A collection of Agatha Christie short stories featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, now available as a trade paperbackIn one of London's most elegant shops, a decorative doll in green velvet adopts some rather human, and sinister, traits....A country gentleman is questioned about a murder that has yet to be committed....In summoning spirits, a medium is drawn closer to the world of the dead than she ever imagined possible....In a small country church, a dying man's last word, sanctuary, becomes both an elegy and a clue to a crime.Only the Queen of Mystery could have conceived such delicious treats for suspense lovers. Only the inimitable Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple could solve them with such chilling perfection. Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign countries. She is the author of eighty novels and short-story collections, nineteen plays, and six novels under the name Mary Westmacott. She died in 1976. "Time and again Agatha Christie pulled off what many obviously greater writers labored for in vain, a work of art which is both perfectly crafted and morally satisfying." - A. N. Wilson

A collection of short stories featuring some of Agatha Christie's best-loved detectives -- Hercule Poirot, Parker Pyne, Mr Satterthwaite and Harley Quin! All great crime writers have their favourite creations. Similarly, every great sleuth has his own preferred method of deduction. Take the charming Parker Pyne, who relies upon an intuitive knowledge of human nature to solve the Problem at Pollensa Bay. Or Mr Satterthwaite, who seeks inspiration through his collaboration with the enigmatic Mr Quin in The Harlequin Tea Set mystery. Then, of course, there's Poirot, whose measured analysis of motive and opportunity is tested to the full in Yellow Iris, when he receives an anonymous call about a matter of life and death.From Library JournalDame Agatha Christie's prolific output of novels, short stories, and plays have sold more than 400 million copies and have been translated into 103 languages. Only the Bible and works by Shakespeare have outdistanced her. Problems at Pollensa Bay & Other Stories provides a delightful addition to this vast body of writing by "the mistress of mystery." Though these eight stories are not new, several are less well known, and this audiobook represents an exciting renewal of one of the world's most popular authors. "The Harlequin Tea Set," thought to be Dame Agatha's last short story, is a tale of mistaken identity and features Mr. Saterthwaite and Harley Quin, who also appear together in "The Love Detectives," a little-known story about a messy love triangle. Mr. Parker Pyne, Christie's goverment statistician turned detective, is called upon to save a love-struck young man in the title story. Also included is a mystery involving the eccentric and slightly pompous Hercule Poirot. The audiobook is narrated by Jonathan Cecil, whose superb vocal adaptations greatly enhance Dame Agatha's work. This is an excellent production, highly entertaining, and a most worthwhile purchase for any library.?Gretchen Browne, Rockville Centre P.L., Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review‘The acknowledged queen of detective fiction’Observer

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.Review“The best Poirot since such prewar classics as Cards on the Table.” (New York Times )“The plot is perfect and the characters are wonderful.” (San Francisco Chronicle ) From the Back CoverMrs. 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. . . .

Baghdad is holding a secret superpower summit, but the word is out, and an underground organization in the Middle East is plotting to sabotage the talks. Into this explosive situation appears Victoria Jones, a young woman with a yearning for adventure who gets more than she bargains for when a wounded spy dies in her hotel room. The only man who can save the summit is dead. Can Victoria make sense of his dying words: Lucifer… Basrah… Lefarge.…

When Tommy and Tuppence visit an elderly aunt in her gothic nursing home, they think nothing of her mistrust of the doctors; after all, Ada is a very difficult old lady. But when Mrs. Lockett mentions a poisoned mushroom stew and Mrs. Lancaster talks about "something behind the fireplace," Tommy and Tuppence find themselves caught up in a spine-chilling adventure that could spell death for either of them . . . Review“Agatha Christie taught me many important lessons about the inner workings of the mystery novel before it ever occurred to me that I might one day be writing mysteries myself.” (Sue Grafton, New York Times bestselling author )“The most memorable and eerie Christie I have read for a long time.” (Sunday Express (London) ) From the PublisherNarrator Information: Alex Jennings enjoyed a highly-successful run at the Old Vic in Too Clever By Half for which he won an Olivier Award, the Drama Magazine Award, and the Plays and Players Award for Actor of the Year. He has also won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Peer Gynt. Among his numerous television credits are Inspector Alleyn, Hard Times and the lead role in Bad Blood.

The house guests at Styles seemed perfectly to Captain Hastings: there was his own daughter Judith, an inoffensive ornithologist called Norton, dashing Mr Allerton, brittle Miss Cole, Doctor Franklin and his fragile wife Barbara, Nurse Craven, Colonel Luttrell and his charming wife Daisy, and the charismatic Boyd-Carrington.So Hastings was shocked when Poirot declared that one of them was a five-times murderer. True, the ageing detective was crippled with arthritis, but had his deductive instincts finally deserted him?...Review'First rate Christie: fast, complicated, wryly funny' Time 'Superb, vintage Christie' Sunday Express Review'First rate Christie: fast, complicated, wryly funny' Time 'Superb, vintage Christie' Sunday Express

Poirot is approached by a girl who shared a flat with two other girls in London. She is convinced she is a murderer. With rumours of weapons and blood stains and no hard evidence can Poirot determine whether she's guilty, innocent or mad?

Thomas Charles Betterton, a famous scientist, has vanished. Conflicting reports of sightings of the missing man have come in from all over Europe. Then, his wife of six months decides to take a holiday to Morocco for a rest. That's when a strange and surprising series of events begins to unfold. A superb and different mystery from a master at her best.

The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks…including one of her own ten favorite novels, the classic thriller Endless Night.Review“One of the best things Agatha Christie has ever done.” (Sunday Times (London) )“I suffer nostalgia for the world of Agatha Christie as I remember it.” (Gregory Maguire, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked ) Language NotesText: English, Spanish, German (translation)

The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. A most unusual series of crimes at a student hostel intrigues Inspector Poirot in Christie’s Hickory Dickory Dock, especially when a simple case of kleptomania paves the way to murder.From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. Fraser, who played Captain Hastings, the sidekick for arch Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in the PBS Mystery series, now performs the entire cast in Christie's 1955 mystery. Fraser's Poirot is derivative of the stellar performance of the series' star, David Suchet; nevertheless, Fraser gives Christie's work his own imprimatur. Poirot is absent much of the time in this tale of kleptomania, malice and murder set at a boarding house for students. Add to the mix a number of students from England, a temperamental Greek landlady and an Italian house staff, and one must conclude that Fraser is some sort of magician to keep all the players sorted out as they converge in the common room. Not to be missed among the clamoring voices is Christie's narrative, from which Fraser manages to wring every wry drop. The producers at the Mystery Masters division of the Audio Partners were smart to hire Fraser to record this classic, and listeners will find it a delightful romp that passes all too quickly. (Dec.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“When it comes to fiendish plotting, there’s nobody to compare with Agatha Christie.” (Peter Robinson, New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Banks novels )“The Christie fan of longest standing, who thinks he knows every one of her tricks, will still be surprised by some of the twists here.” (New York Times )“The characters are as good as ever and there is plenty of entertainment.” (Times Literary Supplement (London) )

Agrand treasure for fans of the grande dame of mystery, The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories brings together nine rare and brilliant Christie tales of murder and detection that span nearly half a century of her storytelling genius.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 truly stellar collection. Review“There are no original mystery plots. Christie devised all of them first, and the rest of us borrow from her.” (Mary Daheim, USA Today bestselling author of the Bed-and-Breakfast mysteries )“A treat for any Christie fan....These stories are ample proof—if further proof were needed—of the mastery she brought to her craft.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch ) From the Back CoverAgrand treasure for fans of the grande dame of mystery, The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories brings together nine rare and brilliant Christie tales of murder and detection that span nearly half a century of her storytelling genius.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 truly stellar collection.

Previously published in the print anthology Parker Pine Investigates.Plans for England's new submarine have been stolen from the aspiring Prime Minister. Hercule Poirot is summoned to crack the case, but none of the witnesses' accounts are the same ...

Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are restless for adventure, so when they are asked to take over Blunt's International Detective Agency, they leap at the chance.Their first case is a success—the triumphant recovery of a pink pearl. Other cases soon follow—a stabbing on Sunningdale golf course; cryptic messages in the personal columns of newspapers; and even a box of poisoned chocolates. But can they live up to their slogan of "Any case solved in 24 hours"?Review'Required reading.' Books 'Distinctly worthwhile.' New York Times 'Sherlock Holmes, John Thorndyke, Father Brown and even Poirot are amiably parodied, and once or twice the solution as well as the dialogue is deliberately facetious.' Times Literary Supplement Review'Required reading.' Books 'Distinctly worthwhile.' New York Times 'Sherlock Holmes, John Thorndyke, Father Brown and even Poirot are amiably parodied, and once or twice the solution as well as the dialogue is deliberately facetious.' Times Literary Supplement

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.Review'Superb, vintage Christie' Sunday Express 'The plotting is as exact as in the novels and all one can do is stand back and wonder at the invention and enthusiasm.' Irish Times About the AuthorAgatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign countries. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott.