The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories contains one miscellaneous story; two Parker Pyne stories, five Hercule Poirot stories and one Miss Marple. My favourites were the Parker Pyne, Problem at Pollensa Bay and the Miss Marple; Miss Marple Tells a Story. My least favourites were the Poirot, How Does Your Garden Grow? and the miscellaneous story, In a Glass Darkly. The overall collection rating is 3 stars. Individual ratings and reviews below.

PARKER PYNE: THE REGATTA MYSTERY ***
POIROT: THE MYSTERY OF THE BAGHDAD CHEST: ***
POIROT: HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?: **
PARKER PYNE: PROBLEM AT POLLENSA BAY ****
POIROT: YELLOW IRIS: ***
MARPLE: 14.14: MISS MARPLE TELLS A STORY ****
POIROT: THE DREAM: ***
MISC: IN A GLASS DARKLY: **
POIROT: PROBLEM AT SEA: ***

PARKER PYNE: THE REGATTA MYSTERY ***

A young girl bets she can successfully steal a very expensive diamond but is distraught to find it actually missing. This was alright, I didn't really guess how it was done, but the conclusion was interesting. 3 stars.

POIROT: THE MYSTERY OF THE BAGHDAD CHEST: ***

A wife asks Poirot to investigate her husband's murder when his best friend is arrested. This was kind of genius in some ways, average in others. The actual execution of the crime was interesting but the motive of the guilty party seemed a little weak. I mean he wanted the wife? And not even the friend who they think is on with the wife, but the other friend. Just seemed a little over the top. 3 stars.

POIROT: HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?: **

An old lady dies leaving her money to her nurse attendant and the family are not pleased. Miss Lemon (Poirot's confidential secretary) is a card - as much as George the Valet. Where does Poirot find these people? I love that in order to satisfy his desire for order and process that he keeps having to find people with limited imagination. The mystery itself was pretty boring. Very basic - it wasn't really long enough for proper detail. 2 stars.

PARKER PYNE: PROBLEM AT POLLENSA BAY ****

A mother travelling with her son is horrified to find he wants to get married to an unsuitable modern woman. This one was funny. I loved that the mother decides to like the fiancee once she appears to be the better choice. And I felt sorry for Pyne that he wasn't able to get away from anyone long enough to have a holiday. 4 stars.

POIROT: YELLOW IRIS: ***

Poirot receives a mysterious call begging for him to come to a restaurant to prevent a murder, except when he gets there no one owns up to calling him. So he joins the dinner party and soon finds himself puzzling out the motives of a murder that happened four years ago - and looks to be repeated again. This one was alright, usual fare. 3 stars.

MARPLE: 14.14: MISS MARPLE TELLS A STORY ****

This short story experiments with the use of first person, having Miss Marple supposedly speaking to Raymond and Joan. Marple is visited by Mr Petherick, her solicitor and one of his client's, a Mr Rhodes. Mr Rhodes' wife was just stabbed to death and the prime suspect was him. No one other than him and the chambermaid were seen entering or leaving the room and the chambermaid doesn't seem to have any motive. Mr Petherick decides to visit Miss Marple - because if anyone can solve a crime - it's her!

I guessed most of this one which always makes me happy. The style was interesting and I thought it worked well with the tale. The crime was amusing and I liked Miss Marple's solution to it. 4 stars.

POIROT: THE DREAM: ***

A billionaire has a recurring dream of his death and then is found dead the exact same way. Poirot is called to consult. I guessed parts of this which always increases my esteem of a short story. I love that all the police are getting behind the idea that any death which includes Poirot in any way must be murder.

“So that there is every reason to suppose that Mr. Farley committed suicide.” Inspector Barnett smiled a little. “There would have been no doubt at all but for one point.” “And that?” “The letter written to you.” Poirot smiled too. “I see! Where Hercule Poirot is concerned—immediately the suspicion of murder arises!” “Precisely,” said the inspector dryly. (p. 628)

3 stars.

MISC: IN A GLASS DARKLY: **

A man sees a spooky premonition of the death of his friend's sister by her fiance - both of whom he hasn't yet met. It was okay. Nothing special. Kinda creepy. The man in the mirror was actually him almost killing her. 2 stars.

POIROT: PROBLEM AT SEA: ***

Poirot is on a cruise ship (and I really wanted to know how he was convinced to think that was a good idea) when one of the passengers is found dead. This one was okay. I figured most of it out. - I guessed who was guilty (the husband) and some of the how - like that he threw his voice to make it sound like she was still alive when she was already dead - but not that he staged the card trick to set an alibi as a illusionist rather than a ventriloquist . But it just didn't really grab me that much. 3 stars. ( )

4/8/22

A mixed bag of short stories: some Parker Pyne, some Poirot, one Marple, and one spooky. My favorite was How Does Your Garden Grow? -- a Poirot with a clever attempt to hide the murder method. ( )

Short stories.Ex-lib. Geneva Free Library ( )

The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie is a collection of short stories from her voluminous library of works. All the stories with the exception of one feature her well-known detectives, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Parker Pine. The once exception is Through a Glass Darkly which has a slight connotation of the super-natural which seemed fitting for this time of year.

I loved the Miss Marple story, entitled Miss Marple Tells A Story. And although I had read two of the Hercule Poirot stories before, they all had Poirot using his “little grey cells” to his advantage. I had mixed feelings about the Parker Pine stories probably as this was my first introduction to this character and I found him rather obnoxious and as insufferable as Poirot but without the humor and idiosyncrasies that the Belgium detective displays.

While I do prefer Christie’s longer works as it gives her more of chance to twist the stories, sprinkle more red herrings and give us clever endings, these stories were good and I enjoyed reading them. ( )