The Big Four

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Hugh Fraser

Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Framed in the doorway of Hercule Poirot's bedroom stands an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man stares for a moment, then he sways and falls.

Who is he? Is he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what is the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life - and that of his twin brother - to uncover the truth.

©1927 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2002 HarperCollins Publishers

Weak Early Christie but Performance is Masterful.

Just too incredible to satisfy. More like an absurd B-movie than the complex measured tales of her later years.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Reviewers Must Be Mistaken

Would you try another book from Agatha Christie and/or Hugh Fraser?

Yes. This book was one odd failure in the Christie collection.

Any additional comments?

I thought the reviewers who made bad comments about this book must have been mistaken. Not so. Hugh Fraser's performance was excellent, but even the best reader couldn't make the ridiculous plot less ridiculous. It was a James Bond fantasy starring Hercule Poirot, a character that doesn't fit at all. The whole thing was silly without humor. This was my ninth Christie listen, all the rest very good to excellent stories. I still want to hear more Poirot mysteries, and will bet on the fact that Christie didn't repeat the mistake she made with this one.

11 of 15 people found this review helpful

Agatha tried something different here

What did you like best about The Big Four? What did you like least?

I liked the departure from Christie's standard format for this Hercule Poirot adventure. It seems to me I once read that she really detested Poirot as a character and wanted to quit writing his stories, but fans insisted. I think here, she attempted to make him more of a James Bond character, in an attempt to at least shake things up and perhaps focus more on Hastings. The plot twists in this book are of a different, more fantastic variety and more than once I LOL'd at some of the wildly fortunate developments, but that just made it more fun. Since Agatha returns to her previous Poirot style after this one, we can safely assume her experiment was something less than successful and I'll be glad to get back to a more traditional Poirot novel with the next one, but this one is still a hoot.Re: what I liked the least, I can't think of anything that I didn't particularly like. It was different, certainly, but still an enjoyable listen.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Now who are we to suggest changes to an Agatha Christie story? I ask you. Sheesh. Sorry, but I think that's a silly-ass question.

What about Hugh Fraser’s performance did you like?

Hugh does an outstanding job, once again. His Belgian accent fades at times but still, he puts in an another exceptional performance. I don't know why it's so surprising when English performers capture American accents so well, but Hugh does a great job with all of the various voices of this one, including the Yank.

Was The Big Four worth the listening time?

Certainly it's worth the time investment. Don't pay attention to the reviews telling you to ignore this one. Honestly, it's a hoot, just because it is different, if for no other reason. Give it a listen. It's entertaining. Really. I'm not lying. I wouldn't do that. Not about this at any rate.

Any additional comments?

Nah. Not so much.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not really a mystery.

Well performed, but not really a mystery and that is what I look for in Agatha Christie novels.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Early dated work

Unless you're a Christie fan, I wouldn't bother reading. Its dated and not a mystery. Just a story of tracking down 4 people who want to rule the world. Actually a pre Bond, wonder if Ian was inspired.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Like a bad, less realistic James Bond book

This was not like any of the other Poirot books - no real mystery to solve, just running from place to place encountering "villains" that are more ridiculous than any Batman or Bond flick. I can't believe anyone who liked the earlier books - or mysteries in general - would like this.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Poirot, Hercule Poirot. Agent 070 (symetrical 0's)

This novel was, in ways, much more James Bond than Poirot. It was odd but entertaining and Hugh Fraser does a great job.

too Sherlock Holmes

I like how Hercule Poirot has been in many ways alter ego too Sherlock Holmes. this book however comes waaaaaaaay too close to ACD'S portrayals of Sherlock's death... mountain. scene and all.

Not the best Agatha Christie

I was really surprised by how poorly this story came together! I would recommend skipping it unless you’re a diehard fan.

Fantastic!

One of my all time favorite Christie novels. Hugh Fraser is a gem of a narrator.