Publication Date: May 9, 2023
Agatha Christie’s most famous characters—including Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple—solve even the most devilish of conundrums as the sun beats down in this all-new summer themed collection from the Queen of Mystery.
Summertime—as the temperature rises, so does the potential for evil. From Cornwall to the French Riviera, whether against a background of Delphic temples or English country houses, Agatha Christie’s most famous characters solve complicated puzzles as the stakes heat up. Pull up a deckchair and enjoy plot twists and red herrings galore from the bestselling fiction writer of all time.
Includes the stories:
- The Blood-Stained Pavement
- The Double Clue
- A Death on the Nile
- Harlequin’s Lane
- The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
- Jane in Search of a Job
- The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
- The Idol House of Astarte
- The Rajah’s Emerald
- The Oracle at Delphi
- The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger
- The Incredible Theft
Legendary. A term that fittingly describes Agatha Christie and her monumental volumes of classics. Mind teasers, mind benders, and mind puzzlers—she is a master at crafting them all.
The latest collection of her whodunnits, Midsummer Mysteries: Tales from the Queen of Mystery, reigns in twelve incomparable mysteries for the amateur sleuth’s reading pleasure. A sampling of these outstanding twelve include:
“The Idol House of Astarte” is a mystical retelling of an ill-fated house party hosted by Richard Haydon, who proudly shows his guests about his new country estate. They enter a grove of trees named Silent Grove, also known as the mythical Grove of Astarte, an ancient site for the performance of dark sacred rites.
The oppressive and foreboding atmosphere beneath the thick canopy of trees intensifies as one of their party is murdered near the “idol house” in plain view of everyone. However, there was no murder weapon, and the closest person to the victim was three feet away. Was it dark magic or something or someone even more sinister? A spine-chilling mystery at its very best.
On a much lighter note, “The Rajah’s Emerald” tells the woeful story of James Bond, whose eyes and heart are set upon the lovely Grace, who has sadly brushed him aside for wealthier friends she finds on their holiday to Kimpton-on-Sea. James sneaks into a bathing hut trying to change, in the hopes of joining Grace as she sea bathes with her friends.
But, upon his return, James must hurry to change and mistakenly dons the wrong gray flannel trousers. What should he find in the pocket but a famous emerald belonging to the Rajah of Maraputna, who is also holidaying at Kimpton-on-Sea.
James’ discovery and his attempt to return the emerald undetected sets a series of events in motion that only the most clever can deduce the outcome. Quite witty and fun!
“The Incredible Theft” pits the smartest and cleverest against the indomitable Hercule Poirot. Set during the war-torn years of World War II, valuable plans for the construction of a new bomber are stolen during a house party from the study of a high-ranking English nobleman.
A fascinating array of guests, some with their own agenda, is questioned by Poirot in his inimitably casual but purposeful way until he reaches a surprising but masterful deduction. Intriguing from start to finish, the ending is quite a surprise . . . but not for Hercule Poirot!
Midsummer Mysteries: Tales from the Queen of Mystery is a short story collection by Agatha Christie that is perfect for discerning readers who love to be entertained and also challenged. An excellent summer read. Prepare yourself to be mystified, intrigued, and surprised . . . yes, definitely surprised.
Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976, after a prolific career spanning six decades.
