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Hercule Poirot #0.24
The Adventure of the ‘Western Star': A Short Story
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?
51 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 1923
81 people are currently reading
1840 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,823 books75.5k 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 202 reviews
June 8, 2023
This is a pretty straightforward case as far as Poirot is concerned. Movie star Mary Marvell comes to Poirot regarding the threatening letters to her. All these letters were regarding a diamond “Western Star.” Then suddenly, the diamond gets stolen. Despite a few mixups from Hastings, Poirot easily solves the case without many twists. This is one of those rare predictable Poirot mysteries.
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March 25, 2023
Cursed jewelry?
The famous American actress, Miss Mary Marvell, has been receiving menacing letters telling her that the jewel given to her as a wedding present is about to get repoed. The jewel will supposedly be reunited with its twin (which belongs to Lady Yardly) before the next full moon as they are the stolen eyes of an idol.
It's very spooky stuff. Really.
Of course, there's so much more going on here than first appears, and Poirot manages to set everything right in the end.
Hastings doesn't shine in this one.
He kind of messes things up from start to finish, all in an effort to prove how awesome he is, and I'm still not sure if it was funny or sad seeing him screw that pooch that badly.
I've read this several times over the years, but this time around I listened to the audio short narrated by Hugh Fraser. He did (as always) a wonderful job.
Recommended.
The famous American actress, Miss Mary Marvell, has been receiving menacing letters telling her that the jewel given to her as a wedding present is about to get repoed. The jewel will supposedly be reunited with its twin (which belongs to Lady Yardly) before the next full moon as they are the stolen eyes of an idol.
It's very spooky stuff. Really.
Of course, there's so much more going on here than first appears, and Poirot manages to set everything right in the end.
Hastings doesn't shine in this one.
He kind of messes things up from start to finish, all in an effort to prove how awesome he is, and I'm still not sure if it was funny or sad seeing him screw that pooch that badly.
I've read this several times over the years, but this time around I listened to the audio short narrated by Hugh Fraser. He did (as always) a wonderful job.
Recommended.
September 4, 2025
‘The great diamond which is the left eye of the god must return whence it came.’
When Mary Marvell, a famous film star with a famous diamond 'the Western Star', consults Poirot on receiving letters regarding its theft, he is at once interested in the vague rumors of the diamond's twin, especially after a visit from Lady Yardly who owns this twin diamond 'the Star of the East'.
It takes Poirot's keen observational skills in the midst of Hastings' romanticism to get to the bottom of this tangle and reveal simple human nature. The mystery itself isn't very interesting, especially with some obvious clues revealed soon, and quite a lot of page-space went into just setting it up. On the whole, the twist at the end with Poirot paying attention to the people and situations instead of the far-off tales make it somewhat worthwhile, but the novella could have been shorter.
🌟🌟
[Half a star for the premise; Half a star for the characters; 1/4 star for the plot; 1/4 star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 2 star in total.]
When Mary Marvell, a famous film star with a famous diamond 'the Western Star', consults Poirot on receiving letters regarding its theft, he is at once interested in the vague rumors of the diamond's twin, especially after a visit from Lady Yardly who owns this twin diamond 'the Star of the East'.
It takes Poirot's keen observational skills in the midst of Hastings' romanticism to get to the bottom of this tangle and reveal simple human nature. The mystery itself isn't very interesting, especially with some obvious clues revealed soon, and quite a lot of page-space went into just setting it up. On the whole, the twist at the end with Poirot paying attention to the people and situations instead of the far-off tales make it somewhat worthwhile, but the novella could have been shorter.
🌟🌟
[Half a star for the premise; Half a star for the characters; 1/4 star for the plot; 1/4 star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 2 star in total.]
January 12, 2021
Poor Hastings.
January 21, 2022
A review later.
January 20, 2020
This Hercule Poirot short story was first published in The Sketch magazine in the UK on April 11, 1923. The Blue Magazine printed it in the US in February 1924.
A famous American film star arrives in England. She seeks out Poirot's help, stating that she has been receiving strange threatening letters regarding a large diamond she owns. Then a second woman, Lady Yardley, comes forward with concerns about a similar stone in her collection. Poirot jumps right in to lend the powers of his little grey cells to get to the facts of the matter.
There are times when some of the language and attitudes in Christie's writing bother me. The stories are nearly 100 years old and sometimes use derogatory terms for foreigners or non-white characters....terms that were widely used in the 1920s, but are now considered incredibly rude, derogatory, and unacceptable. Several times characters in this story refer to Chinese people with a racist term.....but in the past the term was commonly used without thought or care. I see the benefit to leaving Christie's works as she wrote them as they are her words and it does reflect attitudes of the time, but this is one area where I have trouble with her writing. The ideas expressed by upper class white characters in her books/stories sometimes come off as incredibly racist and classist. But the elite at the time were racist and classist. I'm not saying that society is any better today....we still have some major issues to work through when it comes to how we treat others. But, most of us don't just toss out incredibly racist terms as part of normal conversation. For example, Christie used the n word in a book title in 1939. That would not be ok at all today. Sensibilities have changed at least somewhat. I don't like it when I come across blatantly racist terms in literature (even when my favorite author is the culprit)....but it does make me glad that some verbage that was ok in the early 1900s is not ok now!! Despite my momentary shock at the term, I did enjoy this story. Interesting case, and Poirot was his usual brilliant self.
Agatha Chrstie's Poirot adapted this story for television in 1990 (Season 2, Episode 10). The story is changed somewhat to lengthen it into a full episode, but the basic case is the same. So glad David Suchet played Poirot for every story that Christie wrote. He does such a good job!
On to the next story: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor!
A famous American film star arrives in England. She seeks out Poirot's help, stating that she has been receiving strange threatening letters regarding a large diamond she owns. Then a second woman, Lady Yardley, comes forward with concerns about a similar stone in her collection. Poirot jumps right in to lend the powers of his little grey cells to get to the facts of the matter.
There are times when some of the language and attitudes in Christie's writing bother me. The stories are nearly 100 years old and sometimes use derogatory terms for foreigners or non-white characters....terms that were widely used in the 1920s, but are now considered incredibly rude, derogatory, and unacceptable. Several times characters in this story refer to Chinese people with a racist term.....but in the past the term was commonly used without thought or care. I see the benefit to leaving Christie's works as she wrote them as they are her words and it does reflect attitudes of the time, but this is one area where I have trouble with her writing. The ideas expressed by upper class white characters in her books/stories sometimes come off as incredibly racist and classist. But the elite at the time were racist and classist. I'm not saying that society is any better today....we still have some major issues to work through when it comes to how we treat others. But, most of us don't just toss out incredibly racist terms as part of normal conversation. For example, Christie used the n word in a book title in 1939. That would not be ok at all today. Sensibilities have changed at least somewhat. I don't like it when I come across blatantly racist terms in literature (even when my favorite author is the culprit)....but it does make me glad that some verbage that was ok in the early 1900s is not ok now!! Despite my momentary shock at the term, I did enjoy this story. Interesting case, and Poirot was his usual brilliant self.
Agatha Chrstie's Poirot adapted this story for television in 1990 (Season 2, Episode 10). The story is changed somewhat to lengthen it into a full episode, but the basic case is the same. So glad David Suchet played Poirot for every story that Christie wrote. He does such a good job!
On to the next story: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor!
June 5, 2025
Poor
This book reads like a fever dream written in crayon.
It's just poorly written and based on a weak premise
This book reads like a fever dream written in crayon.
It's just poorly written and based on a weak premise
April 27, 2018
A movie star is worried about threats she is receiving about her very expensive diamond. She goes to Hercule Poirot for advice. I got a chuckle when at one point the lights go out and *presto!* the diamond is stolen. A few quick deductions and the mystery is solved. The story feels a bit rushed. I knew exactly what was coming and "whodunnit" well in advance.
January 3, 2022
2 Stars. "The Adventure of 'The Western Star" is a short story in the 1924 collection of 11 published under the name, "Poirot Investigates." Its 28 pages first showed up in "Sketch" in 1923. Why two stars? It's good but I took off two for the racist slang describing a Chinese character. It also happened in "Too Many Cooks" by Rex Stout starring Nero Wolfe regarding Afro-Americans. When the words first appear, they startle you in their starkness and stupidity. I understand the books are of their time, the 1920s and 30s. It has to be a dilemma for publishers doing reprints. Print word for word, or be politically correct a century or so later? Or not print at all? Is there a protocol concerning great authors, such as Mark Twain, Harper Lee, Christie and Stout? Here's the story. Poirot and Hastings are consulted on the same day by different women about mysterious letters threatening to steal their fabulous diamonds, the Western Star and the Eastern Star. The first is owned by Mary Marvell, an American movie star. She wants to wear it to an event at the home of Lady Yardly, the owner of the other one! Poirot cautions. There's a risk. As usual, he's right. (July 2020)
September 8, 2023
رواية جيب لاجاثا كريستي غريبة
دي اول مرة أقرأ رواية قصيرة كده لاجاثا وطول الوقت حاسه ان دي مش اجاثا
اجاثا بتحتاج رواية طويله تاخد كفايتها في كتابتها تنظيم الحبكة والأحداث والشخصيات لازم مساحة عشان تعمل رواية بوليسية تدوخنا وراها
غير كده مش بتعرف تكتب رواية قصيرة من وجهة نظري
دي اول مرة أقرأ رواية قصيرة كده لاجاثا وطول الوقت حاسه ان دي مش اجاثا
اجاثا بتحتاج رواية طويله تاخد كفايتها في كتابتها تنظيم الحبكة والأحداث والشخصيات لازم مساحة عشان تعمل رواية بوليسية تدوخنا وراها
غير كده مش بتعرف تكتب رواية قصيرة من وجهة نظري
March 9, 2024
Two beautiful diamonds(or at least we think so), a gentleman in debt, two warning letters...
Nothing spectacular as the main character is Poirot, but could be anyone else. In fact, this story looks like authored by Sir Conan Doyle himself...
Nothing spectacular as the main character is Poirot, but could be anyone else. In fact, this story looks like authored by Sir Conan Doyle himself...
August 25, 2014
Rating: 3* of five
The Publisher Says: A classic Agatha Christie short story, available individually for the first time as an ebook.
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?
My Review: Again, a 99¢ Kindle Single as well as an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot's second season.
Good lord, society was racist in those days. In 1923, when this story was published, making the villain Chinese was a piece of shorthand for morally degenerate furriner. That the ultimate culprits were not Chinese and that the reason for the jewel theft was simple and sordid adultery made the entire tale predictable. This was more of a Columbo episode than it was a typical Christie.
The look of these shows is stellar. I love it, this Art Deco beauty and lushness. What's very strange to me is how much the atmosphere of the stories (in these early seasons) depends on Poirot and Hastings acting like an old married couple. Bicker bicker bicker! Smile and make up. Bicker some more, Poirot says something cutting, Hastings acts hurt, smile and make up! It was 1990 when these were made, no one can convince me that there's any chance of this being unconscious or accidental.
Well anyway it's a charming way to pass an hour.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Publisher Says: A classic Agatha Christie short story, available individually for the first time as an ebook.
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?
My Review: Again, a 99¢ Kindle Single as well as an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot's second season.
Good lord, society was racist in those days. In 1923, when this story was published, making the villain Chinese was a piece of shorthand for morally degenerate furriner. That the ultimate culprits were not Chinese and that the reason for the jewel theft was simple and sordid adultery made the entire tale predictable. This was more of a Columbo episode than it was a typical Christie.
The look of these shows is stellar. I love it, this Art Deco beauty and lushness. What's very strange to me is how much the atmosphere of the stories (in these early seasons) depends on Poirot and Hastings acting like an old married couple. Bicker bicker bicker! Smile and make up. Bicker some more, Poirot says something cutting, Hastings acts hurt, smile and make up! It was 1990 when these were made, no one can convince me that there's any chance of this being unconscious or accidental.
Well anyway it's a charming way to pass an hour.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
September 7, 2020
Hastings: "Poirot, am I quite demented?"
Poirot: "No, mon ami, but you are, as always, in a mental fog"
LOL.
Poirot: "No, mon ami, but you are, as always, in a mental fog"
LOL.
January 5, 2023
This is a great short story with a nice twist at the end. I also liked that it reminded me that sometimes the guilty can not be punished through legal means, but you can still make things right.
Bravo
Bravo
July 18, 2020
I'm starting to see a pattern here. Poirot gets on a case, Hastings thinks too much of himself, tries to be the detective and gets fed up with Poirot, Poirot is always in a jolly mood, laughs at Hastings incapabilities and explains everything himself on the final pages. Maybe it's that I keep (unwillingly) comparing it to Holmes and Watson, but I feel like their personalities really enhance the story, whereas Poirot and Hastings mostly drew my attention away from the case (which wasn't even that bad), mostly because Hastings, with his pride, is so annoying.
I couldn't agree more.
“Poirot,” I said. “Am I quite demented?”
“No, mon ami, but you are, as always, in a mental fog.”
I couldn't agree more.
May 31, 2022
The Adventure of “The Western Star”: 4*
I feel like this story felt the most whole out of all the short stories I’ve read so far. It felt like it was building the entire time and not just a random short story that was more just an idea, but was later published. I could have done with less stereotyping of “Chinamen,” but it was published in 1923...
I love how this story sets up Captain Hastings being in the right for once, just to later disprove him, making him the stupid one once more. What a brilliant literary tool he is.
I feel like this story felt the most whole out of all the short stories I’ve read so far. It felt like it was building the entire time and not just a random short story that was more just an idea, but was later published. I could have done with less stereotyping of “Chinamen,” but it was published in 1923...
I love how this story sets up Captain Hastings being in the right for once, just to later disprove him, making him the stupid one once more. What a brilliant literary tool he is.
April 10, 2022
I could not get into this one. There is A LOT of racist language, which wasn’t racist at the time this was published, and sexism that made this short story very uncomfortable for me. Under 30 pages but packed full.
Also thought Poirot was extra mean to Hastings. He’s very condescending and doesn’t share info with Hastings. It almost feels like he’s mocking him. And why was he so unsympathetic to the actress when she was a victim?
Also thought Poirot was extra mean to Hastings. He’s very condescending and doesn’t share info with Hastings. It almost feels like he’s mocking him. And why was he so unsympathetic to the actress when she was a victim?
December 23, 2018
Priceless Diamonds & a Mysterious Threats
G rated
My only warning is to be aware that the story was written nearly 100 years ago, so if you are easily devastated by what is now politically incorrect, your gasps will suck the oxygen out of the room.
For the rest of us: we have here a classic Hercule Poirot short story.
Relax, read, and enjoy.
G rated
My only warning is to be aware that the story was written nearly 100 years ago, so if you are easily devastated by what is now politically incorrect, your gasps will suck the oxygen out of the room.
For the rest of us: we have here a classic Hercule Poirot short story.
Relax, read, and enjoy.
June 18, 2020
Not too bad, I am really not a fan of her short stories.
June 23, 2019
Meh... It was ok. 2.75/5 Read it very quickly & I was throughly surprised by the weird twist at the end.
The best aspects: Poirot and Hastings relationship - although there is a super uncomfortable ending of this short story.
The Negative: There are other reviews freaking out regarding the sexism & racism within, but please remember this was written almost a hundred years ago. Still it's uncomfortable to read today in 2019, but push past that and engage the story...onto the next Poirot 👍🏽
The best aspects: Poirot and Hastings relationship - although there is a super uncomfortable ending of this short story.
The Negative: There are other reviews freaking out regarding the sexism & racism within, but please remember this was written almost a hundred years ago. Still it's uncomfortable to read today in 2019, but push past that and engage the story...onto the next Poirot 👍🏽
November 8, 2018
Interesting, but not that interesting. She's not that good at writing short stories so it doesn't totally surprise me.
March 13, 2019
Reminded me of the Moonstone a bit, loved the ending, but the plot twist was a bit too twisty for my taste. Poor Hastings though.
April 17, 2019
This was not my favorite story. I thought it was a little hard to follow and it wasn’t a thrilling as most of her other writing.
August 1, 2019
Quick and masterful mystery, but hard to overlook the two uses of a racial slur (1924 Agatha wasn’t very woke).
August 12, 2020
Props to Hastings for keeping his head in the game despite all the skirts.
August 30, 2020
This was a fun, quick read. Fun, but nothing to write home about.
September 1, 2020
This was a good, clever mystery.
June 4, 2021
A short story featuring Hercule Poirot. Quick and entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews