The Underdog And Other Stories

A beautiful heiress has been found dead on a train. A playboy has been stabbed through the heart during a costume ball. An elderly woman suspects that she is being slowly poisoned to death. A prince fears for his reputation when his fiancÉe is embroiled in another man's murder. A forgotten recluse makes headlines after he is shot in the head. Who but Agatha Christie could concoct such canny crimes? Who but Belgian detective Hercule Poirot could possibly solve them? It's a challenge to be met—in a triumph of detection.

A dead heiress on a train, a murdered recluse, a wealthy playboy slain at a costume ball are but a few of the unfortunate victims of confounding crimes committed in the pages of Agatha Christie’s The Under Dog and Other Stories, a superior collection of short mystery fiction all featuring Hercule Poirot as the investigator. A beautiful heiress has been found dead on a train. A playboy has been stabbed through the heart during a costume ball. An elderly woman suspects that she is being slowly poisoned to death. A prince fears for his reputation when his fiancée is embroiled in another man's murder. A forgotten recluse makes headlines after he is shot in the head. Who but Agatha Christie could concoct such canny crimes? Who but Belgian detective Hercule Poirot could possibly solve them? It's a challenge to be met—in a triumph of detection.

"Market Basing Mystery" plunges readers into a captivating short story penned by Agatha Christie, featuring the astute detective Hercule Poirot. In this narrative, Poirot is summoned to investigate a curious case involving the disappearance of a wealthy banker, Marcus Hardman, in the quaint town of Market Basing. As Poirot navigates the intricate social dynamics and explores the mysterious circumstances surrounding Hardman's vanishing act, readers are treated to a delightful blend of Christie's signature wit, clever deductions, and unexpected turns. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a seemingly idyllic town hiding secrets beneath its charming façade. "Market Basing Mystery" stands as another testament to Agatha Christie's ability to weave a compelling mystery in a concise format. With Poirot's unparalleled insights and the author's storytelling finesse, this short story offers enthusiasts an engaging glimpse into the world of Hercule Poirot's investigations.

A dog handler’s death unleashes a mystery: “Laurien Berenson just keeps getting better and better.”—Harlan Coben When Melanie Travis’s education in breed-handling at Connecticut’s classiest obedience school is cut short by sudden death, she smells a murder. So, with her rambunctious poodle puppy, five-year-old son, and sexy fellow breeder Sam Driver in tow, she hits the championship circuit. In this dog-eat-dog world where winning is everything, Melanie discovers that more than one suspect had a bone to pick with the victim, including a kennel owner whose secret recipe for dog biscuits isn’t the only thing she’s guarding. Between laps around the show ring, Melanie learns some tricks of her own. But will she learn fast enough to collar an unleashed killer who’s begging for the dogged detective to play dead? “With this new case, Berenson throws dog lovers a treat they will relish.”—Pubishers Weekly “Should appeal to dog lovers, but the smooth, unruffled prose and likable characters will attract others as well.”—Library Journal

A collection of nine stories by mystery writer Agatha Christie that feature Hercule Poirot.

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Using his gray cells, Poirot will need very little time to discover the mystery behind the Lemesurier curse according to which all the firstborn die before inheriting the family fortune. The mother of the next heir asks Poirot to protect Ronald who has been having accidents that could have been fatal. The Belgian detective and his faithful companion Hasting will discover that the ancient curse could not be true.

“Reddi’s understated prose and her choice of detail give her revelations a quiet power.” — The New Yorker “[A]mong such time-tested topics of immigrant fiction, Reddi suddenly soars.” — San Francisco Chronicle “While many of the stories seem simple, characters and plots linger long after you turn the page.” — Washington Post “...reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri... The immigrant experience...is rendered with the starkest honesty... substance and depth.” — Philadelphia Inquirer “Reddi has produced a piece of writing that masterfully contrasts the assumed with the experienced, myth with reality.” — India Currents “...superb debut collection... much like Jhumpa Lahiri...a gem of a book...characters remain etched in memory...” — Indian Express “In deceptively simple prose...a compassionate look at what happens when the insular world of the Indian immigrant is breached.” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch “...Reddi deftly employs images to crystallize... the isolation and occasional bewilderment shared by her sympathetic characters.” — Publishers Weekly “This excellent debut collection... [offers] elegant studies of a culture that is both familiar and foreign.” — Booklist “Reddi’s voice is gentle and her eye watchful...A soft-spoken, sympathetic collection.” — Kirkus Reviews “Sad, sweet, tender--a truly lovely book.” — Kiran Desai, Man Book Prize-winning author of THE INHERITANCE OF LOSS “Only the finest writers can craft short stories with the richness of a novel...[an] exceptional debut collection.” — Arthur Golden, bestselling author of MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA “Rishi Reddi has written a unique and beautiful book with the power to both entertain and educate.” — Judith Guest, bestselling author of ORDINARY PEOPLE “Reddi’s characters are complicated people...and, as are the stories they inhabit, memorable and very worthy of our attention. Exquisite.” — Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of AN ALMOST PERFECT MOMENT “Reddi is the brightest light in Boston’s latest literary constellation.” — Boston magazine