Hercule Poirot, whose first adventure was published in 1920, is one of the greatest detectives in all crime fiction. But don't take our word for it—take his: "the great Hercule Poirot, the terror of evildoers" is how he refers to himself in one of twenty-seven stories in this volume in which he brings to justice murderers, poisoners, embezzlers, thieves, and assorted other criminals. Poirot was the invention of Agatha Christie, the bestselling mystery writer of all time, and she recounted his exploits in more than thirty novels, more than fifty short stories, and numerous adaptations for television and film.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles. In the novel that introduced the petite Belgian detective and his sidekick Arthur Hastings, Poirot must solve the mystery of a horrible poisoning at Styles Court and snag from a group of suspects the person most likely to benefit from the victim's death.

The Murder on the Links. In his second...