Hercule Poirot Books in Order

Hercule Poirot, the internationally famous mustachioed detective, is the main character in the mystery, thriller, and true crime series by the same name, written by Agatha Christie. The first book to introduce Poirot was The Mysterious Affair at Styles, published in 1920.

The first book in the series, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, is set during World War One in Essex, England, where a widowed and wealthy Emily Cavendish suddenly dies of poisoning. Poirot, a former police officer turned private detective is on the case. There is a lot of money involved here. Her stepchildren and, most notably, her new husband are potential suspects. 

Poirot made his last appearance in Curtain, published in 1975. Following this, he became the only fictional detective to get an obituary in The New York Times paper. By 1930, Agatha Christie considered Poirot to be an insufferable character. When she reached the 1960s, she saw him as buffoonish, egoistic, and distasteful.

Agatha Christie’s brilliant writing style shines through. She depicts Poirot’s investigative work and formal defenses in a way that stood the test of time.

Hercule Poirot Books in order 

Hercule Poirot

1. The Mysterious Affair At Styles (1920)
2. The Murder on the Links (1923)
3. Poirot Investigates (1924)
4. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)
5. The Big Four (1927)
6. The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
7. Black Coffee (1930)
8. Peril at End House (1932)
9. Lord Edgware Dies / Thirteen at Dinner (1933)
10. Three Act Tragedy / Murder in Three Acts (1934)
11. Murder on the Orient Express / Murder in the Calais Coach (1934)
12. Death in the Clouds / Death in the Air (1935)
13. The A.B.C. Murders (1936)
14. Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)
15. Cards on the Table (1936)
16. Dumb Witness / Poirot Loses A Client (1937)
17. Death on the Nile (1937)
18. Murder in the Mews / Dead Man’s Mirror (1937)
19. Appointment with Death (1938)
20. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas / Holiday for Murder / Murder for Christmas (1938)
21. Sad Cypress (1940)
22. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe / Overdose of Death (1940)
23. Evil Under the Sun (1941)
24. Five Little Pigs / Murder in Retrospect (1942)
25. The Hollow / Murder after Hours (1946)
26. The Labours of Hercules (1947)
27. Taken at the Flood (1948)
28. Mrs. McGinty’s Dead / Blood Will Tell (1952)
29. After the Funeral / Funerals are Fatal (1953)
30. Hickory Dickory Dock (1955)
31. Dead Man’s Folly (1956)
32. Cat Among the Pigeons (1959)
33. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1960)
34. The Clocks (1963)
35. Third Girl (1966)
36. Hallowe’en Party (1969)
37. Elephants Can Remember (1972)
38. Curtain (1975)

Hercule Poirot Short Stories/Novellas

1. The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan (1923)
2. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor (1923)
3. The Affair at the Victory Ball (1923)
4. The Adventure of the Western Star (1923)
5. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb (1923)
6. Afternoon At The Seaside (1962)
7. The Patient (1962)
8. The Witness for the Prosecution (1983)
9. Four and Twenty Blackbirds (1989)
10. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery (1998)
11. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim (2012)
12. Market Basing Mystery, The (2013)
13. The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge (2013)
14. The Cornish Mystery (2013)
15. Problem at Sea (2013)
16. The Under Dog (2016)
17. The Case of the Missing Will (2019)

Hercule Poirot Collections

1. The Labors of Hercules (1947)
2. The Witness for the Prosecution (1948)
3. The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951)
4. Poirot’s Early Cases (1974)
5. Hercule Poirot’s Casebook (1984)
6. The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories (1997)
7. The Double Clue (2016)

New Hercule Poirot Mysteries

1. The Monogram Murders (2014)
2. Closed Casket (2016)
3. The Mystery of Three Quarters (2018)
4. The Killings at Kingfisher Hill (2020)

Similar authors

• The Millennium series by Stieg Larsson follows Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. The first is an asocial computer hacker with a perfect memory. The second is a journalist and publisher at the Millennium magazine.
• Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl follows the world’s most twisted marriage. The plot centers on a feminist psychopath, her disappearance, and her misogynist husband.

See also: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple Books in Order.

Most recommended books

1. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (4.26 Goodreads score)
2. Murder on the Orient Express (4.1 Goodreads score)
3. Death on the Nile (4.12 Goodreads score)
4. Curtain (4.08 Goodreads score)
5. The A.B.C. Murders (4.03 Goodreads score)

Awards

Agatha Christie received the 2020 Anthony Award for her work on the Hercule Poirot series.

Movies based on the series

The Hercule Poirot series has been turned into many TV and movie productions, including the following:

• Poirot (1989-2013) TV series
• The 1985 movie called Thirteen at Dinner, based on the Lord Edgware Dies novel
• The 1965 movie The Alphabet Murders, based on The A.B.C Murders novel
• The 1975 movie Murder on the Orient Express
• The 1978 movie Death on the Nile
• The 1998 movie Appointment with Death, is based on the 19th book in the series and starring Peter Ustinov.
• The 2017 movie Murder on the Orient Express
• The 2022 movie Death on the Nile

Latest releases

Curtain, the 38th book in the Hercule Poirot series, was published in 1975 and is the last of the series.

Book summaries

The Mysterious Affair At Styles (1920)

When an aging heiress is found fatally poisoned, the amazing Hercule Poirot, a brilliant Belgian criminal investigator, is brought out of retirement to solve the case. In this classic tale of murder, jealousy, and greed, Agatha Christie introduced the famed sleuth, who is immediately confronted by mysteries within a mystery: a door bolted from the inside of the victim’s room; the disappearance of a coffee cup believed to have held the poison; the charred remains of a will, a strange fragment of fabric, and a curious rug stain found near the body. All are puzzling pieces of evidence in a crime for which there is no shortage of suspects, not the least of which are the victim’s philandering husband, an assortment of unhappy relatives, and an extremely outspoken hired companion. A perennial favorite with mystery fans since it was first published in 1921, this entertaining and tautly constructed murder mystery easily placed its author among the most accomplished and entertaining writers in the genre.

The Murder on the Links (1923)

When Hercule Poirot and his associate Arthur Hastings arrive in the French village of Merlinville-sur-Mer to meet their client Paul Renauld, they learn from the police that he has been found that morning stabbed in the back with a letter opener and left in a newly-dug grave adjacent to a local golf course. Among the plausible suspects are Renauld’s wife Eloise, his son Jack, Renauld’s immediate neighbor Madame Daubreuil, the mysterious “Cinderella” of Hasting’s recent acquaintance, and some unknown visitor of the previous day–all of whom Poirot has reason to suspect. Poirot’s powers of investigation ultimately triumph over the wiles of an assailant whose misdirection and motives are nearly-but not quite-impossible to spot.

Poirot Investigates (1924)

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 (1926)

Mr. Roger Ackroyd is found dead in a locked room, stabbed with an antique dagger. Dr. James Sheppard, the local physician, discovers the body of his friend and narrates the ensuing hunt for the killer. All the guests and staff at Ackroyd’s country house seem to have solid alibis—except for his missing stepson. The local police are puzzled, but the recently retired detective Hercule Poirot unexpectedly turns up and joins the fray. Dr. Sheppard gamely assists the legendary Poirot as he untangles one of the most fiendish mysteries in Christie’s extensive oeuvre.

The Big Four (1927)

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 figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life—and that of his “twin brother”—to uncover the truth.

The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)

When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again—for a 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. . . .

Black Coffee (1930)

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 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 (1932)

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 / Thirteen at Dinner (1933)

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.

Three Act Tragedy / Murder in Three Acts (1934)

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.…

Murder on the Orient Express / Murder in the Calais Coach (1934)

“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. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is 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.

Death in the Clouds / Death in the Air (1935)

Hercule Poirot must solve a perplexing case of midair murder in Death in the Clouds when he discovers that the woman in seat two of the airborne aeroplane he’s traveling on is quite unexpectedly—and unnaturally—deceased. From seat No. 9, Hercule Poirot was ideally placed to observe his fellow air passengers on the short flight from Paris to London. Over to his right sat a pretty young woman, clearly infatuated with the man opposite; ahead, in the seat, No. 13, sat a countess with a poorly concealed cocaine habit; across the gangway in seat No. 8, a writer of detective fiction was being troubled by an aggressive wasp. Yes, Poirot is almost ideally placed to take it all in, except what he did not yet realize was that behind him, in seat No. 2, sat the slumped, lifeless body of a woman. Murdered, and likely by someone in Poirot’s immediate proximity.

The A.B.C. Murders (1936)

There’s a serial killer on the loose, bent on working his way through the alphabet. There seems little chance of the murderer being caught — until she makes the crucial and vain mistake of challenging Hercule Poirot to frustrate his plans …

Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)

Amy Leatheram has never felt the lure of the mysterious East, but when she travels to an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert to nurse the wife of a celebrated archaeologist, events prove stranger than she could ever have imagined. Her patient’s bizarre visions and nervous terror seem unfounded, but as the oppressive tension in the air thickens, events come to a terrible climax–in murder. With one spot of blood as his only clue, Hercule Poirot must embark on a journey not just across the desert, but into the darkest crevices of the human soul to unravel a mystery that taxes even his remarkable powers.

Cards on the Table (1936)

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 murdering 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 the bridge is to turn into a more dangerous game altogether.…

Dumb Witness / Poirot Loses A Client (1937)

Everyone blamed Emily Arundell’s accident on a rubber ball left on the stairs by her frisky terrier. But the more she thought about her fall, the more convinced she became that one of her relatives was trying to kill her.… On April 17th she wrote her suspicions in a letter to Hercule Poirot. Mysteriously, he didn’t receive the letter until June 28th…by which time Emily was already dead.…

Death on the Nile (1937)

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.

Murder in the Mews / Dead Man’s Mirror (1937)

How did a woman holding a pistol in her right hand manage to shoot herself in the left temple? What was the link between a ghost sighting and the disappearance of top-secret military plans? How did the bullet that killed Sir Gervase shatter a mirror in another part of the room? And should the beautiful Valentine Chantry flee for her life from the holiday island of Rhodes? Hercule Poirot is faced with four mystifying cases—each a miniature classic of characterization, incident, and suspense.

Appointment with Death (1938)

An assorted group of travelers is staying at a Jerusalem hotel: Lady Westholme and her companion, a young English doctor and her French colleague, a debonair American, and a pugnacious Lancashire man. Another guest, Mrs. Boynton, is a domineering American invalid with four stepchildren whose facade of devotion masks enough hatred to murder her as could the doctor whose affection for Raymond Boynton is being obstructed by the old lady. When Mrs. Boynton is found dead, all are suspects even though she was ill enough to die a natural death. Just when the tension becomes unbearable, the doctor discovers essential evidence about Mrs. Boynton’s devilish plan to possess and torment the children in death as in life.

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas / Holiday for Murder / Murder for Christmas (1938)

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. . . .

Sad Cypress (1940)

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 / Overdose of Death (1940)

Even the great detective Hercule Poirot harbored a deep and abiding fear of the dentist, so it was with some trepidation that he arrived at the celebrated Dr. Morley’s surgery for a dental examination. But what neither of them knew was that only hours later Poirot would be back to examine the dentist, found dead in his own surgery. Turning to the other patients for answers, Poirot finds other, darker, questions.…

Evil Under the Sun (1941)

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 eviler.

Five Little Pigs / Murder in Retrospect (1942)

The Five Little Pigs is a spinoff of the popular children’s story, The Three Little Pigs. There is a wolf, of course, who is determined to catch and eat the five little pigs. And there are five little piggies who are just as determined not to be the wolf’s dinner. This book is an original story from the creative mind of Kellen Vance. It is not a sequel to his previous book, The Four Little Pigs, but is rather a new novel take on an old theme: evil trying to triumph over good. Who will win in the end, the wolf or the pigs?

The Hollow / Murder after Hours (1946)

A far-from-warm welcome greets Hercule Poirot as 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 over him, 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.

The Labours of Hercules (1947)

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 made up his mind to accept just twelve more cases: his self-imposed ‘Labours’. Each would go down n the annals of crime as a heroic feat of deduction.

Taken at the Flood (1948)

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.…

Mrs. McGinty’s Dead / Blood Will Tell (1952)

Mrs. McGinty died from a brutal blow to the back of her head. Suspicion falls immediately on her shifty lodger, James Bentley, whose clothes reveal traces of the victim’s blood and hair. Yet something is amiss: Bentley just doesn’t seem like a murderer. Could the answer lie in an article clipped from a newspaper two days before the death? With a desperate killer still free, Hercule Poirot will have to stay alive long enough to find out. . . .

After the Funeral / Funerals are Fatal (1953)

“He was murdered, wasn’t he?”When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered, the extraordinary remark she had 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 saying, “It’s been hushed up very nicely, hasn’t it. But he was murdered, wasn’t he?”Did Cora’s accusation a dark truth that sealed her own fate? Or are the siblings’ deaths just tragic coincidences? Desperate to know the truth, the Lansquenet’s solicitor turns to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. For even after the funeral, death isn’t finished yet . . .

Hickory Dickory Dock (1955)

Hercule Poirot doesn’t need all his detective skills to realize something is troubling his secretary, Miss Lemon—she has made three mistakes in a simple letter. It seems an outbreak of kleptomania at the student hostel in which her sister works is distracting his usually efficient assistant. Deciding that desperate times call for desperate measures, the great detective agrees to investigate. Unknown to Poirot, however, desperation is a motive he shares with a killer. . . .

Dead Man’s Folly (1956)

Sir George and Lady Stubbs, the hosts of a village fete, hit upon the novel idea of staging a mock murder mystery. In good faith, Ariadne Oliver, the well-known crime writer, agrees to organize their murder hunt. Despite weeks of meticulous planning, at the last minute, Ariadne calls her friend Hercule Poirot for his expert assistance. Instinctively, she senses that something sinister is about to happen….

Cat Among the Pigeons (1959)

Late one night, two teachers investigate a mysterious flashing light in the sports pavilion while the rest of the school sleeps. There, among the lacrosse sticks, they stumble upon the body of an unpopular games mistress—shot through the heart point-blank. The school is thrown into chaos when the “cat” strikes again. Unfortunately, schoolgirl Julia Upjohn knows too much. In particular, she knows that without Hercule Poirot’s help, she will be the next victim.…

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1960)

An English country house at Christmas time should be the perfect place to get away from it all – but nothing is ever simple for Hercule Poirot, as he finds not one but five baffling cases to solve. First comes a sinister warning on his pillow to avoid the plum pudding…then the discovery of a corpse in a chest…next, an overheard quarrel that leads to murder…the strange case of a dead man’s eating habits…and the puzzle of a victim who dreams of his own suicide.

The Clocks (1963)

Sheila Webb expected to find a respectable blind lady waiting for her at 19 Wilbraham Crescent—not the body of a middle-aged man sprawled across the living room floor. But when old Miss Pebmarsh denies sending for her in the first place, or of owning all the clocks that surround the body, it’s clear that they are going to need a very good detective.“This crime is so complicated that it must be quite simple,” declares Poirot. But there’s a murderer on the loose, and time is ticking away.…

Third Girl (1966)

Three young women share a London flat. The first is a coolly efficient secretary. The second is an artist. The third interrupts Hercule Poirot’s breakfast confessing that she is a murderer—and then promptly disappears. Slowly, Poirot learns of the rumors surrounding the mysterious third girl, her family, and her disappearance. Yet hard evidence is needed before the great detective can pronounce her guilty, innocent, or insane.…

Hallowe’en Party (1969)

At a Halloween party, Joyce—a hostile thirteen-year-old—boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no one believes her, she storms off home. But within hours her body is found, still in the house, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. That night, Hercule Poirot is called in to find the `evil presence’. But first, he must establish whether he is looking for a murderer or a double-murderer…

Elephants Can Remember (1972)

Hercule Poirot stood on the clifftop. Here, many years earlier, there had been a fatal accident followed by the grisly discovery of two bodies—a husband and wife who had been shot dead.But who had killed whom? Was it a suicide pact? A crime of passion? Or cold-blooded murder? Poirot delves into the past and discovers that “old sins leave long shadows.”

Curtain (1975)

The crime-fighting careers of Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings have come full circle—they are back once again in the rambling country house in which they solved their first murder together. Both Hercule Poirot and Great Styles have seen better days—but, despite being crippled with arthritis, there is nothing wrong with the great detective and his “little gray cells.” However, when Poirot brands one of the seemingly harmless guests a five-time murderer, some people have their doubts. But Poirot alone knows he must prevent a sixth murder before the curtain falls.

The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan (1923)

Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings are on holiday at the opulent Grand Metropolitan Hotel in Brighton, where they meet the wife of a wealthy stockbroker. As they discuss the jewels worn by Mrs. Opalsen, the great detective relates his experiences in cases that have concerned some of the best-known jewels in the world. Excited by his anecdotes, the wealthy matron eagerly offers to show him a very expensive pearl necklace, but when she goes to retrieve it, she discovers that it has been stolen…

The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor (1923)

An aging, heavily-insured country squire whose estate is in financial ruin is thought to have committed suicide. Hercule Poirot investigates, in the guise of a representative of the victim’s insurance company, to uncover the identity of the real murderer.

The Affair at the Victory Ball (1923)

A young lord is murdered at a masked ball, and his fiancée dies of a cocaine overdose. Can Poirot find out who the killer is?

The Adventure of the Western Star (1923)

Movie star Mary Marvell consults with Hercule Poirot after receiving threatening letters that warn her to return her diamond, the famous “Western Star,” to its rightful owner. But who does own the diamond, and is it even the genuine article?

The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb (1923)

One by one the men who discovered and opened the tomb of King Men-He-Rah are beginning to die. Superstition spreads that they have been cursed by the dead king. Poirot is asked to investigate the supernatural deaths by a concerned mother. Hastings is left bewildered when Poirot asserts his belief in the supernatural…

Afternoon At The Seaside (1962)

A whimsical day by the sea in a British resort. An emerald necklace has been stolen and the Inspector has to investigate an extraordinary mix of characters. Part of the triple bill The Rule of Three which also features The Rats and The Patient.|5 women, 7

The Patient (1962)

Paralyzed and unable to speak after she was pushed from her balcony, Mrs Wingfield must find a way to reveal her would-be murderer before they strike again…

The Witness for the Prosecution (1983)

When wealthy spinster Emily French is found murdered, suspicion falls on Leonard Vole, the man to whom she hastily bequeathed her riches before she died. Leonard assures the investigators that his wife, Romaine Heilger, can provide them with an alibi. However, when questioned, Romaine informs the police that Vole returned home late that night covered in blood. During the trial, Ms. French’s housekeeper, Janet, gives damning evidence against Vole, and, as Romaine’s cross-examination begins, her motives come under scrutiny from the courtroom. One question remains, will justice prevail?

Four and Twenty Blackbirds (1989)

Hercule Poirot is about to tuck into a very traditional English supper with his old friend Bonnington when a lone diner sparks his interest. Like clockwork, the man has eaten at the restaurant on Thursdays and Tuesdays for the last ten years, but no one on the staff knows his name. When “Old Father Time,” as they have fondly nicknamed him, suddenly stops coming, Poirot believes that he might have picked up the one essential clue that could shed light on this mysterious man. Could what Old Father Time ordered as his final meal provide the key?

The Million Dollar Bond Robbery (1998)

A young banker is suspected of stealing one million dollars in Liberty Bonds on a transatlantic journey to New York and appeals to Hercule Poirot to clear his name. Poirot learns the identities of the three people who hold keys to the locked trunk, but it won’t be as easy to identify the true thief…

The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim (2012)

Mr. Davenheim, a wealthy financier, leaves his home to mail a letter, then fails to return. The story fills the newspapers and intrigues Hercule Poirot, who challenges Inspector Japp with the claim that he can solve the case before the police, and without leaving his flat.

Market Basing Mystery, The (2013)

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Market Basing Mystery,” Poirot and Hastings are called on to investigate the suspicious death of a landowner in a small English town. What looks at first like a simple case of suicide quickly becomes more complex as Poirot interrogates the suspects in the home.

The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge (2013)

Belgian investigator Hercule Poirot, now London-based, tasks his friend Arthur Hastings with solving a murder that is more like a riddle. It occurs at a hunting lodge. The owner has been murdered, and his nephew wants Poirot to investigate. But our favorite private detective has the flu so its Hastings or nobody!

The Cornish Mystery (2013)

Poirot receives a visit from a Mrs. Pengelley, a middle-aged woman who fears that she is being poisoned by her husband. She has no proof, only that she only suffers when her husband is at home, not when he is away at the weekends — and a bottle of weedkiller, supposedly unused, is half-empty…

Problem at Sea (2013)

On a ship bound for Egypt, a woman is found stabbed to death in her cabin. Unfortunately for the murderer, Hercule Poirot is on board.

The Under Dog (2016)

Pretty Lily Margrave is not convinced that Hercule Poirot is needed in the matter of Sir Atwell’s murder. At the request of her employer, Lady Atwell, she has already recounted what happened ten days ago in the Tower Room, and the victim’s nephew has been charged with the murder. Nevertheless, Lady Atwell brings Poirot up to the great house, Mon Repos, to see if he can find out anything. While at first the family is struck by Poirot’s ardent endeavor to uncover what befell Sir Atwell, his insistence on looking into every nook and cranny becomes too much for some to bear. A scrap of material, the contents of a tiny box, and his singular ingenuity lead the detective to uncover who is behind this violent act.

The Case of the Missing Will (2019)

When Andrew Marsh dies he leaves behind a charming and ingenious problem for Poirot. In his will, he has left his niece all of his wealth. But only for one year. After that, it will all be given to charity and she will be left penniless. Unless they solve the mystery Mr. Marsh has left behind…

The Labors of Hercules (1947)

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 made up his mind to accept just twelve more cases: his self-imposed ‘Labours’. Each would go down n the annals of crime as a heroic feat of deduction.

The Witness for the Prosecution (1948)

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.

The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951)

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.

Poirot’s Early Cases (1974)

Captain Hastings recounts 18 of Poirot’s early cases from the days before he was famous…Hercule Poirot delighted in telling people that he was probably the best detective in the world. So turning back the clock to trace eighteen of the cases which helped establish his professional reputation was always going to be a fascinating experience. With his career still in its formative years, the panache with which Hercule Poirot could solve even the most puzzling mystery is obvious. Chronicled by his friend Captain Hastings, these eighteen early cases – from theft and robbery to kidnapping and murder – were all guaranteed to test Poirot’s soon-to-be-famous ‘little grey cells to their absolute limit.

Hercule Poirot’s Casebook (1984)

The shrewd little detective with the egg-shaped head and the enormous black mustaches was created by one of the great storytellers of the world. Only she could have devised the cases worthy of his skill, the ingenious mysteries that challenge the reader as well as the detective. Poirot had a passion for order, for rational thought, and he had justified confidence in his deductive genius. No matter what the provocation, he remained calm. Although his character does not change, there is a spectacular diversity in the plots and themes of the cases. But whether murders are committed by violence, by poison, or by more subtle means, Poirot finds the solution. Thefts of money or jewels are uncovered or thwarted.

The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories (1997)

In The Mystery of the Spanish Chest, Hercule Poirot unravels the psychological conundrums that motivate a killer. . . . In The Actress, a great star’s shady past becomes the plaything of a blackmailer. . . . In The Harlequin Tea Set, Mr. Harley Quin helps a man save his loved ones from the greedy hand of murder. These and six other stories of danger and detection complete this stellar collection.

The Double Clue (2016)

A man is found shot through the head in a locked room. A wealthy banker vanishes while posting a letter. A thief disappears with a haul of rubies and emeralds. And, in the golden sands of Egypt, the men who discovered an ancient tomb are dying one by one . . .Hercule Poirot, the fussy Belgian detective with the egg-shaped head and immaculate mustache, solved some of the world’s most puzzling crimes. This book contains four of the very best stories, selected by John Curran, author of Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks, and Sophie Hannah, who wrote the brand new Hercule Poirot novel, The Monogram Murders.

The Monogram Murders (2014)

‘I’m a dead woman, or I shall be soon…’ Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffeehouse is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified – but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done. Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London Hotel have been murdered, and a cufflink has been placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…

Closed Casket (2016)

“What I intend to say to you will come as a shock…”With these words, Lady Athelinda Playford — one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors — springs a surprise on the lawyer entrusted with her will. As guests arrive for a party at her Irish mansion, Lady Playford has decided to cut off her two children without a penny . . . and leave her vast fortune to someone else: an invalid who has only weeks to live. Among Lady Playford’s visitors are two strangers: the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited — until Poirot begins to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murder. But why does she seem so determined to provoke a killer? And why — when the crime is committed despite Poirot’s best efforts to stop it — does the identity of the victim make no sense at all?

The Mystery of Three Quarters (2018)

Hercule Poirot returns home after an agreeable luncheon to find an angry woman waiting to berate him outside his front door. Her name is Sylvia Rule, and she demands to know why Poirot has accused her of the murder of Barnabas Pandy, a man she has neither heard of nor ever met. She is furious to be so accused and deeply shocked. Poirot is equally shocked, because he too has never heard of any Barnabas Pandy, and he certainly did not send the letter in question. He cannot convince Sylvia Rule of his innocence, however, and she marches away in a rage. Shaken, Poirot goes inside, only to find that he has a visitor waiting for him — a man called John McCrodden who also claims also to have received a letter from Poirot that morning, accusing him of the murder of Barnabas Pandy… Poirot wonders how many more letters of this sort have been sent in his name. Who sent them, and why? More importantly, who is Barnabas Pandy, is he dead, and, if so, was he murdered? And can Poirot find out the answers without putting more lives in danger?

The Killings at Kingfisher Hill (2020)

Hercule Poirot is traveling by luxury passenger coach from London to the exclusive Kingfisher Hill estate. Richard Devonport has summoned the renowned detective to prove that his fiancée, Helen, is innocent of the murder of his brother, Frank. Poirot will have only days to investigate before Helen is hanged, but there is one strange condition attached: he must conceal his true reason for being there from the rest of the Devonport family. The coach is forced to stop when a distressed woman demands to get off, insisting that if she stays in her seat, she will be murdered. Although the rest of the journey passes without anyone being harmed, Poirot’s curiosity is aroused, and his fears are later confirmed when a body is discovered with a macabre note attached . . .Could this new murder and the peculiar incident on the coach be clues to solving the mystery of who killed Frank Devonport? And if Helen is innocent, can Poirot find the true culprit in time to save her from the gallows?