The Big Four (novel)

Captain Arthur Hastings returns to England after an 18-month-long stay in Argentina.[6] He intends to visit his old friend Hercule Poirot and is shocked to find Poirot about to leave for South America. Poirot wants to go to Rio de Janeiro where his newest client Abe Ryland awaits.[5] The imminent departure of Poirot has to be postponed, however. An unexpected visitor called Mayerling comes in through Poirot's bedroom. There is no clue of how the man entered the upper floor apartment. Perhaps through the bedroom's window which is, however, at some distance from the ground.[6] The man is covered from head to toes with dust and mud. He is emaciated as though he has been long imprisoned and with little access to food. He collapses on the floor. The only clue to what he wants is his saying Poirot's name (his only words) and writing the number 4, many times.[5]

When Hastings mentions the Big Four, the man begins speaking about an international crime cartel of that name. He knows little of the four leaders, and tells them that Number 1 is a Chinese political mastermind named Li Chang Yen. He represents the brains of the Big Four. Number 2 is usually not named but is represented by a '

• Hercule Poirot. The famous private investigator. Having tired of his life in England and dealing with trivial matters, he is tempted to move to Brazil. He has received a monetary offer too good to refuse.
• Arthur Hastings. Poirot's sidekick in two earlier novels and two short stories. This is his return to the series following The Murder on the Links (1923). In that novel Hastings was planning to marry "Cinderella" and move with her to Argentina. Here we learn that he did as planned and has grown prosperous from ranching. Eighteen months later, he returns to London to take care of some business and to visit Poirot. He briefly works as a secretary of Abe Ryland under the alias Arthur Nevill.
• Inspector Japp. This marks the second appearance of the character, following The Mysterious Affair at Styles. He is an inspector of Scotland Yard. He identifies Mayerling.

A multiethnic gang of four persons working towards world domination.[7] They have a secret hideaway in a quarry of the Dolomites. It is owned by an Italian company which is a front company for Abe Ryland. The quarry conceals a vast subterranean base, hollowed out in the heart of the mountain. From there they use wireless communications to transfer orders to thousands of their followers across many countries.[8] The characters comprise typical ethnic and national stereotypes of 1920s British fiction. They are:

• Abe Ryland, the so-called American Soap King. He is stated to be richer than John D. Rockefeller and being the richest man in the world. Early in the novel, Ryland attempts to hire Poirot and invites him to Rio de Janeiro, allegedly to investigate the goings-on in a big company there. Poirot is offered a fortune and is tempted to accept. He eventually declines and the plot point is no longer elaborated. Presumably Ryland intended to recruit him for the organization.[7] He dies when the hidden base of the Four explodes.[7] He represents the power of wealth.[7]
• Madame Olivier, a French woman scientist. She is stated to be a famous nuclear physicist and analytical chemist. Poirot suspects that she has kept secret the true extent of her research with nuclear power. He believes that she has "succeeded in liberating atomic energy and harnessing it to her purpose".[7] She is said to have used gamma rays emitted by radium to perfect a lethal weapon.[8] She is a widow. She used to work with her husband, conducting their research in common until his death.[6] She is said to look more like a priestess out of the past than a modern woman.[7] She dies when the hidden base of the Four explodes.[7] She represents scientific research devoted to political goals.[7]
• Li Chang Yen, the Chinese leader and mastermind of the group, said to have the finest criminal brain ever known. He is an unseen character who never sets foot out of China, but is discussed often by other characters. He is driven by his own lust for power and the need to establish his personal supremacy. He lacks the military force to pursue conquest by traditional means, but the 20th century is stated to be a century of unrest which offers him other means towards him goal. He is said to have unlimited money to finance operations. His methods include bribery and propaganda. He controls a "scientific force more powerful than the world has dreamed of".[7] It is said that "the men who loom most largely in the public eye are men of little or no personality. They are marionettes who dance to the wires pulled by a master hand, and that hand is Li Chang Yen's". He is the power behind the throne of the East.[7] He is the embodiment of Yellow Peril. His plots are said to include worldwide unrest, labour disputes in every nation, and revolutions in some of them.[8] Elsewhere it is explained that he is a mandarin and lives in a palace of his own in Peking. He oversees human subject research on coolies, with no regard for the death and suffering of his research subjects.[6][7] He commits suicide at the end.[7]
• Claude Darrell, known as the Destroyer. He is an obscure English actor and a master of disguise. He is the chief assassin of the group. He appears with ever-changing faces and multiple identities throughout the novel.[7] He can totally transform his physical appearance and his persona. Many of the novel's characters are known or suspected to be among the roles Darrell plays.[8] Darrell is described as being around 33 years old, brown-haired, having a fair complexion, gray-eyed. His height is given at 5 ft. 10 in (1.78 meters). His origins are mysterious. He played at music halls, and also in Repertory plays. He has no known intimate friends. He was in China in 1919, but returned to the United Kingdom by way of the United States. He played a few parts in New York; he did not appear on the stage one night, and has never been heard of since. New York police say his is a most mysterious disappearance. Darrell has one weakness that can give his real identity away: when he dines, Darrell habitually rolls pieces of bread into little balls.[8] He dies when the hidden base of the Four explodes.[7] He is also effectively a spy and represents the secret services and intelligence agencies.[7]

These characters are described by Zemboy.[6]^:43–47 Most are also described by Bunson.[5]^:24–25

• Achille Poirot, Hercule's supposed twin brother. He seems to be based on Mycroft Holmes, sibling to Sherlock Holmes. Both characters are equally brilliant to their more famous siblings but too indolent to accomplish much. Achille lacks a mustache and is described by Hercule as his less handsome twin. Achille is later revealed to be Hercule Poirot himself in disguise.
• Countess Vera Rossakoff. A flamboyant, eccentric and devious Russian aristocrat who currently has no personal fortune. She previously met Poirot in The Double Clue, where Poirot was smitten with her. She is an agent of the Four who later becomes a double agent. Vera can be seen as Poirot's Irene Adler—they are the only women to catch the eyes of their respective detectives. The character will return for a third and final appearance in The Capture of Cerberus. In this novel she also uses the alias Inez Véroneau. She is both a friend and an adversary to Poirot. She is employed as a secretary by Madame Olivier.
• Joseph Aarons. A recurring character, who first appeared in The Murder on the Links. He makes appearances in other Poirot tales as well. He is a theatrical agent, so he helps Poirot identify actor Claude Darrell.
• Ah Ling. Chinese servant to Mr Paynter. Inspector Japp's favorite suspect for the murder.
• Betsy Andrews. The housekeeper of Jonathan Whalley. She was the one who discovered the corpse and screamed in shock.
• Colonel Appleby. The American secretary of Abe Ryland.
• Professor Borgonneau. A Parisian scientist who had contact with John Halliday prior to his disappearance.
• Mr Bronson. The ranch manager of Hasting's ranch in Argentina. He sends a message of bad news to his boss.
• Mademoiselle Claude. One of two assistants to Madame Olivier.
• Pierre Combeau. An old friend of Poirot who happens to owe the detective a favor. He does as Poirot asks him, pulling the emergency cord in the Paris-Calais train. This act allows Poirot to leave the stopped train unobserved.
• Sydney Crowther. The Right Honourable Home Secretary. Another friend who owes Poirot a favor. He recommends Hastings as a secretary to Abe Ryland. Ryland was working in England at the time and was looking for a new secretary. He later introduces Poirot to Monsieur Desjardeux, the Prime Minister of France.
• Sonia Daviloff. Niece and housemate of Dr Savaronoff. She is set to inherit Savaroff's fortune from Madame Gospoja once he dies.
• Deans. The valet to Abe Ryland. He is English-born but has spent years in the United States. He follows his boss in his stay to England.
• Monsieur Desjardeux. The Prime Minister of France. Poirot discusses the matter of the Big Four with him.
• Austen Foly, alias Austen Lee. An unseen character, one of the suspects for the real identity of the Destroyer. He originated in a good family. Always had a taste for acting and distinguished himself in that way at Oxford. Brilliant war record. An enthusiast on criminology. He had a nervous breakdown as the result of a motor accident three and a half years before, and has not appeared on the stage since. His present whereabouts are unknown. Age 35, height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), complexion fair, eyes blue, hair brown.
• Robert Grant. Also known as Abraham Biggs. A man-servant to Jonathan Whalley of a "rough" background.He is a former prison convict Questioned for the murder and arrested as a suspect.
• John Halliday. A scientist who visited Paris for a conference and disappeared.
• Mrs Halliday. Wife of the missing John Halliday. Has no idea what happened to her husband or why.
• Mr Halsey. The man who arranged Poirot's interview with John Ingles.
• Captain Harvey. A young agent of the British Intelligence Service. He brings the news that China is politically isolated, that the Big Four will meet in Italy, and that the British, French, and Italian governments have joined forces against. With Poirot as the head of the joined operation.
• Monsieur Henri. One of two assistants to Madame Olivier.
• Hodgson. McNeil and Hodgson are Poirot's solicitors.
• John Ingles. A retired civil servant of reportedly mediocre intellect. He is an expert on China and all things Chinese. He informs Poirot of the identity of Li Chang Yen.
• James. The footman of Abe Ryland.
• Captain Kent. A member of the United States Secret Service. He investigates the disappearance of Mr Halliday. He prefers the British laws on alcoholic beverages to those of his own country. He is frustrated with Prohibition.
• Félix Laon. A tall, thin man who attacks Hastings in the man's hotel room in Paris. In the scuffle, Laon appears to lose his wallet. But it is hinted that the wallet was planted for Hastings to find.
• Arthur Leversham. Author of a mysterious letter addressed to Abe Ryland.
• Ernest Luttrell. An unseen character, one of the suspects for the real identity of the Destroyer. Son of a Northern England parson. He was expelled from his public school. Went on the stage at the age of twenty-three. Addicted to drugs. Supposed to have gone to Australia four years before. Cannot be traced after leaving England. Age 32, height 5 ft. 10 in. (1.55 meters), clean-shaven, brown-haired, nose straight, complexion fair, eyes gray.
• Miss Martin. The auburn-haired stenographer of Abe Ryland. Hastings, who is still married, is charmed with her. This is a continuity nod to Hastings having a soft spot for auburn-haired women. Back in The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Hastings was charmed with auburn-haired Cynthia Murdoch and proposed to her. This would letter become a running gag in the series, with Poirot often teasing Hastings. Whenever Hastings suggests the innocence of a young, beautiful, and female murder suspect, Poirot slyly asks, "Does she have auburn hair?" Miss Martin confesses to him that she opened a mysterious letter of their boss.
• John St. Maur. An unseen character, one of the suspects for the real identity of the Destroyer. He has an assumed name, his real name is unknown. Believed to be of cockney extraction. Used to be a child actor. Did music hall impersonations. Has not been heard of for three years. Age, about 33, height 5 feet 10 in (1.55 meters), slim build, blue eyes, fair colouring.
• Mr Mayerling. A former member of the Secret Service and a victim of the Big Four. He dies in Poirot's apartment.
• Mr McNeill. McNeil and Hodgson are Poirot's solicitors. McNeill informs Hastings that they have located Flossie Monro.
• Inspector Meadows. A representative of the Moretonhampstead police who investigates the death Jonathan Whalley. He is an old friend of Inspector Japp who has recommended Poirot to him. He is willing to have Poirot involved in the case.
• Mickey. Son of Mrs Templeton from a previous marriage and stepson of Mr Templeton. He is described as mentally-deficient. He blurts out unpleasant suggestions concerning his mother,. He has a nervous habit reminiscent of Claude Darrell.
• Flossie Monro. An old friend of Claude Darrell. She has bleached blonde hair and a preference for Max Factor and monogrammed shirts. She provides to Poirot information about a personal habit to Darrell that can be used to identify him, regardless of his disguise.
• Mabel Palmer. A hospital nurse. She approaches Poirot to express her suspicions of foul play at the Templetons' residence.
• Mr Paynter. A 55-year-old bachelor. He invited a young nephew to settle in his home. The nephew, an artist, accepted. Paynter then died in an "accident" within his own room.
• Gerald Paynter. Nephew and heir to Mr Paynter. He is an artist, described as being "wild and extravagant". Inspector Japp finds him typical for an artist. He inherits the estate of his deceased uncle.
• Mrs Pearson. Poirot's landlady and housekeeper. Her tasks include opening the door, handling his correspondence, recording phone messages. She does not otherwise speak.
• Dr Ridgeway. Poirot's physician.
• Dr Quentin. The physician blamed for the death of Mr Paynter.
• Mr Saunders. The man who arranged for former convict Robert Grant to find a job once released from prison. He is said to look like a preacher, albeit with a broken front tooth. He has a tendencty to mince his words when speaking.
• Dr Savaronoff. The world's second-best chess player. Number Four masquerades as him in London, where he was challenged to a game by an American champion. He is named as the recipient of Madame Gospoja's fortune, who was herself the widow and sole heiress of a sugar profiteer of the Russian Empire. The real Dr Savaronoff was a Russian Revolutionist who died at the hands of the Bolsheviks. Number Four assumes his identity to steal his inheritance.
• Mr Templeton. An older gentleman who fell ill during his meal. The reason of his illness is undetermined.
• Mrs Templeton. Wife of Mr Templeton. Poirot narrates a story to her about a wife who poisoned her husband and what happened to her. She is increasingly nervous on hearing the tale.
• Dr Treves. He hosts a dinner at the home of the Templetons. During the dinner, Poirot falls ill.
• Jonathan Whalley. Another victim of the Big Four. He is murdered in his own residence, Granite Bungalow in the village of Hoppaton, Devon. He had written to John Ingles, requesting money to escape from the Big Four.
• Gilmour Wilson. A youthful American chess champion. He challenged Dr Savaronoff to a game and died while playing. Poison is the suspected cause of death.
• Dr Bolitho. The usual physician for Mr Paynter, away on holiday at the time of Paynter's demise.

These characters are all described by Zemboy.[6]

• An unnamed doctor. His role is to pronounce the death of Mayerling.
• An unnamed man from Hanwell Asylum. He claims Mayerling was a recently-escaped inmate of the asylum.
• An unnamed Chinese servant of John Ingles. His only distinguishing feature is his apathetic face.
• An unnamed elderly man from the rural area surrounding Hoppaton. He gives Poirot and Hastings instructions on how to locate the Granite Bungalow, He is also the one to inform them that Jonathan Whalley has been murdered.
• A group of Slavs and other foreigners who visit Poirot in his flat for mysterious reasons. Described as looking extraordinary and repulsive.
• An unnamed dark man, thin and middle-aged. He approaches Hastings in a small restaurant in Soho. Strongly "advising" the man to leave England and return to South America.
• An unnamed Chinese man, former servant of John Ingles. He delivers a cryptic message to Hastings and then dies at St. Giles Hospital of London.
• An unnamed officer of the steamship Ansoria which was transporting Hastings to South America. He wakes Hastings up to inform him that he is about to change ships. His new destination is Belgium.
• An unnamed Belgian manservant, elderly in years. The apparent servant of Achille Poirot in his villa. He receives Hastings on behalf of his employer.
• An unnamed customer of a hotel restaurant at Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy. He has a nervous habit reminiscent of Claude Darrell. Encountering Poirot by chance, the man springs up from his seat and exits in a hurry.
• An unnamed waiter of a hotel restaurant at Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy. He collides with the speedily exiting customer.

The structure of the book is different from that of most Christie novels in that The Big Four is a series of short cases involving the Big Four villains rather than the investigation of a single crime. The novel is derived from a series of linked short stories that first appeared in The Sketch magazine in 1924 under the sub-heading of The Man who was No. 4, then amalgamated into one narrative.

The original publication details of the stories (which were carried without illustrations) are as follows:

• The Unexpected Guest: First published in issue 1614 of The Sketch on 2 January 1924. This formed the basis for chapters 1 and 2 of the book – The Unexpected Guest / The Man from the Asylum.
• The Adventure of the Dartmoor Bungalow: First published in issue 1615 on 9 January 1924. This formed the basis for chapters 3 and 4 of the book – We hear more about Li Chang Yen / The Importance of a Leg of Mutton.
• The Lady on the Stairs: First published in issue 1616 on 16 January 1924. This formed the basis for chapters 5 and 6 of the book – Disappearance of a Scientist / The Woman on the Stairs.
• The Radium Thieves: First published in issue 1617 on 23 January 1924. This formed the basis for chapter 7 of the book with the same title.
• In the House of the Enemy: First published in issue 1618 on 30 January 1924. This formed the basis for chapter 8 of the book with the same title.
• The Yellow Jasmine Mystery: First published in issue 1619 on 6 February 1924. This formed the basis for chapters 9 and 10 of the book – The Yellow Jasmine Mystery / We investigate at Croftlands.
• The Chess Problem: First published in issue 1620 on 13 February 1924. This formed the basis for chapter 11 of the book with the slightly revised title of A Chess Problem. Chapter 11 from the novel has also been published as stand-alone short story in reprints.[5]
• The Baited Trap: First published in issue 1621 on 20 February 1924. This formed the basis for chapters 12 and 13 of the book – The Baited Trap / The Mouse walks in.
• The Adventure of the Peroxide Blonde: First published in issue 1622 on 27 February 1924. This formed the basis for chapter 14 of the book with the slightly revised title of The Peroxide Blonde.
• The Terrible Catastrophe: First published in issue 1623 on 5 March 1924. This formed the basis for chapter 15 of the book with the same title.
• The Dying Chinaman: First published in issue 1624 on 12 March 1924. This formed the basis for chapter 16 of the book with the same title.
• The Crag in the Dolomites: First published in issue 1625 on 19 March 1924. This formed the basis for chapters 17 and 18 of the book – Number Four wins the trick / In the Felsenlabyrinth. It was also the final Poirot story that Christie wrote for The Sketch.

In the United States, the majority of The Big Four first appeared in the Blue Book Magazine insofar as the publication of the book version occurred partway through the publication of the stories in the Blue Book. In addition, the version published in the Blue Book was that of the book text (with small abridgements) and not that of the 1924 UK Sketch text. It can therefore be viewed as a serialisation of the book rather than a reprinting of the short stories. All of the instalments carried an illustration. The artist for the first five instalments was L. R. Gustavson, while William Molt provided the illustrations for the latter six.

The publication order was as follows:

• The Unexpected Guest: First published in the March 1927 issue (Volume 44, Number 5) which formed chapters 1 and 2 of the book.
• The Dartmoor Adventure: First published in the April 1927 issue (Volume 44, Number 6) which formed chapters 3 and 4 of the book.
• The Lady on the Stairs: First published in the May 1927 issue (Volume 45, Number 1) which formed chapters 5 and 6 of the book.
• The Radium Thieves: First published in the June 1927 issue (Volume 45, Number 2) which formed chapter 7 of the book.
• In the House of the Enemy: First published in the July 1927 issue (Volume 45, Number 3) which formed chapter 8 of the book.
• The Yellow Jasmine Mystery: First published in the August 1927 issue (Volume 45, Number 4) which formed chapters 9 and 10 of the book.
• The Chess Problem: First published in the September 1927 issue (Volume 45, Number 5) which formed chapter 11 of the book.
• The Baited Trap: First published in the October 1927 issue (Volume 45, Number 6) which formed chapters 12 and 13 of the book.
• The Peroxide Blonde: First published in the November 1927 issue (Volume 46, Number 1) which formed chapter 14 of the book.
• The Enemy Strikes: First published in the December 1927 issue (Volume 46, Number 2) which formed chapters 15 and 16 of the book.
• The Crag in the Dolomites: First published in the January 1928 issue (Volume 46, Number 3) which formed chapters 17 and 18 of the book.

The announcement of the publication of these stories in the Blue Book had been made as far back as November 1925 when, at the end of their publication of The Lemesurier Inheritance, the editors announced, "Further stories by Agatha Christie, who is firmly established in the front line of writers of mystery and detective tales, will appear in forthcoming issues of The Blue Book Magazine. Watch for The Big Four."[17] The reason for the eventual delay in publication is not known.

This novel was published a year after The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and was overshadowed by its predecessor.[5]

In 1926 Christie was already deeply affected by the death of her mother earlier in the year and the breakdown of her marriage to Archibald Christie. Her brother-in-law, Campbell Christie, suggested compiling the Sketch stories into one novel, rather than undergo the strain of composing a completely new novel, and helped her revise them into a more coherent form for book publication.[18] His assistance mainly took the form of revising the beginnings and ends of the stories to make them flow better into a novel – the substance of each story remains the same between the short story version and the novel version. Unlike the later Partners in Crime (1929), the order of the stories was retained.

Around this time, a novel was offered for publication to The Bodley Head and was rejected. No other information exists on this novel, but Zemboy suggests it was The Big Four.[6] His theory continues with Christie's relationship to her new publisher William Collins, Sons. Christie would have realized that The Big Four was an inferior novel and went to work writing The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for the new publisher.[6]

The book was published a few weeks after the disappearance and reappearance of Christie. The resulting publicity over her name caused the new novel to become a sales hit. Sales were good enough to more than double the success of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. It sold despite not being a traditional murder mystery, being a tale of international intrigue and espionage, and opening the possibility of more spy fiction from Christie.[5]

In 1942, Christie wrote to her agent, Edmund Cork of Hughes Massie, asking him to keep a manuscript in reserve (probably Sleeping Murder) and stated

I have been, once, in a position where I wanted to write just for the sake of money coming in and when I felt I couldn't – it is a nerve wracking feeling. If I had had one MS 'up my sleeve' it would have made a big difference. That was the time I had to produce that rotten book The Big Four and had to force myself in The Mystery of the Blue Train.[18]

This is the second Christie crime book not to carry a dedication, Poirot Investigates being the first.

The Big Four was released by HarperCollins as a graphic novel adaptation on 3 December 2007, adapted and illustrated by Alain Paillou (ISBN 0-00-725065-7). This was translated from the edition first published in France by Emmanuel Proust éditions in 2006 under the title of Les Quatre.

The novel was adapted for television with David Suchet as Poirot, as part of the final series of Agatha Christie's Poirot. The film premiered on ITV on 23 October 2013 and on PBS on 27 July 2014 in the United States;[19] it also guest-starred Sarah Parish, Patricia Hodge, Tom Brooke, Nicholas Burns, and Simon Lowe. Suchet's former co-stars Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, and Pauline Moran reprised their roles as Hastings, Japp, and Miss Lemon (who was added to the proceedings despite not appearing in the novel) after an approximately ten-year absence from the show itself. The episode explains their absence by implying that Hastings has been living on his Argentinian ranch, and Miss Lemon enjoying a quiet life on her own after leaving Poirot's employ. Japp has been promoted to Assistant Commissioner of the Met, and in the episode he assumes the role of Poirot's sidekick, whereas it was Hastings who filled the position in the novel. The guest cast includes Nick Day as Ingles, James Carroll Jordan as Ryland, Patricia Hodge as Madame Olivier, Steven Pacey as Paynter and Sarah Parish as Flossie.

The episode is very loosely based on the novel, considered by writer Mark Gatiss to be "an almost unadaptable mess".[20] Most of the novel's plot points, for instance, have been removed, including the death of Mayerling in Poirot's flat, the radium exploit involving Madame Olivier, Hastings' time as Ryland's secretary, and Poirot's subterfuge as Achille, his purported sibling. Instead, prominence is placed on the leg of mutton case, the chess murder, and the yellow jasmine (in the adaptation, gelsemine) mystery. The cast of characters is pared down considerably as a result of these omissions, and this includes the deletion of Countess Vera Rossakoff. The most significant changes involve the villains themselves. In the novel, all four members of the Big Four are indeed guilty of their crimes, although they live separate lives. In the adaptation, Olivier and Ryland are stalwarts of a Peace Party founded by Li Chang Yen, who is a pacifist rather than a dissident. Olivier and Ryland are each connected to one of the murders, and quickly vanish when suspicion is cast upon them. It is revealed at the end, however, that Li Chang Yen, Olivier and Ryland are all innocent, and were deliberately framed by the sole villain, Claud Darrell. Darrell is one of several disguises of Albert Whalley, also including Paynter's physician, Dr Quentin. Whalley is a brilliant but insane character actor who orchestrates the entire Big Four setup, feeding the press with sensational clues and threatening letters and killing his victims to implicate the Peace Party members (whom he then kidnaps and drugs with immobilising gelsemine) thus validating the organisation's existence. His motive in doing all of this is to attract the admiration of Flossie Monro, who becomes an unrequited lover whom he showers with anonymous gifts and cards expressing his love for her. It transpires that Flossie told him he wasn't good enough for her in the past, and the mad scheme is an attempt to make himself the international celebrity he believes she desires. Unlike in the novel, the climactic showdown does not take place in an elaborate headquarters within a mountain, but in the old repertory theatre where Darrell and Flossie had acted as young adults. There is no deadly explosion, either, although Darrell attempts to set off dynamite; only Poirot reminding Darrell that he cannot kill Flossie persuades him to dismantle the explosive. Instead when the madman tries to shoot Poirot, he is killed by the journalist Lawrence Boswell Tysoe (an original character not in the novel), who drops a safety curtain on him. Li Chang Yen (in absentia), Olivier and Ryland escape death, and continue their work as Peace Party advocates; Flossie (who was murdered in the novel and therefore played no role in the solution) also survives her original fate.

As in the novel, Poirot does stage his own death. When Darrell learns that Poirot is getting close to the truth, he tries to lure him into a flat rigged with explosives, observing him in the guise of an old woman. Poirot spots the danger just in time, and manages to escape the scene before the explosives go off, planting his walking stick at the scene to create the impression that he died in the blast. Japp notifies Hastings and Miss Lemon, and together with George the valet they attend Poirot's "funeral", none of them—with the exception of Japp, who appears at the denouement—having any idea that he survived until after the final showdown with Darrell. Poirot later explains that the charade was necessary to make Darrell overconfident, and thus reckless enough to unravel his own schemes. The episode ends with Poirot reuniting with his old friends. This marks the final appearances of Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran as their respective characters.