Part of Series
We venture onwards - to Hercule Poirot's second challenge in his effort to duplicate the tests confronted by Hercules of Greek mythology. This short story is part of the Agatha Christie 12 story collection published in 1947, "The Labours of Hercules." In mythology, the Lernean Hydra was a water monster thought to be protecting an entrance to the underworld. It had numerous heads; with the chopping off of one, two would replace it. A doctor from the village of Market Loughborough in Berkshire, Charles Oldfield, is convinced that Poirot can't do anything but, with prodding by our great detective, he is persuaded to get something off his chest. He despairs that the village gossips are convinced that he murdered his recently deceased wife in order for him to marry his younger medical dispenser, Miss Jean Moncrieffe. Here we have rumour as the many-headed Lernean Hydra. It cannot be stopped and keeps coming back. Poirot's challenge? To flush out the rumours and kill them once and for all. Librarian's note: this entry is for the story, "The Lernean Hydra." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere on Goodreads. Individual entries for all Poirot short stories can be found by searching Goodreads for: "a Hercule Poirot Short Story."
Author
Agatha Christie is the top-selling author of all time, with a legacy spanning 66 crime novels, 14 plays, and six romance novels under a pseudonym. Her works have sold over two billion copies globally, translated into at least 103 languages, making her the most translated author. She introduced the world to iconic characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, and wrote *The Mousetrap*, the record-holding longest-running play in modern theater. The youngest in the Miller family, her experience as a nurse during WWI and later roles in pharmacies during both World Wars deeply influenced her mystery novels, often featuring poisons. Christie’s writing career launched in 1920 with *The Mysterious Affair at Styles*. Her life was as captivating as her fiction, notably her 1926 disappearance after her first husband’s affair became public, sparking a nationwide search. Christie's second marriage to archaeologist Max Mallowan enriched her life and work, with travels and homes like the Greenway Estate and Abney Hall providing settings for several novels. Her marriage to Mallowan lasted until her death in 1976. Christie's contributions to literature earned her the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire, solidifying her place in literary history.
