Hercule Poirot's Christmas
My dear James
You have always been one of the most faithful and kindly of my readers, and I was therefore seriously perturbed when I received from you a word of criticism.
You complained that my murders were getting too refined - anaemic, in fact. You yearned for a 'good violent murder with lots of blood'. A murder where there was no doubt about its being murder!
So this is your special story - written for you. I hope it may please.
Your affectionate sister-in-law Agatha  
UK
Collins, London, Dec. 1938
Daily Express, Nov.14-Dec.10 1938 as 'Murder at Christmas'
US
Dodd, Mead & Co., New York, Feb. 1938 as "Murder for Christmas"
Collier's Weekly, Nov.12 1938 - Jan.14 1939 as 'Murder For Christmas'
a.k.a. "A Holiday for Murder"

THREE ACT TRAGEDY should be read before HERCULE POIROT'S CHRISTMAS.

Plot

It is Christmas Eve. The Lee family reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture, followed by a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.
But when Hercule Poirot, who is staying in the village with a friend for Christmas, offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man...

Contents

December 22nd • December 23rd • December 24th • December 25th • December 26th • December 27th • December 28th

Characters

Simeon Lee • Alfred Lee • Lydia Lee • George Lee • Magdalene Lee • Harry Lee • Pilar Estravados • Horbury • Tressilian • Sugden • Hercule Poirot

Films & TV

Hercule Poirot's Christmas, ITV/UK, 1994
Agahta Christie's POIROT VI
Petits meurtres en famille, FR, 2006
Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie
Meurtres en solde, FR, 2018
Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie Saison 2

UK/US covers

Collins / Fontana Books / HarperCollins

Dodd, Mead and Company

under the title Murder for Christmas.


Avon Books

under the title A Holiday For Murder.


Bantam Books

under the title A Holiday For Murder.


Pan Books

other publishers

Magazine

Western Europe covers

Le Noël d'Hercule Poirot

French index

Le Masque (#334) 1946

Club des Masques (#308) 1977

Le Livre de Poche (#1595) 1965

other publishers

Kerstmis van Poirot / Kerst Tragedie / Kerst met Poirot

Dutch index

Kerstmis van Poirot


Kerst Tragedie


Kerst met Poirot


Hercule Poirots Weihnachten

German index


Northern Europe covers

Hercule Poirots jul // Poirots jul

Swedish index


En af mine sønner / Hercule Poirots jul

Danish index

En af mine sønner


Hercule Poirots jul


Guds kvern maler langsomt

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Simeon Leen testamentti

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Jólaleyfi Poirots

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Slepkavība Ziemassvētkos

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Lithuanian index


Southern Europe covers

Il Natale di Poirot

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O Natal de Poirot // O Natal de Hercule Poirot

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Εφιαλτικά Χριστούγεννα / Έγκλημα τα Χριστούγεννα / Τα Χριστούγεννα του Ηρακλή Πουαρό / Τα Χριστούγεννα του Πουαρό / Αιματοβαμμενα Χριστούγεννα

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former Yugoslavia index


Božić Herkula Poaroa

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Eastern Europe covers

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Hercule Poirot's Christmas


Middle East & Asian covers

ერკიულ პუაროს ქრისტეშობა

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Noel'de Cinayet // Tatilde Cinayet

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මරුවා සමග උදවු නත්තල

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