The Case of the Discontented Soldier: A Parker Pyne Short Story

By Agatha Christie

When civilian life proves too dull for Major Wilbrahams, he contacts Parker Pyne to escape his boredom. Pyne's assistant arranges a chance meeting with the beautiful Freda Clegg and the two join forces, but on leaving for Africa they encounter more than they had bargained for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: May 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062212597

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976, after a prolific career spanning six decades.

Book preview

The Case of the Discontented

Soldier

A Parker Pyne Short Story

by Agatha Christie

An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

Contents

Cover

Title Page

The Case of the Discontented Soldier

About the Author

Back Ads

Copyright

About the Publisher

The Case of the Discontented Soldier

‘The Case of the Discontented Soldier’ was first published in the USA as ‘The Soldier Who Wanted Danger’ in Cosmopolitan,

August 1932, then as ‘Adventure – By Request’ in Woman’s Pictorial, 15 October 1932.

Major Wilbraham hesitated outside the door of Mr Parker Pyne’s office to read, not for the first time, the advertisement from the morning paper which had brought him there. It was simple enough:

The major took a deep breath and abruptly plunged through the swing door leading to the outer office. A plain young woman looked up from her typewriter and glanced at him inquiringly.

‘Mr Parker Pyne?’ said Major Wilbraham, blushing.

‘Come this way, please.’

He followed her into an inner office – into the presence of the bland Mr Parker Pyne.

‘Good-morning,’ said Mr Pyne. ‘Sit down, won’t you? And now tell me what I can do for you.’

‘My name is Wilbraham –’ began the other.

‘Major? Colonel?’ said Mr Pyne.

‘Major.’

‘Ah! And recently returned from abroad? India? East Africa?’

‘East Africa.’

‘A fine country, I believe. Well, so you are home again – and you don’t like it. Is that the trouble?’

‘You’re absolutely right. Though how you knew –’

Mr Parker Pyne waved an impressive hand. ‘It is my business to know. You see, for thirty-five years of my life I have been engaged in the compiling of statistics in a government office. Now I have retired and it has occurred to me to use the

Reviews for The Case of the Discontented Soldier

[staliaoftheknife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Case of the Discontented Soldier is only my second story featuring Parker Pyne, that I’ve read. The first one (The Case of the Middle Aged Wife) felt very similar to this one. In this case, there was a soldier that felt boredom and Parker Pyne advised that he could cure his boredom. It seems like these stories are more of a romantic version of a detective, then any actual detecting on Parker’s part.While this was a enjoyable story I felt the lack of a real mystery. It was pretty obvious who was behind curing Mr Wilbraham’s boredom and the ending was predictable. I will still continue to read the rest of the Parker Pyne short stories, to see if any of them involve a actual mystery.I’d recommend this story to those that like a romantic side to their mysteries. Otherwise for new fans to Agatha Christie I recommend starting with Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple.