The Submarine Plans: A Hercule Poirot Story

By Agatha Christie

Previously published in the print anthology Poirot's Early Cases.

Plans for England's new submarine have been stolen from the aspiring Prime Minister. Hercule Poirot is summoned to crack the case, but none of the witnesses' accounts are the same . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jul 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9780062298300

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.

Book preview

Contents

The Submarine Plans

About the Author

The Agatha Christie Collection

Copyright

About the Publisher

THE SUBMARINE PLANS

I

A note had been brought by special messenger. Poirot read it, and a gleam of excitement and interest came into his eyes as he did so. He dismissed the man with a few curt words and then turned to me.

‘Pack a bag with all haste, my friend. We’re going down to Sharples.’

I started at the mention of the famous country place of Lord Alloway. Head of the newly formed Ministry of Defence, Lord Alloway was a prominent member of the Cabinet. As Sir Ralph Curtis, head of a great engineering firm, he had made his mark in the House of Commons, and he was now freely spoken of as the coming man, and the one most likely to be asked to form a ministry should the rumours as to Mr David MacAdam’s health prove well founded.

A big Rolls-Royce car was waiting for us below, and as we glided off into the darkness, I plied Poirot with questions.

‘What on earth can they want us for at this time of night?’ I demanded. It was past eleven.

Poirot shook his head. ‘Something of the most urgent, without doubt.’

‘I remember,’ I said, ‘that some years ago there was some rather ugly scandal about Ralph Curtis, as he then was—some jugglery with shares, I believe. In the end, he was completely exonerated; but perhaps something of the kind has

Reviews for The Submarine Plans

[vesper1931 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Poirot is called in late one night by Lord Alloway to solve the mystery of the missing submarine plans.
Another enjoyable short story mystery