Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie

Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie

A Hercule Poirot Mystery

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (July 2005)

240 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.64)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Ariadne Oliver is organizing a “murder hunt” (a treasure hunt of sorts in which clues are given with the object of solving a fictional murder) as part of a fete at a large manor house, but she feels an ominous sense that perhaps someone is planning a real murder at the same time and she has called in Poirot to see what he thinks. There are a lot of people involved in the planning of this “fete” (which is basically a village carnival), so there are many things going on all at the same time and a variety of relationships making themselves known between people, as Poirot makes his observations. The story has a bit of a house party feel, with all the people and visitors to the house. Poirot is assisted by Inspector Bland and Constable Hoskins, as he makes his inquiries  . . . and Ms. Oliver helps as well in an unconscious kind of way. I will admit I was led completely astray on this one, and the reveal was quite unexpected. Entertaining murder mystery!

Movie Adaptations:

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (TV Series 1989-)

Dead Man's Folly (Season 13, Episode 3)

David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson

The Big Four by Agatha Christie

The Big Four by Agatha Christie

A Hercule Poirot Mystery

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (January 2004)

208 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.64)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Poirot has become aware of an international crime ring known as “The Big Four” and he seeks to find out the major players and put a stop to their dastardly deeds, but they lead him on a merry chase always eluding him at the last moment. Captain Hastings, newly returned from South America, narrates this story, and it features Inspector Japp and John Ingles as fellow investigators. Poirot tracks this group of criminals over the course of many months, trying to get his mind off it with a new case now and then, only to find out that the new case is related to “The Big Four” in some way. I enjoyed trying to figure out in each new scenario who Number Four (elusive master of disguise) was portraying. Entertaining Read!

Movie Adaptations:

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (TV Series 1989-)

The Big Four (Season 13, Episode 2)

David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson

Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie

Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie

A Hercule Poirot Short Story Collection

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (March 2009)

256 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

This is a collection of four short stories (Murder in the Mews, The Incredible Theft, Dead Man's Mirror and Triangle at Rhodes) all featuring Hercule Poirot. Murder in the Mews is the suicide of a young lady that Poirot investigates with Inspector Japp and they come to suspect is a murder. The Incredible Theft is a house party at which some sensitive government documents go missing. Dead Man's Mirror, briefly features Mr. Satterthwaite and references his interaction with Poirot in the Three Act Tragedy, then moves on to the suspicious suicide of a country gentlemen in whose death many people seemed to have an interest. My favorite was Triangle at Rhodes (the shortest story of the collection), because it was so unlike the other three, and features a love triangle that develops between two married couples who are on vacation and the tragic consequences of the association, with Poirot and a few others watching from afar as the developments turn dangerous. Great collection of stories!

Movie Adaptations:

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (TV Series 1989-)

Murder in the Mews (Season 1, Episode 2)

The Incredible Theft (Season 1, Episode 8)

Dead Man’s Mirror (Season 5, Episode 7)

Triangle at Rhodes (Season 1, Episode 6)

David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

A Hercule Poirot/Mr. Satterthwaite Mystery

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 2006)

224 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

In keeping with Mr. Satterthwaite's dramatic tendencies and sensibilities, this murder mystery is arranged in three acts, many people assuming artificial/dramatic roles along the way, with Mr. Poirot figuring most prominently in the third act. The death of a vicar at a dinner party leads to Sir Charles (the host), Egg (his love interest) and Mr. Satterthwaite (a guest) undertaking some amateur sleuthing, only intensified by news of a second murder that happened under similar circumstances. Mr. Poirot is brought in late in the game and provides the ultimate solution, but for the most part plays a rather limited role in this story. I had a few ideas about who the culprit was along the way, but I was completely caught off guard when Poirot revealed who actually did it. I never suspected the guilty person for a moment, but the solution was logical and made complete sense.  Great read!

Movie Adaptations:

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (TV Series 1989-)

Three Act Tragedy (Season 12, Episode 2)

David Suchet, Martin Shaw, Kimberley Nixon

My Rating: 4 Stars

Adaption: Verbatim-Tweaked-Veiled

Eye Candy: Plain-Pretty-Sultry

This TV adaption removes the Mr. Satterthwaite character, and merges his role in the story with Poirot’s. There are a few other minor changes, but for the most part this adaption follows the book very closely and is an entertaining adaption.