Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds: A Hercule Poirot Short Story

Written by Agatha Christie

Narrated by Hugh Fraser

Hercule Poirot is about to tuck into a very traditional English supper with his old friend Bonnington when a lone diner sparks his interest. Like clockwork, the man has eaten at the restaurant on Thursdays and Tuesdays for the last ten years, but no one on the staff knows his name. When “Old Father Time,” as they have fondly nicknamed him, suddenly stops coming, Poirot believes that he might have picked up the one essential clue that could shed light on this mysterious man. Could what Old Father Time ordered as his final meal provide the key?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Dec 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062257741

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English author of mystery fiction whose status in the genre is unparalleled. A prolific and dedicated creator, she wrote short stories, plays and poems, but her fame is due primarily to her mystery novels, especially those featuring two of the most celebrated sleuths in crime fiction, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Ms. Christie’s novels have sold in excess of two billion copies, making her the best-selling author of fiction in the world, with total sales comparable only to those of William Shakespeare or The Bible. Despite the fact that she did not enjoy cinema, almost 40 films have been produced based on her work.

Reviews for Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds

[Maureen Armstrong · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The plot is week, and predictable but the moral of the story rings true.

[Manish Tamhane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Genius plot as always by one of the greatest mystery writers of all time.

[richardderus · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The truth is this midnight library borrow took less time to read than I took watching its film; I suppose that was to be expected. It wasn't any great shakes as a mystery but it was just what I needed. Poirot being a tiny bit obtuse? Even by phone?!It wasn't great but I wasn't expecting that it would be.