The Big Four (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) [Paperback]

Agatha Christie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2001

An emaciated stranger approaches Hercule Poirot, shouts a warning about "the big four" and drops dead. Who knew Poirot's inquiry into the man's odd behavior would lead to an underground laboratory, an insane asylum, and rumors of a secret weapon?

Editorial Reviews

Review

The champion deceiver of our time. (New York Times)

About the Author

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Open market ed edition (June 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425098826
• ISBN-13: 978-0425098820
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #600,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Christie, Agatha
  • #88 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Series

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hercule Poirot as 007, April 13, 2001

By 

George R Dekle "Bob Dekle" (Lake City, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Big Four (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) (Paperback)

For those who think Ian Flemming invented the novel of international intrigue, Agatha Christie anticipated him by several decades. Poirot and Hastings confront an international cabal intent on nothing less than world domination. Close calls and near misses abound, and early on in the saga Poirot extricates himself and Hastings from certain death with a deus ex machina worthy of the most futuristic weapon ever employed by James Bond.

As Holmes and Watson dueled to the death with Moriarty and his three henchmen in "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House", Poirot and Hastings do battle with the Big Four. Moriarty's aims were more modest than the Big Four's, but Poirot's battle was no more earnest than Holmes'. Just as Holmes' smarter brother, the indolent Mycroft, assisted in the defeat of Moriarty, Hercule's smarter-but-lazy brother Achille assisted in the defeat of the Big Four.

The story proved fun to read, but it wasn't up to the best of Christie's efforts.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not her best mystery..., November 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Big Four (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) (Paperback)

I'm a big fan of Hercule Poirot's mysteries. I agree with otherreviewers, though, that this book does not reflect Ms. Christie'susual style. In fact, I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as her other Poirot novels, so if any of you haven't read Agatha Christie books before, DO NOT start with this one. Get Five Little Pigs instead. By the way, to another reviewer, Hastings meets his wife to be in Murder on the Links. Anyway, read Big Four after you've read more of Christie's books.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not Christie's best - possibly her worst, September 21, 2008

By 

Teresa Martin (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Four (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) (Paperback)

I love, love, love Agatha Christie. When I read the back cover of "The Big Four", though, I became a little skeptical about how she could cover such world intrigue with huge characters in such a short book.

I should have listened to my instincts. This book seems as if A) she was in a hurry to get something out on a deadline, or B) it was written by someone else entirely.

It was choppy, predictable, pointless, and very far-fetched. I hope this is not the first Agatha Christie read for someone, because otherwise it will be their last, and they will forever wonder what the fuss is about her.

I gave it two stars instead of one only because it's worth a read ONLY if you are trying to read her complete collection.