The Under Dog and Other Stories

Hercule Poirot #31

by Agatha Christie

Indomitable detective Hercule Poirot is pitted against nine cunning adversaries in nine tales of murder, deception, terror, disappearance, and suspense, including "The Plymouth Express," "The King of Clubs," "The Affair at the Victory Ball, " and the title story. Reissue.

Genres: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Crime, Audiobook

208 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1951

About the author

Agatha 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)

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of shorts for anyone looking to dip their toes in.
I’ve left a link to each individual story at the end of the review, but that’s mostly for me to help keep track of what stories I have and haven’t read.

Ok. While I think Hugh Fraser is the most excellent narrator on his own, these Poirot novels are really fun when David Suchet guest stars in the audio versions with him. It's just the best of both worlds for me.



The gist is that Poirot and (sometimes) Hastings solve some unsolvable mysteries. <--but I'm pretty sure most of you guessed that.



The Adventure of the Clapham Cook is (for some reason) my favorite. I think it's because Poirot gets challenged by a rather huffy woman who is devastated by losing her cook. To her, this loss is just as important as a secret document lost by the government or an expensive gem to a prince, and it made Poirot rethink his snobbish ways and go on the hunt.
And then she fired him. Ahahahaha!
Of course, that wasn't the end of it for Poirot...



If you're looking for a fun collection of mini-mysteries by Christie, I personally think this would be a great choice.

The Under Dog
The Plymouth Express
The Affair at the Victory Ball
The Market Basing Mystery
The Lemesurier Inheritance
The Cornish Mystery
The King of Clubs
The Submarine Plans
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook

Publisher: HarperAudio
Edition: Unabridged
David Suchet - Narrator
Hugh Fraser - Narrator

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. Title novella and several shorter stories, mostly pretty serviceable. Poirot is always worth spending some time with and this was a good choice following some not-so-good reads...

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great collection of Hercule Poirot short stories. I'd originally planned to read all of the remaining Poirot books in chronological order (after having skipped around some in the beginning), but this showed up on Libby when I needed an audiobook posthaste and so here we are. As with previous collections, I found these shorts to be an enjoyable read (or listen, I suppose) but not quite as delightful as a full-length Poirot novel. Still, all of these tales were fun and engrossing and didn't tax my “little grey cells” too terribly. My favorite was probably the title story, The Under Dog, which is the longest and therefore most fleshed-out of the bunch. A reader new to the world of Hercule Poirot probably shouldn't start with this collection (the novels truly are better), but if you're already a fan of the quirky Belgian detective, it's definitely worth a read.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book, as you can read one short story per day, remember it very well and do not get bored. Perhaps this style is sometimes more recommended, as the author has to cut the unnecessary stuff and let the intrigue alone.
My favourite one, The Plymouth Express, a narrative about a mining entrepreneur hiring Poirot to solve the brutal murder of his daughter and the theft of her jewels aboard the express train to Plymouth.

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poirot is quite a humble little fellow *screech go the brakes.* Actually Poirot’s biggest fan is himself. He is terribly condescending to those who don’t use their “little gray cells,” but that’s what makes him funny.
Excellent book of stories.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars for The Under Dog and Other Stories: Hercule Poirot , Book 31 (audiobook) by Agatha Christie read by David Suchet and Hugh Fraser.

I enjoyed jumping back into a world where Hercule Poirot will suss out all of the details of crime, no matter how well they tried to trick him. And will have the guilty party arrested in no time.

[Rodrigo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sinopsis: El cómico, casi ridículo, aspecto de aquel caballero variaba la idea que se había hecho de él. ¿Sería capaz de realizar las maravillas que se le atribuían con aquella cabeza de huevo y aquellos enormes y engominados bigotes? Esta duda que angustia a Lily Margrave en El inferior es bastante común en los clientes que acuden a visitar a Hercule Poirot. Luego, los hechos les demostrarán que, en el interior de su ovoidal testa, funcionan unas maravillosas células grises que le hacen casi infalible, tal como se comprueba en la resolución de ocho intrincados enigmas.

Como siempre lectura irregular, unos mejor que otros, sus 8 valoraciones:
- El inferior 7.5/10.
- el expreso de Plymouth 6/10.
- el baile de la victoria 6.5/10.
- el misterio de Market Basing 5/10.
- el misterio de Cornualles 6/10.
- el Rey de trébol 6/10.
- el robo de los planos del submarino 5/10.
- La aventura de la cocinera 5/10.
Valoración: 5.88/10

#25. Un libro donde el personaje principal sea un inmigrante o refugiado. Reto Popsugar 2025.

[EmmaK · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas

Al principio me costo entrar en la lectura, el primer caso es muy largo y algo tedioso hasta que tomas el ritmo.

Algunos casos me gustaron más que otros, me parecieron oscuros e interesantes, creí que sería como el libro “Miss Marple y trece problemas” pero este tiene un toque muy estiló Poirot y me gustó mucho, pero a pesar de todo disfrute más la lectura de Miss Marple.

Mis relatos favoritos fueron:
1. El expreso de Plymouth
5. La herencia de los Lemesurier
6. El misterio de Cornwall

[Jack Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars. Nine short stories featuring Hercule Poirot. Most are good but none reach the pinnacle. In general, Christie's short stories don't provide her with enough time to develop characters or the plot leading up to the dastardly dead. Oops, not all of these are murders! None rise to the heights of "Orient Express" or "Roger Ackroyd." I review all nine separately, but here are a few highlights. In the title story, "The Under Dog," a novella, Poirot realizes that people have a definite idea of what they expect in a detective, private or public such as a Police Inspector. He uses it to his advantage despite his abhorrence of turning over pillows or checking the contents of a bottom drawer. He annoys the family of the murdered Sir Reuben Astwell with his ridiculous clue checking, and even moves in with them for a period. It's all to exasperate the perpetrator and to watch him or her for a mistake. The other story which remains in my mind is "The Affair at the Victory Ball." It describes an event held just after the Great War's end in 1918. Celebrating the allied victory and a fundraiser for injured soldiers. It's a costume ball. A clue? Keep your eye on who's wearing what! Enjoy. (February 2022)

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book of short stories featuring Hercule Poirot. Excepting the first story that is read by Hugh Fraser, all the stories are read by David Suchet. Here they are in the order I heard them:

1. The Under Dog read by Hugh Fraser. Length: a tad over 2 hours. This story is the longest of the collection and I confess I didn’t get a lot out of it, as it seemed a bit rambly. However, the other stories more than made up for this.

2. The Plymouth Express. Length: 29 minutes. This story features Inspector Jap and opens at the beginning of a train journey. “A moment later a cry rang out into the night and the great train came to an unwilling halt in obedience to the imperative jerking of the communications cord.” A body is discovered, and jewels are missing.

Two characters worth mentioning are Red Narky, an infamous jewel robber and Grace Kidd, his accomplice. Eventually, the elusive Grace Kidd is captured by Poirot. Inspector Jap will get the credit, however Poirot concludes that while Jap gets the kid[d], he, Poirot gets his goat.

3. The Affair of the Victory Ball. Length: 33 minutes. This is a classic locked room mystery, which I enjoyed very much.

4. The Market Basing Mystery. Length: the shortest at 20 minutes long. This story features Inspector Jap and we learn that he is an avid botanist in his spare time. Jap, Poirot and Hastings are on a weekend getaway together in a market town in the country. Upon being offered seconds at breakfast, Poirot responds, “One must not so replenish the stomach that the brain refuses to function.” They may be miles from anywhere having a break from murder, however a case that is just too intriguing to pass up finds its way to them.

5. Le Mesurier Inheritance. Length: 26 minutes. The “brass hat” referred to in this story is a high-ranking officer in the armed forces. This story features a family curse, and a serial killer. It is quite engrossing with a chilling conclusion.

6. The Cornish Mystery. Length: 30 minutes. A good story with an interesting plot. A wife approaches Poirot stating that her husband is poisoning her.

7. The King of Clubs. Length: 28 minutes. “The place was somewhat overloaded with gimcrack ornaments [gaudy souvenirs], and a good many family portraits of surpassing ugliness adorned the walls.” Lovely quote from Poirot: “family strength is a marvelous thing.”

8. The Submarine Plans. Length: 30 minutes. A story of intrigue. Lord Alloway approaches Poirot saying, “We have had a most serious loss. The plans of the new Z [pronounced zed] type of submarine have been stolen.”

9. The Adventure of the Clapham Cook. Length: 30 minutes. Poirot decides to take a day of leisure after finding no case to tempt him into action. Then, there is a ring on the doorbell and his day is turned upside down by an insistent lady who takes Poirot down a peg or two rendering him speechless, then causing him to laugh! She is indignant when he tries to dismiss her and states, “A good cook's a good cook. And when you lose her, it's as much to you as pearls are to some fine lady.”

As you have guessed, Poirot takes on the case, which turns out to be quite complicated and at the end Poirot says, “Remember Hastings if you are going into exile, a good cook may be of more comfort than a pretty face.”

[Zai · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5

Lo primero de todo quiero comentar que no sé por qué esta novela se titula Ocho casos de Poirot cuando son nueve los casos que componen esta antología.

Todos los casos de esta antología son entretenidos, aunque algunos son bastante simples, no hay ninguno que me haya parecido que sobresalga sobre los demás, ni para mejor ni para mejor como en otras ocasiones.

Los relatos son todos bastante cortitos, sólo el primero, El inferior, es más extenso. No es de las mejores antologías de Agatha, aunque está bien para pasar el rato. Por regla general, prefiero sus novelas.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. The Under Dog ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2. The Plymouth Express ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3. The Affair at the Victory Ball ⭐️⭐️⭐️

4. The Market Basing Mystery ⭐️⭐️🌟💫

5. The Lemesurier Inheritance ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6. The Cornish Mystery ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

7. The King of Clubs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

8. The Submarine Plans ⭐️⭐️⭐️

9. The Adventure of the Clapham Cook ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of shorts for anyone looking to dip their toes in.
I’ve left a link to each individual story at the end of the review, but that’s mostly for me to help keep track of what stories I have and haven’t read.

Ok. While I think Hugh Fraser is the most excellent narrator on his own, these Poirot novels are really fun when David Suchet guest stars in the audio versions with him. It's just the best of both worlds for me.



The gist is that Poirot and (sometimes) Hastings solve some unsolvable mysteries. <--but I'm pretty sure most of you guessed that.



The Adventure of the Clapham Cook is (for some reason) my favorite. I think it's because Poirot gets challenged by a rather huffy woman who is devastated by losing her cook. To her, this loss is just as important as a secret document lost by the government or an expensive gem to a prince, and it made Poirot rethink his snobbish ways and go on the hunt.
And then she fired him. Ahahahaha!
Of course, that wasn't the end of it for Poirot...



If you're looking for a fun collection of mini-mysteries by Christie, I personally think this would be a great choice.

The Under Dog
The Plymouth Express
The Affair at the Victory Ball
The Market Basing Mystery
The Lemesurier Inheritance
The Cornish Mystery
The King of Clubs
The Submarine Plans
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook

Publisher: HarperAudio
Edition: Unabridged
David Suchet - Narrator
Hugh Fraser - Narrator

[Ulises Estrada · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Estrellas
Tengo 2 problemas con este libro.
El 1ro el titulo del libro indicando 8 casos cuando en realidad son 9 relatos.
Y el 2, que el primer relato siendo el mas largo de todos casi la mitad del libro,sea el que mas me decepciono,siendo honesto y luego de terminar el libro me pregunto por que Agatha decidio resolver ese misterio de una forma tan sencilla y cliche.

El inferior 2/5 Estrellas.
El Expreso de Plymouth 3.5/5 Estrellas.
El caso del baile de la Victoria 5/5 Estrellas.
El misterio de Market Bassing 4.5/5 Estrellas.
La herencia de los Lemesurier 4/5 Estrellas.
El misterio de Cornualles. 4/5 Estrellas.
El rey del trebol 3/5 Estrellas.
El robo de los planos del submarino. 4.5/5 Estrellas.
La aventura de la cocinera. 5/5 Estrellas

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agatha Christie thrusts Detective Hercule Poirot into the middle of new cases, none of which have clear answers or straightforward developments. Yet, nothing gets by the Belgian when he has had time to use his grey cells. Each case is individually powerful and as a collection, they go to show how adaptable Poirot can be. A great collection that had me hooked from beginning to end.

Hercule Poirot makes himself known in this collection of stories that tackle a variety of criminal matters. A dead heiress is found dead on a train, forcing Poirot to explore the various angles and suspects that could have wanted her dead. A recluse, long forgotten, makes headlines when he is shot in the head, leaving Poirot to dazzle those around him by piecing the man’s story together. Another man who is happy to sow his wild oats finds himself stabbed at a costume party, as Poiroit assesses the situation to discover who might have wanted him murdered. These and a number of other stories prove to be Agatha Christie’s latest collection of short stories that put the retired Belgian detective in the hot seat as he tries to make sense of that which the authorities cannot decipher. These stories, while brief, prove impactful and keep the reader guessing in each instance. Christie shows her abilities once more with her moustachioed protagonist.

The fact that Agnatha Christie can concoct so many mysterious in short order is impressive, but it pales in comparison to the speed by which Hercule Poirot appears able to solve the crimes. The narrative flow in each story is quick and keeps the reader on their toes as they try to decipher that which is taking place. Poirot is a strong protagonist and rides the wave of his ‘use of grey cells’ to keep the stories moving and the mysteries piling up. There is little time for lagging and Christie does not let things slow down any any point. Great characters provide some entertainment and distraction from the crimes that draw much attention. Something that Christie has a habit of doing. The fast pace of the stories leaves little time to wonder what is happening or how the surprises will be resolved, making Christie’s approach one that series fans have come to enjoy.

Kudos, Dame Christie, for a stunning collection that is sure to impress many.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[El desván del lector · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leer a Agatha Christie siempre es maravilloso, y si se trata de Poirot más aún. Es uno de mis personajes literarios favoritos, que con su peculiar forma de ser y su perspicacia e ingenio sabe recabar todas las pruebas de manera asombrosa y atar todos los cabos sueltos para desenmascarar al culpable. Y en esta ocasión, Poirot vuelve a hacer uso de sus células grises en una colección de relatos muy pintoresca y variada, en la que se enfrentará a diversos móviles y criminales, desde envenenamientos, hasta misterios enrevesados e incluso un robo.

A excepción del primer relato, que abarca unas 80 páginas, el resto son bastante breves, lo que podría hacernos pensar que se quedan cortos o son muy abruptos, pero nada de eso. Agatha consigue crear las diferentes historias de manera breve pero sin que nos quede la sensación de que falta información o la solución es incompleta o apresurada, y eso es de las cosas que más me han gustado.

Pero aunque todos los relatos están muy bien construidos, eso no quiere decir que todos me hayan gustado por igual. De todos los que componen el libro hay uno que no me ha terminado de convencer, “El misterio de Cornualles”, y otro que no me ha gustado nada de nada, “ El robo de los planos del submarino”. De éste último lo que no me ha gustado ha sido la resolución, que si bien es acorde a la historia, me ha parecido bastante inverosímil y cogida con pinzas.

Pero sin duda lo que más me ha chirriado del libro ha sido que se titule “Ocho casos de Poirot” y en realidad sean nueve. Pero aspectos personales a parte, el libro en general cumple sus funciones, entretiene y mantiene al lector pegado a sus páginas relato tras relato, acompañando a Poirot en la resolución de los casos.

[Ian M. Pyatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited because these stories all featured Hercule Poirot, but alas not so. Not one story really stood out for me. I just found the narration by Hastings somewhat boring and seemed shocked that HP had solved the crime with seemingly little details.

Perhaps her short stories aren't for me since there is little time for character development for those involved with the crime(s). And, though one should be paying attention to each and every line in these stories since they are all important, it seems the crime is committed and there is only one or two lines that direct you to the guilty party.

Oh well, two or three more of AC's to go and then I can move on to her full-length novels.

[Denisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Happy to read a Poirot's short story collection, but I'm not that impressed. I've got to say Miss Marple could easily kick his ass anytime as far as short stories go. Anyway I enjoyed all of them and the bromance with Hastings is funny. Give it a try if you're up for something really light of our Queen of Crime.

#ReadChristie2020
A story inspired by Christie's work


Como siempre, no puedo aburrirme con un libro de Christie. Aunque debo aceptar que esperaba un poco más de las historias cortas de Hercule Poirot. Entiendo que al ser tramas cortas no se pueda crear una atmosfera de misterio tan entretejida pero la simplicidad de los argumentos me sorprendió y no siempre para bien, no todos los finales son tan interesantes. Aunque todos tienen una lógica sencilla.

No son todos los relatos malos, creo que ninguno lo es, solo no todos tienen mucho chiste. Mis favoritos son: El misterio de Cornualles y La aventura de la cocinera.

Tal vez sea que Miss Marple y trece problemas me dejo muy impresionada por la astucia de todos sus relatos y conclusiones y por ende asumí que Ocho casos de Poirot sería algo muy similar. Aun así, siempre es recomendable, a mi parecer, leer historias cortas de autores que admires.

Christie tiene títulos mucho mejores, pero como el mismo Poirot dice en este libro:

"No desprecie nunca lo trivial, lo menos digno."

[adya · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of short stories. I marvel at Agatha Christie's ability to produce well thought-out and interesting mysteries in less than 10 pages at times. Most of the stories had excellent conclusions, albeit I was a bit disappointed with the hurried endings of a couple of stories. All in all, a fun quick read!

[Wonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3...Obviously, again, more HP short stories. ONLY this time Hastings is present! So very nice for my little grey cells! Also helped this book on my rating, he is my favorite after all! Does anyone know, by chance, does AC have a ghost writer?? Someone picking up her torch? And am I the only one thinking the order on these books is incorrect?

[Maria Stanciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Cred că genul ăsta de povestiri scurte, nu o avantajează pe Agatha Christie, par incomplete și se termină brusc/abrupt. Având in vedere că il avem pe Poirot in prim plan, mai detensionează stilul ăsta grăbit, not bad.

[Kinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I missed Hastings!

I’m trying to follow the publication order of the Poirot novels but I somehow forgot about these short story collections. And lately there wasn’t any Hastings in the narrator’s spot so this was like a breath of fresh air for me.

I think I might have read some of these short stories before as I could answer questions otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to, but it was enjoyable nevertheless.

[Hossein · Rating 1 out of 5]

کتاب شامل 9 داستان کوتاه هست مه به هر ضرب و زوری بود 6 تاش رو خوندم و دیگه نتونستم ادامه بدم
به نظرم ضعیف ترین کتاب مجموعه تا به اینجا بوده

[Poonam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always a pleasure to read a cozy mystery by Christie and this was no exception.
I enjoyed the audiobook of this collection of short stories.

[Soraya Zavala · Rating 5 out of 5]

8 casos magníficamente descifrados 🤣🤣🤣 este detective es otro rollo 🥚🔍

[lorisbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
9 racconti carini....

[Rakib Hasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

ইদানীং ছোট গল্প পড়তে বেশি ভালো লাগে যদি ভালো হয় । প্রিয় লেখক আগাথা ক্রিস্টির লেখা এই গল্প সংকলন বেশ ভালোই লেগেছে ।

[Denis P · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5🌟

[Amalfi Disla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como siempre, unas historias me gustaron más que otras. Pero en general es un libro muy entretenido.

[Analia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5⭐

Agatha no deja de sorprenderme porque ninguna historia es igual a otra y eso que éste es el libro #31 de los casos de Poirot, que se publicó en 1951.
Curioso título: “ocho casos”, en realidad son nueve cuentos, algunos de ellos, largos, e intensos otros. La explicación de ser 9 está en la edición de Molino de 1985: “La presente edición se corresponde a la que en 1988 publicó Editorial Molino, que incluía, al igual que la edición original americana de 1951, nueve casos. La primera edición en español se realizó en 1957 y en ella, se suprimió el relato “La herencia de los Lemesurier” que estaba incluida en Los primeros casos de Poirot.”

Empecemos con El inferior: Es el más largo de todos. Lily Margrave visita a Poirot, porque Lady Astwell se lo ha pedido y a pesar de que ella cree que no hay nada que investigar, Lily acude a nuestro amigo Belga para que resuelva el asesinato de Sir Rueben Astwell, a pesar de que la policía ya ha capturado a Charles Leverson como sospechoso. Poirot hará indagaciones particulares sobre la muerte de sir Ruben Astwell haciendo uso de la hipnosis y destacando la intuición de Lady Astwell. Me gustó.

El expreso de Plymouth: De entrada me atrapó y está narrado por Hastings. Un joven oficial de Marina que volvía a Plymouth encontró debajo del asiento del coche el cadáver de una mujer que tenía un puñal clavado en el corazón: Se trata de la señora de Rupert Carrington. Su padre, un americano riquísimo, acude a Poirot para que resuelva el crimen. Aquí aparece el Inspector Japp. Me gustó mucho y hasta me resultó divertido las indirectas entre Poirot y Japp.

El caso del baile de la Victoria: Según Hastings este caso es el más enmarañado, el que más intrigó en su época al público. El caso «del baile de la Victoria» llevó a que el inspector Japp pidiera ayuda a Poirot para averiguar qué había ocurrido realmente en el baile de la Victoria que consistió en una fiesta de disfraces a la que seis personas acudieron disfrazados reproduciendo hasta el menor detalle los trajes de máscaras de figuras chinas. Una de las parejas no se hablaban y ella pidió a otro de los asistentes que la llevase a casa, donde fue hallada muerta por una sobredosis de cocaína. ¿Suicidio? ¿Asesinato? Solo Hércules Poirot sabrá decirlo. Me gustó mucho.

El misterio de Market Basing: Japp invita a Poirot y a Hastings a pasar con él un fin de semana en Market Basing. Mientras desayunan, un policía local les interrumpe y les pide ayuda para resolver el asesinato de Walter Protheroe y Japp de forma muy graciosa le dice “que está de vacaciones, que no le dé trabajo”. Protheroe era un caballero propietario de una mansión en Leigh Hall y el cual en principio se habría disparado un tiro en la cabeza; Sin embargo el doctor Giles asegura que el caso no está del todo claro, porque “no ha podido suicidarse solo”. Esto hace que Japp deje de lado sus sabrosos huevos y jamón. Éste caso me dejó muy confusa.

La herencia de los Lemesurier: Este es el relato que anteriormente no estaba incluido. Poirot y Hastings, su fiel compañero y amigo, están cenando en un restaurante y se encuentran con el capitán Vicent Lemesurier, quien está con su tío Hugo Lemesurier. Los cuatro se ponen a hablar y se encuentran con Roger, un primo suyo, que les avisa de que el padre de Vicent ha sufrido una caída a caballo y que ha fallecido. Los Lemesurier son víctimas, en efecto, de un destino implacable a los cuales les persigue una maldición que se remonta al medioevo, según la cual los primogénitos de la familia morirán antes de poder heredar. ¿Puede ser cierto? La única certeza que tiene Poirot es que “no existe nada tan sorprendente como la extraordinaria inteligencia de los locos. No hay nada que pueda compararse a ella, sólo la excentricidad de los cuerdos”.

El misterio de Cornwall: Nuevamente Hastings es testigo de la visita de Mistress Pengelley quien acude a Poirot porque tiene la sospecha de que su marido la está envenenando. No tiene pruebas certeras más que la sospecha de que cuando su marido está en casa, luego de las comidas, ella se siente mal. Re turbio éste caso. Me encantó y me dejó sabor a poco.

El rey de Trébol: El príncipe Paul de Mauritania, prometido de Valerie Sinclair (una famosa bailarina) acude a Poirot en busca de ayuda ya que dicha muchacha abre la puerta e ingresa manchada de sangre exclamando “asesinado” en la propiedad de los Ogiander quienes se encontraban jugando a las cartas. Valerie luego cae desmayada. Momentos antes Poirot y Hasting se encontraban leyendo el periódico que anunciaba el asesinato del empresario Henry Reedbum, cuyo cadáver es hallado en la biblioteca de su finca. “¡No hay ni existe nada tan maravilloso como el amor de la familia!”. Me gustó.

El robo de los planos del submarino: Poirot recibe una llamada urgente de parte de Lord Alloway, presidente del Ministerio de Defensa y acude a su hogar de inmediato. Nuevamente con Hastings, conocen a Sir Harry Weardale, quien es Primer Lord del Almirantazgo y a Mistress Conrad, la cual es una dama de la alta sociedad. La razón de su presencia allí es porque el gobierno necesita de las celulas grises de Hercules Poirot para que investigue la desaparición de unos planos secretos de un nuevo submarino y que han sido robados. Tal es la magnitud del desastre que Lord Alloway pide que no se divulgue la noticia de dicha pérdida. Me gustó mucho y me supo a poco. Cito: “ Lord Alloway (...) Es el hombre fuerte que Inglaterra necesita para atravesar estos tiempos difíciles de reconstrucción.” Refiere a la ya finalizada Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Y por último, La aventura de la cocinera: Hastings nos cuenta que “En la época en que compartía mi habitación con Hércules Poirot contraje el hábito de leerle, en voz alta, los epígrafes del Daily Blare” ya que su buen amigo belga no tiene ningún caso interesante que investigar por lo que éste se entretiene con aquellos titulares que Hastings le lee. Me recordó a Orgullo y Prejuicio cuando Poirot dice: “Hoy me inclino a una existencia sosegada. Sólo la solución de un problema interesante me movería a levantarme de este sillón. Tengo que atender a asuntos particulares más importantes.” Pero toca el timbre una señora robusta, de rostro colorado, que jadea a causa de su rápida ascensión de la escalera. Se trata de Mrs. Todd quien sospecha con desdén sobre si es el tan aclamado detective ya que se parece poco al retrato que le han hecho a ella sobre él. Es más, ella le dice: “ ¿Ha pagado el artículo encomiástico en que se habla de su talento, o lo escribió el periodista por su cuenta y riesgo?” lo que hace que Poirot quede desconcertado por tan atrevimiento. La dama va directo al grano y le pide a Poirot que investigue el paradero de su cocinera, una joven muchacha que salio de la casa de Mrs Todd sin decir una palabra; Y Poirot accede.
ME ENCANTÓ este relato ya que de entrada me divertí con la señora que “pone en sitio” a Hercules🤣quien tiene que batallar con su dignidad ya que él es solo había sido llamado para casos de secretos de estado o de joyas desaparecidas. Pues bien, Poirot tendrá que ir a la caza de una domestica desaparecida e investigar un asunto “tan miserable y mezquino”. ¡Cuando Japp se entere!🤣

Mis preferidos son: La herencia de los Lemesurier, El misterio de Cornwall y La aventura de la cocinera.