Written by Agatha Christie
SUMMARY:
First printed in 1960, this 363-page HarperCollins Books softcover edition was released in 2002. It consists of five Hercule Poirot mysteries and a Miss Marple whodunnit. These stories are:
- “The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (AKA “Theft of the Royal Ruby”): Poirot nimbly traces a foreign royal gem’s theft to a secluded English country home during the holidays. Murder may be one of the entrees served up with the turkey and a traditional British Christmas pudding.
- “The Mystery of the Spanish Chest:” Poirot investigates a ghoulish, high-profile homicide after someone is found stabbed to death inside a decorative living room chest the morning after a dinner party.
- “The Under Dog:” A grouchy British entrepreneur’s homicide in his private study necessitates Poirot moving into the victim’s posh family home for an extended period.
- “Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds:” An odd change in an elderly recluse’s dinner routine incurs Poirot’s suspicions when the man soon turns up dead.
- “The Dream:” Eccentric industrialist Benedict Farley confides in Poirot that he is haunted by a recurring dream foreshadowing his violent suicide. The Belgian sleuth seeks the disturbing truth.
- “Greenshaw’s Folly:” Katherine Greenshaw, the middle-aged heiress of a garish English country home, suffers a brutal demise. Perhaps only Miss Jane Marple can direct the police to the culprit behind this cold-blooded murder.
Notes: “The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding” expands and considerably improves Christie’s 1923 short story, “Christmas Adventure.” “The Mystery of the Spanish Chest,” is a later alternate version of “The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest.”
REVIEW:
There’s no argument that this compilation presents vintage Christie. Its strongest entry is the title story, as Poirot’s Christmas jewel caper is a sheer delight. In impressive fashion, this smartly-reworked novella of an obscure 1920’s Poirot tale generically dubbed “Christmas Adventure” nails every component of effective storytelling. Far more on the macabre side, “The Mystery of The Spanish Chest” and “The Dream” also rank among Poirot’s gems. Miss Marple’s presence in “Greenshaw’s Folly” is convincingly conveyed re: how she could unravel a baffling case based on second-hand observations. The other two Poirot tales deliver some entertainment, but they also reflect the book’s minor weaknesses.
First, a recycled plot device shared between “Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds” and “The Dream” is evident. It’s inexplicable as to why the publisher included both stories (back to back, no less), if only perhaps to catch readers off-guard. Without divulging spoilers, the culprit’s gimmick works better in “The Dream,” though David Suchet’s TV adaptation tweaks “Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds” enough to make its plot almost equally as plausible.
The other problem are contrived solutions plaguing “The Under Dog” and “Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds.” While “Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds” underwhelms with Poirot’s casual approach of the culprit with a workable theory, the “Under Dog” novella is a head-shaking disappointment. After a prolonged hundred pages, a killer’s unconvincing breakdown under mild scrutiny shouldn’t qualify as a satisfying finish. Forcing Poirot to improvise due to a lack of evidence is fine, but Christie’s finish for “The Under Dog” seems plain lazy by her usually pristine standards.
As a Poirot novella showcase, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is old-school British mystery fiction that completes a reader’s relaxing wintry evening by the fireplace. What’s even better is that a large font size makes this book an easy task for one’s eyes.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
The table of contents is followed by Christie’s fun two-page foreword. A single-page Christie biography is also included.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
