The Chocolate Box by Agatha Christie

Poirot’s only failed case. A French Deputy is found dead on the eve of becoming a minister. From Poirot’s Early Cases and Poirot Investigates.

More about this story

To Hastings’ disbelief, Poirot recounts the story of his only failed case – the death of a French Deputy on the eve of becoming a minister. This is a rare example of Poirot acknowledging failure and also an account of his life in Brussels as a member of the police force.

This was first published as a book in the US version of the collection Poirot Investigates (1925), and wouldn’t appear in a UK collection until Poirot’s Early Cases (1974).

This story was adapted for the TV series Agatha Christie’s Poirot in 1993 and starred David Suchet in the title role. He was accompanied by Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) and Miss Felicity Lemon (Pauline Moran) in many of the cases, regardless of whether or not they appeared in the original text.