The Big Four

Book #5 in Agatha Christie's Poirot series. An unexpected visitor comes into Hercule Poirot's bedroom and collapses on the floor. The only clue as to what he wants is his repeating Poirot's name and address and writing the number 4, many times. When Poirot's friend Hastings jokingly calls it "The Mystery of the Big Four," the visitor begins speaking about an international crime cartel of that name. He describes the four leaders: Number 1 is a Chinese political mastermind named Li Chang Yen; Number 2 is probably American; Number 3 is a Frenchwoman; and Number 4 is known only as "the Destroyer." The man dies soon after and Poirot and Hastings set off on the trail of the Big Four. Agatha Christie (1890 – 1976) was an English author. She was a prolific writer, most famous for her detective novels and short story collections which centred around the iconic characters of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Renowned as the 'Queen of Crime', she remains the bestselling novelist of all time, with her sales only second to the Bible.