The Abc Murders By Agatha Christie

329 Pages·2006·0.44 MB·English

BERKLEY

$5.99 U.&

$7.99 CAN 1

EAN

Note from a Killer

Poor Mr. Pelter--

Not so good et these little criminol motters os you

thoucjht yourself, ore you? Rother post your prime,

perhops? Let us see if you con do any better this

time. This time it's on eosy one. Churston on the

30th. Do Iy end do something obout it! It's o bit dull

hoving it oil my own woy, you knou!

Good hunting. Ever yours,

A.B.C.

THE A.B.C. MURDERS

Berkley Books by Agatha Christie

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE · THE GOLDEN BALL AND OTHER STORIES ·

THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT · THE MYSTERIOUS MR. QUIN ·

N OR M? · PARKER PYNE INVESTIGATES (also published as

MR. PARKER PYNE, DETECTIVE) · PARTNERS IN CRIME ·

THE SECRET ADVERSARY · THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS ·

TIlE SITTAFORD MYSTERY (also published as THE MURDER AT HAZELMOOR) ·

THEY CAME TO BAGHDAD · TOWARDS ZERO ·

WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? (also published as THE BOOMERANG CLUE)

AGATHA CHRISTIE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

STAR OVER BETHLEHEM

Featuring Hercule Poirot

THE A.B.C. MURDERS · APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH ·

THE BIG FOUR · CARDS ON THE TABLE ·

DEATH IN THE CLOUDS (also published as DEATH IN THE AIR) ·

DUMB WITNESS (also published as POIROT LOSES A CLIENT) ·

ELEPHANTS CAN REMEMBER · EVIL UNDER THE SUN ·

FIVE LITTLE PIGS (also published as MURDER IN RETROSPECT) ·

HALLOWE'EN PARTY · THE HOLLOW · THE LABORS Oi: HERCULES ·

LORD EDGWARE DIES (also published as THIRTEEN AT DINNER) ·

MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA · MURDER IN THE MEWS

(also published as DEAD MAN'S MIRROR) · THE MURDER ON THE LINKS ·

THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES · THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN ·

ONE. TWO. BUCKLE MY SHOE (also published as THE PATRIOTIC MURDERS)

PERIL AT END HOUSE · TAKEN AT THE FLOOD (also published as

THERE IS A TIDE...) · THREE ACT TRAGEDY (also published as

MURDER IN THREE ACTS) · THE UNDERDOG AND OTHER STORIES ·

THE WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION AND OTHER STORIES

Featuring Miss Jane Marple

DOUBLE SIN AND OTHER STORIES ·

MISS MARPLE: THE COMPLETE SHORT STORIES · THE MOVING FINGER ·

MURDER AT THE VICARAGE · A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED ·

A POCKET PULL OE RYE · THE REGATTA MYSTERY AND OTHER STORIES ·

THE THIRTEEN PROBLEMS (also published as THE TUESDAY CLUB MURDERS) ·

THREE BLIND MICE AND OTHER STORIES

TheA,B,C,

BERKLEY BOOKS, NEW YORK

If Jalrchased this book without a cor you should be aware that

payment for this "stripped book."

This Berkley book contains the complete text

of the original hardcover edition. It has been

completely reset in a typeface designed

for easy reading and was printed from new film.

THE A.B.C. MURDERS

A Ierkley Book / published by arrangement with

G. P. Putnam's Sons

Pn,rnNo mSTORV

Dodd, Mead edition published 1936

Berkley edition /November 1991

All rights reserved

Copyright © 1935, 1936 by Agatha Christie.

Copyright renewed © 1962, 1963 by Agatha Christie Mallowan.

'rhis book may not be reproduced in whole or in pan, by

mimeograph or any other means, without permission.

For information address: G. P. Putnam's Sons,

200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.

ISBN: 0-425-13024-X

A BERKLEY BOOK ® TM 757, 375

Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.

The name "BERKLEY" and the "B" logo

are tradenarks belonging to Berkley Publishing Corporation.

RINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AM pounds ICA

10

Foreword

by Captain Arthur Hastings, O.B.E.

In this narrative of mine I have departed from my usual practice of re-

!atirttg only those incidents and scenes at which i myself was present.

Certain chapters, therefore, are written in the third person.

I ,¢ish to assure my readers that I can vouch for the occurrences related

in these chapters. If I have taken a certain poetic license in de-scriling

the thoughts and feelings of various persons, it is because I

believe I have set them down with a reasonable amount of accuracy. I

may add that they have been "vetted" by my friend Hercule Poirot

himself.

Irt conclusion, I will say that if I have described at too great length

some of the secondary personal relationships which arose as a consequeoe

of this strange series of crimes, it is because the human and personal

element can never be ignored. Hercule Poirot once taught me in a

very dramatic manner that romance can be a by-product of crime.

s to the solving of the A.B.C. mystery, I can only say that in my

oirtion Poirot showed real genius in the way he tackled a problem entirely

unhke any which had previously come hs way.

Contents

I. The Letter

II.

(Not from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

II1.

Rndover

IV.

Mm. Rscher

V.

Mary DrouJer

VI.

The Scene of the Crime

VII.

Mr. Partridge and Mr. Riddell

VIII.

The Second Letter

DC.

The Bexhill-on-Sea Murder

X.

The Barnards

](1.

Megan Bamard

XlI.

Donald Fraser

XlIt.

R Conference

XIV.

The Third Letter

XV.

Sir Carmichael Clarke

XVl.

(Not from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

XVI!.

Manning Time

XVIII.

Poirot Makes a Speech

XIX.

By Way of Sweden

XX.

Lady Clarke

vii

1

7

8

13

18

93

31

36

43

5O

55

6O

64

70

76

83

86

91

100

104

vii{

CONTENTS

X3(!II.

OIV.

XXVlI.

XL'VlII.

XXXl.

XCXII,

XXXlII.

XXXlV.

XXXV. --

Description of a Murclerer

(Not from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

September 11 th. Doncastr

(Nat from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

(Nat from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

(Not from Coptain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

The Doncaster Murder

(Nat from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

Fit Scotland Yard

(Not from Captain Hastings'

Personal Narrative)

Hercule Poirot Fisks Questions

Find Catch a Fox

Alexander Bonaparte Cust

Poirot Explains

I. The Letter

It was in June of 1935 that I came home from my ranch in South America

for a stay of about six months. It had been a difficult time for us out

there. Like every one else, we had suffered from world depression. I

had various affairs to see to in England that I felt could only be successful

if a personal touch was introduced. My wife remained to manage

the ranch.

I need hardly say that one of my first actions on reaching England

was to look up my old friend, Hercule Poirot.

I found him installed in one of the newest type of service flats in

London. I accused him (and he admitted the fact) of having chosen this

particular building entirely on account of its strictly geometrical

pearance and proportions.

"But yes, my friend, it is of a most pleasing symmetry, do you not

find it so?"

I said that I thought there could be too much squareness and, alluding

to an old joke, I asked if in this super-modern hostelry they managed

to induce hens to lay square eggs?

Poirot laughed heartily.

"Ah, you remember that? Alas! no--science has not yet induced the

hens to conform to modern tastes, they still lay eggs of different sizes

and colours!"

I examined my old friend with an affectionate eye. He was looking

wonderfully well--hardly a day older than when I had last seen him.

AGATHA CHRISTIE