The Big Four

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Summary

Genre: Thriller, Detective, Espionage

Format: Novel

Murder Methods: Poison, Blow to the Head, Electrocution, Throat cut, Hit and Run

Recurring Characters: Poirot, Hastings, Chief Inspector Japp

Synopsis

Alone, each was formidable. Together, they were virtually invincible. A brilliant Chinese man, an American millionaire, a French scientist and an elusive master of disguise: the 'big four' join together to plot a criminal conspiracy that shocks even Poirot. As he tracks them down it becomes ever more apparent that this could be his final, fatal case!

First published in 1927, the novel introduced Hercule Poirot’s hitherto unknown brother, Achille Poirot. Originally a series of 12 stories, published in 1924 in The Sketch, they were subsequently reworked by Agatha Christie into the novel The Big Four. They are therefore not considered to be independent stories.

What fans say

: Boomcoach
"The Big Four, along with "The Mystery of the Blue Train", came at a very difficult period of Agatha Christie's life. Her mother had recently passed away and her marriage was falling apart. Christie was in a situation in which she needed, for financial reasons, to get something published quickly."

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