Ha! I knew I was connecting Easterbrook with Cards on the Table in some way. Went and read the first bit of my copy of Pale Horse and he's Rhoda's cousin (now Rhoda Despard of course).
Anyway, continuing on from yesterday:
The Mystery of the Blue Train, published in either 1928 or 1929 and expanded from The Plymouth Express. Noted for a main female character coming from St Mary Mead, although there is no mention of Miss Marple. Very good and gives a more sympathetic look at the ex husband of the victim than The Plymouth Express did.
Black Coffee, I always mix this up with a play and a short story, think the two are intertwined. Basically it centres round a murder and a stolen formula and her short story The Incredible Theft also has a stolen formula.
Peril at End House, another return of Hastings, this story was published in the mid to late 1930s and is one of those where Poirot just happens to be on the scene or near the scene at the time. One of his harder cases, he ironically doesn't solve it until a chance remark by Hastings sets him on the right track.
Lord Edgware Dies. Published again in the 1930s, I have always wondered if the character Jane Wilkinson as meant to be expanded from the actress Jane Helier who appears in The Thirteen Problems, but this is just speculation. Good story if a little too contrived.
Murder on the Orient Express. Written as a direct result of the Lindbergh Baby kidnapping case, this is one of the very few times when Poirot lets the perpetrator/s go. Another time being The King of Clubs. NB, this of course differs from the times when he knows the perpetrator/s will commit suicide and does not intervene.
Three Act Tragedy, the only real time when Poirot's life is in jeopardy, though this is not revealed until much later in the story. Good plot, good build up and well written. Also features Mr Sattherthwaite and therefore links Poirot with Mr Quinn.
Death in the Clouds, rather fanciful deliberately to start with, to draw you in, but the explanation of the murder is far more ingenious. The only time Poirot himself has been accused of the crime, though this is swiftly dismissed. Similar in some ways to The Murder of Roger Acroyd, though DITC was not published until about 1935.
The ABC Murders, with a dangerous serial killer in this story and one which has crimes committed many miles apart, this one is perhaps Poirot's biggest personal challenge and one which he rises to very well.
Murder in Mesopotamia, this one features one of Christie's most common forms of murder, that done when the perpetrator has only minutes or even seconds to do it in. Ok to read.
Cards on the Table, a deliberate challenge set by Christie to her readers. Only four people could definitely have committed the murder of Mr Shaitana. Brings together Colonel Race, Poirot, Ariadne Oliver (who appears for the first time) and Superintendant Battle. Race and Poirot work together in other stories, including Death on the Nile. Ariagdne Oliver, a very thin disguise of Christie herself, appears in several other Poirot stories, including Dead Mans Folly and Halloween Party. Lots of twists and red herrings makes this very enjoyable.
Murder in the Mews, actually a set of novellas of which the title one features a death which happens on Bonfire Night. Another one in the collection, Triangle at Rhodes, bears remarkable comparison in some ways to Death on the Nile.
Dumb Witness, with the exception of Curtain I am fairly sure this is the last appearance of Hastings, though he is mentioned in other stories. The witness is the doll of an elderly woman who has died after sending a letter to Poirot expressing concerns. The premise of Poirot turning up to see someone in answer to a letter they've sent, only to arrive after their death can also be seen in Murder on the Links and The Cornish Mystery.
Death on the Nile, well written, even if the murders and the timing of them do get rather ludicrous.
Appointment with Death. This is one of the few stories where the victim is so odious it's a good job they are disposed of.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas, published in 1938, this was made deliberately bloody after criticism from someone that Christie's works had become too insipid. Draws you into a close group of suspects and then shatters your illusions.
Sad Cypress, noted for its moving from the present of a court case to the past of the events leading up to the murder, this is about a woman on trial for above crime and Poirot's efforts to get her off. As with many of his cases, the critical piece of evidence is so small as to be almost overlooked, but I can tell you it is to do with horticulture in some way.
One Two Buckle My Shoe, noted for showing us another of Poirots dislikes, an appointment with a dentist. Good story.
Evil Under the Sun, another one in which Poirot is on holiday. Very close in some ways to The BloodStained Pavement which features in The Thirteen Problems.
Five Little Pigs. A retrospective case for Poirot, solving a crime after it's supposedly cold. Ok.
The Hollow. I do not like this one. Written in the 1950s, it is a reminder to the reader that the time of the country house/mansion whodunnits of the 1920s and 1930s are passed, that the world is now different and that family ties are not what they were.
The Labours of Hercules. Featuring Miss Lemon, a character who bears a load of Aspergers traits and is rarely recognised as having them, this collection of short stories loosely connects Poirot with the 12 tasks undertaken by Heracles. Also features the Countess Vera Rossakoff who also appeared in The Double Clue and The Big Four and a woman Poirot strongly admires.
Mrs McGinty's Dead, a case which appears cut and dried until the police officer involved in the case expresses doubts about the guilt of the accused and asks Poirot to investigate. Title comes from an old children's game of the same name.
After the Funeral. Good story, but way of committing murder has been done before in Lord Edgware dies, though with a different set up.
Hickory Dickory Dock. Published in the late 1950s or 1960s, one of Poirot's weaker cases and with the involvement of a gang seems rather too convoluted. But reasonable.
Dead Man's Folly, another one with Ariadne Oliver in it, this one has always made me wonder if there is meant to be a sly reference to Miss Marple, with the mentioning of an old woman who solves the quiz after everyone else has given up. Good story published in the mid 1950s.
Cat Among the Pigeons takes place mainly in a girl's school and combines detection with thriller. I always confuse Henry Sutcliffe with Superintendant Battle in my mind due to the similarity of personalities.
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, a collection of short to medium stories that are mostly quite light.
The Clocks. Ok, but again Christie employs the very quick timing of murder method which is rather stretched. Features Colin Lamb who is said to be maybe the son of Superintendant Battle, which is supported by Poirot saying he thought that "the good Superintendant is going to write his memoirs". Poirot does not appear until at least halfway in this story and dominance is given over more to Lamb for much of it. Very good final twist.
Third Girl. Published in the 1960s and about three young women sharing a flat, this is ok but again not one of Christie's best. Although unsimilar in plot, the feeling of it reminds me strongly of The Pale Horse.
Halloween Party. Noted for Ariadne Oliver's end to liking apples due to the murder in an apple bobbing tub. Well written.
Elephants Can Remember. Now, although Curtain is supposed to be taken as Poirot's last case, in many ways this is a more satisfactory ending and perhaps indicates that Christie had at least resigned herself to tolerating the character (she did not like him). Published in 1970 it is the last written story of Poirot, though not the last to be published. Another retrospective case, it ends with Poirot reminiscing on old cases. It is possible to roughly work out Poirot's age as 90 in this story, if we take it in conjunction with the events of The Chocolate Box which take place in about 1905, we can say that Poirot was born in 1880, making him 25 in 1905 and his one failure, so young enough to make mistakes but old enough to be well established with the Belgian Police Force.
Poirots Early Cases, features many short stories that appeared, in some form or another, in The Strand Magazine amongst others in the 1920s. Lots of robberies and murders. Good ones are The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim, The Affair at the Victory Ball, and The Incredible Theft.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case. Now, this is a bit confusing. It was written in 1940 along with Sleeping Murder when Christie feared she would not survive the war and so she wrote those two stories and sent them to her solicitor to be stored and published after her death. Hence though this and SM both have a publication date of 1976, they read as much earlier. It is noted that though this very definitely ends Poirot, SM does no such thing with Miss Marple. Features Hastings and a return to the Styles of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, I've always taken it as something written for Christie's own personal wish and keep it apart in my mind from other Poirot stories.
Will do Miss Marple stories tomorrow.