Written by Agatha Christie
SUMMARY:
First published in 1947, William Morrow/HarperCollins released this 314-page paperback edition in 2011. Like Sherlock Holmes before him, the legendary Hercule Poirot contemplates a quiet retirement to the British countryside. Inspired by his mythical predecessor, Poirot handpicks a dozen cases during the coming months that serve as contemporary parallels to the original herculean ‘Labors.’ An elderly Poirot deems such a gauntlet a worthy challenge to finish his career, but is he really retiring?
His self-imposed ‘Labors’ are:
- The Nemean Lion: Looking into a Pekinese dog-napping ring, Poirot’s memories of an old homicide case infers that history is apt to repeat itself.
- The Lernean Hydra: Salacious village gossip haunts Poirot’s new client: a mild-mannered physician … and his prospective next spouse re: the death of his first wife.
- The Arcadian Deer: Sympathizing with a lovestruck young mechanic, the Belgian sleuth seeks out an elusive woman known only as ‘Nita.’
- The Erymanthian Boar: In Switzerland, Poirot finds himself among the few trapped inside a posh mountain resort with a ruthless thief’s gang.
- The Augean Stables: At the British Prime Minister’s behest, Poirot counter-punches a sleazy tabloid intent on exposing a humiliating government corruption scandal to the public.
- The Stymphalean Birds: A rising young politician on a Central European vacation unwittingly becomes involved in a murder-and-blackmail scheme.
- The Cretan Bull: A young woman seeks Poirot’s insight probing her fiancé’s apparent insanity amidst a series of grisly overnight attacks.
- The Horses of Diomedes: Poirot backtracks an illicit source of cocaine circulating amongst a faction of wealthy and young London socialites.
- The Girdle of Hippolyta: The Belgian private eye tackles dual crimes: a teenage student’s baffling abduction during a class trip and an international art heist.
- The Flock of Geryon: In a sequel to The Nemean Lion, Poirot recruits a recent acquaintance to go undercover investigating a religious cult.
- The Apples of the Hesperides: Poirot is hired to recover a lost historical artifact: a jeweled goblet with a dark history dating back to the Borgias.
- The Capture of Cerberus: A Hell-themed London nightclub (as does a familiar Russian countess) beckons Poirot, in a sordid jewel theft case.
Notes: Representing Poirot’s supporting cast are appearances by Miss Lemon, valet George, and Scotland Yard’s Inspector Japp.
REVIEW:
Despite overplaying her ‘Labors’ theme at times, Christie’s premise still holds up well. Her content includes wistful romance (The Arcadian Deer), some grisly suspense (The Erymanthian Boar and The Cretan Bull), satirical humor (The Nemean Lion and especially The Augean Stables), and, of course, a few reliable crime capers (The Lernean Hydra and The Girdle of Hippolyta). Pitching more unusual challenges for Poirot, The Apples of the Hesperides and definitely The Capture of Cerberus convey sufficient surprises to keep readers tuned in.
Only three installments are unremarkable. Re: The Stymphalen Birds, Poirot’s ultra-convenient arrival is never explained. In that sense, the Birds might just as well have been a Parker Pyne tale. The story is okay, but its witless young politician is practically a caricature. The Flock of Geryon’s premise makes better sense, but it relies too much on criminal dirt that Poirot and Inspector Japp expediently dig up that readers couldn’t have known.
The weakest tale, however, is the preachy Horses of Diomedes, as Christie overindulges lecturing on the evils of cocaine and drug dealing. Too many clues evidently occur off-screen, as Poirot’s deductive revelations aren’t fair game, at least from the minimal context Christie provides. Horses should have been a Poirot novel’s sub-plot by allowing more time for it to sufficiently unfold.
Otherwise, Poirot is on his game, as these tales (free of racist undertones found in some Christie works) are ideal for bedtime. Even if The Labors isn’t a genre masterpiece, Poirot’s casework is still above-average. The book’s best is likely the delightful Augean Stables, aside from its too many references to the mythical Stables. Not only is the ending LOL hilarious, the Stables’ amusing realism still holds true in the 21st Century re: the follies of 24/7 media obsession and scandal-mongering.
For its tongue-in-cheek jibes re: Hell, The Capture of Cerberus is another near-gem. If anything, it’s an intriguing second (and possibly last) chance for Poirot to mingle with his flamboyant equivalent of Irene Adler. Considering its reliable entertainment value, The Labors of Hercules is recommended for armchair sleuths, ages 15 and up.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
The first page is Christie’s biographical summary. Along with an obligatory table of contents, Christie dedicates her book to Edmund Cook.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
Notes: Another worthwhile Poirot short story collection is Poirot Investigates. Similarly, Christie penned Partners in Crime (the second Tommy & Tuppence novel), Miss Marple’s The Tuesday Night Murders, Harley Quin’s The Mysterious Mr. Quin, and Parker Pyne Investigates.
