Delicious Death

UK

HarperCollins, London, Aug. 1997

US

Putnam, New York, Apr. 1997 as "The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories"

While the Light Lasts	The Harlequin Tea Set
The House of Dreams	The Edge
The Actress	The Actress
The Edge	While the Light Lasts
Christmas Adventure	The House of Dreams
The Lonely God	The Lonely God
Manx Gold	Manx Gold
Within a Wall	Within a Wall
The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest	The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
While the Light Lasts	The Harlequin Tea Set

Plot

A macabre recurring dream... revenge against a blackmailer... jealousy, infidelity and a tortured conscience... a stolen gemstone... the haunting attraction of an ancient relic... a race against time... a tragic love triangle... a body in a box... an unexpected visitor from beyond the grave...
Nine quintessential examples of Agatha Christie's brilliance are contained in this new collection of early short stories - including the very first one she ever wrote - and provide a unique glimpse of the Queen of Crime in the making.

short stories

The House of Dreams

Sovereign Magazine, Jan. 1926

The Actress

a.k.a. 'A Trap for the Unway', The Novel Magazine, May 1923
The 20-Story Magazine #103, January 1931

The Edge

Pearson's Magazine, Feb. 1927

Christmas Adventure

* only "While the Light Lasts"

The Sketch, Dec.11 1923

see 'The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding'

The Lonely God

Royal Magazine, Jul. 1926

Manx Gold

Daily Dispatch, May. 1930

Within a Wall

Royal Magazine, Oct. 1925

The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest

* only "While the Light Lasts"

Strand Magazine, Jan. 1932; The Sketch, Jan. 1932; Ladies Home Journal, Jan. 1932

This story was expanded in 1960 into 'The Mystery of The Spanish Chest'.

The Mystery of The Spanish Chest

* only "The Harlequin Tea Set"

see "The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding"

While the Light Lasts

Novel Magazine, Apr. 1924

The Harlequin Tea Set

* only "The Harlequin Tea Set"

see "Problem at Pollensa Bay"