Spence, Richard

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

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.

Inspector Lynley - Set 2

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries 2 finds the mismatched police detectives from Elizabeth George's novels somewhat more harmonious than in their previous quartet of BBC/PBS dramas. While aristocratic Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) and his working class, protégée-partner Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers (Sharon Small) maintain a shaky trust, they develop a firm regard and respect for one another, even making small inroads into each other's personal lives. Not that romance is in the air: One can spot the occasional wistful look on their faces, but the emerging intimacy between Lynley and Havers has more to do with sharing tough times in the trenches of murder investigations.

Playing for the Ashes concerns the killing of a respected cricket star and the strange constellation of suspects directly or indirectly connected to him, including an estranged wife, an angry lover, a maternal philanthropist and her streetwalker daughter, an untrustworthy agent, and a network of animal-liberation activists. Lynley and Havers find, not surprisingly, that looking into a high-profile murder is a slow and hazardous venture; all the more so in In the Presence of the Enemy, a tense thriller about a kidnapped girl whose abductor demands that a powerful newspaper editor publicly confess he is the child's secret father. While Lynley searches for clues in London, Havers teams with an eager detective in a small town and is instantly uneasy about the latter's emotionally unbalanced mother and girlfriend. A Suitable Vengeance is set deep within the intrigues of Lynley's wealthy family. Havers shows up as a guest at her partner's Cornwall estate to help celebrate Lynley's wedding engagement, but is soon navigating old grudges between family members when Lynley's drug-addicted brother becomes a suspect in the death of a shopkeeper. Finally, Deception on His Mind strains Lynley and Havers's relationship a bit when the latter's investigation of the murder of a Pakistani man is called into question by an old chum. A harrowing climax leaves enough ethical and narrative ambiguity to make one yearn for more in the Lynley-Havers series. --Tom Keogh

The most celebrated detective duo in years is back on the case. Nathaniel Parker (Far from the Madding Crowd) and Sharon Small (About A Boy) return as the New Scotland Yard team of Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers in four riveting murder mysteries that take them from seedy urban underbellies to posh country estates in search of whodunit. The misfit tandem of the suave Inspector and the rumpled Sergeant has evolved from cultural rivalry into a successful team of close friends and confidantes. But solving murders isn't their only problem. In addition to his puzzling caseload, Lynley struggles with his blossoming relationship with Helen (Lesley Vickerage), while Havers grapples with both newfound personal freedom and professional challenges. Inspired by a string of successful cases, Lynley and Havers unravel a fresh caseload of heinous, suspenseful crimes, each based on a novel by Elizabeth George. Playing For The Ashes The murder of a beloved sports star leads to a loaded lineup of key suspects and bizarre twists. Without much cooperation from a dysfunctional family and other odd "players," Lynley and Havers break the rules to tease the killer out of hiding. In the Presence of the Enemy The abduction and killing of a Government minister's daughter brings Lynley into a lethal web of political and personal unrest. But after another child is kidnapped, the pair must decipher the deceit and pinpoint the murderer to stop a second senseless killing. A Suitable Vengeance When a local shopkeeper is found dead, a celebration of the Inspector's engagement to Helen at his impressive family estate becomes a murder investigation. But the biggest surprise is the key suspect: Lynley's drug-addict brother, Peter. Deception on His Mind While Lynley is honeymooning in Mexico, the body of a young Asian man is found on the beach, leading to a trail of racial tensions, family loyalties and illicit sexuality. Havers, after discovering an old police school chum is on the case, sets off to ensnare the killer. Special DVD features include: link to the Mystery! Web site; scene selections; and closed captions. On four DVD5 discs. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: Letterboxed.

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

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 10

A suspicious suicide, a well-staged kidnapping, and a fatal fall--none of these are what they appear to be in this three-tape installment of episodes from the Agatha Christie's Poirot series. While true collectors will devour the whole set, newcomers to the series will appreciate "Murder in the Mews." This plot of murder made to look like suicide has as many twists as an intricate Celtic knot and keeps the viewer guessing both whodunit and why until the final moments--it's tempting to watch this one a second time as soon as it's over. Unfortunately, "The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly" and "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" have motives so obvious, it's almost tedious to wait an hour for these cases to be solved. Of course, David Suchet's performance as the Belgian detective holds up through all three episodes, and Hugh Fraser is marvelously dim as Poirot's affable companion, Captain Hastings. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

Brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot cracks the toughest cases with brainpower alone, endearing him to thinkers everywhere and making Agatha Christie the bestselling author of her day. As portrayed by DAVID SUCHET in this British television production, Poirot became the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and a hit all over again on A&E. In these three stories, Poirot outsmarts both the criminals and the other crime-solvers in and around elegant upper-crust 1930s London.
Murder in the Mews—On Guy Fawkes Night, Poirot is called in on a case he suspects is murder made to look like suicide.
The Adventure of Johnnie Wavery—A country squire hires Poirot to investigate threats against his young son.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds—Poirot's keen powers of observation and culinary know-how help him solve a murder case.

Agatha Christie's Poirot: Collector's Set Volume 6

Wherever Hercule Poirot goes, murder follows--although the crimes are not always what they first appear to be in the three stories included in this boxed set of Agatha Christie's Poirot. Poirot's attempt at a practical joke livens up the somewhat tedious "Theft of the Royal Ruby"--an episode in which the redirection of romantic attentions seems to be as much the goal as preserving England's political relations with Egypt. A guest appearance by Stephanie Cole (who later starred in the series Waiting for God) makes this episode an interesting collector's item for British TV fans.

Costumes and clever disguises ultimately fail to mask the truth from Poirot's prying eyes in the other two episodes. Even a fever-stricken Poirot is able to deduce the culprit's double identity in "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge." And the dazzling commedia dell'arte costumes in "The Affair at the Victory Ball" are stripped away when the Belgian sleuth reassembles the surviving cast of a radio mystery play to broadcast his own whodunit scene. David Suchet is, as always, the consummate Hercule Poirot, from his dapper demeanor to his endearing concern for the plight of servants and train station attendants. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

C'est vrai!
David Suchet is the definitive Poirot.
Hercule Poirot is the detective, and no actor has defined the brilliant little Belgian's onscreen persona like DAVID SUCHET, the Poirot. Millions of fans made Suchet's Poirot the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and a hit all over again on A&E. Armed only with his razor-sharp wit, Poirot unravels the intricate plots concocted by Dame Agatha Christie, the mother of the modern mystery story. Ablaze with the elegance of its 1930s setting, the series also stars Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon.

THE THEFT OF THE ROYAL RUBY — International relations are at stake as Poirot hunts for a stolen Egyptian royal jewel. THE AFFAIR AT THE VICTORY BALL — When two revelers at a lavish costume ball are murdered, small but telling clues lead Poirot to the killer. THE MYSTERY OF HUNTER'S LODGE — Poirot must find a murderer among the members of a quarrelsome hunting party. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE biographies of Agatha Christie and David Suchet, cast filmographies and Agatha Christie materials.