Podcasts about captain hastings

An exciting Agatha Christie thriller has just opened at Theatre on the Bay. It's called Black Coffee and, as always with Agatha Christie, you'll be guessing right to the end with all the usual red herrings. The play is directed by Alan Swerdlow with Allan Committee as Hercule Poirot and Ashley Dowds is Captain Hastings. I spoke to Ashley on People of Note this week to find out more about this play and its large cast, and we were careful not to give anything away. People of Note. Sunday at 6pm and again on Thursday at midday. Brought to you by PtP

Bina007, Pat, Adam and Zander discuss the final Poirot novel, written during the Blitz, but published in September 1975. We welcome back Captain Hastings to Styles – now a guesthouse – for a combination of a closed house AND locked … Continue reading →

Text a Story Suggestion (or just say hi!)Snuggle up to Agatha Christie's "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge." The episode unfolds with Poirot recovering from illness and thrust into a perplexing murder case brought to him by Captain Hastings. Set in the atmospheric Derbyshire countryside, the murder of the American Harrington Pace at Hunter's Lodge becomes the catalyst for an intricate web of secrets surrounding this intriguing case.The music in this episode is The Choices We Make by Hanna Lindgren. Dreamful is sponsored by BetterHelpVisit BetterHelp.com/dreamful for 10% off your first month.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showNeed more Dreamful? For more info about the show, episodes, and ways to support; check out our website www.dreamfulstories.com Subscribe on Buzzsprout to get bonus episodes in the regular feed & a shout-out in an upcoming episode! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes at apple.co/dreamful To get bonus episodes synced to your Spotify app & a shout-out in an upcoming episode, subscribe to dreamful.supercast.com You can also support us with ratings, kind words, & sharing this podcast with loved ones. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/dreamfulpodcast & Instagram @dreamfulpodcast! Dreamful is produced and hosted by Jordan Blair. Edited by Katie Sokolovska. Theme song by Joshua Snodgrass. Cover art by Jordan Blair. ©️ Dreamful LLC

When Roger Havering requests the services of Hercule Poirot, who is ill in bed with the flu, to investigate the murder of his uncle at his hunting lodge in Derbyshire, the great Belgian detective must turn to Captain Hastings to be his “eyes and ears” to solve the puzzling case.  The fourth short story from Agatha Christie's collection Poirot Investigates “The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge” features acclaimed DC actor and vocal artist David Bryan Jackson, with musical renditions of Irving Berlin's classic “Puttin' on the Ritz,” by jazz trumpeter Markus Rutz and his musical collaborator on the keys, Adrian Ruiz.  

Slather on your sunblock, mes amis! We're kicking off season eight with Evil Under the Sun and it's a scorcher of a mystery. Poirot's attempt at rest and relaxation is foiled once again when a notoriously flirtatious starlet is found strangled on the beach of the health resort. But when all of the suspects have air-tight alibis, who could possibly be the killer? Luckily Poirot has Captain Hastings, Inspector Japp and Miss Lemon on hand to help solve the case one last time... N.B. We talk about the second "A Very Hercule Hallowe'en Online Murder Mystery Night" in the episode - unfortunately, this has now sold out! Apologies if we got your hopes up, mes amis, and thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket! Our Patreon page is filled with all kinds of wonderful bonus materials, including videos of interviews, quizzes, bonus shows, and our deep dive into the Poirot movies! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/CosyAF If you'd like to get in contact with us, you can follow us on Twitter at @labourshecule On Instagram at @laboursofhercule On Threads at @laboursofhercule Or you can email us at bonjour@thelaboursofhercule.com Our amazing music was composed and produced by the fabulous Cev Moore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“two tickets for the theatre” [BRUC]    Jeffrey Hatcher, BSI ("The Five Orange Pips") and Steve Hendrickson have teamed up for a new Sherlock Holmes play in which we find one mystery, separated by 25 years. Holmes has the first crack at it, followed by Hercule Poirot decades later.  Appropriately enough, it is called Holmes Poirot. And it premieres in St. Paul, Minnesota in October 2024. Hatcher is known to Sherlockians for his screenplay for Mr. Holmes as well as two other Sherlockian plays. Hendrickson has played Sherlock Holmes on stage numerous times before with Bob Davis as his Watson. The two of them swap roles in the second act of this play, with Hendrickson assuming the role of Captain Hastings and Davis as Poirot. We talk with Jeff and Steve about their experience creating this innovative new play, about their early starts with Sherlock Holmes, and much more.  We have the latest podcast entries in Madeline Quinones' "A Chance of Listening," and another Canonical Couplet quiz. The winner, chosen at random from all correct answers, will receive a surprise item from the IHOSE Vaults. Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock .com by September 29, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. EDT. All listeners are eligible to play. If you become a  of the show, not only will you help to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production, and transcription services, but we have thank-you gifts at certain tiers and ad-free versions of the episodes for all patrons.   Sponsors The books keep coming from . Every book purchased through their site helps the World Food Programme.   Would you care to advertise with us? You can find . Let's chat!   Notes 1:43 Chatter 8:51 Interview with Steve Hendrickson and Jeffrey Hatcher 40:55 Commentary 43:03 A Chance of Listening 46:35 Canonical Couplet       Links (MinnPost) Previous episodes mentioned:   Podcasts featured in "A Chance of Listening":  (Google Form) Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at .     And would you consider leaving us a rating and or a review? It would help other Sherlockians to find us.   Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at 5-1895-221B-5. That's (518) 952-2125.  

Captain Hastings meets a couple at a party who have just rented a flat in London's most fashionable district for an implausibly cheap price. Poirot is intrigued and sets out to investigate. The third short story from Agatha Christie's collection Poirot Investigates “The Adventure of the Cheap Flat” features acclaimed DC actor and vocal artist, David Bryan Jackson, with musical renditions of Irving Berlin's classic “Puttin' on the Ritz,” performed by jazz trumpeter Markus Rutz and his musical collaborator on the keys, Adrian Ruiz.  

Nach einigen Bemerkungen zur deutschen Ausgabe („Dreizehn bei Tisch“) und einer Schilderung des Mordabends beleuchtet die Folge kleinere und größere Indizien, die Agatha Christie ausstreut um uns zu helfen - oder in die Irre zu führen.

We discuss chapters 1-14 of Agatha Christie's notorious serial murder story, 'The ABC Murders'. Captain Hastings has returned to London, and meets his friend Poirot reminiscing of their best days solving murders together. As they long for new thrills, one arrives in the post, as a series of letters herald the arrival of a new murderer in London. Three murders, each of victims with alliterative names, each accompanied by a copy of the ABC Rail Guide, are foretold by ominous, challenging letters to Poirot's residence. How can Poirot tackle this case without waiting for more victims to lend him the clues he needs? The clock is ticking, and three bodies have already fallen. We also talk with Sydney author Dinuka McKenzie about her latest novel in the Detective Kate Miles series; Tipping Point! Kate's brother is embroiled in suspicion around crimes that Kate's department has to investigate. How can Kate juggle the loyalty between the police and family? Only Dinuka McKenzie can tell us (until you read the book, at which point you also will have the power). Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for providing copies of 'Tipping Point' and arranging our time with Dinuka.

"Poirot Investigates" is a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, first published in 1924. It features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, a meticulous and clever sleuth known for his distinctive appearance and brilliant deductive skills. In this collection, Poirot, often accompanied by his friend Captain Hastings, tackles a series of intriguing cases. These stories showcase Christie's talent for constructing tightly plotted mysteries, with Poirot unraveling complex puzzles using his keen observation and logical reasoning. The mysteries vary in setting and complexity, but all are marked by Christie's trademark twists and surprise endings. This book is a testament to Christie's skill in crafting engaging and ingenious detective stories.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/6023049/advertisement

"Poirot Investigates" is a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, first published in 1924. It features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, a meticulous and clever sleuth known for his distinctive appearance and brilliant deductive skills. In this collection, Poirot, often accompanied by his friend Captain Hastings, tackles a series of intriguing cases. These stories showcase Christie's talent for constructing tightly plotted mysteries, with Poirot unraveling complex puzzles using his keen observation and logical reasoning. The mysteries vary in setting and complexity, but all are marked by Christie's trademark twists and surprise endings. This book is a testament to Christie's skill in crafting engaging and ingenious detective stories.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/6023049/advertisement

"Poirot Investigates" is a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, first published in 1924. It features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, a meticulous and clever sleuth known for his distinctive appearance and brilliant deductive skills. In this collection, Poirot, often accompanied by his friend Captain Hastings, tackles a series of intriguing cases. These stories showcase Christie's talent for constructing tightly plotted mysteries, with Poirot unraveling complex puzzles using his keen observation and logical reasoning. The mysteries vary in setting and complexity, but all are marked by Christie's trademark twists and surprise endings. This book is a testament to Christie's skill in crafting engaging and ingenious detective stories.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/6023049/advertisement

"Poirot Investigates" is a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, first published in 1924. It features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, a meticulous and clever sleuth known for his distinctive appearance and brilliant deductive skills. In this collection, Poirot, often accompanied by his friend Captain Hastings, tackles a series of intriguing cases. These stories showcase Christie's talent for constructing tightly plotted mysteries, with Poirot unraveling complex puzzles using his keen observation and logical reasoning. The mysteries vary in setting and complexity, but all are marked by Christie's trademark twists and surprise endings. This book is a testament to Christie's skill in crafting engaging and ingenious detective stories.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/6023049/advertisement

"Poirot Investigates" is a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, first published in 1924. It features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, a meticulous and clever sleuth known for his distinctive appearance and brilliant deductive skills. In this collection, Poirot, often accompanied by his friend Captain Hastings, tackles a series of intriguing cases. These stories showcase Christie's talent for constructing tightly plotted mysteries, with Poirot unraveling complex puzzles using his keen observation and logical reasoning. The mysteries vary in setting and complexity, but all are marked by Christie's trademark twists and surprise endings. This book is a testament to Christie's skill in crafting engaging and ingenious detective stories.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/6023049/advertisement

Mehrmals ist Nicky Buckley schon dem Tod entgangen, das vierte Mal ganz in der Nähe von Hercules Poirot. Das bringt ihn dazu, dem Ruhestand endgültig zu entsagen und zu versuchen, ihren Tod zu verhindern. Doch dann trifft es die völlig unbeteiligte Cousine - und Poirot ist von Selbstzweifeln geplagt ... Natürlich nicht lange! Ein wunderbarer Roman von 1932.

Eine Poirot-Geschichte über einen rätselhaften Leichenfund in einer Truhe läutet für die Fans von Agatha Christie das Jahr 1932 ein. Sie veröffentlicht damit außerdem ihre erste Geschichte im "Strand Magazin", das untrennbar mit der Figur des Sherlock Holmes verbunden ist. Eine Geschichte wie aus der guten alten Zeit, inklusive Captain Hastings.

Join us for the second Perveen Mistry adventure in 1920s India- The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey. We don't reveal whodunnit but there are some plot spoilers. In Mystery Business, we discuss sleuthing shows that are perfect Friday night fodder. Case Notes is an analysis of the latest development from the Schmeozzle. In Purrcule Pawrot, we reminisce about the late, great Hastings the cat. This leads us to his hapless namesake, Captain Hastings from Agatha Christie's Poirot. We also discuss the poison chalice of celebrity, palanquin rides and fake monkeys. Mystery Mentions Death in Paradise Beyond Paradise Search Party High Rise Mystery- Sharna Jackson Next book for 27th March: Murder on Bamboo Lane by Naomi Hirahara In the mood for more mystery? Check out our review of The Widows of Malabar Hill (also by Sujata Massey) Follow us on Instagram: @missingsalmoncase Share with a friend: The Unsolved Case of the Missing Salmon Nominate a Queen of Crime: missingsalmoncase@gmail.com This podcast is created, produced and edited by Maddy Berry and Hannah Knight. Our music is sourced from Melody Loops and composed by Geoff Harvey.

Fresh from their life-changing chat with Captain Hastings himself, Adam and Frankie are grabbing a pasty and heading to Polgarwith to solve the murder of Alice Pengelley in The Cornish Mystery. Did the husband do it, or is there something more sinister than gruel on the table? Can Poirot and Hastings cut through the local tittle-tattle to get to the truth of the matter? Will Japp get to enjoy a pasty in peace? Listen now to find out.  Our all new merchandise store is now up and running at https://thelaboursofhercule.com/ If you'd like to get in contact with us, you can follow us on Twitter at @labourshecule On Instagram at @laboursofhercule Or you can email us at bonjour@thelaboursofhercule.com Our amazing music was composed and produced by the fabulous Cev Moore IF YOU WANT TO SOLVE THE CRIME THEN LOOK OUT FOR THE FOLLOWING CLUES: 4:11 - I feel okay when Edward's away... 19:02 - Mrs Pengelley was a cougar? 21:25 - "I know a little more than Freda does..." The Breakfast Shot: 1 oz Irish Whisky .5 oz butterscotch schnapps Orange juice Cooked streaky bacon (you want that crunch) Combine whisky and schnapps in a shot glass. Pour orange juice in a small glass and place bacon across the glass. Drink the shot. Then chase with the glass of orange juice. And then eat the bacon. It should taste as if you've eaten pancakes with syrup and bacon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam and Frankie were lucky enough to spend some time with Captain Hastings himself, the delightful Hugh Fraser, who very generously gave us an afternoon in his company, answering the questions you sent in, and reminiscing about what made Poirot such a fabulous show to work on. What did Hugh really think about the Laguna? Which was his favourite episode? Are "The Whitehaven Four" really as close as they appear on the show? Did Hugh really come up with the theme song to TV's Rainbow? The answers to these questions and many, many more are revealed! Our all new merchandise store is now up and running at https://thelaboursofhercule.com/ If you'd like to get in contact with us, you can follow us on Twitter at @labourshecule On Instagram at @laboursofhercule Or you can email us at bonjour@thelaboursofhercule.com Our amazing music was composed and produced by the fabulous Cev Moore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we'll be chatting about Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie. Lord Edgware Dies transports us to the glamour and fantasy of London high society between the two world wars – a world of bohemian actors, dazzling movie stars and wealthy aristocrats. In the novel, Poirot teams up with his good friends Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp to solve the grisly murder of the cruel and vindictive Lord Edgware. Join us as we unpick the story, exploring how Christie creates an immersive sense of place and crafts colourful characters who stay with you long after you read the book. We also chat about the book's humour, including a few of Poirot's quirkiest moments. As a special treat, you'll also get to hear me do an American accent.Warning: this episode contains spoilers for Agatha Christie's Lord Edgware Dies. Please proceed with caution if you haven't read the book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tonight, we'll read “The Cheap Flat”, a short story written by Agatha Christie and published in 1924 as part of her “Poirot Investigates” series. In this story, Captain Hastings meets a couple at a party who have just rented a flat in a fashionable district for an implausibly cheap price. Poirot becomes intrigued and sets out to investigate. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our first Poirot story, “The Western Star” which aired on June 8, 2022. We have also read from two of her novels as well- “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” in 2019 and “The Man in the Brown Suit” in 2021. — read by N —

Agatha Christie - The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd - Episode 2 - Agatha Christies Masterpiece of Whodunit!   HI, I'm Christy Shriver and we're here to discuss books that have changed the world and have changed us.    And I'm Garry Shriver, and this is the How to Love lit podcast.  This is our second and final episode discussing Christie's breakout novel, the one critics claim is her very best, The Murder or Roger Ackroyd.  Last week, we talked about the book in terms of it being a formal detective novel- a murder of manners as I read one critic describe the genre.  We discussed the conventions of the style.  We also introduced her most famous and beloved character, Hercule Poirot, and you left us, Christy, with a teaser saying you wanted to get back to the story of Christie, as in Agatha Christie and Poirot's relationship before we finish by spoiling for everyone who hasn't read it yet, who did kill Roger Ackroyd.  So, Christy, and it is slightly confusing- calling you Christy and then her being Dame Christie.  But even still,, here's the question to start with, Did Christie really hate Poirot?  He made Christie quite a bit of money over the years.  How could she hate  a character that had been so good to her?    Yes, I truly think she came to.  The first reason I feel confident making this claim is that she wrote an essay titled “Why I got Fed up with Poirot”-    Well, that certainly conveys at minimum a slight frustration.      Yes- the title is a little catchy.  I read the essay, and the first reason is simple, makes a lot of sense if you thnk about it.  She was just saddled with him- she didn't know when she made him up that she was going to closer to him than most husbands and she made him deliberately annoying to be around.  Some of her final words in that essay were advice to future writers and she says this, “I would give one piece of advice to young detective writers: be very careful what central character you create- you may have him with you're a very long time.”      HA!  So basically, his eccentricities the ones people find hilariously annoying just got on her last nerves over time.  She said once that he was a “detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep”.   Which is, of course, a nasty way of saying some of the same things she's said about him in her books, but often in her books she uses gentler terms.  He IS annoying- that's part of the schtick.  He DOES brag and constantly reminds his suspects that he always uncovers their lies.  Even in this book, up to the very end, he gloats and brags on himself from the beginning to end.      Oh for sure!  And since she wrote him in 33 novels, two plays and over 50 short stories. I can only imagine he was with her, at least in the back of her mind, always.  If he's not like a husband, he's certainly like her child, maybe that's the right metaphor.  But I do think it went even beyond her being annoyed with him, as a character.  Poirot, in very obvious ways,  limited her as a writer.  In that same essay she also said this, “  My own Hercule Poirot is often somewhat of an embarrassment to me – not in himself, but in the calling of his life. Would anyone go and ‘consult' him? One feels not.    So, it seems as if it bothered her that he wasn't as realistic as she would have written him, maybe later in life?    I think it's something along those lines.  He was a great schtick, but there was schtick element to it, in many ways.   He didn't allow her to develop her writing or even her thematic ideas-  he was just too silly.   Her great- grandson, James Pritchard spoke to this to the BBC.  He said that in her own words she wanted to “exorcise herself of him” but he was her- and again in her own words- “bread and butter”.  He was of immense commercial importance to her, if not of great creative importance in some ways.   According to Pritchard she had so many other ideas for books that weren't appropriate for Poirot, but her agents and publishers would come back and remind her he was his most popular character. And so, there was the conundrum…although I have to admit, I'd love to have a problem like that.    Yes, I think many of us would, although I can kind of see where she's coming from.  We hear actors from time to time express ideas similar that.  Famously, I remember George Reeves, who was the original Superman, complained all the way until his strange and mysterious suicide that he just hated always being Superman.  Or more recently, one example that comes to mind might be Daniel Ratcliffe who noticeably has worked incredibly hard to demonstrate that he is not just Harry Potter, but a versatile actor.  What I find interesting about Christie's relationship with Poirot is that she was loyal or maybe even jealous of him.    Explain that.    She took great pains not to let anyone else have him.  During WW2, Christie, like many patriotic British celebrities chose to stay was in London during the Blitz.  In other words, not taking advantage of the privilege of wealth and fame to ride the war out in America or some other safe destination.  If you remember, the Blitz is what we call the eight months during 1940-1941 when the Nazis sieged London as well as other large and important British cities with constant bombings. But choosing to stick it out during the bombings is not the same as not being concerned that the decision might cost you your life.   Fearing she might not survive the attacks, she wrote two stories that killed off each of her most famous detectives – Poirot and Miss Marple. She included a provision in her will that the stories would be published if she were to die in the war. But fortunately for us, she didn't die in the war and Poirot hung around to annoy his creator for three more decades.    True, and it wasn't until 1975, when her own health began to fail that , she finally published Curtain, the novel she wrote during World War II, which killed off Poirot. It wasn't but a few months later, in 1976, that Christie herself died- so you can see, she kept him around her entire adult life.  I would tell you how Poirot dies, but you never want to give too much away about Christie novels- the surprises are the fun part- but it is a really great conclusion.  Oh and one more thing- and this is really to Poirot's credit, maybe more than Christie's, the public reaction to what Christie did in her final novel was so tremendous that Hercule Poirot was the first ever fictional character to get a front page obituary in the New York Times. On August 6, 1975, a headline ran announcing, “Poirot is Dead; Famed Belgian Detective; Hercule Poirot, the Detective, Dies”.     Incredible!  Truly, so back to our story.  Last week, we talked about all the ways, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd fits the bill for a traditional formal detective novel: the setting, the characters, the weapon, the investigative style, all of it cul minating in a happily ever after ending where the world is left back in an orderly fashion- where justice is served- you even brought up the mah jong game, and even suggested that Christie may even be constructing a subtle argument that life is better in community playing by the rules.  Where life is better lived when and where people interact and engage each other deliberately- where people organize and live according to commonly agreed-upon rules of engagement…or something like that…And now this week, we are going to see that all that talk about rules is just a cruel joke to seduce us into a game where she is NOT going to follow the rules of the game.  And here's the spoiler, so if you haven't read the book, unplug now…fair warning….drum roll for the reveal….. the narrator is the murderer!!!  That's unfair!!!  Even according to Christie's own set of rules.    And yet is it? and I assume, by rules you are referring to the rules of the Detection Club.   In 1930, a group of mystery writers, Agatha Christie, among them but also others one example being, interestingly enough, the  AA Milne who's most famous for giving us Winnie the Poo.  The Detection Club actually still exists, btw.  You have to be formally invited, and obviously it's prestigious.   But, to be a member, you swear an oath- and of course, it's a bit tongue in check but you are asked to foreswear any of the bad practices of mystery writing.  Garry, read for us the oath.     “Do you promise that your detectives shall well and truly detect crimes presented to them using those wits which it may please you to bestow upon them and not placing reliance on nor making use of Divine Revelation, Feminine Intuition, Mumbo jumbo, Jiggery-Pokery, Coincidence or Act of God?    It's awesome, and gives you a distinct impression that this is  a fun bunch to be associated with.  The Detection Club hosts formal dinners and other social things, but also The members collaborate with ideas, encourage each other with their individual works and even at times have co-written  books together.  Beyond the oath though, they also have what they call the “fair play rules” of detective novels.  There are ten of them.  One rule is that the detective himself will not commit the murder.  But here's the one that people claim Christie broke with Dr. Shepperd.  Rule number 9- let's read that one     And I quote- The stupid friend of the detective, the Watson, must not conceal any thoughts which pass through his mind; his intelligence must be slightly, but very slightly, below that of the average reader.    What we have to recognize, and what is so awesome about how Christie wrote the book is that Dr. Shepperd, the narrator who is actually our murderer never lies tp us.  He never conceals anything that happens during the investigation at all really- the facts are the facts.  He faithfully relays what is going on.  In one sense of the word, he is faithful to us, but, of course, as we reread the book knowing that he's the murderer- we can see that we are deliberately misled at every point.  Here's one example of what I'm talking about.  On the night that Ackroyd is murdered, Shepperd is the ONLY one with him.  He's the last one to see him.  Naturally, that should make him the first and perhaps most important suspect.  Everyone knows that, but in our minds we dismiss the obvious…until we know than it jumps out on the page.  Let's read the actual murder scene as we know it no in retrospect.    Page 43    So, from the first read, we think Shepperd walked out before Ackroyd read the letter.  Shepperd intends for us to read it exactly like that.  And of course- everything here is true-    Well, there are only a few omissions literally accounting for only give minutes of narrative- he left out the small detail that he murdered Roger Ackroyd, ran down to the summerhouse, took Ralph Patton's shoes out of a bag, slipped them on, walked through mud, left prints on the window ledge, climbed in the same window, changed back into his own shoes and raced down to the gate.       HA!!!  Well, it turns out a lot can happen in five minutes.  But it's also not inaccurate to say, as he did say in summary- he left with nothing left undone- meaning he staged the murder exactly as he wanted- nothing undone.     And yet, Christie gets everyone to just blow right pass that omission- which when I read the book the second time jumped out at me as being obvious.     How does she make us dismiss him?   I'll admit the thought crossed my mind that Shepperd should be a suspect.  There were things that were odd, but I ended up quickly dismissing anything that would make me even question him.     Exactly, for one thing, we have been conditioned by Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and Christie plays with this.  We expect the sidekick to be naïve and overconfident- look at the rules of fairplay- of being of slightly lower intelligence than us.  Watson always is. Also, if you have read any other Poirot story, you would really be at a disadvantage because even Poirot has a sidekick- one he references in this book- Captain Hastings.  What Christie has done is make a parody of the old model.  She used our own experience of reading other detective novels against us.  She's kind of mocking the model, is some sense.       In other words, She's toying with our prejudices and previously held assumptions- encouraging us to entertain our own unconscious biases- to use a term we would use for this default judgement nowadays.  We don't even realize we're doing it- it's unconscious.      I think so, we don't even know we're doing it, and yet we do- and she does this while clearly and making the most important clues the most obvious- with one exception- the dictophone.  There's only one reference to that and it is a passing reference, and some people have said that's not fair, but I think that's just sour grapes- to use a reference to Aesop's fables.   The other clues are very prominent.  Poirot is quick to point out that the arm chair is out of place.  This is a very important clue.  In fact, it's obvious to the reader the Christie wants us to know it's important, but we don't know what to do with it.    That's how I felt about the telephone call. Poirot references it multiple times, and literally says if we could make sense of the phone call, we would solve the mystery.  We know the phone call is the most important thing, but that didn't help me solve it.  I never did understand it until Poirot explained it.    And Shepperd's double-talk is really everywhere.  Look back at what Shepperd said about the last time he spoke with MRs. Ferrars before her suicide.  He said, “Her manner then had been normal enough considering-well-considering everything.”  We think he means considering the fact that she'd killed her husband, but what he actually means, considering everything- considering that she killed her husband AND that he was blackmailing her.      Well, my favorite deception is the one where Dr. Shepperd hollers at Ackroyd, while knowing he's dead.  He breaks down the door then states this to us the reader and let me quote him directly, “Ackroyd was sitting as I had left him in the armchair before the fire.  His head had fallen sideways, and clearly visible, just below the collar of his coat, was a shining piece of twisted metalwork.”  That IS EXACTLY how he left him, but we are left to assume he meant- except for the knife in his neck, but he doesn't actually say that.  WE think it on our own. We construct the rest of the statement with our own unconscious biases.  Of course, the knife wasn't in his neck, that would mean Dr. Shepperd killed him which of course he couldn't have.  He's the narrator, so we unconsciously add something to the narrative that is not there.       It's very clever wording.  Changing directlions just a little bit.  I want to talk about a trick that Poirot does over and over again  that I didn't catch on to until Poirot's revelation at the very end.  Poirot gives out quite a few  false stories.  We really shouldn't believe eveyrthing he says at all.   Had I understood he did that, I might have had a fighting chance at following Poirot's line of reasoning, although likely not.  Poirot is the one with a habit of fabricating stories, or little false lies, not Shepperd.    There was the fake experiment with Flora the one where he was trying to see if Flora had actually gone in the study, or if she had just gone in front of the study to get to the stairs that led to Ackroyd's bedroom.  But that's not the only one, and we're at least told about that one.  And In that case,  Poirot regularly lets Shepperd into his confidence about his lying, which made me think Poirot trusted Shepperd.  He admitted to Shepperd the truth about the ring when that lie was told as well as the fake newspaper story.  Christie misleads us to the assumption that Poirot implicitedly trusts Shepperd because he was telling Shepperd some things.  We assume he is telling Shepperd everything, if not explaining any line of reasoning. But he wasn't, we find out later that Poirot had fabricated an entire family member.        Another point that becomes clear in the all important chapter 23, that's the chapter about little reunion, is that even Poirot agrees with Shepperd's retelling of the investigation.  Poirot even compliments Shepperd for his faithful retelling of the investigation.      It's kind of an interesting section once you understand Poirot knows Shepperd is the murderer.  Poirot doesn't let on anything.   Shepperd confesses to Poirot that he has been writing the account of the murder in book form and had 20 chapters already written.  Poirot asks to read it, referencing his old friend Hastings.  After he finishes reading Shepperd's account- ironically while sitting in Shepperd's own workshop where he built the contraption he was going to use in the murder, Shepperd asks Poirot what he thinks.      Let's read Poirot's carefully chosen comments- knowing that we now know on the second read that Poirot knows he's talking to the murderer.    Page 255     Such irony- Poirot is deceiving the deceiver. And when we get to the little reunion, it becomes obvious that Poirot had been concealing a LOT of things from Shepperd including the fact that he had hidden Ralph Patton the whole time while letting Shepperd frame him or at least appear guilty to everyone.  Another really ironic line from Dr. Shepperd is what he says to us the readers the moment Ralph Patton walks out.  It's the first sentence of chapter 24, Shepperd sees Ralph coming in and he says, “It was a very uncomfortable minute for me.”    I imagine it really was.  And yet, even at this point with that kind of comment in our faces, we still don't suspect the doctor of being the murderer.  But we definitely should. Shepperd confesses that he secretly went to Ralph Patton, talked him into abandoning his wife and then stashed him in a hospital.  When Poirot brings out Patton, it's uncomflrtable because Shepperd was the one that had hid Patton.  Poirot wasn't supposed to know where he was at all.  When Patton walks out, what's uncomfortable for Shepperd is realizing that Poirot has known for a long time where Patton was hidden, and if Poirot knew where he was hidden, he knew who was responsible for hiding him.  Awkward.    True, but maybe Christie's biggest deception as far as what she's concealed from us the readers and that kept us from suspecting Shepperd is that we really didn't see him as having a motive.  Why kill his friend?  And he and Ackroyd were clearly friends.  What made Dr. Shepperd commit this heartless crime?      Part of the fun of reading a detective novel is understanding how someone committed a crime.  That is more fun than understanding they why of why they did it.  We know from real life that people kill for so endless reasons some of them terribly meaningless, we don't need a lot by way of justification.  But in this case, Dr. Shepperd doesn't seem the type to commit a random murder.  He didn't have a clear personal issue with Ackroyd, either.  They don't seem in love with the same woman, so we have to rule- crime of passion-  out.  It's hard to imagine Shepperd would do it for the money either, although doctors weren't necessarily rich in those days, they were employed and Shepperd expresses no real habits that would be high-dollar like gambling or traveling or anything like.  But maybe more importantly, doctors just normally seem committed to saving lives rather than ending them- and he's seeing patients all the way to the end of the book. There's no obvious motive really.      Poirot answers this for us very subtextually in chapter.  He has come back from Cranchester, knows Shepperd is the murderer, and tells Caroline and Shepperd as well as us, the readers, why he did it- of course Caroline thinks he's talking about Ralph Patton.        Page 202      Christie speaks about weakness several times and has Caroline call her brother weak several times.  It's not necessarily evil, as we generally define evil, which I find very interesting- but of course is absolutely IS evil in this case because it leads to the taking of life.      Yes, and from a historical perspective, this is where I find that knowing something about the author's background changes my understanding of what she is saying.  We know Christie publishes this novel in 1926.  She was a nurse during WW1.  No one in Europe was untouched by evil.  Everyone was trying to understand it and confront it, but most were unsuccessul.    It is out of this kind of madness that we get great thinking and writing of a different kind, writers like Kafka, Sartre, Dostoyesky, Camus were all talking about the purpose of life, the cause of evil, the ability to keep from committing physical and/or mental suicide- of finding purpose in meaningless tragedy- that sort of thing.  Hemingway and Fitzgerald even Steinbeck on this side of the Atlantic were doing the same thing.  In fact, in our next book we're going to get neck deep in Camus' ideas of the absurd as expressed in the Stranger.   Knowing this was what people were dealing with and writing about makes it  safe to infer that Christie was not oblivious to the thoughts of the age and  certainly not above making her own commentary on the essence of evil.     Evil, embedded in the heart of every man, is an ancient idea- not an original one.  It's even a Biblical idea.   But she situates it in a claustrophobic, safe enclosed environment- not a chaotic warzone.   There are no outside forces forcing people into impossible moral compromises.  She illustrates something different.  There is weakness from within regardless of the environment- it is in a single, seemingly simple but brilliant country doctor, a man who is a community icon- the bastion of propriety and virtue in his world.      Which of course, makes him invisible to everyone, even us the readers.  Are you suggesting Shepperd embodies her ironic social commentary?    She's engaging her postwar countrymen while appearing to NOT engage them- it's very Hercule Poirot-like.    I kind of see it that way- I can only imagine what she saw in those patient beds during the war days.  If it is anything close to what Walt Whitman talked about it must have supported the idea of a deeply embedded weakness in every human being- good people showing up maybe even confessing to having committed horrible atrocities to themselves and others.   There were easy opportunities for exploitation too, beyond just the obvious war zones.    Exactly the source of PTSD in a lot of people.      Which brings us to the solution of our murder. So, at the very end, chapter 20, it finally occurs to Shepperd that Poirot may not be so easily fooled as he originally thought…and I quote, “it occurred to me that there was not much which escaped Hercule Poirot”.  Poirot invites all of the suspects over to his house for, as he called it “a little conference”.  This conference will even include the notorious Ralph Patton, although no one knows that until he reveals himself.  But of course, in typical detective book fashion, they all go to the meeting.      Before we get there, though, I do pause for one more funny aside and bring up a comment Caroline makes about men,     Oh dear.    I know, right,  in chapter 22, Ursula is making a confessional to Caroline basically admitting that she had said some very nasty things to Ralph Patton that she regrets saying to which Caroline responds with this deep and insightful life lesson for us all, “Never worry about what you say to a man. They're so conceited that they never believe you mean it if it's unflattering.”  So, Garry, what do you think about that little comment…is it true?    Well, all I have to say is that Caroline has been wrong about everything else.  I don't know why you'd start taking life lessons from her now?  This is the same woman that is trying to fake being a vegetarian to a world-class detective.      True, but funny.  Which us brings us back to chapter 23.  This is where Dr. Shepperd gives over to Poirot his narrative of the events of the murder investigation.  It's also where Poirot collects all the suspects in a single room.    Dr. Shepperd should have been worried when Caroline tries to maneuver an invitation to the activity and is rebuffed with this comment, “I should much like to have had you present, mademoiselle, but at this juncture it would not be wise. See, all these people tonight are suspects.  Amongst them, I shall find the person who killed Mr. Ackroyd.”       That should have tipped off not only Dr. Shepperd but the reader as well.  Why does Dr. Shepperd get to go, unless of course, he's a suspect?     It's a fun chapter to read really.  Part of the fun of the detective story is reconstructing the thought processes that led to the discovery- we get to identify with the detective as well as the murderer.  In this chapter, we do both- and we get to identify creatively with all of the little crimes of all the secret- keepers, Ursula, Mrs. Russell, Flora.  He discloses everyone's secrets one by one, and so far everyone is getting a happy ending.      After everyone leaves, we are left alone with Dr. Shepperd and Poirot and hence we have our confrontation.  Dr. Shepperd reveals all the details of the murder, and we, as readers, are shocked and confused as to how we missed it up to that point.  Ironically, Shepperd's book that he wrote with the idea of monetizing Poirot's greatest failure as a detective, ironically has turned out to be something of a confession.   Let's read the final interaction between Poirot and Dr. Shepperd.    Page 282     The final chapter, the Apologia is positioned as if it were Dr. Shepperd's suicide note- except Dr. Shepperd just told us that above all, he is no fool.  And this is where the story gets ambiguous- are we to believe that this guy committed suicide?  Poirot tells him to. He tells him to rewrite his book and confess to the murder- which I guess he does since that's what we're reading.  But does he?  The apologia in many ways is him boasting about how far along he actually got.  He doesn't express remorse, and I quote, “I suppose I must have meant to murder him all along.”  He goes on to say, “I am rather pleased with myself as a writer.”  He literally quotes himself bragging about how he concealed the murder in the pages of the book we just read.    We now see in this very confessional that not only is he a flat out deceiver, but the object was not necessarily to deceive Poirot as it was to deceive the readers of this narrative.  So….does he do it again….are we deceived in thinking he's killed himself and taken the Veronal…or does Dr. Shepperd get away?      Ha!  Clearly Christie doesn't live within the world of perpetual sequels or telenovelas or she just might have written, to be continued.      Well, we hope you've enjoyed our discussion on one of the world's favorite mystery writers and her stand out crime story- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.  IT certainly has been fun for me.  And speaking of fun, please don't overlook our merchandise- if you're interesting in supporting the podcast or just need a fun happy for someone…we've got you covered..stickers, mugs, tshirts…all the things…they are there with our teaching materials on our website www.howtolovelitpodcast. Also, always feel free to connect with on social media- fb, insta, twitter, linked in- or simply via email.             

As Hercule Poirot sifts through his post one particular morning, he alights upon a letter from an elderly and (as it transpires), exceedingly rich spinster—Miss Emily Arundell. She is clearly in great distress and seeking his help, but doesn't say why. Her only specific mention is "the incident of the dog's ball." However, what intrigues Poirot is the date of the communication—it was written two months ago. He persuades Captain Hastings that they must visit the lady with all haste. On arrival they discover that she has died, apparently of natural causes. But Bob, Miss Arundell's devoted wire-haired terrier, knows better. And so, soon, does Poirot. John Moffatt, as ever, stars as Hercule Poirot with Simon Williams as Captain Hastings. With music specially composed by Tom Smail --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ang189/support

As Hercule Poirot sifts through his post one particular morning, he alights upon a letter from an elderly and (as it transpires), exceedingly rich spinster—Miss Emily Arundell. She is clearly in great distress and seeking his help, but doesn't say why. Her only specific mention is "the incident of the dog's ball." However, what intrigues Poirot is the date of the communication—it was written two months ago. He persuades Captain Hastings that they must visit the lady with all haste. On arrival they discover that she has died, apparently of natural causes. But Bob, Miss Arundell's devoted wire-haired terrier, knows better. And so, soon, does Poirot. John Moffatt, as ever, stars as Hercule Poirot with Simon Williams as Captain Hastings. With music specially composed by Tom Smail --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ang189/support

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For. I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery, murder, and mayhem. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes. This is Season 3, Enter the Detective. This season contains adaptations of the first cases for detectives. Some will be characters from book, screen, and stage. Others will be lesser known but with great stories that we hope you give a try.  Episode 10 is about solving money problems. Permanently. This is Poirot and the Affair at Styles, an adaptation of Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Join my newsletter On The Prowl by clicking https://tgwolff.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=022fa0e9d978f57ecbccba018&id=461639cc03 (HERE). It comes out with every full moon. Check out past editions on my website https://tgwolffcom.wordpress.com/blog-2/ (www.tgwolff.com/e-zine).  Patronize our Supporters! Support comes in many shapes and sizes. Good advice. Mutual promotion. Partner in crime. Support those that are helping us grow. Razing Stakes – pre-order now The first day of summer is the last day of a young accountant's life. Colin McHenry is out for his regular run when an SUV crosses into his path, crushing him. Within hours of the hit-skip, Cleveland Homicide Detective Jesus De La Cruz finds the vehicle in the owner's garage, who's on vacation three time zones away. The setup is obvious, but not the hand behind it. The suspects read like a list out of a textbook:  the jilted fiancée, the jealous coworker, the overlooked subordinate, the dirty client. Razing Stakes, book #3 in the De La Cruz casefile series, releases Feb 14 from Down & Out Books. https://www.amazon.com/Razing-Stakes-Cruz-Case-Files-ebook/dp/B09PNQ9QD9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19GNUUDDS2RIM&keywords=razing+stakes&qid=1641946876&s=books&sprefix=razing+stakes%2Cstripbooks%2C63&sr=1-1 (Pre-order today). Down & Out Books. Mystery and thriller lovers seek out Publisher Down & Out Books. They like to live at the grittier end of the spectrum. There are no cozies here. https://downandoutbooks.com/ (https://downandoutbooks.com/) Forced Perspective by Colin Campbell. When cops collide. Boston cop Jim Grant enlists ex-cop Vince McNulty for a sting in Palm Springs. The plan is almost derailed when Grant and McNulty protect a receptionist from an angry biker. In the end, it goes off without a hitch. Palm Springs is a dry run for a Colorado crime lord. The angry biker and heavy snow mean this time there will be blood and death and a very big hitch. FORCED PERSPECTIVE by Colin Campbell. Read it and weep. https://www.amazon.com/Forced-Perspective-Colin-Campbell/dp/1643962418/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2GID7S1VM33IW&keywords=forced+perspective&qid=1641946923&s=books&sprefix=forced+perspective%2Cstripbooks%2C54&sr=1-3 (Buy it HERE) Episode Materials There are several places where you can find the original. Gutenberg is one of them. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/863 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/863) Cast of characters  Captain Hastings, Narrator Hercule Poirot, Belgian ex-police detective, living in Essex, England Mrs. Emily Cavendish Inglethorpe, the body Mr. Alfred Cavendish, her husband of 8 weeks Mr. John Cavendish, her step-son, will inherit Styles Court at her death Mrs. Mary Cavendish, John's wife Mr. Lawrence Cavendish, John's younger brother, a poet Miss Cynthia Murdoch, ward of Emily Inglethorpe, works in hospital dispensary Miss Evelyn Howard, former companion to Emily Inglethorpe Dorcas, loyal maid Detective Inspector James Japp, Scotland Yard Superintendent Summerhaye, Scotland Yard Mrs. Maikes, wife of local farmer Mr. Wills,... Support this podcast

The battle begins with Captain Hastings and his constructs.

On this month's Harbour Bazaar we have a show that’s darker than Agent Cooper’s black coffee and sweeter than a slice of cherry pie from the Double R Diner! That’s right, it’s our much anticipated (by us anyway) Twin Peaks special on Harbour Bazaar. Captain Hastings and Zoë Howe, the faithful bo’sun, share their favourite musical moments from Lynch’s cult TV masterpiece, and a few deep cuts created in the same vein.  Featuring songs and strangeness from the likes of Trouble, Angelo Badalamenti, Muddy Magnolias, Gemma Ray, Julee Cruise, Cigarettes After Sex and David Lynch himself....... plus the usual features, birthdays galore and a decent dose of surrealism, occultism, owls, logs, dreams and nightmares plus some advice from Lynch himself about creativity and why life is often like a windchime! Hope you enjoy and remember to every day, once a day, give yourself a present…. PLAYLISTCindy Lou – Dick PennerFalling - Julee CruiseIn Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) – David Lynch & Alan R SpletSlow 30’s Room – David Lynch & Dean HurleyMairzy Doats – The Merry MacsIf I Needed Someone – The BeatlesWah Wah – George HarrisonCupid & The Champ – David Patrick KellyUntil The End Of The World – Julee CruiseSatisfaction – The Andrew Oldham OrchestraWoodcutters from Fiery Ships – David Lynch & Angelo BadalamentiAmerican Woman – Muddy MagnoliasSnake Eyes – TroubleCaldera! Caldera! – Gemma RayK - Cigarettes After SexDance of the Dream Man – Angelo BadalamentiSee You In My Dreams – Django Reinhardt / Joe Brown   Follow the Harbour Bazaar at @harbourbazaar1 Look out for Ship Full Of Bombs shows on Spotify, Itunes or wherever you get your podcasts from and, if you fancy, share, like and subscribe  

Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings are home in London when they receive a letter from France urging them to come to Merlinville to solve a pressing matter. The letter gives no details of the problem at hand but hints that there might be a need to travel to Santiago in South America. Poirot recognizes the urgency in the letter and hours later they are on a boat to France. Join host Kaitlyn McCluskie and guest Eric Wong to solve the murder on the links.

It's been a while since we've had the pleasure of dissecting a miniature Poirot mystery puzzle, and this one has almost all the classic Christie clue tropes we've come to love. We also enjoyed revisiting our beloved Captain Hastings and Felicity Lemon, as brought to life on an extremely early episode of the Suchet series. Come and revel with us in the Poirovian splendor of it all.

Crime thriller author and actor Hugh Fraser talks to us about playing Captain Hastings in the TV series Poirot, his gripping series of books and how he came to write the theme tune for a popular children's TV series.   DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

An exclusive sneak peek at the first three episodes of Partners in Crime, including interviews with TV’s very own Inspector Barnaby, Neil Dudgeon; thriller author and Captain Hastings from the TV series Poirot, Hugh Fraser - and bestselling gritty crime fiction writer Dreda Say Mitchell.

Toot, toot: all aboard the transatlantic steamer "Olympia," where a robbery has occurred. Or has it? Join us as we pick apart this elegant yet unfairly presented short story, and then revel in the maritime hijinks of the Suchet adaptation.... Hope you're not prone to "mal de mer" like poor Captain Hastings. Oh, Hastings.

On the show today Benjamin is joined by British actor Hugh Fraser. Hugh is most well-known for portraying Captain Hastings in Hercule Poirot. Hugh has just a released a novel Harm and we talk about the book, as well as his acting work! Enjoy! Come back later next month for another exciting interview! See you then! Hugh’s links: Buy Harm - http://www.amazon.com/Harm-Hugh-Fraser/dp/0993264913 Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/realhughfraser Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hugh-Fraser/ Follow the show: www.facebook.com/preachrspodcast www.twitter.com/preachrspodcast Supporters: Palace Nova Cinemas Roadshow Entertainment Mad Zombie Collectables Madman Entertainment