Book Review: The Market Basing Mystery by Agatha Christie

The Market Basing Mystery: A Hercule Poirot Short Story #15

On Inspector Japp’s suggestion, Poirot, Captain Hastings, and Japp spend a weekend in the little country town of Market Basing.

“Nobody knows us, and we know nobody,” explained Japp. “That’s the idea.”

– The Market Basing Mystery by Agatha Christie

But it turns out that a local constable had been acquainted with Japp on one of his previous cases. The bobby comes to Japp while the trio are having a delicious English breakfast, and asks Japp to help him out on death that occured that morning.

A local was found dead in his room – suicide from the looks of it. However, the doctor on call refuses to accept that it was a suicide. So, would Inspector Japp come over and have a look? Of course, mon ami. We depart to the scene of crime immediately!

On arriving at the victim’s house, they learn the housekeeper found the master’s door locked and called for help. On breaking the door, they found the man lying in a pool of blood, with a bullet wound to his head. The doctor on scene claims it was impossible for the victim to have killed himself as he would have had to twist his right hand to shoot himself on the left temple. (The gun was found in his right hand, you see.)

The suspects – two guests who arrived the previous day. Could they be responsible for the murder?

At the beginning of the story, we are told that off work, Inspector Japp is an ardent botanist. Then, when Japp, Poirot, and Hastings are at breakfast, Japp says once retired, he would want to move to a small town such as Market Basing, far away from crime.

At the scene of crime, Poirot sniffs the room in which the victim was found. Hastings, seeing Poirot sniffing, sniffs too… but smells nothing. Poirot also seems to be interested in the handkerchief found on the victim’s coat sleeve. Once again, Hastings wonders why Poirot is interested in insignificant details.

It so happens that these two clues (mentioned above) turn out to be the deciding factors for Poirot to solve the mystery.

Coming to the ending, I would say this was unlike any other Christie and Poirot ending. Unexpected and surprising.

The Market Basing Mystery is just 25 pages long (or, should I say ‘short’? ) and can be read in less than 15minutes. If you are looking for a break from your reading routine and want to excite your grey cells, you might want to give this short story a read.

My Rating:

Purchase Links:

Amazon (India): Kindle

Amazon (global): Kindle | Paperback

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