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Hercule Poirot #0.03
The Lemesurier Inheritance: A Short Story
Previously published in the print anthology Poirot's Early Cases.
The Lemesurier family is plagued by a medieval curse, ensuring that no firstborn son will ever receive his inheritance. Can Hercule Poirot solve the riddle of the curse?
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1923
143 people are currently reading
1879 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,075 books74.5k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
December 8, 2023
I love to read books where an investigation track and supernatural or mystical track run parallel to each other and converge together at the end to surprise us and make us use both parts of the brain to differentiate and fathom what happened. I have read only very few books that convey both these aspects in a convincing manner. Usually, they either get the conventional or the supernatural track wrong. This book, though small, shows the brilliance of Agatha Christie to a certain extent.
In this book, Hercule Poirot is trying to deal with a curse that appears to kill the male heirs of Lemesuriers. When the mother of the next heir comes to Poirot to seek his help to protect her young son who is the next heir, Poirot decides to find out the mystery behind the curse of Lemesuriers. Agatha Christie will take you on a thrilling ride with an unexpected ending in this book.
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In this book, Hercule Poirot is trying to deal with a curse that appears to kill the male heirs of Lemesuriers. When the mother of the next heir comes to Poirot to seek his help to protect her young son who is the next heir, Poirot decides to find out the mystery behind the curse of Lemesuriers. Agatha Christie will take you on a thrilling ride with an unexpected ending in this book.
—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Threads ID - Dasfill | X ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1
August 25, 2025
‘Yes, mon ami, there is nothing more amazing than the extraordinary sanity of the insane! Unless it is the extraordinary eccentricity of the sane!’
Poirot is called to debunk the existence of a curse preventing The Lemesurier Inheritance from ever going to the firstborn son, which has supposedly been active for several generations/ inheritances. Though the 'curse' was laughed away by the Lemesuriers themselves when first narrating it's origin to Poirot and Hastings, a few deaths later and many years later, they have to solve the mystery of all the deaths before the danger affects two children and this sets the tone for the rest of the story.
Christie's writing is great as usual, combining the spooky curse vibes with enough clues for Poirot to see through the mystery, and the character sketches are well done, especially for a short story. The plot, and mystery kept me hooked, even after an inkling of the resolution. All in all, an interesting read!
🌟🌟🌟1/2🌟
[3/4 star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 star for the plot; Half a star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 1/2 stars in total.]
Poirot is called to debunk the existence of a curse preventing The Lemesurier Inheritance from ever going to the firstborn son, which has supposedly been active for several generations/ inheritances. Though the 'curse' was laughed away by the Lemesuriers themselves when first narrating it's origin to Poirot and Hastings, a few deaths later and many years later, they have to solve the mystery of all the deaths before the danger affects two children and this sets the tone for the rest of the story.
Christie's writing is great as usual, combining the spooky curse vibes with enough clues for Poirot to see through the mystery, and the character sketches are well done, especially for a short story. The plot, and mystery kept me hooked, even after an inkling of the resolution. All in all, an interesting read!
🌟🌟🌟1/2🌟
[3/4 star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 star for the plot; Half a star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 1/2 stars in total.]
April 18, 2025
The cursed inheritance!
The story opens with a friend of Hastings & Poirot getting killed almost immediately after he learns of his father's death...and right before he inherits his estate.
Supposedly, there's a curse attached to the family that (because of some wrongdoing by an ancestor) won't let any firstborn son inherit.
Hercule gets a call years later from the mother of a little boy whose father was the next in line for the Lemesurier estate, and inherited it after his cousin was killed. Now, her son appears to be plagued by suspicious life-threatening accidents and her husband seems to think that nothing can be done to offset his son's fate.
It's all very convoluted.
With all the talk of ancient curses and apathetic fathers, can even someone as brilliant as Poirot save the day?
Mais oui! <--duh
DREAMSCAPE MEDIA, LLC
(UNABRIDGED)
read by Charles Armstrong
The story opens with a friend of Hastings & Poirot getting killed almost immediately after he learns of his father's death...and right before he inherits his estate.
Supposedly, there's a curse attached to the family that (because of some wrongdoing by an ancestor) won't let any firstborn son inherit.
Hercule gets a call years later from the mother of a little boy whose father was the next in line for the Lemesurier estate, and inherited it after his cousin was killed. Now, her son appears to be plagued by suspicious life-threatening accidents and her husband seems to think that nothing can be done to offset his son's fate.
It's all very convoluted.
With all the talk of ancient curses and apathetic fathers, can even someone as brilliant as Poirot save the day?
Mais oui! <--duh
DREAMSCAPE MEDIA, LLC
(UNABRIDGED)
read by Charles Armstrong
July 28, 2023
While dining with Poirot at “the Carlton,” Hastings is hailed by Vincent Lemesurier with whom he soldiered in France. This leads to the plot involving the Lemesurier Curse that, for centuries, has assured that the “first born male” dies before he can inherit.
Years later, Mrs. Lemesurier asks Poirot’s help in protecting her sons, the eldest it seems has had a series of near to death “accidents.”
The rest of the plot expands the list of possible suspects as Poirot and Hastings take up residence at the family estate. A typical Christie surprise ending is provided.
The most pleasurable (not a spoiler) moment may have been provided by Poirot’s rejoinder: “Yes, mon ami, there is nothing more amazing than the extraordinary sanity of the insane! Unless it is the extraordinary eccentricity of the sane!”
3*
Years later, Mrs. Lemesurier asks Poirot’s help in protecting her sons, the eldest it seems has had a series of near to death “accidents.”
The rest of the plot expands the list of possible suspects as Poirot and Hastings take up residence at the family estate. A typical Christie surprise ending is provided.
The most pleasurable (not a spoiler) moment may have been provided by Poirot’s rejoinder: “Yes, mon ami, there is nothing more amazing than the extraordinary sanity of the insane! Unless it is the extraordinary eccentricity of the sane!”
3*
December 28, 2021
I loved it: short but elaborate and with an unexpected end with a twist. SYNOPSIS: "The Lemesurier family is plagued by a medieval curse, ensuring that no firstborn son will ever receive his inheritance. Can Hercule Poirot solve the riddle of the curse?"
March 9, 2020
This Hercule Poirot short story was first published in the UK on December 19, 1923 in Sketch Magazine. Publication in the US followed in 1925 (Blue Book Magazine). It is the last of the stories that Christie penned while on a 10-month around-the-world trip in 1922 leading up to the British Empire Exposition.
This story flashes back to the early days of Poirot and Hastings' friendship just after WWI. The story follows a string of deaths in the Lemesurier family, culminating in a visit to Poirot by the Matriarch of the family. Mrs. Lemesurier states that there are rumors of a family curse on the eldest sons. It seems the eldest sons in the family always die young and the estate passes to a younger son. She is afraid for her oldest son as he seems to be having a lot of near fatal accidents. She doesn't believe in the curse....but her husband seems to be obsessed with it. Poirot agrees to take the case. Can he prevent the boy's death? Or is it an unavoidable curse?
Surprisingly enough, this Poirot short was not adapted for television. The long-running television series, Agatha Christie's Poirot, skipped this one. But I did read that the story is referenced in The Labors of Hercules, a 90-minute Poirot television movie that aired in 2014. Suchet did narrate an audio book version of The Lemesurier Inheritance, so he can still state that he performed in a version of every Poirot story, even if the television show skipped this one.
I'm trying to figure out why the television series skipped this story. It would have required some editing to adapt for television. Maybe that's the reason? It covers the entirety of the years of Hastings and Poirot's friendship, making it difficult to adapt to film. The actors in the television series had aged since the beginning of the series. And the story would have required significant editing to make the plot work without jumping back in time and working forward. But, the obsessed reader in me really doesn't understand why they didn't make the effort....they did some pretty major changes in several of the stories to fit them into a hour episode. Why skip this one? They could have easily flashed back in the history of the family and left a younger Poirot/Hastings out of the mix entirely. Just seems a bit odd that they made such efforts to do all of the other stories....even some that were very short and simple....but skipped this one entirely? I haven't seen the Labors of Hercules movie yet, so I'm not sure how much of the plot they worked into it.....but why skip an entire story? This tale is a bit bizarre, but not so strange that it deserved to be left out of the television series. The series did skip over some short stories that were later re-worked into longer versions, opting to film the later versions (The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, Murder in the Mews and a few others). But only one short story was skipped completely -- this one. Hmmmm. Putting a character named Lemesurier into another film (The Labors of Hercules) is more of a homage than a real portrayal of the story.
But....I will withhold judgment until I actually watch the movie The Labors of Hercules. If the plot of this story isn't in there somewhere....I will be really disappointed. Why film all the rest.....and skip this one story??? Seems a bit odd..... (Another Poirot story not included in the television show is Black Coffee. But....that particular work was actually a play that was later adapted into a novel in 1998. Suchet did a live reading performance of the play for a theater company....so he did effectively perform every Hercule Poirot story Christie wrote in one form or another.)
Well, this completes my backtracking to read the early short stories featuring Hercule Poirot. All 25 of them! I'm enjoying my quest to read all of Agatha Christie's writing in publication order! Now I can jump back into the novels. It's time for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd -- one of my favorites!
This story flashes back to the early days of Poirot and Hastings' friendship just after WWI. The story follows a string of deaths in the Lemesurier family, culminating in a visit to Poirot by the Matriarch of the family. Mrs. Lemesurier states that there are rumors of a family curse on the eldest sons. It seems the eldest sons in the family always die young and the estate passes to a younger son. She is afraid for her oldest son as he seems to be having a lot of near fatal accidents. She doesn't believe in the curse....but her husband seems to be obsessed with it. Poirot agrees to take the case. Can he prevent the boy's death? Or is it an unavoidable curse?
Surprisingly enough, this Poirot short was not adapted for television. The long-running television series, Agatha Christie's Poirot, skipped this one. But I did read that the story is referenced in The Labors of Hercules, a 90-minute Poirot television movie that aired in 2014. Suchet did narrate an audio book version of The Lemesurier Inheritance, so he can still state that he performed in a version of every Poirot story, even if the television show skipped this one.
I'm trying to figure out why the television series skipped this story. It would have required some editing to adapt for television. Maybe that's the reason? It covers the entirety of the years of Hastings and Poirot's friendship, making it difficult to adapt to film. The actors in the television series had aged since the beginning of the series. And the story would have required significant editing to make the plot work without jumping back in time and working forward. But, the obsessed reader in me really doesn't understand why they didn't make the effort....they did some pretty major changes in several of the stories to fit them into a hour episode. Why skip this one? They could have easily flashed back in the history of the family and left a younger Poirot/Hastings out of the mix entirely. Just seems a bit odd that they made such efforts to do all of the other stories....even some that were very short and simple....but skipped this one entirely? I haven't seen the Labors of Hercules movie yet, so I'm not sure how much of the plot they worked into it.....but why skip an entire story? This tale is a bit bizarre, but not so strange that it deserved to be left out of the television series. The series did skip over some short stories that were later re-worked into longer versions, opting to film the later versions (The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, Murder in the Mews and a few others). But only one short story was skipped completely -- this one. Hmmmm. Putting a character named Lemesurier into another film (The Labors of Hercules) is more of a homage than a real portrayal of the story.
But....I will withhold judgment until I actually watch the movie The Labors of Hercules. If the plot of this story isn't in there somewhere....I will be really disappointed. Why film all the rest.....and skip this one story??? Seems a bit odd..... (Another Poirot story not included in the television show is Black Coffee. But....that particular work was actually a play that was later adapted into a novel in 1998. Suchet did a live reading performance of the play for a theater company....so he did effectively perform every Hercule Poirot story Christie wrote in one form or another.)
Well, this completes my backtracking to read the early short stories featuring Hercule Poirot. All 25 of them! I'm enjoying my quest to read all of Agatha Christie's writing in publication order! Now I can jump back into the novels. It's time for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd -- one of my favorites!
July 30, 2023
3 Stars. When you read Christie, first comes the realization that she was an incomparable author. Then you see that she has certain approaches which often repeat. Her lead characters don't believe in superstitions and curses, but they don't directly confront them either. In "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb," Poirot deals with a death curse similar to the one surrounding the opening of King Tut's tomb in 1923. This time Poirot learns of a medieval curse placed on a family that the first-born male would never inherit the title. The story came out in 1923 in "The Sketch." Mine is from "Hercule Poirot The Complete Short Stories" of 1999. Our pair are dining in London during the last years of the first war, when an acquaintance of Hastings, Captain Vincent Lemesurier, says "Hello." He's the first-born son of the family's latest scion. Suddenly Vincent's cousin Roger dashes in to tell him that his father has been injured seriously in a riding accident. Amazingly, Vincent dies later that night. Eventually Poirot is hired by the mother of 8-year-old Ronald, the next heir. He seems to be prone to near death accidents. Can Poirot help? You know the answer. (January 2021)
September 23, 2019
Japp runs into an old acquaintance who, unfortunately, is seemingly cursed. One of her darker stories for sure.
March 6, 2024
Again, nothing special, not to mention the sadness of this story.
But, again, if you read too many Agatha stories, you may find all of them the same...
But, again, if you read too many Agatha stories, you may find all of them the same...
April 10, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening ✨😎🎧
This kindle e-book novella is from Amazon for $0.99
A quick interesting story with an happy ending.
I would recommend this novella and author to readers of British mystery and fans of Agatha Christie. 2024
This kindle e-book novella is from Amazon for $0.99
A quick interesting story with an happy ending.
I would recommend this novella and author to readers of British mystery and fans of Agatha Christie. 2024
January 16, 2020
So yes, this was completely predictable and too short. But hey, I read Hercule Poirot and I like it instantaneously. The plus side of its length is the fact that Hastings did not comment much.
All in all a nice short story about our favorite foreign detective.
All in all a nice short story about our favorite foreign detective.
May 3, 2020
Probably not the best idea to jump into a long series with a short story. This book was part of Bonus Borrow on Hoopla as a Covid Special (I'm guessing) that do not count towards your monthly limit.
May 2, 2016
One of the more slightly horrifying AC short stories. The ending caught me off guard. Wow!
October 29, 2014
First published in Christmas 1923, this tale of a family curse is narrated by Hastings. The story begins in WWI, when Poirot and Hastings bump into Captain Vincent Lemesurier and his uncle Hugo. This is a swiftly moving curse, because even as the men chat a messenger arrives to inform Vincent Lemesurier that his father had a serious accident falling from a horse and, as his son rushes home, he is also killed.
Time passes and then Poirot is visited by Hugo’s wife . The curse of the family says that the first born son can never inherit and she is the mother of two young boys – the eldest of which has had three narrow escapes from death. Can the curse be real and, if so, is her son doomed? Of course, Poirot can solve the mystery and nobody can tell of his exploits quite like Hastings. An enjoyable early story and, of course, wonderfully written.
Time passes and then Poirot is visited by Hugo’s wife . The curse of the family says that the first born son can never inherit and she is the mother of two young boys – the eldest of which has had three narrow escapes from death. Can the curse be real and, if so, is her son doomed? Of course, Poirot can solve the mystery and nobody can tell of his exploits quite like Hastings. An enjoyable early story and, of course, wonderfully written.
November 21, 2024
Did not see that twist coming, but as usual, Agatha Christie delivers.
April 15, 2025
Agatha Christie’s mysteries never get old to me. They make me smile and there is always a clever twist. Poirot’s did it again! 👏🏼😆☺️
December 24, 2015
Gloriously eery story, right in the vein of "Murder in Orient Express" or "And then there where none"! The only demerit is in its shortness! Nevertheless its grisly and strange enough to keep my blood boiling and its definitely one of the best Agatha stories ever. (at least in my humble opinion ;))
September 11, 2014
Though I had identified the villain almost immediately, I enjoyed this piece. Due to length constraints, the narration is straight-forward, and we are left with more of what I enjoy about Poirot mysteries - Poirot himself - and less of what often irritates me - the meandering M. Hastings.
January 3, 2019
Hercule Poirot, as clever as ever!
July 8, 2021
A really good short story with a boggling twist at the end (even two). I definitely did not see it coming and it was captivating.
Read
May 30, 2024Interesting investigation of a curse with a twist ending. Quite fun!
November 17, 2025
One of the short stories in the anthology Murder in Paradise by the author.
Truly enjoyable they all were and for those who follow Agatha Christie a must read.
Truly enjoyable they all were and for those who follow Agatha Christie a must read.
March 27, 2020
Read 2020
August 29, 2024
This started out with an interesting premise of a "cursed" inheritance, but the ending was a little boring.
April 1, 2025
There did mot seem to be a Poirot TV episode to match this story.
May 9, 2021
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The Lemesurier Inheritance -
a Hercule Poirot Short Story (Hercule Poirot),
by Agatha Christie.
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Family curse, mania, ....
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December 15, 2024
The cursed inheritance!
The story opens with a friend of Hastings & Poirot getting killed almost immediately after he learns of his father's death...and right before he inherits his estate.
Supposedly there's a curse attached to the family that (because of some wrongdoing by an ancestor) won't let any firstborn son inherit.
Hercule gets a call years later from the mother of a little boy whose father was the next in line for the Lemesurier estate and inherited it after his cousin was killed. Now, her son appears to be plagued by suspicious life-threatening accidents and her husband seems to think that nothing can be done to offset his son's fate.
It's all very convoluted.
With all the talk of ancient curses and apathetic fathers, can even someone as brilliant as Poirot save the day?
Mais oui! <--duh
DREAMSCAPE MEDIA, LLC
(UNABRIDGED)
read by Charles Armstrong
The story opens with a friend of Hastings & Poirot getting killed almost immediately after he learns of his father's death...and right before he inherits his estate.
Supposedly there's a curse attached to the family that (because of some wrongdoing by an ancestor) won't let any firstborn son inherit.
Hercule gets a call years later from the mother of a little boy whose father was the next in line for the Lemesurier estate and inherited it after his cousin was killed. Now, her son appears to be plagued by suspicious life-threatening accidents and her husband seems to think that nothing can be done to offset his son's fate.
It's all very convoluted.
With all the talk of ancient curses and apathetic fathers, can even someone as brilliant as Poirot save the day?
Mais oui! <--duh
DREAMSCAPE MEDIA, LLC
(UNABRIDGED)
read by Charles Armstrong
July 2, 2016
Poirot and a friend (the narrator) are having dinner when they meet with members of the Lemesurier family. When one receives word that his father is near death, two of them leave immediately. The third stays behind and informs Poirot that the family Lemesurier is under a type of curse wherein the firstborn never inherits, it's always a brother or cousin or other relation.
Sadly, over the years, the curse seems quite active. When the current Mrs. Lemesurier contacts Poirot, she brings evidence that some of the occurrences are not accidental. Poirot watches carefully and prevents the firstborn child's death - and catches the murderer in the process.
Who done it?
Sadly, over the years, the curse seems quite active. When the current Mrs. Lemesurier contacts Poirot, she brings evidence that some of the occurrences are not accidental. Poirot watches carefully and prevents the firstborn child's death - and catches the murderer in the process.
Who done it?
February 8, 2020
The Lemesurier Inheritance: Or, What Family Curse?? *Drops Dead*
Whenever there is a large sum of money and property to be inherited by a family member, surely murder always follows, no? Oh, wait, that's not normal. Well for the Lemesurier family it is because they are CURSED. CURSED, I say. The heirs keep dying. Money keeps passing. What could be happening? Definitely something supernatural.
Oh, no, no, no... is that Poirot? Oh, great. Here we go. There's definitely a murderer involved. This short and sweet tale gets right to the point. Poirot, Oui, Oui, he'll figure it out.
Whenever there is a large sum of money and property to be inherited by a family member, surely murder always follows, no? Oh, wait, that's not normal. Well for the Lemesurier family it is because they are CURSED. CURSED, I say. The heirs keep dying. Money keeps passing. What could be happening? Definitely something supernatural.
Oh, no, no, no... is that Poirot? Oh, great. Here we go. There's definitely a murderer involved. This short and sweet tale gets right to the point. Poirot, Oui, Oui, he'll figure it out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews