Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 5,960 ratings

Price: 21.25

Last update: 12-22-2024


About this item

At last, a single volume that gathers together all of the short stories featuring Agatha Christie's most famous creation, Hercule Poirot.

The dapper, mustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head and curious mannerisms has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century - and, in his own humble opinion, is "probably the greatest detective in the world".

In this complete collection of more than 50 stories, ranging from short tales to novellas, Poirot faces violent murders, poisonings, kidnappings, and thefts - all solved with his characteristic panache. Only Agatha Christie could have devised cases worthy of Hercule Poirot's skill and "little gray cells".


Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a gifted storyteller
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024
    I didn't know these existed, and these are great. I am a very busy mom and at the end of the evening when I get to sit down, I can read a short story or two before heading to bed. Amazingly, the stories are all different. There might be a few of the same elements but her plots are varied and interesting.
  • DanangDoc
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of challenging distraction
    Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024
    The challenge is to discover the murderer before the reveal. I’ve been rarely able to do so. Brava Ms Christy. Excellently written. A wonderful distraction from cares of this sad world.
  • Amazon Customer in Alexandria, LA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another British mystery classic set.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2024
    I love Agatha Christie books! Have only figured out one solution, though. These are great who-done-its.
  • A very pleased customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars This author never disappoints!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2024
    So many good short stories in this one. Many I had never heard of before. Don't miss out on this one.
  • Hal Jordan
    5.0 out of 5 stars How could a Christie fan ask for more!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020
    This volume collects all 51 of the Hercule Poirot short stories. The stories were written between 1923 and 1940, which was the period during which Christie did most of her best work. Not every story is a gem, but there are very few weak entries, even though the first 25 were all published during 1923 and, presumably, were written very rapidly. One indication that she was writing hurriedly is that the relationship between Poirot and Hastings changes almost from story to story. When did Hastings first meet Poirot? Do they share an apartment? Are they partners in the detective business? The answers to these questions seem to vary from story to story. Apparently Christie was in too much of a hurry to try to make the Poirot/Hastings backstory consistent across the stories. But this inconsistency didn't reduce my enjoyment of the stories.

    The publisher missed the opportunity to provide this volume with an introduction that would have placed the stories in the context of Christie's career. Charles Todd provides a forward but, frankly, it's a rather worthless two-page discussion of Poirot as a character. There's nothing about how or why Christie turned out so many Poirot stories early on and then stopped writing them after 1940. There's also nothing beyond a brief entry at the beginning of each story to explain the publishing history of the stories. Some were apparently rewritten and lengthened after their first magazine publication. It would be interesting to know why.

    Still, the volume does give us all the Poirot stories in one volume, which is very useful. Of course, reading all 51 stories straight through is probably not the best way to enjoy them. Better to read a few at a time.

    Finally, although this paperback is nearly 900 pages long, it's well produced so that it opens easily and the spine remains intact while reading through the book--none of the annoying cracking of the spine that often happens with paperbacks of this length.

    Whether you're new to Christie and Poirot or whether you are a long-time fan, this volume is well worth purchasing.
  • Mattie U.
    5.0 out of 5 stars short but complete mystery solved.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024
    huge book and heavy but totally readable.
  • John C. Oldenburg
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bite Size Refreshments
    Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2024
    I enjoyed these short reads. They all entertained nicely even as they came to quick conclusions. Poirot, with his consistent quirks and mannerisms, supplied the comfortable common denominator.
  • Rocketdog74
    5.0 out of 5 stars Relaxing Reading
    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024
    I like her stories because they are easy to read, especially when you just want to relax and get your mind off things that are bothering you. Her stories hold my attention. I love her Poirot character.

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