Part of Series
Hercule Poirot always kept a healthy and symmetrical balance in his bank: four hundred and forty-four pounds, four and four pence. That's not easy to do! But what about investments? Hastings proposes that he buy shares worth three hundred pounds in an oil field promising a yield of 100% in one year! In response, Poirot says, "There's no need for speculative behavior." He explains that, for the exercise of his little grey cells, he was once rewarded with fourteen thousand shares of the Burma Mines Ltd. Hastings wants to know more. So do we! Librarian's note: this entry is for the story, "The Lost Mine." Collections of short stories by the author can be found elsewhere on Goodreads. The 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.
