The Love Detectives - a Harley Quin Short Story

Harley Quin #13

by Agatha Christie, David Suchet (Narrator)

A short story by Agatha Christie featuring the duo of Mr. Satterthwaite and the mysterious Mr. Quin.

Confusion reigns when Sir James Dwighton is murdered, and illicit love results in too many confessions. Luckily, his broken clock tells the tale--or does it? It all starts as Mr. Satterthwaite and Colonel Melrose are enjoying an evening in the latter's study and the phone rings. Inspector Curtis is calling Chief Constable Melrose to ask him to come to Alderway immediately. It's murder. Melrose asks Satterthwaite to come along and, after a little fender-bender, Mr. S suggests asking Harley Quin too. Can the trio work it out?

Librarian's note #1: this entry is for, The Love Detectives. It can be found in the collections, Problem at Pollensa Bay and Other Stories and, Three Blind Mice and Other Stories.

Librarian's note #2: the story was first published in Flynn's Weekly (1926).

Librarian's note #3: the print anthology contains 12 Mr. Quin short stories. Besides those, there are two more found in other collections: The Love Detectives, and The Harlequin Tea Set. Mr. Satterthwaite also appears in Three Act Tragedy and Dead Man's Mirror. All by Agatha Christie, of course!

Librarian's note #4: the entries for all fourteen Mr. Quin short stories can be found on GR by searching for: a Harley Quin short story. Or for Harley Quin. Details such as characters and settings are included for each.

Genres: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Short Stories, Crime, Classics, Fiction, Audiobook

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1926

About the author

Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.

This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.

Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sir James Dwighton is found dead, the victim of a vicious murder.
His wife and her lover should be the obvious suspects but after they both clumsily confess to the murder in what looks like an effort of each to protect the other, the police begin to think that there may be someone else running around with a motive to kill.



As you all know, things are never what they seem.
Mr. Satterwaite is visiting his friend, Colonel Melrose, and the two of them tag along with the authorities to the site of the murder. <--as you used to be able to do, apparently.
Luckily for True Love, Mr. Quin shows up in time to push Mr. Satterthwaite, & the police in the right direction.



This short was first published in magazines in 1926 and showed up in 1950 as part of the short story collection Three Blind Mice and Other Stories.

Mr. Satterthwaite can also be found in The Mysterious Mr. Quin, Three Act Tragedy, and the Hercule Poirot short story Dead Man's Mirror.
Colonel Melrose shows up in The Secret of Chimneys & The Seven Dials Mystery.

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onlooker at life Mr. Satterthwaite is visiting Colonel Melrose as The Love Detectives begins. A country gentleman, Colonel Melrose also serves as Chief Constable for the area. During Satterthwaite’s visit, Sir James Dwighton is discovered murdered in his library, sending the colonel and Mr. Satterthwaite rushing off to see about the matter.

Mr. Satterthwaite is excited, ruminating during the frantic drive about the beautiful young red-haired Laura, who disturbingly brings to mind — for no apparent reason — Lucrezia Borgia. Before Satterthwaite can consider the matter at any length however, their frantic pace results in a small smash-up. Guess who is driving the other car? That’s right — Mr. Quin!

Well of course Satterthwaite is delighted, and even more excited, telling Colonel Melrose all about Mr. Quin, and how he concerns himself with matters of love. Of course there is a murder to investigate, but there is a bit lighter tone to this one in regard to the supernaturalness of Mr. Quin.

There is the pretty Laura, who is just as described, reminding Satterthwaite of the Renaissance. But there is also a couple of servants, plus the darkly handsome Paul Delangua. The murder weapon? Well of course it’s a bronze Venus, the Goddess of Love. Then suddenly, everyone is confessing to the crime…

While not as mysterious or as atmospheric as some other Mr. Quin & Mr. Satterthwaite tales, this one is very enjoyable, with some nice interactions between the two old friends in this fine short story.

Chronologically, The Love Detectives falls just after At the Bells and Motley, with Sattherthwaite commenting about his most recent encounter with his old friend Mr. Quin in this one. At one point in fact, Satterthwaite finds a strange similarity between Mr. Quin’s dress and motley. Not included in The Mysterious Mr. Quin collection, completists will want to track it down. It is also available in the Problem at Pollensa Bay collection of stories. Highly recommended for fans.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. In trying to complete my readings and reviews of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot novels and short stories, a task in itself, I keep bumping into Agatha Christie's lesser characters, Parker Pyne and Harley Quin. This story first appeared in 1926 as At the Crossroads in Flynn's Weekly in the US. I read it under it's final name in the 2011 William Morrow edition of Three Blind Mice and Other Stories released in 1950. Quin is somewhat mysterious. He's an acquaintance of Mr. Satterthwaite. Chief Constable Colonel Melrose and Satterthwaite were enjoying a quiet evening when they were interrupted by a call reporting a gruesome murder; together they rush to Alderway to determine who bashed Sir James Dwighton over the head. In their haste they had a small fender-bender with Quin, and asked him to come along. The crime may be a love triangle. You know the usual, an older man, a beautiful, younger wife, and her secret suitor. But it gets complicated as the exact timing becomes more and more confusing. And then everyone confesses! Too many guilty parties and not enough evidence. Oh there was one clue. Did you catch it? A good read. (Mar2021/Se2025)

[Lovely Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

A man is found murdered…but both his wife and his friend claim to be the murderer…

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Mr Satterthwaite was on the quiz show ‘Mastermind’ he would be introduced as someone who is an onlooker at life with the specialist subject of observing human nature.
Spending a quiet evening with Colonel Melrose a phone call has them dashing to the home of a social friend Sir James Dwighton who has been found dead by his butler.

An accidental bumping into Mr Quin adds a third person to those seeking to make sense of the crime scene.

Mr Satterthwaite is the key to solving the mystery where Harley Quin is the means by his probing questions and turn of phrase.

I really enjoy the interaction between these two characters who Christie uses to bring light to another murder mystery where potentially the killer can avoid justice and the wrong person is sentenced to death by hanging.

Beautifully collated and plotted despite being just a short story. The denouement never disappoints and the author always seems to reveal a clue in plain sight we humble readers invariably missed.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🏠😉📯😮✨

This kindle e-book novella is from Amazon for $0.99

Two gentlemen are having an evening when a phone call sends them to a murder. There is a lot of misdirection leading to the conclusion.

I would recommend this novella and author to fans of Agatha Christie novels 😎😃 2024 😆

[Bekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very clever, and with a great pace. I figured it out before it was revealed, but that didn't take away from the experience because it was fun to watch the cogs screech as the rest of them all tried to put the pieces together. It might have been predictable, but it was highly entertaining in the telling.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but funny. I liked this one.

[Emma Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars - Ah! The twist in this one was marvelous! I did not see it coming at all. I am loving these short stories!

[Susy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Carole Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful Quin/Satterthwaite short story. Mr. Quin's subtlety and powers of suggestion are quite clever. Christie shines in this format, including such rich detail that characters and setting come alive. I suspected how this English manor house mystery would resolve, but the journey was so much fun!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those Kindle downloads that turned out to be more of a short story than a novel. But it was good entertainment.

[Linda Collings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick story

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for this story very much. The plot was identical to Murder at the Vicarage, just with different characters.

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not all that great. Christie's stories shine in her novels, and even more so in David Suchet's television movie productions. Just wasn't that impressed.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is listed as the 13th Mr Quin story, but chronologically, it takes place BEFORE Lover’s Lane, and feels like it takes place around the same time as Bird With a Broken Wing or The Man from the Sea.

I really enjoyed the theatrical feel. I read this way back in the 1980’s, when I first discovered Agatha Christie, and was disappointed then that the murderers used the same ruse as was used in Murder At The Vicarage. Still disappointed now. lol There’s also some xenophobic character description. But it is still a good murder mystery—I do love how Mr Quin gently encourages Mr S to use his extremely well-honed powers of observation and sense of people to figure things out. And there were good twists with the clocks.

[As You Wish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harley Quin returns! Although this story wasn’t my favourite (World’s End would be that), there is always this delightful element of the chance meeting that saves a life. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t in this case, as we are left to wonder at the end.

[Alinnarossa · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't fancy cheating trope but people do make mistakes. the wife's consciousness at the end that said that she owed her husband loyalty even when she didn't love him really hit me.

[Beka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the twist in this one, though I think the reader would have had to have read many mysteries themselves perhaps to fully appreciate its cleverness.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story with a fun twist.

[Charlene - Coffee and a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

There isn’t much to say about this one since it’s a short story, but I did really enjoy this one. Like many of the other Harley Quin mysteries, I didn’t figure this one out. But then again, I’m not usually trying to figure out the mystery in short stories because there just isn’t enough time to gather all the information and figure it out before the characters do. It is a really good story though and I enjoyed the final reveal.


Content:
• Sexual Content – a woman was having an affair
• Violence – a man is killed by having his head crushed in with a statue (results seen on page, not the attack)

[Holly Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Harley Quin short story by the late great Dame Agatha Christie. I quite enjoyed it. A man murdered in his Library 2 people confess to the killing...Neither are believed can you figure out how it could have been done?? Read this story and find out :)

[a ☕︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

the villains are easy to guess, but that doesn’t make this any less enjoyable. simply put, love detectives is an aristocrat bashed over the head w a venus statue. following his murder, quite a few confessions are made, which obviously creates a quandary for mr. quin. it also has a littleee romance as well as elaborate char descriptions (as agatha is wont to do), see: “a pure renaissance type. she acted in those theatricals—the charity matinee, you know, last spring. i was very much struck. nothing modern about her—a pure survival. one can imagine her in the doge’s palace, or as lucrezia borgia.” my fave type of char portrait

[Brianna Bello · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was decent. I liked that the two tried to take the blame for the other. Saying he was killed by being shot and then he was killed by being stabbed. When in reality it was neither. Them discovering who really did it by looking at the watch was impressive. It just didn’t catch my attention like I was hoping.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This audiobook is narrated by Hugh Fraser.

[laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok story. Hugh Fraser's narration made it much better.

[Israt Iram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was short and amusing

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars.

[Millie Camp · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short story, but still slapped.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent little short mystery.