The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories

by Agatha Christie

An eleven-story collection of some of the best short stories written by Agatha Christie.

The title story in this mystery collection revolves around the case of a man charged with the murder of a wealthy elderly woman. It is a gripping tale of courtroom suspense with a dazzling double climax. Other stories range from the strange tale of a French peasant girl with four personalities, to one with the letters S.O.S. scrawled in dust on a nightstand. There's another about a blue Chinese jar and its connection to a murdered woman. There's even one which features Hercule Poirot (The Second Gong).

Each is suspenseful, each is different. These are tales of brutal murder, brilliant criminals and detectives, and love in the face of death. Together they showcase the versatility and genius of Dame Agatha Christie.

Librarian's note: the eleven stories are: 1. The Witness for the Prosecution, 2. The Red Signal, 3. The Fourth Man, 4. S.O.S., 5. Wireless, 6. The Mystery of the Blue Jar, 7. Sing a Song of Sixpence, 8. Mr. Eastwood's Adventure, 9. Philomel Cottage, 10. Accident, and 11. The Second Gong.

Librarian's note #2: this entry is for the collection. There are separate entries for each of the stories; characters, settings and GR reviews for each of them can be found there.

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

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

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

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining collection of Christie's short stories. I usually enjoy her novels more than her short fiction, but I did really like these. The title story, “The Witness for the Prosecution,” is perhaps my favorite — that twist at the end was completely unexpected! I also enjoyed that some of these stories veer ever so slightly into supernatural territory, which is a fun change of pace for Dame Agatha's tales.

There is one Hercule Poirot story in the bunch, “The Second Gong.” It's an interesting enough piece, but it's also simply an older, shorter version of “Dead Man's Mirror” from Murder in the Mews. If you've already read Mews, there's not much new here on the Poirot front.

Anyway, The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories is definitely my new favorite short story collection from the “Queen of Crime.” It's twisty and turny and tremendously entertaining, and it's a must-read for any Christie aficionado. 4.4 stars, rounded down.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome collection of Agatha's short stories.
I know I seem to say that about all of these collections, but this one has quite a few stories in it that you don't get to read very often. I would personally love to own this book!

Accident
An overzealous cop pokes his nose in the wrong spot.



The Fourth Man
This one was an incredibly inaccurate portrayal of dissociative identity disorder (multiple personalities) AND hypnotism but it was so entertaining! Bananas plot about a woman with DID that killed herself. Or was she actually killing someone else?
A wacky must-read.



The Mystery of the Blue Jar
Young Jack Hartington investigates the supernatural.
It all starts as he passes by a cottage and hears a cry of Help! Murder! and runs to check it out.
When he gets closer he sees a beautiful girl just...weeding the flower bed or some such shit. No murderer. No one in need of his aid.
Every day for 3 days he passes the cottage and hears the same thing. And every time he runs to help. And every time the beautiful girl looks at him like he's crazy.



The Mystery of the Spanish Shawl (a.k.a. Mr Eastwood's Adventure)
Anthony Eastwood has writer's block.
His (hopefully) soon-to-be-written story The Mystery of the Second Cucumber is right there...on the tip of his typewriter!
His writer's block is interrupted when he gets a phone call from a desperate-sounding woman who mistakes him for someone called Conrad Fleckman, and then begs him to meet her at a secret location.
LIFE ANd DEATH!
What the hell, it's not like he's doing anything anyway, right?



Philomel Cottage
Bluebeard gets an ass beating!
Alix Martin comes into a bit of money and a whirlwind romance at the same time.
Her long-time man-friend, Dick, is acting weird after she inherits a bit of cash from a relative and they have a falling out.
Meanwhile, she runs into the handsome Geral and they fall in love and get married, against Dick's warnings that she doesn't know him well enough.



The Red Signal
What is a Red Signal?
Dermot West tries to explain the concept to a group of people at a dinner party as a premonition he sometimes feels before he's in danger. When one of the guests, Sir Arlington, tells him it's all hogwash, Raymond tells of the time his Red Signal warned him before he was almost killed in Mesopotamia.
However, he doesn't tell anyone that he's actually felt that same warning sign before he came there tonight.



The Second Gong
If you're a Christie fan you're probably going to look at this and think, didn't I already read this story?
Well, yes and no.
The Second Gong was originally published in 1932 in The Ladies Home Journal and added into some of Christie's short story collections.
BUT then later it was expanded upon and turned into the novella, Dead Man's Mirror. You can find that one in the Murder in the Mews collection.



Sing a Song of Sixpence
So 10 years ago on a boat trip, the now retired barrister Sir Edward Palliser met and made love to the 17 year old Magdalen Vaughan. He was nearing 60 at the time of their affair and was enchanted by her eagerness and hero worship of him.
Ye gods, Agatha!



Scrape away the dirty old man and it's a good mystery.

S.O.S.
Mortimer Cleveland is a paranormal researcher.
When his car breaks down, he stops and knocks on the door of a nearby house that belongs to the Dinsmeads. It doesn't take him long to sense that something is wrong, but he can't put his finger on what exactly it is.
Is there something supernaturally sinister about this home or is the evil a little more human in nature?
Can it possibly be a little bit of both?
Sure. Why not.



Where There's a Will (a.k.a. Wireless)
An older woman with a heart problem is persuaded to buy a wireless radio by her favorite nephew and finds she really enjoys listening to the programs in the evening.
As we all do.



The Witness for the Prosecution
LOVE THE ENDING!
This one is juicy.
A rich old lady is found dead and all signs point toward Leonard Vole, a young man who has been paying her special attention, as she had apparently changed her will and he stands to inherit a good deal of money.
Did he kill her?
All signs point to yes.
But his attorney, Mr. Mayhew, isn't convinced that he's actually guilty. Especially once he pays a visit to Leonard's wife, Romaine. <--yes, like the lettuce



Highly Recommended!

[Mohammed Arabey · Rating 4 out of 5]

ما السر الذي يجعل امي تري ان "قصص" أجاثا كريستي التي قراتها في صغرها بالستينات هي قراءة اساسية لي ايضا بعدها بعقود؟

حسنا، لأن قصص وروايات أجاثا كريستي فعلا تساعد في تنشيط وتحفيز العقل
وهذه القصص القصيرة العشر "شاهد الأدعاء وقصص اخري" العابرة للازمان واللغات خير دليل

ما بين الخطط العبقرية، وتحليل الشخصيات وردود افعالهم، معلومات عن الاضطرابات النفسية والعصبية والروحية
الحاسة السادسة والحدس، الصدف، قوة العقل الباطن، الانفصام وتعدد الشخصيات، التنويم المغناطيسي، النصب والحيل
والنهايات المفاجأة الغير متوقعة حتي بالنسبة لقصص قصيرة
ظهور بوارو في قصة قصيرة عبقرية كعادته..وقصص لا تتخطي الثلاثين صفحة لكنها تصلح فيلما كاملا

كل هذا يجعل اجاثا كريستي متوجة كملكة الجريمة لعقود مضت ولعقود قادمة
وكل قراءتها دوما محفزة للخلايا الرمادية بالعقلy



محمد العربي
من 10 مايو 2018
الي 11 مايو 2018

-تقييم القصص القصيرة بالاستيتس-

[Simona B · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Witness for the Prosecution" alone deserves a thousand stars. Absolutely brilliant, one of the best short stories I've ever read, of any genre. I also loved "The Fourth Man", a little atypical and utterly creepy as it is, and "Philomel Cottage," which made me happy with its references to the Bluebeard legend and One Thousand and One Nights. But also "Wireless" and "The Red Signal"... in short, I just found two or three stories just below average (Christie's average, which is not the same as that of the rest of the world) but the collection, in general, is stellar. And I said, the title story is a little masterpiece.

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Witness for the Prosecution - 5/5

Leonard Vole is very adamant towards his solicitor, he did not murder Miss Emily French. But his solicitor worries that it won’t be easy to convince people of his innocence. As Leonard Vole recounts the events that have led to this moment, something stands out.

Interesting and very gripping. It’s rather short, but it’s interesting twist after twist. This story keeps you hooked from start to finish. And what an ending. Absolutely brilliant!


The Red Signal - 4/5

Dermot West says he gets red signals that warn him of imminent danger. At a séance, a ghost warns him not to go home. So of course he goes home. But then he finds himself in a world of trouble.

Definitely a story of its time, with the séance. The supernatural part is used well here. And I did not see the twist coming, which is always a good thing.


The Fourth Man - 3/5

Three men in a train compartment start talking about the strange life and suicide of a girl who suffered from having multiple personalities. But there’s a fourth man in the compartment, listening to every word they’re saying.

A bit weird but interesting tale that can keep you hooked as you want to find out the truth.


S.O.S. - 4/5

Mr and Mrs Dinsmead and their children are having their dinner when a stranger knocks on their door. His car has broken down and it’s raining, so he asks if he can come in. When the man enters the house, he can tell something is wrong.

Is the house haunted or is there something else going on? A short story that grabs you and flirts with the supernatural.


Where There's a Will - 4/5

Mary Harter, an old lady with a weak heart, is told to stop worrying so much. To provide her with some distraction, her nephew buys her a radio. Despite her reluctance in the beginning, she starts to enjoy listening to the shows. But all of a sudden, she hears her dead husband’s voice on the radio.

Such a strong concept. Interesting characters. It immediately hooks you. The flirting with the supernatural is done well. While one twist is a bit predictable, the story still ends on a high note.


The Mystery of the Blue Jar – 3,5/5

Jack Hartington is a young man who is playing golf when he hears a woman shouting for help as someone has been murdered. When Jack confronts the only other person in the vicinity, she tells him that she didn’t shout for help. She didn’t even hear someone else shouting for help.

It’s a good concept that provides both us and the main character with a little mystery worth solving. I also like how the woman makes Jack doubt himself. It makes us doubt him too. Is he an unreliable narrator? Is he being manipulated by her? Or is there something else going on?


Philomel Cottage – 2,5/5

Alix is a woman who married a man she got engaged with just a week after they first met. Her colleague who she’s had a romance with and who still has feelings for her warns her that she married too soon. And she dreams of her colleague killing her husband so they can be together.

Good twist, but not my kind of story. This is probably just personal preference though.


Accident – 3,5/5

Retired policeman Inspector Evans never forgets a face. He recognizes a woman who was once suspected of poisoning her husband. Even though she was never convicted, he’s sure of her guilt. So he decides to investigate her new life.

I like how Agatha Christie tries to make us look one way, while she’s actually trying to pull the rug out from under us. Interesting little story that feels a bit like a cat and mouse game.

[Jay Schutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I bought this book at a used bookstore, I thought it was a stand-alone book. What I found out was that it was a collection of nine short stories by Dame Aggie. A nice surprise.
Reading Christie's stories in condensed form was a treat. Not too many red herrings, just the facts. Our favorite detective, Poirot, showed up in one of them.
Very good and recommended.

[KSS · Rating 3 out of 5]

أحد أعظم مشاهد المسلسل الأمريكى "breaking bad" حين يقرر مستر والت أن يصارح زوجته سكايلر متخلصاً من تبريره المستمر لأفعاله وتصرفاته؛ ليعلن للمرة الأولى عن الدوافع الحقيقية لتصرفاته، والتي ليست أبدا مصلحة عائلته أو تأمين مستقبل أولاده، وإنما وفقط هذا السبب: نفسه، أنه وجد حياته في ذلك، وأنه وجد فيما يفعله قيمة ترضي غروره وكبرياءه.
هذا بالضبط ما فعله مستر مايهيو .. كان أكبر تركيزه على تبرئة ليونارد فول بغض النظر عن بعض التفاصيل البسيطة التى لم ينتبه لها.
حقيقةً حبكة ليونارد فول وزوجته كانت فى غاية التعقيد لكن مايهيو شأنه شأن الكثير من التقنيين (كمحامى) الباحثين عن الانتصار الذاتى وإرضاء غرورهم وكبرياءهم.
القصة فى نسختها هذه تبدو مبتورة قليلاً ومنقوصة وكان لا بد من إضافة بعض التفاصيل إليها.
لن أحرق أحداث القصة لمن لم يقرأها وأُذكر أن هذه هى أول قراءاتى لأجاثا كريستى ونجحت فى العصف بى وسأكرر القراءة لها.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THE ENDING!
This one is juicy.
A rich old lady is found dead and all signs point toward Leonard Vole, a young man who has been paying her special attention, as she had apparently changed her will and he stands to inherit a good deal of money.
Did he kill her?
All signs point to yes.
But his attorney, Mr. Mayhew, isn't convinced that he's actually guilty. Especially once he pays a visit to Leonard's wife, Romaine. <--yes, like the lettuce



Leonard swears she can give him an alibi for the time of the murder, but when Mayhew speaks to her, it's obvious to him that she's a bitter woman who can't wait to see her lover hanged.
Even if she has to lie on the witness stand to do it.



The ending to this one was abrupt and shocking - and I loved it!
After Mr. Mayhew gets the evidence to prove Romaine has lied on the witness stand and has freed his client, it looks like all is well.
BUT THEN!
Romaine looks Mayhew dead in the eye and admits to lying on the stand. But NOT because she knew he was innocent.
Because she knew he was guilty.
And she also knew the jury wouldn't believe her if she gave him an alibi and they thought she loved him. But if they thought she hated him and was trying to get him put away for murder?
Oh yeah.
They'd believe that she was being vindictive and that he was innocent.
WHAT?!



Published in Flynn's Weekly in 1925, the story was originally titled Traitor's Hands. Christie was unhappy with her ending (a murderer getting away with murder is not something you see often in her books) so when she later turned it into a play, she changed it up so that Vole had a secret lover who appeared at the end and Romaine, in a fit of jealousy, stabs him as he's leaving the courtroom.
However, I prefer the shock of the original.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

[Jill H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book from my shelves to read only one of the stories, Witness for the Prosecution. I consider this one of the best of the Christie short stories and it doesn't even contain any of the regulars (Poirot, Marple, Quin,et al). And it was made into an equally excellent film with some additional characters and a slightly different ending but did not veer from the final solution.

A young man is accused of murdering a rich elderly woman with whom he has formed a relationship and the cards are stacked against him. But his barrister (and the reader) has strong feelings that he is innocent and starts digging for clues that will support his alibi. There is a lot of information packed into this little story which will take you about 30 minutes to read but it is a masterpiece that may keep you guessing until the famous final line. This is a true little gem from the grande dame of mystery writers.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

““The Witness for the Prosecution and other stories” is a collection of 11 short stories, each published between 1924 and 1932.

It is a brilliant collection.

I do recommend the audiobook narrated by Hugh Fraser and Christopher Lee. It was a pleasure reading the book while listening to the actor’s impersonation.

Here is a list of the stories included in this book with the dates of each release:

“The Witness for the Prosecution” was first published in the USA as “Traitor Hands” in Flynn’s Weekly, 31 January 1925. - This is a brilliant story! It was adapted for the screen, in 1957 and the movie received 6 nods for the Oscar (not a winner). It was also adapted for the TV in 2016, as a mini series, but a version extremely dramatic and very different from the book, but still quite entertaining.

“The Red Signal” was first published in Grand Magazine, June 1924.

“The Fourth Man” was first published in Pearson’s Magazine, December 1925.

“S.O.S.” was first published in Grand Magazine, February 1926.

“Wireless” was first published in the Sunday Chronicle Annual 1925, September 1925.

“The Mystery of the Blue Jar” was first published in Grand Magazine, July 1924.

“Sing a Song of Sixpence” was first published in Holly Leaves (published by Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News), 2 December 1929.

“Mr. Eastwood’s Adventure” was first published as “The Mystery of the Second Cucumber” in The Novel Magazine, August 1924. It also appeared later as “The Mystery of the Spanish Shawl.”

“Philomel Cottage” was first published in Grand Magazine, November 1924.

“Accident” was first published as “The Uncrossed Path” in The Sunday Dispatch, 22 September 1929.

“The Second Gong” (a story with Hercule Poirot) was first published in the USA in Ladies’ Home Journal, June 1932, and then in Strand Magazine, July 1932. It was later expanded into “Dead Man’s Mirror” for the book Murder in the Mews (Collins, March 1937).

This was a re-read for me, but first time in English. I read it during my early teens, a version translated into Portuguese.
I confess that I did not remember any of the stories, so I was very pleased.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I Get a Witness?
A review of the Samuel French / Concord Theatricals paperback (January 22, 2014) of the Samuel French playscript (1953) adapted from the original short story (January 31, 1935).

ROMAINE. You do not know that I am devoted to Leonard, of your own knowledge, do you, Sir Wilfrid? (She smiles.)
SIR WILFRID. (Slightly disconcerted.) No, no, that is of course true. But your husband told me.
ROMAINE. Leonard told you how devoted I was to him?
SIR WILFRID. Indeed, he spoke of your devotion in the most moving terms.
ROMAINE. Men, I often think, are very stupid.

Although I saw the play a few years ago I didn't get around to reading it until my current Complete Agatha Christie binge read. Partially that was because of feeling hoodwinked by the false advertising of an Amazon eBook which promised the play but only delivered the short story. I 1-star reviewed that edition as Caveat emptor.

I do think of Witness... as one of the top Agatha Christie twist endings, even if it is not from one of the novels. The seemingly hapless Leonard Vole is accused of the murder of the elderly Emily French whom he had been regularly visiting. Vole is discovered to be the beneficiary of French's considerable fortune. Vole says he has a solid alibi as he was home with his wife Romaine Vole. But suddenly it is revealed that instead of being a witness for the defense, Romaine Vole is instead a witness for the prosecution!

Lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC is left scrambling for the defense when suddenly yet a different witness appears. But are they all they claim to be? It all ends in a dramatic courtroom showdown with a twist reveal.


Stage photo of the Shaw Festival 2024 production starring Maria McLean as Romaine Vole. Photo sourced from Emily Cooper/Shaw Festival.

Programme booklet for the Shaw Festival production of "Witness for the Prosecution" in 2024. Source own photo.

This reading counts against my Complete Agatha Christie binge goal, so I have 21 novels (if I include the 6 published under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott), 5 short story collections, 11.5* theatrical plays (+ several harder to find 1-act radio plays) and 1 autobiography left to go.

Footnote
* I am counting Towards Zero stage play version #1 (1945) and Towards Zero stage play version #2 (1956) each as 1/2 of a play.

Soundtrack
It is nothing to do with the story and play, but my lede header was inspired by the Holland-Dozier-Holland song Can I Get a Witness (1963) originally performed by Marvin Gaye which you can listen to on YouTube here or on Spotify here.

Trivia and Links
Witness for the Prosecution has been adapted several times for theatrical film, TV-film and TV-series. Almost all of the adaptations rename Romaine Vole as Christine Vole.
The best known adaptation is the Witness for the Prosecution (1957) movie directed by Billy Wilder with Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich.
See the complete list of theatrical film and TV adaptations at Wikipedia here.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 1 out of 5]

Caveat emptor - Beware of this edition
Review of the General Press Kindle ebook edition (September 5, 2022) of the original short story (January 31, 1925).

[the 1 star is for deceptive advertising and to warn people about this edition, otherwise the story would be a 4 star]
Canada's Shaw Festival 2024 is featuring Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution: A Play in Three Acts (1953) in its program this year. I always enjoy reading a play either before or after seeing a production in order to better appreciate the nuances between the page and the stage. So it seemed like a signal from the fates when The Witness for the Prosecution was offered yesterday as a Kindle Deal of the Day for 99 cents. And the deal seemed to offer both the original short story AND the play with a count of 197 pages. Sounds like a bargain right?


The Amazon listing for this edition of "The Witness for the Prosecution." Image sourced from Amazon.

Well, what you get here is ONLY the short story in 20 pages. That's it except for several pages of filler advertising. So for 99 cents still a reasonable bargain, but between Amazon and Goodreads (where it is merged with a Hercule Poirot #28 short story collection which really is 197 pages) the casual buyer is sure to feel hoodwinked.

The original short story does still give you the jist of the plot which most people likely know either through the Witness for the Prosecution (1957) movie directed by Billy Wilder with Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich or the several more recent TV productions. It is certainly up there with the best of Agatha Christie's twist endings, especially so in the original story. But as for this edition, know what you are getting before you buy.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

- The Witness For The Prosecution - 5/5
- Accident - 5/5
- The Fourth Man - 3/5
- The Mystery of the Blue Jar - 4/5
- Mr Eastwood's Adventure - 3.5/5
- Philomel Cottage - 5/5
- The Red Signal - 4.5/5
- The Second Dong - 3/5
- Sing a Song of Sixpence - 3/5
- S.O.S. - 4/5
- Wireless - 3.5/5
- Poirot and the Regatta Mystery - 4/5

[Alejandra Arévalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una vez más la edición de la portada y contraportada no explican que esta no es una novela sino una serie de relatos. Bueno, un poco, pero puedes irte con la finta. El primero es el que toma el título, los demás son muchos experimentos bonitos de Agatha Christie donde se burla y en ocasiones es escabrosa y coquetea con el terror. Un excelente libro para adentrarte al estilo de la autora ✍️

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agatha Christie is back with another set of short stories, all full of murder and mayhem for the reader to enjoy. Retired Belgian detective Hercule Poirot makes himself known, though is not front and centre in this collection. Christie’s various murderous scenarios keep the reader highly entertained and eager to solve things. A great addition to the series for those who enjoy mystery.

The central (and title) story surrounded the legal case of a gentleman on trial for the murder of an elderly woman. With a seemingly slam dunk case against him, the man is in a panic. However, nothing is quite as it seems and one witness derails the presumptive guilt. In the courtroom, chaos ensues and the truth comes out. Other stories include French peasant girl whose four personalities create layers of confusion, an "SOS" etched in dust next to a discovered body, and a blue Chinese jar with an odd connection to a murder victim. These are classic Christie and provide a little mental game for Poirot to solve when he appears during a latter piece.

I have long enjoyed the Poirot series, both full novels and short stories. Agatha Christie is able to build great mysteries with quick narratives, all while never losing the momentum. There is nothing like a short story to get the mind racing, with a collection sure to have me juggling ideas. Strong characters provide wonderful flavour to the story and left me eager to see how they would fit into the larger series. A wonderful reprieve from my regular reading agenda. I will be back for more Poirot soon.

Kudos Madam Christie, for never losing your skill or ability to dazzle.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of these stories contain supernatural elements and are wonderfully read by Christopher Lee. It's organized so that he reads the first six stories and then, Hugh Fraser (my favorite narrator of the Poirot series) reads the final five stories.

The stories in order:
1. Witness for the Prosecution - one of my favorites and includes a clever twist. My favorite version for television stars Toby Jones.
2. The Red Signal - features madness and murder.
3. The Fourth Man - features self-strangulation and a person with multiple personalities.
4. SOS - a case of being in the right place at the right time to stop a crime.
5. Wireless (aka Where There's a Will) - A 'loving' nephew purchases a radio for an elderly aunt with a heart condition.
6. The Mystery of the Blue Jar - enjoyable and intriguing
7. Sing a Song of Sixpence - which member of the family killed Miss Crabtree?
8. Mr. Eastwood's Adventure - this one is my favorite. It begins with an author musing on titling his book, "The Mystery of the Second Cucumber."
9. Philomel Cottage - newly weds move into a cottage, which one will outlive the other?
10. Accident - a wicked, clever woman outfoxes a policeman.
11. The Second Gong - the only story featuring Hercule Poirot. Woe betide anyone who misses the second gong for dinner. This is a locked room mystery and quite delightful.

[Nandakishore Mridula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title story is one of Dame Agatha's best - the twist at the end is absolutely breathtaking. In the famous play based on this story, she added another twist so that she would not have to deceive the viewers about the characters: read the story first, then read or watch the play. You will understand and salute her mastery.

"Philomel Cottage" was one story I really loved - I wonder why Hitchcock did not make a movie out of it! It's a masterpiece in suspense. "Accident" is also a chilling vignette.

"Wireless" is a classic black comedy, where the villain gets his comeuppance in a really humorous way (and no, that's not a spoiler!).

"The Mystery of the Blue Jar" and "Mr. Eastwood's Adventure" are tales cast in the same mould. The astute reader will guess the mystery easily, but enjoyable all the same.

I don't remember much of the others. There were a couple with a touch of the supernatural which I didn't particularly enjoy.

[Rodrigo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro de relatos en uno de los cuales sale Poirot y es el que más me gustó, a continuación mi puntuación:
Accidente 2/5
El cuarto hombre 3/5
El misterio del jarrón azul 2/5
La aventura del señor Eastwood 3/5
Villa Ruiseñor 3/5
La señal roja 3/5
El segundo gong 4/5
el cantar por seis peniques 2/5
S.O.S 3/5
¿Donde está el testamento? 3/5
Testigo de cargo 3/5
Media: 2.8 redondeo 3/5

[Zai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hace muchos años años que leí este libro y entonces como no me gustaban mucho los libros de relatos, no valoré esta novela en su justa medida.

Esta novela está compuesta por nueve relatos, todos muy buenos, por decir alguno, el que me ha gustado menos ha sido El misterio del jarrón azul.

Me ha gustado mucho reencontrarme con Agatha y sobre todo, releer un libro que no recordaba tanto.

[Joy D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of eleven short stories written between 1924 and 1932. Even though it is labeled as Poirot #28, you do not need to read the twenty-seven previous books first. There is very little of Poirot, only a couple stories even mention him (e.g., The Second Gong, a locked room mystery). My favorite is the title story, The Witness for the Prosecution. It is told by the defense attorney for a man who has been accused of murder. It is a clever story with a twist or two, and I am impressed by the author’s ability to condense a larger complex story into a succinct narrative. The other stories are entertaining. I particularly enjoyed The Accident. As is the case in most short story collections, I liked some more than others. I am not a big fan of the supernatural, and there are a few of those (The Red Signal, The Fourth Man). All in all, I’d say it is a better-than-average set of enticing mysteries.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catching up with the classics

[Tim Orfanos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Αυτό το πασίγνωστο αστυνομικό θεατρικό έργο της Άγκαθα Κρίστι δεν θα πρέπει να λείπει από την βιβλιοθήκη κανενός φαν της αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας ή του θεάτρου. Οι διάλογοι 'τσακίζουν', τα πρόσωπα έχουν μοναδικότητα και αντιθέσεις στην προσωπικότητα, ενώ το παιχνίδι της απάτης δεν ήταν ποτέ τόσο αδίστακτο και ύπουλο.

Βαθμολογία: 4,5/5 ή 9/10.

[Ricardo Carrión Libros · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agatha Christie es de mis escritoras favoritas. Al igual que sus novelas, sus cuentos son fenomenales, pero cuando incursiona en temáticas sobrenaturales sobre fantasmas, espíritus y posesiones su calidad baja notablemente ya que generalmente los desenlaces se atribuyen a lo sobrenatural y deja de lado lo estratégico de un relato criminal. En este compendio de nueve relatos solo uno presenta dicha característica, el resto me parecieron bastante buenos. Testigo de cargo, cuento que le da el título a este libro es en mi opinión el mejor de todos. Otros relatos se inclinan a lo sobrenatural, pero finalmente se relacionan con lo criminal logrando un gran efecto y sorprendiendo con sus finales.

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all I liked most of the stories in this collection. The story starring Poirot was the weakest in my opinion.

"Witness for the Prosecution" (5 stars)-A lawyer is trying to keep his client from the gallows. The man says his wife can prove that he was home at the time an elderly women was murdered. The wife seems feel of spite for some reason. A mysterious witness swears she can prove the man's innocence. The ending will knock your socks off.

"The Red Signal" (5 stars)-A dinner party leaves a man with the horrible feeling that something horrible is about to happen.

"The Fourth Man" (4 stars)-I did like that the story revolved around a man who knew the backstory to a famed woman with multiple personalities. I still don't really understand though the how behind some of this. No spoilers. Still a very good short story.

"S.O.S." (3.5 stars)-This one was so confusing. I had to read it through twice to just make out what was going on. A man stays at a cottage with a family and finds that someone wrote S.O.S. in dust in a nightstand in the bedroom he is staying in.

"Wireless" (3.5 stars)-A tale about greed that ends on a surprising note. I really did like the ending to this one since it reminds me of a type of ending that the show Tales from the Crypt would have done.

"The Mystery of the Blue Jar" (3 stars)-I thought the main character in this one was not that smart. The ending proved it. It felt a bit rushed to me too since once again I thought it was way too much set up for something that may not have worked out in the end. So what would have been the back-up plan?

"Sing a Song of Sixpence" (4 stars)-Honestly the ending cracked me up. A retired attorney is called upon by a young woman "he made love" to to help out figuring out who murdered her aunt. The lawyer in question spends a good deal of time talking about how she's not as attractive as she was when she was young. The reveal to who did the crime was interesting. I just laughed at the ending to this.

"The Mystery of the Spanish Shawl" (3 stars)-A man receives a phone call telling him he has to go and save a woman's life. I once again question the main character's intelligence. Even I realized something weird was going on.

"Philomel Cottage" (5 stars)-A newly wed woman is starting to get harbingers of death that revolve around an older love and her new husband. I loved the ending to this one. I also found an online link to this story if you care to read it: https://www.shortstoryproject.com/phi...

"Accident" (5 stars)-This one had a really surprising ending. I enjoyed it a lot. It's about an ex-inspector who spies a woman who he believes to be a murderer. Everything that connects this woman shows that she seems to know some very unlucky people who keep having "accidents". By the end of the story you found out the truth.

"The Second Gong" (3 stars)-A locked room mystery starring Hercule Poirot. Ehh. Sorry, I was definitely not feeling this one at all. A weak ending which I thought was an above average short story collection.

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am savouring Agatha Christie’s books in publishing order. It is an asset if some books displease me, that she likely improved and modernized. For example, I liked Hercule Poirot at first but loathed him in “Poirot Investigates”. This is a short story collection too. “Witness For The Prosecution” is the title of the most famous, a TV movie as well. However, I dislike courtroom dramas and police cases and was pleased to discover the book’s title encompasses several stories. What is more, they are excellent! I set the publication date by the earliest story, 1924, however they go to 1948.

I will be honest: it irks me for anyone to call books “a quick read”. That is no compliment! The implication that work of depth is zoomed through, does not acknowledge quality. The ideas herein are all unique, except one. The only time I groaned was in discovering that the last story contained Hercule Poirot: a typical “who shot whom” puzzle. I liked him better in fully developed novels and hope to enjoy him again. The beauty of the rest of the stories, is there being no pattern to how they will go, nor can we predict the tone they will exude. I received an even better treat: some of them are paranormal in nature! I often wondered why classic mysteries were so dry, always about crime or police, and never mystical wonders. It turned out famous writers belonged to a group with rules, such as not using the paranormal in their work; the premise I enjoy most!

Agatha managed to have fun with this collection. Two or three actually began to feel too spooky! One story imparted a conclusion so delicately conveyed, that I must reread it to understand it correctly. This suite receives four stars from me!

[Palabras.desordenadas__ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5♥️😁

[Wissal H · Rating 4 out of 5]

كيف لكاتبة استطاعت الحفاظ على مكانتها و بريقها بعد كل هذه السنوات، لتبقى حقيقة لا غبار عليها أغاثا كريستي ملكة الرعب و الجريمة

في هذه الرواية الحبكة متقنة جدا كان الغموض سيد الموقف طول الوقت خلال القراءة، و النهاية كانت صادمة دون أدنى شك.

من أوائل قراءاتي في الأدب البوليسي و الفضل كل الفضل لأغاثا كريستي التي أقحمتني هذا العالم الخاص و جعلتني من عشاق هذا النوع من الروايات.

[Amr Mohamed · Rating 3 out of 5]

الواحد عشان عارف ان اغاثا استحالة تكتب قصة عادية او نهاية متوقعة فكنت طول الوقت شاكك في مفاجأة ومستنيها وتفتكروا بعد شكي ده عرفت النهاية ايه... طبعا لأ.. بس الحمد لله توقعت حاجة واحدة صح :)

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this a while back. It was an excellent short story. The only pity is that I hadn't discovered it before.

Talk about a surprise ending :)

[El desván del lector · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leer a Agatha Christie siempre es agradable. Empezar un libro suyo es toda una aventura para mí. Descubrir personajes pintorescos y característicos, así como una ambientación brutal que sienta las bases de la historia. Y después de varios libros leídos de la autora he llegado a mi primer tropiezo, y es que “Testigo de cargo” no me ha gustado.

No considero que sea un mal libro, y he disfrutado leyéndolo, pero no ha terminado de convencerme. Quizá porque no estamos ante una novela, sino ante una colección de relatos y sinceramente, de los nueve relatos que componen el libro solo me ha convencido del todo uno. Y es que aunque parten de ideas muy buenas, es en el modus operandi donde fracasan. A algunos relatos les faltan unas cuantas páginas más para que la historia quede más redonda. Otros empiezan bien y cuando consigues meterte en la historia, pum, se termina con un final forzado, muy abrupto o con una trampa que se saca la autora de la manga para finalizar y hace que el relato pierda toda su esencia.

El último relato, “El segundo Gong”, pensé que sería mi favorito ya que aparece Poirot, pero la verdad es que aunque empezó bien, según iba leyendo me saturaba muchísimo la historia, ya que es como una novela de Poirot pero comprimida en 30 páginas. Si este relato hubiese tenido más páginas o menos personajes, capaz habría quedado redondo.
El relato que más me gustó, “El accidente”, sí me pareció redondo de principio a fin, por la forma en la que está narrado y por la historia en sí, pero los otros ocho, no terminaron de convencerme del todo.

En resumen, no me parece un mal libro, pero considero que Agatha en los relatos se queda muy corta. Si en lugar de 9 relatos hubiesen sido 3 más extensos, creo que podría haber sido otra cosa. Agatha Christie es experta en presentar y desarrollar personajes y desviar nuestra atención de aquí para allá para despistarnos, y eso en un relato de 30 páginas es muy complicado. Esta vez no me has convencido Agatha, pero te seguiré leyendo, porque me encantas.