Devenish, Ross

P.D. James - A Certain Justice

"There's no such thing as a safe haven," wrote British mystery novelist P.D. James. This is certainly the case in her mystery novel A Certain Justice, which has been given a splendid interpretation in the British TV series Mystery. Brilliant, successful defense attorney Venetia Aldridge (Penny Downie) is found murdered in her court chambers. She had been a controversial figure, not least because she was a strong woman who didn't hesitate to tell her male colleagues exactly what she thought of them. In the first episode of this three-part miniseries, Venetia piles up enemies, any one of whom might be guilty of her murder. The implacable Commander Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard (played, as always, by Roy Marsden) must discover whodunit. The show features wonderfully well-developed characters: Venetia herself, her innocent teenage daughter, Octavia (doe-eyed Flora Montgomery), and Octavia's psychopathic boyfriend, Gary Ashe (whom Venetia successfully defended in a murder trial). As Ashe, Ricci Harnett delivers a truly disquieting performance. Suspense builds inexorably until the chilling conclusion, leavened regularly by P.D. James's cheeky, sardonic humor. Gore mixed with drollery--a tone only the English can pull off. --Laura Mirsky

Top flight criminal attorney Venetia Aldridge (Penny Downie), a high-profile woman with an abrasive reputation and turbulent private life, has been found dead in her office, stabbed through the heart with her own paper knife. Commander Dalgliesh and his team are called to investigate the murder. As Dalgliesh and Detective Inspector Kate Miskin (Sarah Winman) unravel the complex clues to Venetia's bizarre death, the other members of her prestigious chambers close ranks against the embarrassing questions of Scotland Yard's top commander. Then, just as a prime suspect is within Dalgliesh's grasp, an apparent suicide throws the case into turmoil.

Roy Marsden stars as poetry-loving detective Adam Dalgliesh in this three-part adaptation of P.D. James' A Certain Justice.

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 1

David Suchet brings the great detective Hercule Poirot to rich life in this collection of some of Agatha Christie's best work. This entertaining set includes three episodes, all lovingly true to their 1930s settings. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenham takes the standard case of a businessman's disappearance and spices it up with a friendly wager that Poirot can't solve the mystery without leaving his apartment. The Veiled Lady is more of a comic caper, as Poirot and the ever-ready Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) resort to burglary to stop a blackmailing cad, and The Lost Mine is cleverly set in a Chinatown reminiscent of the '30s concept of the Mysterious East. Suchet is a perfect Poirot, capturing both his dignity and his humor, and Fraser does a beautiful job of underplaying Hastings enough to keep him the perfect sidekick without ever making him boring. Special features include selected cast filmographies and biographies of Agatha Christie, David Suchet, and Poirot himself. --Ali Davis

A Touch of Frost - Season 1

"18 million viewers tuned into the super-length detective series." - The Times

A Touch of Frost is one of Britain's most successful detective series and stars award-winning actor David Jason as Detective Inspector Jack Frost, a policeman with a knack for attracting trouble. Set in the dreary town of Denton, Frost approaches each case with his characteristic dry wit and a sense of moral justice. A Touch of Frost Season One includes:

In "Care and Protection," Frost investigates a missing child case, as his terminally ill wife languishes in bed. A chance digging turns up a 30 year-old skeleton chained to a strongbox. A former bank employee with links to the strongbox is murdered and Frost must find his killer.

In "Not with Kindness," Frost grieves for his recently deceased wife, whose visiting sister from the States makes his life unbearable. Frost searches for a missing teenager and a victim of threatening phone calls wakes in the night to find her home engulfed in flames.

In "Conclusions," an elderly man is killed in a hit-and-run that involves a prominent local official's son. A casino is robbed of the night's takings. An armed and dangerous fugitive takes a pair of hostages.

Episodes: Care and Protection Not with Kindness Conclusions

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 7

The supernatural provides an eerie undertone in this trio of episodes featuring Agatha Christie's most famous detective. Poirot's secretary Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran) experiments with the Ouija board and tarot cards; she even hypnotizes a murder victim's widow (with some success) in "The Underdog." And is an ancient Egyptian curse responsible for the four untimely deaths in "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb"? Poirot braves the untidy desert sand to find out. Finally, in "Yellow Iris," friends and family gather for dinner to commemorate the second anniversary of a woman's death; the atmosphere at the table is so charged one almost expects the victim to come back from the dead.

As always, the fastidious habits of Poirot (played to perfection by David Suchet) and the charming naiveté of his assistant Hastings (Hugh Fraser) add just the right touch of levity to these grim tales. For this, one must credit the scriptwriters as much as the actors--their addition of witty exchanges and subplots make Christie's stories even more delightful onscreen than on the printed page. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 2

David Suchet and Hugh Fraser team up again as the great detective Hercule Poirot and trusty Captain Hastings for three engaging hour-long adventures. In The Cornish Mystery Poirot has an unusual visitor--a victim who says she's not dead yet but is slowly being poisoned. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat blends international intrigue with the gentle comic relief of a foolish American FBI agent, and Double Sin contains a novel twist: Poirot announces his retirement and Hastings is left to solve the case by himself. The cast has the easy rapport of old friends, and as always Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp and Pauline Moran as the remarkable Miss Lemon are welcome companions. Special DVD features include selected cast filmographies and biographies for David Suchet and Agatha Christie. Brew some tea, check it for arsenic, and get ready for a thoroughly entertaining evening. --Ali Davis

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 8

Like a box of gourmet chocolates, this three-episode collector's set of Agatha Christie's Poirot--eighth in a series of 12--contains scrumptious delights for the connoisseur of British mysteries. And if one of these episodes were to be wrapped in gold foil, it would have to be "The Chocolate Box," in which Hercule Poirot revisits a 20-year-old case that was never officially solved. Having perfected the mannerisms of an older, fussier Poirot, here David Suchet has the opportunity to reveal a young, eager junior detective on the Brussels police force, who longs to solve the case not only for the sake of the truth, but also for the sake of the young woman who begged for his help. Both intriguing and bittersweet, this episode is the dark chocolate truffle of the set.

By comparison, "The Case of the Missing Will" and "The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman" are lighter confections, but with murder at their tart center. In the first, Poirot must execute the final wishes of an old friend who is killed on the eve of drafting his will; several red herrings and a surprising solution enliven this classic murder-mystery scenario. Hastings's acquisition of an Italian roadster and Miss Lemon's new gentleman friend turn out to have an unexpected connection with each other and with the murdered man in "The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman," which culminates in a car chase that claims more than one victim. Of course, the best thing about this set is that unlike a box of chocolates, viewers can savor its contents again and again. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

After making Agatha Christie the bestselling author of her day, Hercule Poirot has proved equally popular on television, becoming the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and capturing a new audience of mystery lovers on A&E. DAVID SUCHET plays the brilliant Belgian sleuth in these three stories that brim with period details and deliciously clever wit. Starring Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon.

The Case of the Missing Will — Poirot is the executor of a revised will that disappears when its author dies suddenly.

The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman — Hastings' decision to buy an elegant Italian car coincides with a case involving an Italian count.

The Chocolate Box — A trip home to Belgium with Japp causes Poirot to reopen a case that he failed to solve 20 years earlier.

Poirot - The Movie Collection, Set 1 (The ABC Murders / Death in the Clouds / The Mysterious Affair at Styles / One, Two, Buckle My Shoe / Peril at End House)

Deadlier than a nest of vipers and twistier than a mountain road--it's Poirot: The Movie Collection. Agatha Christie's supersleuth (played by David Suchet) is a proper, precise little man who cannot bring himself to eat hard-boiled eggs of different sizes, but it is exactly this obsession with detail that leads him to solve the five baffling cases presented in this boxed set. A lady's shoe buckle, a broken coffee cup, a poison dart pipe: these are the ingredients with which Christie brewed her classic mysteries, and the producers of these video adaptations pay an equal attention to detail in re-creating the stories on the small screen. Stunning aerial shots of England's coast and countryside are matched by elegant and elaborate costumes, particularly when it comes to ladies' headgear. Of course, nothing can outshine the fine performances of Suchet (who makes Poirot's fussy habits endearing and delivers wisecracks with unparalleled subtlety) and his supporting cast; Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran), and Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) add comic relief and camaraderie to the proceedings.

The DVD transfers are generally crisp in both picture and sound quality. Special features include biographies of Suchet and Christie, Poirot trivia questions, and a filmography of all the Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

This is a collection of 5 feature-length episodes of the Poirot mysteries: The ABC Murders; Death in the Clouds; The Mysterious Affair at Styles; One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, and Peril at End House. "The ABC Murders" - This is the episode that star David Suchet calls his favorite. Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot is challenged by an alphabet-obsessed murderer who announces his next victims through a series of letters addressed to Poirot himself. "Death in the Clouds" - A ruthless blackmailer is killed on board an airborne plane filled with likely suspects. "Mysterious Affair at Styles" - The Cavendish household is wrought with tension due to the marriage of John Cavendish's widowed mother to a suspicious younger man. When the tension turns deadly, Poirot and Hasting unite to solve the case. "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" - Further adventures of Agatha Christie's brilliant Belgian sleuth. "Peril at End House" - A flying ace plays a pivotal role in a case in which Poirot and Hastings swim through a sea of red herrings to arrive at the truth.

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 11

Hercule Poirot lives to solve mysteries, and the three episodes included in this boxed set provide him with perplexing cases at home and abroad. "The Third Floor Flat" begins with Poirot suffering from a terrible cold brought on, he believes, by a lack of cases and the subsequent decay of his "little gray cells." A trip to the theater fails to cheer the sleuth, but when Poirot returns home he finds a murder mystery unfolding on his own doorstep. "Triangle on Rhodes" finds Hercule enjoying the final days of a vacation on the Greek island. When a woman is poisoned in his hotel, only Poirot can untangle the threads of passion and betrayal that will eventually lead him to the murderer. In "Problem at Sea" Poirot and Hastings take a Mediterranean cruise to Egypt, but their trip turns out to be anything but relaxing when a murder takes place. The passenger list is filled with fascinating suspects, and Poirot sets to work to solve the crime.

Unfortunately these 50-minute TV episodes suffer in comparison with the feature-length stories in the series. The supporting characters are frequently weak and the plots underdeveloped--there is simply not enough time to build much suspense. Thankfully David Suchet's definitive performance as Poirot is as delightfully eccentric as ever, and an abundance of period detail makes for entertaining viewing. --Simon Leake

No detail is too small, no crook too clever to escape the keen eye and razor-sharp intellect of Agatha Christie's famous sleuth. As played by DAVID SUCHET in this British television production, Poirot became the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and an A&E favorite. These three stories feature Poirot on the case at home in London and in two exotic holiday locales. Elegant art deco settings and lush period costumes add to the fun. With Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Poirot's affable assistant.

Mysteries include:
The Third Floor Flat—Poirot is at loose ends until he finds a mystery to solve very close to home.
Triangle at Rhodes—Alone on a holiday in Greece, Poirot cracks a murder case with the help of two capable Brits.
Problem at Sea—Their Mediterranean holiday is interrupted when Poirot and Hastings are called on to investigate a shipboard murder.

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 9

The Agatha Christie's Poirot collection is known as a mystery series, but what makes these videos such a delightful enhancement to the original books is their deft touch of humor. In "Dead Man's Mirror," for example, the widow of the murdered man claims to communicate with the spirit of an ancient Egyptian. Her supernatural tendencies cause more than a few giggles--especially when she mentions the spirit, Saffra, during an interview, and Inspector Japp immediately pulls out his notebook and asks for Saffra's address. In "Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan," Poirot is mistaken for a man in a newspaper contest, and his investigations into the theft of a pearl necklace are repeatedly interrupted by people demanding their prize of 10 pounds; these intermittent scenes add a welcome levity to one of the series' more tedious plots. While less droll than the others, "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook" has unexpected plot twists as the seemingly simple case of a runaway servant unfurls to reveal a larger scheme of embezzlement and murder. David Suchet's ability to poke gentle fun at Poirot without ever breaking character makes the enjoyment of these episodes complete. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

Marvelous mustachioed Hercule Poirot stamps out evil with savoir faire to spare in this British television production that became a hit on both the PBS Mystery! series and A&E. Based on the fiction of Agatha Christie and starring David Suchet as the definitive Poirot, the series features great ensemble acting, witty scripts, and gorgeous period sets and costumes. The dapper, diminutive Poirot and his lanky assistant Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) sort out cases in and around 1930s London.

Dead Man's Mirror—At a fine furniture auction, Poirot loses in the bidding for an art deco mirror but wins a new client willing to part with the mirror for Poirot's services.
Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan—Poirot tries to take a holiday but is soon required to save the day when a priceless necklace disappears.
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook—Finding a missing cook proves tougher, and more suited to his superior skills, than Poirot expects.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE biographies of Agatha Christie and David Suchet, cast filmographies, and Agatha Christie materials.

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 3

A potpourri of international intrigue awaits Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot in this trio of hourlong episodes. An alleged Communist conspiracy casts suspicion on the Russian servant of a murdered woman in "How Does Your Garden Grow?" In "The Adventure of the Western Star" a Belgian film star's priceless diamond disappears after she receives threatening letters from a Chinese man. And when Britain's prime minister vanishes on the eve of important international negotiations, Poirot is called in to solve the case of "The Kidnapped Prime Minister." The deceptions in each crime are elaborately plotted, but for Poirot the solution is usually as simple as a children's nursery rhyme.

British actor David Suchet portrays the dapper detective with a quiet dignity and sublime smile that often infuriate his action-hungry clients. But as Agatha Christie readers know quite well, all of the real action takes place in Poirot's "little gray cells." Providing comic counterpoint to Poirot's method is his sidekick, Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), whose well-meaning but befuddled attempts to help solve each case make these episodes entertaining even if you've already figured out whodunit. --Larisa Lomacky Moore