Book Preview About Agatha Christie Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in 100 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. … Read more
Book Preview Introduction The Author speaks: The first question put to an author, personally, or through the post, is: ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’ The temptation is great to reply: ‘I always go to Harrods,’ or ‘I get them mostly at the Army & Navy Stores,’ or, snappily, ‘Try Marks and Spencer.’ The … Read more
Book Preview Chapter 1 A Fairy in the Flat Mrs Thomas Beresford shifted her position on the divan and looked gloomily out of the window of the flat. The prospect was not an extended one, consisting solely of a small block of flats on the other side of the road. Mrs Beresford sighed and then … Read more
Book Preview Author’s Foreword One day, having lunch at a Corner House, I was enraptured by a conversation on statistics going on at a table behind me. I turned my head and caught a vague glimpse of a bald head, glasses, and a beaming smile–I caught sight, that is, of Mr Parker Pyne. I had … Read more
Book Preview One I It was dusk when he came to the Ferry. He could have been there much earlier. The truth was, he had put it off as long as he could. First his luncheon with friends in Redquay; the light desultory conversation, the interchange of gossip about mutual friends—all that had … Read more
Book Preview ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE I Mr. Morley was not in the best of tempers at breakfast. He complained of the bacon, wondered why the coffee had to have the appearance of liquid mud, and remarked that breakfast cereals were each one worse than the last. Mr. Morley was a small man with … Read more
Book Preview One OVERTURE In the afternoons it was the custom of Miss Jane Marple to unfold her second newspaper. Two newspapers were delivered at her house every morning. The first one Miss Marple read while sipping her early morning tea, that is, if it was delivered in time. The boy who delivered the papers … Read more
Book Preview Tommy Beresford removed his overcoat in the hall of the flat. He hung it up with some care, taking time over it. His hat went carefully on the next peg. He squared his shoulders, affixed a resolute smile to his face and walked into the sitting room, where his wife sat knitting a … Read more
Book Preview One AN IMPORTANT PASSENGER ON THE TAURUS EXPRESS It was five o’clock on a winter’s morning in Syria. Alongside the platform at Aleppo stood the train grandly designated in railway guides as the Taurus Express. It consisted of a kitchen and dining car, a sleeping car and two local coaches. By the step … Read more
Book Preview One A FELLOW TRAVELLER England! England after many years! How was he going to like it? Luke Fitzwilliam asked himself that question as he walked down the gangplank to the dock. It was present at the back of his mind all through the wait in the Customs’ shed. It came suddenly to the … Read more
Book Preview “Penny for the guy, sir?” A small boy with a grimy face grinned ingratiatingly. “Certainly not!” said Chief Inspector Japp. “And, look here, my lad—” A short homily followed. The dismayed urchin beat a precipitate retreat, remarking briefly and succinctly to his youthful friends: “Blimey, if it ain’t a cop all togged up!” … Read more
Book Preview Foreword by Giles Reilly, MD The events chronicled in this narrative took place some four years ago. Circumstances have rendered it necessary, in my opinion, that a straightforward account of them should be given to the public. There have been the wildest and most ridiculous rumours suggesting that important evidence was suppressed and … Read more
Book Preview About Agatha Christie Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in 100 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. … Read more
Book Preview Sanctuary I The vicar’s wife came round the corner of the vicarage with her arms full of chrysanthemums. A good deal of rich garden soil was attached to her strong brogue shoes and a few fragments of earth were adhering to her nose, but of that fact she was perfectly unconscious. She had … Read more
Book Preview Contents Cover Title Page Author’s Foreword to Miss Marple and the Thirteen Problems Chapter 1 – The Actress Chapter 2 – The Girl in the Train Chapter 3 – While the Light Lasts Chapter 4 – The Red Signal Chapter 5 – The Mystery of the Blue Jar Chapter 6 – … Read more
Book Preview One A THEATRICAL PARTY The memory of the public is short. Already the intense interest and excitement aroused by the murder of George Alfred St. Vincent Marsh, fourth Baron Edgware, is a thing past and forgotten. Newer sensations have taken its place. My friend, Hercule Poirot, was never openly mentioned in connection with … Read more
Book Preview Chapter One Hercule Poirot frowned. “Miss Lemon,” he said. “Yes, M. Poirot?” “There are three mistakes in this letter.” His voice held incredulity. For Miss Lemon, that hideous and efficient woman, never made mistakes. She was never ill, never tired, never upset, never inaccurate. For all practical purposes, that is to say, she … Read more
Book Preview Foreword: Who Is Hercule Poirot? He was born in Agatha Christie’s fertile brain—a refugee from the German invasion of Belgium that brought Britain into World War I, the Great War of 1914–18. Those who could flee the German onslaught did, and as a ranking policeman in the city of Brussels, Poirot might well … Read more