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A review by catherine_the_greatest
The Labors of Hercules by Agatha Christie
3.0
Dame Christie was getting especially bored with Monsieur Poirot circa 1947. Thirty years of writing about a character who she intended to be rather odious, but many of her readers found charming...that can wearing. So, why not (a) retire him for good to grow those vegetable marrows she first brought up in [b:The Murder of Roger Ackroyd|16328|The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #3)|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389734015l/16328._SY75_.jpg|1073110] and (b) poke a little fun at his rather ironic moniker (ironiker?) and his overly inflated sense of self-worth?
Poirot decides to take on twelve final cases, all with nods to the Labors of Hercules (some requiring serious imaginative stretching):
1) Slay the Nemean lion (or bust a dog-napping ring)
2) Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra (or put gossiping tongues to rest)
3) Capture the Arcadian Deer (or track down an vanished sweetheart)
4) Capture the Erymanthian Boar (otherwise known as a dangerous criminal)
5) Clean the Augean stables in a single day (no more difficult than cleaning up a political scandal)
6) Slay the Stymphalian birds (birds? lady con artists? same diff.)
7) Capture the Cretan Bull (or find out if a woman's fiancé is really becoming a homicidal maniac)
8) Steal the Mares of Diomedes (or tame the wild daughters of a retired general)
9) Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazon (or find the connection between a stolen painting and a schoolgirl who temporarily went missing)
10) Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon (or save wealthy ladies from a murderous cult leader)
11) Steal three of the golden apples of the Hesperides (or track down a priceless Borgia goblet)
12) Capture and bring back Cerberus (or bust a drug ring being run out of Poirot's old friend Countess Vera Rosakoff's new nightclub Hell)
Short stories usually aren't my favorites and this collection is no exception. I prefer a slow striptease of a reveal to a fast & dirty one. Dame Christie also seems a little obsessed with drugs throughout the collection: so many young people losing their minds on the dope!
The standouts of the collection for me are "The Cretan Bull" (wherein Poirot proves and "The Flock of Geryon," because I always love a good cult, especially one with
Poirot decides to take on twelve final cases, all with nods to the Labors of Hercules (some requiring serious imaginative stretching):
1) Slay the Nemean lion (or bust a dog-napping ring)
2) Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra (or put gossiping tongues to rest)
3) Capture the Arcadian Deer (or track down an vanished sweetheart)
4) Capture the Erymanthian Boar (otherwise known as a dangerous criminal)
5) Clean the Augean stables in a single day (no more difficult than cleaning up a political scandal)
6) Slay the Stymphalian birds (birds? lady con artists? same diff.)
7) Capture the Cretan Bull (or find out if a woman's fiancé is really becoming a homicidal maniac)
8) Steal the Mares of Diomedes (or tame the wild daughters of a retired general)
9) Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazon (or find the connection between a stolen painting and a schoolgirl who temporarily went missing)
10) Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon (or save wealthy ladies from a murderous cult leader)
11) Steal three of the golden apples of the Hesperides (or track down a priceless Borgia goblet)
12) Capture and bring back Cerberus (or bust a drug ring being run out of Poirot's old friend Countess Vera Rosakoff's new nightclub Hell)
Short stories usually aren't my favorites and this collection is no exception. I prefer a slow striptease of a reveal to a fast & dirty one. Dame Christie also seems a little obsessed with drugs throughout the collection: so many young people losing their minds on the dope!
The standouts of the collection for me are "The Cretan Bull" (wherein Poirot proves