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.

The Harlequin Tea Set by Agatha Christie

The Harlequin Tea Set by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 2011)

42 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This last Quin and Satterthwaite story, said to take place many years after the events in the story Harlequin's Lane (which is referred to a couple times in the course of the story), has more mystical/paranormal elements than most of the other stories, and lacks the conversational solution that is typical of the match. Still a good mystery, and an entertaining short read!

The Love Detectives by Agatha Christie

The Love Detectives by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 2011)

34 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

In this story about a man murdered in his library, Mr. Quin and Mr. Satterthwaite join Colonel Melrose as he makes his inquiries and looks over the scene of the crime. This story, more than any other Quin and Satterthwaite story I've read, is a more traditionally constructed murder mystery investigation, but is still solved in their usual conversational style. If you are attempting to read the Quin stories in order, this one is said to take place after At the "Bells and Motley" (which is included in the collection The Mysterious Mr. Quin), but I don't think there is any reason why it couldn't be read out of order. Good short mystery story!

The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie

The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (February 2010)

323 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.59)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This edition contains twelve of the fourteen short stories featuring Mr. Quin, a mysterious man described as ‘the sort of person that comes and goes.’ These stories are delivered from the point-of-view of Mr. Satterthwaite, a older gentleman who moves about in fashionable society a great deal and enjoys witnessing other’s drama and intrigue. Though these stories are most definitely mysteries, neither Mr. Quin nor Mr. Satterthwaite are really investigators, as such. Mr. Satterthwaite comes upon an intriguing mystery and gathers all the background information, then Mr. Quin appears at just the right moment to direct Mr. Satterthwaite, and sometimes others present, in working it out logically through conversation. There is something almost paranormal about Mr. Quin and his abilities sometimes. Interesting twist and great collection! The two other short stories that feature Mr. Quin are The Love Detectives and The Harlequin Tea Set, which are available as singles or in various collections. Mr. Satterthwaite is also featured on his own in two Poirot stories, Three Act Tragedy and Dead Man’s Mirror, a short story included in the collection Murder in the Mews.

Collection Includes:

1. The Coming of Mr. Quin
2. The Shadow on the Glass
3. At the “Bells and Motley”
4. The Sign in the Sky
5. The Soul of the Croupier
6. The Man from the Sea
7. The Voice in the Dark
8. The Face of Helen
9. The Dead Harlequin
10. The Bird with the Broken Wing
11. The World’s End
12. Harlequin’s Lane