Part of Hercule Poirot, book 0.04
First published 2016
Chief Inspector Japp calls upon Hercule Poirot to solve a baffling case from a recent Victory Ball. Six friends attended the costume party dressed as commedia dell'arte characters. Young Viscount Cronshaw came as Harlequin, his uncle Eustace Beltane as Punchinello, and American widow Mrs Mallaby as Punchinella. Stage actor Christopher Davidson and his wife portrayed Pierrot and Pierette, while actress "Coco" Courtenay, rumored to be Cronshaw's fiancée, appeared as Columbine. The evening sours immediately when guests notice the obvious rift between Cronshaw and Miss Courtenay. The actress weeps openly and asks Chris Davidson to escort her to her Chelsea flat. What begins as social drama at a themed party becomes something far more sinister, requiring Scotland Yard's intervention. Poirot must untangle the relationships and tensions within this theatrical group to understand what truly happened that night.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, ensemble-cast, social-intrigue
Setting: Chelsea, Scotland Yard, Victory Ball
Period: World War II
24 pages · Paperback · Createspace Independent Publishing Platform