The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
By Agatha Christie
Ulverscroft Large Print, 1990
ISBN: 0-7089-2309-7
Genre: Mystery - Short Stories
Reviewed by Auggie Moore - September 6, 2005
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is a collection of six delicious short stories by Agatha Christie that are all Christmas themed. Christmas aside, they are some of Christie's best short mysteries. Five of these stories feature her famed Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, and one is a Miss Jane Marple mystery!
The two main stories in this collection are the book's title story, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, and the brilliant The Mystery of the Spanish Chest. The other four stories are served more as minor fare. As Christie mentions in the introduction to this book, the stories are arranged as a bit of a Christmas feast with the first two stories being the main course and the other four accouterments. This is an apt description of the stories in this satisfying and entertaining book.
The six stories in this collection are:
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
In this delightful tale, the son of an Eastern potentate comes to England to have a selection of family jewels reset into new settings. The jewels are to be a gift for the prince's fiancee. The work was undertaken at Cartier, and was so well done that the prince's mistress asked to wear one particularly enchanting piece that featured a huge ruby. In short order, the young lady disappears with the ruby. The loss of the gem mortifies the prince. Not only was the gem of historical significance in his country, but his fiancee, while she might overlook a mistress, would never overlook a scandal!
Poirot is asked to take on the case, as going to the police would run the risk of causing a scandal, which is exactly what the prince wants to avoid. To pursue his investigation, Poirot wrangles an invitation to the country home of the Lacy's, in order, ostensibly, to enjoy an old-fashioned country Christmas. With deft skill and the workings of his "little grey cells," Poirot brings this case to a satisfying end.
The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
This is one of those intriguing mystery's that will keep you guessing to the very end, "Just who did it?" In this tale, Poirot reads about a murder in the newspaper and is instantly riveted by the problems that it poses. He sets out to solve the murder simply to satisfy his own curiosity. His task is made much easier when Mrs. Clayton, the wife of the victim, seeks out his assistance in solving crime.
In this case, a dinner party was held that was attended by six people. Five enjoyed the buffet, the sixth, Mr. Arnold Clayton, spent the party stuffed in an old Spanish chest. Despite being in the same room that the party took place, Clayton was not able to enjoy the party. He had been stabbed in the neck - and was dead before the party began. His body was not found until the next day.
Who killed Clayton? Was it Major Rich, whom the police arrested for the crime? Was it one of the other party goers? Or could it be someone else? As well, was it a crime of jealousy or of avarice? As Poirot digs into the background of the characters, the mystery deepens. This story is pure Christie gold, and the ending is, as expected, deliciously wicked.
The Under Dog
Written more in the style of a novella than a short story, this fascinating story finds Hercule Poirot racing against Inspector Miller to discover just who killed Sir Reuben Astwell. In this serious game of wits, Poirot, as you might expect, comes out on top!
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds
This murder mystery finds Poirot facing a killer who is using a children's nursery rhyme to stage the murders.
The Dream
A somewhat eclectic story in which Poirot strives to uncover the truth behind the murder of Benedict Farley.
Greenshaw's Folly
This is delightful and whimsical tale in which Miss Marple comes to a rather unexpected conclusion and drives Inspector Welch a bit batty.
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding can be purchased directly from Ulverscroft.
Click Here for a complete list of all the books written by Agatha Christie.
Related Reviews:
Spider's Web, by Agatha Christie
Clarissa has a problem. There is a corpse in her livingroom and her husband will be home any minute with a cadre of politicians to hold a secret meeting. What is she to do? Well, hide the body, of course...(Audio)
At Bertram's Hotel, by Agatha Christie.
Murder, theft, abduction, and even a train robbery are featured in this fast paced Miss Marple mystery. (Large Print)
