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The Lonely House: A Hercules Popeau Mystery
On her journey to visit her aunt's family in Monte Carlo, orphaned heiress Lily Fairfield makes the acquaintance of secret serviceman Hercules Popeau and his friend Captain Angus Stuart. When Lily arrives at her aunt's house, she finds an aristocratic family fallen on hard times. More worryingly, the discovery of a dead body near the house sparks off a chain of events which threatens to endanger Lily's life. With nowhere to turn, she appeals to Hercules Popeau for help. But can even his dexterity prevent further tragedy? Originally published in 1920, this vintage thriller by the author of The Lodger features a memorable French detective, thought to be a partial inspiration for Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.
- GenresMystery
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1920
About the author
Marie Belloc Lowndes
247 books71 followersMarie Adelaide Elizabeth Rayner Lowndes, née Belloc (5 August 1868 – 14 November 1947), was a prolific English novelist.
Active from 1898 until her death, she had a literary reputation for combining exciting incident with psychological interest. Two of her works were adapted for the screen.
Born in Marylebone, London and raised in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France, Mrs Belloc Lowndes was the only daughter of French barrister Louis Belloc and English feminist Bessie Parkes. Her younger brother was Hilaire Belloc, whom she wrote of in her last work, The Young Hilaire Belloc (published posthumously in 1956). Her paternal grandfather was the French painter Jean-Hilaire Belloc, and her maternal great-great-grandfather was Joseph Priestley. In 1896, she married Frederick Sawrey A. Lowndes (1868–1940). Her mother died in 1925, 53 years after her father.
She published a biography, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales: An Account of His Career, in 1898. From then on, she published novels, reminiscences, and plays at the rate of one per year until 1946. In the memoir, I, too, Have Lived in Arcadia (1942), she told the story of her mother's life, compiled largely from old family letters and her own memories of her early life in France. A second autobiography Where love and friendship dwelt, appeared posthumously in 1948.
She died 14 November 1947 at the home of her elder daughter, Countess Iddesleigh (wife of the third Earl) in Eversley Cross, Hampshire, and was interred in France, in La Celle-Saint-Cloud near Versailles, where she spent her youth.
(from Wikipedia)
Active from 1898 until her death, she had a literary reputation for combining exciting incident with psychological interest. Two of her works were adapted for the screen.
Born in Marylebone, London and raised in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France, Mrs Belloc Lowndes was the only daughter of French barrister Louis Belloc and English feminist Bessie Parkes. Her younger brother was Hilaire Belloc, whom she wrote of in her last work, The Young Hilaire Belloc (published posthumously in 1956). Her paternal grandfather was the French painter Jean-Hilaire Belloc, and her maternal great-great-grandfather was Joseph Priestley. In 1896, she married Frederick Sawrey A. Lowndes (1868–1940). Her mother died in 1925, 53 years after her father.
She published a biography, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales: An Account of His Career, in 1898. From then on, she published novels, reminiscences, and plays at the rate of one per year until 1946. In the memoir, I, too, Have Lived in Arcadia (1942), she told the story of her mother's life, compiled largely from old family letters and her own memories of her early life in France. A second autobiography Where love and friendship dwelt, appeared posthumously in 1948.
She died 14 November 1947 at the home of her elder daughter, Countess Iddesleigh (wife of the third Earl) in Eversley Cross, Hampshire, and was interred in France, in La Celle-Saint-Cloud near Versailles, where she spent her youth.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 28, 2020
Dating from 1920, this "mystery" featuring Hercules Popeau and his sidekick, Captain Angus Stuart, is really more from the romantic/adventure/thriller end of the market, as there is little by way of detection. What is really going on in the house named La Solitude is fairly obvious to the modern reader, but it is a tribute to the ease of the writing that one reads on to find out how it will all work out.
Despite the similarity of name, there is little of Poirot to be found here, but it is worth a quick read.
3.5 stars
Despite the similarity of name, there is little of Poirot to be found here, but it is worth a quick read.
3.5 stars
October 31, 2024
Wonderful mystery, imbued with old-fashioned ideas of the time--some of which I whish we still upheld. (I was lucky to read a 1920 edition of the book!) The background is the principality of Monte Carlo in 1919, a year after the end of the Great War (WWI). I read somewhere Hercules Popeau (who doesn't appear much in the story) was the inspiration for Christie's Hercules Poirot, but I think it is quite unlikely.
October 18, 2023
When young Englishwoman, Lily Fairfield, visits her aristocratic ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’, the Comte and Contessa Polda, in their home in Monaco, she is surprised to find them living in near penury. Indeed, it soon becomes evident that the rent that had been agreed for Lily’s stay seems to be the only income that they have. Conversations with the Contessa invariably end up revolving around either money or the boundless qualities of her son, Count Beppo, who lives in Italy.
On her journey to Monaco Lily had encountered and befriended the enigmatic elderly Frenchman, Hercules Popeau, and his taciturn younger Scottish companion Angus Stuart. As her life in the Polda household becomes increasingly restricted, Popeau and Stuart prove to be a valuable resource for Lily, providing a valued source of company.
When the fêted Beppo arrives, Lily soon realises that he is an opportunist, with a flexible understanding of the truth, especially when dealing with his parents. It is also evident that, having established the healthy extent of Lily’s personal fortune, the Contessa has clearly-laid plans for a wedding. But everything changes when, on her way to visit Popeau and Stuart in Monte Carlo, Lily discovers a body, which turns out to be that of a recent villa to the Poldas’ home.
When news of the body reaches Popeau, he reveals himself as the chief of one of the French secret service organisations, and he gradually unravels the mystery. Popeau has often been cited as an inspiration for, or influence on, Agatha Christie’s development of her famous character Hercule Poirot.
Marie Belloc Lowndes, sister of Hilaire Belloc, was a prolific and successful novelist in her own right, and wrote several popular thrillers and mysteries, including The Lodger of which several film versions were made (including one by Alfred Hitchcock). I found this very enjoyable, and the prose was readily accessible – no suggestion that it was more than a century old. My one cavil about the book is that the story developed rather slowly, and the book could easily have been fifty pages shorter, with no deleterious effect on the storyline.
On her journey to Monaco Lily had encountered and befriended the enigmatic elderly Frenchman, Hercules Popeau, and his taciturn younger Scottish companion Angus Stuart. As her life in the Polda household becomes increasingly restricted, Popeau and Stuart prove to be a valuable resource for Lily, providing a valued source of company.
When the fêted Beppo arrives, Lily soon realises that he is an opportunist, with a flexible understanding of the truth, especially when dealing with his parents. It is also evident that, having established the healthy extent of Lily’s personal fortune, the Contessa has clearly-laid plans for a wedding. But everything changes when, on her way to visit Popeau and Stuart in Monte Carlo, Lily discovers a body, which turns out to be that of a recent villa to the Poldas’ home.
When news of the body reaches Popeau, he reveals himself as the chief of one of the French secret service organisations, and he gradually unravels the mystery. Popeau has often been cited as an inspiration for, or influence on, Agatha Christie’s development of her famous character Hercule Poirot.
Marie Belloc Lowndes, sister of Hilaire Belloc, was a prolific and successful novelist in her own right, and wrote several popular thrillers and mysteries, including The Lodger of which several film versions were made (including one by Alfred Hitchcock). I found this very enjoyable, and the prose was readily accessible – no suggestion that it was more than a century old. My one cavil about the book is that the story developed rather slowly, and the book could easily have been fifty pages shorter, with no deleterious effect on the storyline.
July 16, 2024
Really good start but about half way got really tired of it and somewhat of the characters...if a third was cut out would be much better ..I fell asleep in the middle for at least two hours of the 11.5 reading and had not miss much at all..one thing only appeared to have happened and that a repeat not needed for storyline ...very interesting to see where Agatha C may have vot some inspiration for Poirot!
February 10, 2026
Less a mystery than a very tame romance.
March 25, 2026
Not sure I would classify this a mystery novel, there is a bit of romance some murders but no detection. I enjoyed the description of Monaco in 1919.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews