starlet with a mysterious diamond, a suicide that may be more than it appears, an impossibly cheap flat, a locked room murder, a million dollar robbery, an ancient pharaoh's curse, a precious stolen jewel, a political abduction, a disappeared banker, a phone call form a dying man, and a missing will... Who could possibly solve such varied, gruesome, and dastardly crimes? None other than Agatha Christie's beloved Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot!
Poirot Investigates is the very first collection of short stories featuring Poirot. These eleven stories are filled to bursting with Poirot's trademark wit and incredible skills of deduction, and each story will leave you guessing until the very end.
Full Contents:
1. "The Adventure of 'The Western Star'"
2. "The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor"
3. "The Adventure of the Cheap Flat"
4. "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge"
5. "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery"
6. "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb"
7. "Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan"
8. "The Kidnapped Prime Minister"
9. "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim"
10. "The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman"
11. "The Case of the Missing Will"
Poirot Investigates
by Agatha Christie
read by David Suchet
Part 3 of the Hercule Poirot series
First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond . . . then came the "suicide" that was murder . . . the mystery of the absurdly cheap flat . . .a suspicious death in a locked gun room . . . a million dollar bond robbery . . . the curse of a pharaoh's tomb . . . a jewel robbery by the sea . . . the abduction of a prime minister . . . the disappearance of a banker . . . a phone call from a dying man . . .and, finally, the mystery of the missing will. What links these fascinating cases? Only the brilliant deductive powers of Hercule Poirot!
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
by Agatha Christie
read by John Lee
Part 4 of the Hercule Poirot series
First published in 1926 in the United Kingdom, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is the third novel to feature Hercule Poirot as the lead detective, and in 2013, the British Crime Writers' Association voted it the best crime novel ever.
Roger Ackroyd was a man who knew too much. He knew the woman he loved had poisoned her first husband. He knew someone was blackmailing her-and now he knew she had taken her own life with a drug overdose. Soon the evening post would let him know who the mystery blackmailer was. But Ackroyd was dead before he'd finished reading it-stabbed through the neck where he sat in the study.
The only person who can unravel the terrible events is Hercule Poirot. He sets about, in his usual meticulous and eccentric way, to uncover the truth.
"A well-written detective story."
"No one is more adroit than Miss Christie in the manipulation of false clues and irrelevances and red herrings; and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd makes breathless reading from first to the unexpected last."
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
by Agatha Christie
read by Charles Armstrong
Part 4 of the Hercule Poirot series
Hercule Poirot thought that retiring to a small village to do some gardening would bring his detective career to a halt. But when Roger Ackroyd's body is found in his study with a knife stabbed into him, Poirot takes on the case. Ackroyd, whose wealthy fiancee had just recently committed suicide, is hosting a dinner party for a swathe of guests one night when a friend comes to him in confidence and reveals that someone had been blackmailing his late fiancee. That is the last time anyone saw Mr. Ackroyd alive. Join one of Agatha Christie's most notable characters in this entertaining and surprising murder mystery.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rayburn
Part 4 of the Hercule Poirot series
The term "sour grapes" is often used in reference to an instance in which someone adopts an attitude to something because they can't equal it themselves. That was certainly the case when a 20th century critic wrote a derogatory article in the New York Magazine, stating:
"Who cares Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?"-Edmund Wilson
He added: "Wasteful of time and degrading to the intellect."
We learn that Wilson was long since misguided when he said he had outgrown detective stories by the time he was twelve-years-old. His comment was degraded by publisher, editor, and critic, Howard Haycraft. He called this story:
"One of the most influential crime novels ever written."
In Great Britain, in 2013, the Crime Writer's Association listed it as the best crime novel ever, just one of the many accolades accorded Agatha Christie, the bestselling author in history. Her works have always achieved vast audiences, ignoring any criticism. Some critics consider this to be the masterpiece of all the stand-alone novels written by Christie.
As you listen with us, you will inevitably agree that there is an innovative ending with a highly unusual twist. You can now hear that for yourself.
The Big Four: The Original 12 Stories
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rubinstein, Gabrielle De Cuir, Stefan Rudnicki
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
When private investigator Hercule Poirot and his assistant Hastings get an unexpected visitor, they are propelled into the world of international intrigue.
The stranger who shows up in Poirot's doorway collapses and repeats Poirot's name and address and the number four over and over. The man speaks about an international crime cartel called the Big Four and describes its four leaders. Then the man dies.
Poirot begins his investigation with the four leaders. One is a Chinese political mastermind named Li Chang Yen. The second is an American. The third is a Frenchwoman, and the fourth is known only as "the Destroyer."
However, in his investigation of these cases, Poirot will be risking not only his life but that of his twin brother, Achille.
The Big Four
by Agatha Christie
read by Charles Armstrong
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
Originally published as a series of short stories in Sketch magazine, this tale of international intrigue and espionage begins when a visitor stumbles into detective Hercule Poirot's bedroom. In the final moments before his death, he tells Poirot of the crime cartel known only as the Big Four. What follows is Hercule Poirot's biggest case yet, taking him and his sidekick Arthur Hastings on the trail of the Big Four before their plans to take control of the world unfold. Note: The Big Four contains characterization and thematic elements representative of prejudiced beliefs, particularly Sinophobia and Orientalism. While these views were never legitimate nor equitable, they were unfortunately commonplace at the time of writing and publication. Rather than glossing over this painful dimension of literary history, this audiobook edition references the text as it was originally published so that it may be included when taking into consideration the overall impact of Agatha Christie's body of work. The beliefs and views present in this book do not reflect that of the publisher's.
The Big Four
A Hercule Poirot Mystery
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rayburn
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
This book is more a spy thriller than just a mystery as the exceptional Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, gets greatly involved in international intrigue and espionage. He attempts to defeat a ruthless cartel trying to dominate the world … in essence super criminals forming a cruel coalition. Poirot's efforts include help from his closest friend, Captain Arthur Hastings, and also Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard. As we begin the tale, Hastings is just returning from a voyage at sea that he despises and is venting his displeasure as he looks forward to joining his friend. As we begin in this different manner, we will hear what he was thinking as his boat came in.
Other Christie/Poirot books here narrated by John Rayburn include The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, and The Murder On the Links.
The Big Four
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 5 of the Hercule Poirot series
Framed in the doorway of Hercule Poirot's bedroom stands an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man stares for a moment, then he sways and falls. Who is he? Is he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what is the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? Poirot finds himself plunged into a worldof international intrigue, risking his life-and thatof his "twin brother"-to uncover the truth.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
by Agatha Christie
read by John Rayburn
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
This story tells of happenings involved with the Blue Train that runs from London to the Riviera. It involves the murder and theft of expensive jewels of the pampered daughter of a wealthy industrialist. She was wanting very much to have a divorce, and this brought about her vicious death that led to famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot being called on to solve the weird case. There is much negative evidence, and this leads to a strangely surprise ending. Listen and learn all the gruesome details.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering fromher slumbers. But she will never wake again-for heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing. The prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, Derek. Yet Hercule Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie reenactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board. . . .
The Mystery of the Blue Train
by Agatha Christie
read by Charles Armstrong
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
Heading for the French Rivieria, recently retired detective Hercule Poirot boards Le Train Bleu in London. This luxury trip, however, quickly turns south-in more ways than one. When the train arrives in Nice, France, American heiress Ruth Kettering is found murdered, and the Heart of Fire ruby that just came into her possession from her father has vanished in an apparent robbery. Add in a jilted husband, a secret lover, and a supposed curse on the missing gemstone, and it's a mystery that just might lure Poirot from his supposed retirement.
The Mystery of the Blue Train
by Agatha Christie
read by Gabrielle De Cuir, John Rubinstein, Stefan Rudnicki
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
When an American heiress is murdered and robbed on a train in France, detective Hercule Poirot investigates by retracing her last known steps and restaging the train ride with all of the known suspects.
"The reader will not be disappointed when the distinguished Belgian on psychological grounds declines to suspect the arrested husband and...lands his fish to the surprise of everyone."
The Mystery of the Blue Train
by Agatha Christie
read by Sean Prattt
Part 6 of the Hercule Poirot series
Agatha Christie's beloved detective does it again!
Hercule Poirot solves the murder of a wealthy American socialite by staging an eerie reenactment of the journey with the killer along for the ride.
When the luxurious overnight passenger train from Calais to the Riviera, known as the Blue Train, arrives in Nice, a guard goes into the compartment of American heiress, Ruth Kettering and attempts to wake her. Unfortunately, she will never wake up, as she is dead, having been killed by a heavy blow to her head, disfiguring her almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious ruby, known as the 'Heart of Fire', is missing.
The prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, but detective Hercule Poirot, who also just happens to be a passenger on the train, is not convinced. He undertakes the investigation of the case by interviewing the girl's ex-husband, her father, her maid, her eccentric cousins and many other unconventional characters as he stages a reenactment of the journey.
Go along for the exciting ride with Poirot as he masterfully investigates this heinous crime. It is a mystery packed with greed, passion, and deceit. It's Agatha Christie at her best.
Black Coffee
by Agatha Christie
read by John Moffatt
Part 7 of the Hercule Poirot series
Sir Claud Amory's formula for a powerful new explosive has been stolen, presumably by a member of his large household. Sir Claud assembles his suspects in the library and locks the door, instructing them that the when the lights go out, the formula must be replaced on the table -- and no questions will be asked. But when the lights come on, Sir Claud is dead. Now Hercule Poirot, assisted by Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp, must unravel a tangle of family feuds, old flames, and suspicious foreigners to find the killer and prevent a global catastrophe.
Peril at End House
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 8 of the Hercule Poirot series
On holiday on the Cornish Riviera, Hercule Poirot is alarmed to hear pretty Nick Buckley describe her recent "accidental brushes with death." First, on a treacherous Cornish hillside, the brakes on her car failed. Then, on a coastal path, a falling boulder missed her by inches. Later, an oil painting fell and almost crushed her in bed. So when Poirot finds a bullet hole in Nick's sun hat, he decides that this girl needs his help. Can he find the would-be killer before he hits his target?
Lord Edgware Dies
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 9 of the Hercule Poirot series
When Lord Edgware is found murdered the police are baffled. His estranged actress wife was seen visiting him just before his death and Hercule Poirot himself heard her brag of her plan to "get rid" of him. But how could she have stabbed Lord Edgware in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? It's a case that almost proves to be too much for the great Poirot. This title was previously published as Thirteen at Dinner.
Murder on the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie
read by Dan Stevens
Part 10 of the Hercule Poirot series
"The murderer is with us-on the train now . . ." Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer. Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again . . .
Murder on the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie
read by David Suchet
Part 10 of the Hercule Poirot series
Just after midnight, a snowstorm stops the Orient Express dead in its tracks in the middle of Yugoslavia. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for this time of year. But by morning there is one passenger less. A 'respectable American gentleman' lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside . . . Hercule Poirot is also aboard, having arrived in the nick of time to claim a second-class compartment-and the most astounding case of his illustrious career. This title was previously published as Murder in the Calais Coach.
Murder on the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie
read by Kenneth Branagh
Part 10 of the Hercule Poirot series
"The murderer is with us - on the train now..." Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer. Isolated by the storm and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer amongst a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again...
Three Act Tragedy
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 11 of the Hercule Poirot series
Sir Charles Cartwright should have known better than to allow thirteen guests to sit down for dinner. For at the end of the evening one of them is dead-choked by a cocktail that contained no trace of poison. Predictable, says Hercule Poirot, the great detective. But entirely unpredictable is that he can find absolutely no motive for murder. . . . This title was previously published as Murder in Three Acts.
Death in the Clouds
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 12 of the Hercule Poirot series
From seat No. 9, Hercule Poirot is almost ideally placed to observe his fellow air travelers on this short flight from Paris to London. Over to his right sits a pretty young woman, clearly infatuated with the man opposite. Ahead, in seat No. 13, is the Countess of Horbury, horribly addicted to cocaine and not doing too good a job of concealing it. Across the gangway in seat No. 8, a writer of detective fiction is being troubled by an aggressive wasp. Yes, Poirot is almost ideally placed to take it all in-except that the passenger in the seat directly behind him has slumped over in the course of the flight . . . dead. Murdered. By someone in Poirot's immediate proximity. And Poirot himself must number among the suspects. This title was previously published as Death in the Air.
The ABC Murders
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 13 of the Hercule Poirot series
There's a serial killer on the loose, workinghis way through the alphabet and the wholecountry is in a state of panic. A is for Mrs. Ascher in Andover, B is for BettyBarnard in Bexhill, C is for Sir Carmichael Clarkein Churston. With each murder, the killer is gettingmore confident-but leaving a trail of deliberateclues to taunt the proud Hercule Poirot might justprove to be the first, and fatal, mistake.
Murder in Mesopotamia
by Agatha Christie
read by Anna Massey
Part 14 of the Hercule Poirot series
Nurse Amy Leatheran had never felt the lure of the 'mysterious East,' but she nonetheless accepts an assignment at Hassanieh, an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert, to care for the wife of a celebrated archaeologist. Mrs. Leidner is suffering bizarre visions and nervous terror. 'I'm afraid of being killed!' she admits to her nurse. Her terror, unfortunately, is anything but unfounded, and Nurse Leatheran is soon enough without a patient. The world's greatest detective happens to be in the vicinity, however: having concluded an assignment in Syria, and curious about the dig at Hassanieh, Hercule Poirot arrives in time to lead a murder investigation that will tax even his remarkable powers -- and in a part of the world that has seen more than its share of misadventure and foul play.
Cards on the Table
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 15 of the Hercule Poirot series
Mr. Shaitana is famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he is a man of whom everybody is a little afraid. So when he boasts to Hercule Poirot that he considers murder an art form, the detective has some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana's "private collection." Indeed, what begins as an absorbing evening of bridge is to turn into a more dangerous game altogether.…
Dumb Witness
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 17 of the Hercule Poirot series
Miss Emily was old, rich, and afraid-and now, she's dead. Her terrified plea to Hercule Poirot came a little too late. All that's left is a house full of greedy heirs, and a very strange letter that could solve the mystery-or add to it. This title was previously published as Poirot Loses a Client.
Death on the Nile
by Agatha Christie
read by David Suchet
Part 18 of the Hercule Poirot series
Soon to be a major motion picture sequel to Murder on the Orient Express with a screenplay by Michael Green, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh alongside Gal Gadot-coming February 11, 2022!
Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries.
The tranquility of a luxury cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything . . . until she lost her life.
Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: "I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger." Yet under the searing heat of the Egyptian sun, nothing is ever quite what it seems.
A sweeping mystery of love, jealousy, and betrayal, Death on the Nile is one of Christie's most legendary and timeless works.
"Death on the Nile is perfect." -The Guardian
"One of her best. . . . First rate entertainment." -Kirkus Reviews
Death on the Nile
by Agatha Christie
read by John Moffatt, Kenneth Branagh
Part 18 of the Hercule Poirot series
Beloved detective Hercule Poirot embarks on a journey to Egypt in one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries, Death on the Nile.
The tranquility of a cruise along the Nile was shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway had been shot through the head. She was young, stylish, and beautiful. A girl who had everything...until she lost her life.
Hercule Poirot recalled an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: "I'd like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger." Yet in this exotic setting nothing is ever quite what it seems.
Appointment With Death
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 19 of the Hercule Poirot series
Among the towering red cliffs of Petra, like somemonstrous swollen Buddha, sits the corpse of Mrs.Boynton. A tiny puncture mark on her wrist is the onlysign of the fatal injection that killed her. With only twenty-four hours available to solve themystery, Hercule Poirot recalled a chance remark he'doverheard back in Jerusalem: "You see, don't you, thatshe's got to be killed?" Mrs. Boynton was, indeed, themost detestable woman he'd ever met. . . .
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 20 of the Hercule Poirot series
Christmas Eve, and the Lee family's reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed. When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man. . . . This title was previously published as Murder for Christmas and A Holiday for Murder.
The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories
Featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Mr. Parker Pyne
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser, Joan Hickson
Part 21 of the Hercule Poirot series
There's a body in a trunk; a dead girl's reflection is caught in a mirror; and one corpse is back from the grave, while another is envisioned in the recurring nightmare of a terrified eccentric. What's behind such ghastly misdeeds? Try money, revenge, passion, and pleasure. With multiple motives, multiple victims, and multiple suspects, it's going to take a multitude of talent to solve these clever crimes. In this inviting collection, Agatha Christie enlists the services of her finest-Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Parker Pyne-and puts them each to the test in the most challenging cases of their careers.
Sad Cypress
by Agatha Christie
read by David Suchet
Part 22 of the Hercule Poirot series
Beautiful young Elinor Carlisle stood serenely in the dock, accused of the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. The evidence was damning: only Elinor had the motive, the opportunity and the means to administer the fatal poison. Yet, inside the hostile courtroom, only one man still presumed Elinor was innocent until proven guilty: Hercule Poirot was all that stood between Elinor and the gallows.
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 23 of the Hercule Poirot series
The dentist was found with a blackened hole below his right temple. A pistol lay on the floor near his outflung right hand. Later, one of his patients was found dead from a lethal dose of local anaesthetic. A clear case of murder and suicide. But why would a dentist commit a crime in the middle of a busy day of appointments? A shoe buckle holds the key to the mystery. Now-in the words of the rhyme-can Poirot pick up the sticks and lay them straight? This title was previously published as The Patriotic Murders and An Overdose of Death.
Evil Under the Sun
by Agatha Christie
read by David Suchet
Part 24 of the Hercule Poirot series
The beautiful bronzed body of Arlena Stuart lay face down on the beach. But strangely, there was no sun and Arlena was not sunbathing…she had been strangled. Ever since Arlena's arrival the air had been thick with sexual tension. Each of the guests had a motive to kill her, including Arlena's new husband. But Hercule Poirot suspects that this apparent "crime of passion" conceals something much more evil.
Five Little Pigs
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 25 of the Hercule Poirot series
Beautiful Caroline Crale was convicted of poisoning her husband, but just like the nursery rhyme, there were five other "little pigs" who could have done it: Philip Blake (the stockbroker), who went to market; Meredith Blake (the amateur herbalist), who stayed at home; Elsa Greer (the three-time divorcée), who had her roast beef; Cecilia Williams (the devoted governess), who had none; and Angela Warren (the disfigured sister), who cried all the way home. Sixteen years later, Caroline's daughter is determined to prove her mother's innocence, and Poirot just can't get that nursery rhyme out of his mind. This title was previously published as Murder in Retrospect.
The Hollow
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 26 of the Hercule Poirot series
A far-from-warm welcome greets Hercule Poirotas he arrives for lunch at Lucy Angkatell's country house. A man lies dying by the swimming pool, his blood dripping into the water. His wife stands overhim, holding a revolver. As Poirot investigates, he begins to realize that beneath the respectable surface lies a tangle of family secrets and everyone becomes a suspect. This title was previously published as Murder After Hours.
The Labors of Hercules
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 27 of the Hercule Poirot series
In appearance Hercule Poirot hardly resembled an ancient Greek hero. Yet-reasoned the detective-like Hercules he had been responsible for ridding society of some of its most unpleasant monsters. So, in the period leading up to his retirement, Poirot makes up his mind to accept just twelve more cases: his self-imposed "Labors." Each would go down in the annals of crime as a heroic feat of deduction.
The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser, Christopher Lee
Part 28 of the Hercule Poirot series
A murder trial takes a diabolical turn when the wife of the accused takes the stand. . . . A woman's sixth sense-and a loaded revolver-signal premonitions of doom. . . . A stranded motorist seeks refuge in a remote mansion and is greeted with a dire warning. . . . Detective Hercule Poirot faces his greatest challenge when his services are enlisted-by the victim-in a bizarre locked-room murder. From the stunning title story (which inspired the classic film thriller) to the rarest gems in detective fiction, these eleven tales of baffling crime and brilliant deduction showcase Agatha Christie at her dazzling best.
Taken at the Flood
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 29 of the Hercule Poirot series
A few weeks after marrying an attractive widow, Gordon Cloade is tragically killed by a bomb blast in the London blitz. Overnight, the former Mrs. Underhay finds herself in sole possession of the Cloade family fortune. Shortly afterward, Hercule Poirot receives a visit from the dead man's sister-in-law who claims she has been warned by "spirits" that Mrs. Underhay's first husband is still alive. Poirot has his suspicions when he is asked to find a missing person guided only by the spirit world. Yet what mystifies Poirot most is the woman's true motive for approaching him. . . . This title was previously published as There is a Tide. . .
Three Blind Mice and Other Stories
by Agatha Christie
read by Joan Hickson, David Suchet
Part 30 of the Hercule Poirot series
A blinding snowstorm-and a homicidal maniac-traps a small party of friends in an isolated estate. Out of this deceptively simple setup, Agatha Christie fashioned one of her most ingenious puzzlers, which in turn would provide the basis for The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in history. From this classic title novella to the deliciously clever gems on its tail (solved to perfection by Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple), this rare collection of murder most foul showcases Christie at her inventive best, proving her reputation.
The Under Dog and Other Stories
A Hercule Poirot Collection
by Agatha Christie
read by David Suchet, Hugh Fraser
Part 31 of the Hercule Poirot series
A beautiful heiress has been found dead on a train. A playboy has been stabbed through the heart during a costume ball. An elderly woman suspects that she is being slowly poisoned to death. A prince fears for his reputation when his fiancée is embroiled in another man's murder. A forgotten recluse makes headlines after he is shot in the head. Who but Agatha Christie could concoct such canny crimes? Who but Belgian detective Hercule Poirot could possibly solve them? It's a challenge to be met-in a triumph of detection.
Mrs. McGinty's Dead
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 32 of the Hercule Poirot series
Well, it's no wonder. The plot-suspicion for an elderly woman's murder falls on her mysterious lodger-is from Agatha Christie. The wonderful character happens to be the world's most famous sleuth, Hercule Poirot.
After the Funeral
by Agatha Christie
read by Hugh Fraser
Part 33 of the Hercule Poirot series
When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered with a hatchet, the extraordinary remark she made the previous day at her brother Richard's funeral suddenly takes on a chilling significance. At the reading of Richard's will, Cora was clearly heard to say, "It's been hushed up very nicely, hasn't it. . . . But he was murdered, wasn't he?" In desperation, the family solicitor turns to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. . . . This title was previously published as Funerals Are Fatal.