This edition published 20th April 2017 by Harper Collins.
Originally published 1930.
From the cover of the book:
A mysterious stranger appears at a New Year’s Eve party, becoming the enigmatic sleuthing sidekick to the snobbish Mr Satterthwaite…
So far, it had been a typical New Year’s Eve house party. But Mr Satterthwaite – a keen observer of human nature – sensed that the real drama of the evening was yet to unfold.
So it proved when a mysterious stranger arrived after midnight. Who was this Mr Quin? And why did his presence have such a pronounced effect on Eleanor Portal, the woman with the dyed-black hair?
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This month's #ReadChristie2026 #BiggestBestBeloved celebratory theme is all about her short stories, and I took it as an opportunity to pick up a collection I have been meaning to read for ages.
The collection comprises twelve stories, which are somewhat of an oddity as they feature a partnership between the peculiar little Mr Satterthwaite (see also Three Act Tragedy and Dead Man's Mirror), and the very mysterious, not quite human, Harley Quin.
Each one involves the surprise arrival of Mr Quin, where Mr Satterthwaite is called upon to solve a mystery by looking at the facts in a different way. He is rather good at this, especially given his insightful mix of male AND female observational skills (something Christie is always keen to emphasise). Despite his misgivings, Satterthwaite gradually transforms from on-looker to being very much involved in the lives of others, with Quin as the serendipitous catalyst.
Overall, these stories are a melancholy bunch, despite Satterthwaite's genial temperament. They are heavily laced with dark emotions (and lots of references to suicides), but they stand out amongst Christie's crime canon because of the unusually overt supernatural nature of the strange Mr Quin. He appears and disappears without notice, makes veiled references to being an advocate for the dead, and occasonally displays his true motley colors and dark mask. It's all rather unsettling.
Christie considered these an 'epicure's taste', which I find fascinating. They are also rather special as being the only short story collection she wrote a dedication for, and the only time the dedication was to a fictional character - 'To Harlequin the Invisible'.
I Am in two minds about this collection, as they contain a real mash-up of themes and settings, but if you are looking for a chance to see a different side of Christie then they are worth a read. My favourite was The World's End (one of Christie's favs too, apparently), with the charismatic, penny-pinching Duchess, which made me chuckle.
Hugh Fraser's narration of the audio book was perfect, as always. ❤
The Mysterious Mr Quin is available now in various formats.
About the author:
Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in over 70 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 20 plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott.
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