The Mysterious Mr. Quin audiobook

According to me, this is one of the underrated gems of Agatha Christie, where she flirts with fantasy. Even though none of the stories except the last one (Harlequin's Lane) cross over into fantasy territory, they are always on the borderline. That Christie does this without straining our credibility speaks volumes for her mastery of the medium.Mr. Harley Quin is a thinly disguised Harlequin, transported into modern England. His specialty: he allows one to solve mysteries by stripping away the unnecessary details. He does this by asking one to imagine that the events happened in the remote past, to strangers: this removes the personal element from the equation and allows one to see clearer. Mr. Satterthwaite, an elderly bachelor who is interested in human beings and their affairs, is the usual beneficiary of Quin's method.Most of the mysteries in the volume are dark and brooding. The first story, The Coming of Mr. Quin, sets the tone for the whole book when Quin appears at the doorstep of the country house where Mr. Satterthwaite happens to be spending his New Year's Eve, as the first visitor of the year. As he steps across the threshold, a queer trick of the light appears to give the impression that the visitor is dressed in motley and is wearing a mask. Then Quin sets out to make his presence felt by enabling the house-guests to solve the mystery of a suicide that happened in that house a year ago! In the process, he helps two lovers reunite.This is Quin's trademark - love...and violent death. As Satterthwaite says, his friend seem to be interested in the welfare of lovers more than solving crimes. But in a Christie story, they often go hand in hand.This book is a personal favourite of mine, read over and over countless number of times; especially on wet June nights, in the cavernous rooms of my ancestral home in Kerala, as the monsoon rages outside. I half expect Quin to step over the threshold every time, saying: "Damnable weather outside. Can I wait inside till it clears?"

An Agatha Christie novel starring Harley Quinn?!No. Calm down, nerd.But it does feature a character named Harley Quin, who helps our main character, Mr. Satterthwaite, solve a series of old mysteries that somehow relate to whatever situation our elderly hero finds himself in at the moment.

4.5 "Sentiment beloonged to his age. It had no part to play in the modern world."This is a Christie that is totally different from the one you and I know, or knew, or thought we knew. Even in her most-known and appreciated works, she always flirts with the supernatural and the mysterious, but, this time around, flirting isn't enough for her anymore: this time, she abandons herself to it; and yet without giving the impression of fully doing it. It's a mystery in itself, how she did it, the main and the most dense of the whole collection. Not once does the reader feel mocked or wronged because of the peculiar air the arcane presence of Mr. Harley Quin bestows on these stories, which is, to me, another marvellous paradox, being they crime stories -and Christie's at that. Agatha Christie, mother of the rational, precise, objective, infallible Hercule Poirot, and now she gives birth to this ghost, this wraith, this shadow of a man who appears, magically, whenever and wherever a new tragedy is about to happen or an old one needs to be put to sleep. I would have dismissed without a second thought any crime novel presenting such a premise, and I would have wronged myself terribly. I already knew I would find it brilliant (it's Christie we're talking about, after all), but I wasn't prepared to love its peculiarity and strangeness to the point of not being able to think of anything or little else for days afterwards. Mr. Quin is unjustly underestimated, if you ask me. I, for once, have found him to be extremely more remarkable and intriguing that the infamous Miss Marple ever was -but, banally, not as much as my Poirot is.Not all of the stories of this collection are exceptional, but almost. One or two may result unusually lame (by Chritie's standard, which is to say good nonetheless), but I can promise the others won't disappoint. If Agatha were still alive, I would start a petition to have more Quin's stories. Twelve are far too few.

The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha ChristieMass Market PB pub. by Dell, 1979. Orig. pub. 1930 I found this book on my shelves and had never read it before. I was hoping for a good old fashioned AC mystery, but it turned out to be something else. Although initially disappointed, I found myself enjoying it nonetheless. The book consists of a series of short stories each featuring a well to do elderly British gentleman by the name of Mr. Satterthwaite and a mysterious tall, thin, dark man named Harley Quin. In each story, Mr. Satterthwaite finds himself somewhere in his European leisure travels that includes some feature of unexplained phenomena or mystery. With some help or guidance from the "out of nowhere" appearance of the mysterious and elusive stranger, Mr. Harley Quin, puzzles are solved, and mysterious activities are explained.One of the things that I found very interesting was Mr. Satterthwaite's persona and characteristics. He is a rather small man, fastidious in nature, well groomed, an international traveler in all the right circles, and he knows how to schmooze with the best of them. This reminded me of Hercule Poirot, and I wondered if Mr. S. was not a precursor to Mr. Poirot. He is not. Hercule was introduced in 1920 by AC in The Mysterious Affair at Styles. However, it was fun identifying some of their similarities.This was a nice diversion, but I need to move on to an old fashioned who-dunnit. However, if you are an AC fan and have not yet read any of the Harley Quin stories, I would recommend them to round out your appreciation for AC's expansive bibliography.

A charming collection of Agatha Christie stories, all revolving around a man with the unlikely name of Harley Quin.Mr. Quin appears and disappears suddenly. But if the protagonist, Mr. Satterthwaite, sees him, he knows that something exciting is about to happen.This book focused more on suicide than other Agatha Christie books I've read. Some stories didn't deal with murder or suicide, but the majority did.1.) The Coming of Mr. Quin. Harley Quin shows up unexpectedly at a New Year's Eve dinner party and solves a decade-old mystery. In what is a classic Harley Quin theme, Quin helps Satterthwaite to determine who the true murderer was a decade ago - and clear the name of someone who was suffering the effects of being under suspicion. This someone was planning to commit suicide, but because of Satterthwaite/Quin's intervention - decides not to. True love triumphs.2.) The Shadow on the Glass. A weekend party to which Mr. Satterthwaite has been invited. Two people you'd never suspect have an affair. Both are dead. A murder/suicide on the part of the male is suspected. Mr. Quin comes in at the end to help Satterthwaite put it all together.3.) At the “Bells and Motley”. Rather far-fetched story about acrobats and cat burglars.4.) The Sign in the Sky – Mr. Satterthwaite actually travels to Canada to investigate a murder, on Quin's urging. Again, true love triumphs and a man falsely accused is saved from hanging.5.) The Soul of the Croupier – Satterthwaite ends up vacationing in Corsica. Again, themes of love.6.) The Man from the Sea – Mr. Satterthwaite is on an island. I believe it's Corsica again. He meets a terminally ill young man (Anthony) who wants to commit suicide. He also meets an older woman. She was married at 18 to an abusive man who beat her so hard she lost her baby. She's suicidal, too, for various reasons. There are some great thoughts about suicide in this story. Also, the theme of preventing suicide and the triumph of true love are dominant. 7.) The Voice in the Dark - The second far-fetched story in the collection involving amnesia and false identities and a fortune. There is also, I think it's worth noting, a 25-year-old man being treated as a trophy by an older woman - and his name is Bimbo. :)8.) The Face of Helen – A super-beautiful woman named Gillian is being fought over by two guys. She picks one, and the other decides to get his revenge by killing her. There is also a suicide in this story.9.) The Dead Harlequin – A husband is murdered and it's made to look like suicide.10.) The Bird with the Broken Wing – Quin summons Satterthwaite to Laidell with a Ouija board. o.O A "fairy girl" who seems to be not of this world is found dead, hanged in her bedroom. Suicide? Think again. This is one of the rare times Christie creates an insane killer who just kills for the hell of it.11.) The World's End – Naomi's an artist who's going to commit suicide by driving off a cliff. Satterthwaite and Quin prevent her by solving a year-old crime. Now she can be with her true love again and she doesn't have to kill herself. Again, true love wins, suicide themes.12.) Harlequin's Lane – Russian ballerina is married to a rather dull English man. Is he having an affair? Is she? This is a rather tragic tale.So - as you can see, strong themes of suicide. But also strong themes of love, and the triumph of love over all.The "true" identity or nature of Harley Quin is often hinted at but never stated outright. Is he Death himself? An advocate for the dead? A supernatural being that interferes in the matters of the living? An angel? The Angel of Death? Sometimes no one but Satterthwaite can see or communicate with Quin. A strange, supernatural bent to Agatha Christie's usual fare.If suicide and suicidal talk are triggering for you, don't read this book.

Each chapter involves a separate mystery that is solved through the interaction between observant man Mr Satterthwaite and Mr Quin, who appears and disappears almost magically at the most opportune moments.

A big thank you to the brilliant writer of the Coming from Darkness series and macaron-loving tea connoisseur Eustacia Tan for recommending this to me.The Mysterious Mr. Quin is exactly as the name suggests, mysterious. It’s a collection of short stories where the sociable protagonist Mr. Satterthwaite finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery, while Mr. Quin comes in to help him see things from a different perspective and leaves it to Mr. Satterthwaite to unravel the mystery. Considering this is written by the legendary Agatha Christie, it should come as no surprise that the mysteries themselves are interesting and of course really well written. And combined with the very subtle hints of the supernatural, it makes for quite an interesting set up.Mr. Satterthwaite is not as strong a protagonist as Agatha Christie’s most famous protagonists Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Nor is Mr. Quin for that matter. And neither is the kind of sleuth in the way we’ve come to expect in Agatha Christie’s stories. Mr. Satterthwaite is mostly an observer in the murder mysteries while Mr. Quin pretty much appears from out of nowhere and helps Mr. Satterthwaite see the clues left behind in a new light, but he never solves the mystery himself. Both characters however are quite interesting in their own right. Mr. Satterthwaite is pretty much a rich old man but nevertheless a likeable and identifiable character. His strengths are his simplicity and his life experience. Mr. Quin is somewhat of an enigma. What makes him so fascinating is the air of mystery surrounding him and the fact that he almost never really does anything special. And as expertly shown in these stories: when it comes to the supernatural, sometimes less is more.Overall, a very enjoyable read. It’s a light mystery short story collection with some hints of the supernatural that provides us with a little edge to elevate the stories as a whole.

It is a collection of twelve stories that Agatha wrote for various magazines between 1924-1929. These were then compiled in a single edition in 1930. In 1953 Penguin published ten of Christie’s novels of her liking and this edition was one of them. In special foreword written by Agatha she picks three stories as her favorite- Man from the sea, The World’s end and Harlequin’s lane. Mr. Quinn was one of Christie’s favorite creations and there is a good deal of suspense around him. He appears suddenly in the story and then disappears equally quickly. But each story has a happy ending and most of them involve matters of the heart. Overall light enjoyable read.

I have been learning so much about my favorite author by reading her stories in publication order! I have loved Agatha Christie's characters and classic mysteries since I was 9 years old and read my first Hercule Poirot novel. But up until my current reading project I had never read any of her short stories and several novels are new-to-me as well. And I keep having to backtrack to read some stories that were published first in magazines and then collected into book form later. I loved the early Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple short one-minute style mysteries! All of the stories were written and published in detective and fiction magazines and then published as short story collection books. Come to find out The Mysterious Mr. Quin is the same situation! Mr. Quin is a mysterious, almost supernatural man, who appears unexpectedly to help uncover the truth behind unsolved crimes. An older gentleman, Mr. Satterthwaite, finds himself a very willing accomplice as he likes looking into the everyday drama of human lives.I listened to the audio book version of these stories. The audio is narrated by Hugh Fraser who played Hastings in the Poirot television series. He does a great job of narrating. Very enjoyable listening experience!I did not realize until I had finished the book that The Mysterious Mr. Quin is another collection of stories first published in magazines. There are 12 stories in all. Here is a bit on each one: The Coming of Mr. Quin - This story was first published as The Passing of Mr. Quin in The Grand Magazine in March 1924. The very myserious Mr. Quin makes his first appearance at a country house where a man committed suicide by shooting himself years ago. Mr Harley Quin comes to the door saying his car has broken down....and by the time his chauffeur has repaired it, Mr. Quin has helped solve the mystery.The Shadow on the Glass - Another country house. A ghost. And a murder. Quin appears to help Mr. Satterthwaite figure out the truth behind the shooting. First published in The Grand Magazine in October 1924. At the Bells & Motley - Mr. Satterthwaite is travelling but flat tires cause him to shelter from an oncoming storm at the local inn....and he meets up with Mr. Quin. The innkeeper states that the storm is very like one on the very day a local mystery started. Sleuthing follows, as usual. This story was first published in 1925 in The Grand Magazine. The Sign in the Sky - Mr. Satterthwaite attends a murder trial that ends in a finding of guilty and a death sentence. He then proceeds to a restaurant and finds his friend, Mr. Quin. It appears not all the evidence is what it seems.... This story first appeared in The Grand Magazine in July 1925. The Soul of the Croupier - Mr. Satterthwaite is in Monte Carlo. Mr Quin appears right on cue of course....and drama plays out at the roulette table. I admit I had to look up what a "Croupier'' is -- the person in charge of a gaming table, paying out money or tokens. There is no murder in this tale....just human drama. First published in Story-Teller Magazine in January 1927. The World's End - This time Mr. Satterthwaite has travelled to Corsica. He again miraculously bumps into his friend Mr. Quin and they solve the mystery of a missing opal. First published in Story-Teller Magazine in February 1927. The Voice in the Dark - World hopper Mr. Satterthwaite is now in the French Riviera at Cannes. Mysterious voices, a shipwreck and a vast estate create the mystery that Satterthwaite and Quin come together to solve. First published in Story-Teller Magazine in March 1927. The Face of Helen - This time Mr. Satterthwaite goes to the opera where he meets up with Mr. Quin and gets pulled into another love-related drama. The life of a beautiful woman hangs in the balance as Satterthwaite works to put all the pieces of the mystery together. First appeared in Story-Teller Magazine in April 1927. The Dead Harlequin - Mr. Satterthwaite buys a painting that depicts a Harlequin gazing in a window at his own dead body on the floor. The body is a likeness of his friend Harley Quin. So, he buys the painting and ends up pulled into a mystery. This is my favorite story from the collection! First published in Detective Fiction Weekly in June 1929. The Bird with the Broken Wing - Mr. Satterthwaite happens to be in the same room with a group of people having a séance, when a message comes through for him. He figures out the message and stumbles into yet another mystery. This story is one that did not first appear in a magazine. It was first published in The Mysterious Mr. Quin in 1930. The Man from the Sea - The setting is a Spanish island. Mr. Satterthwaite is walking on a high cliff enjoying the sights when he stumbles into a mystery. Quin of course makes an appearance as well. First published in Brittania & Eve magazine in October 1929. Harlequin's Lane - Mr Satterthwaite is at yet another country house where he meets up with Mr. Quin. They investigate a murder. First published in Story-Teller Magazine in May 1927. The first story, The Coming of Mr. Quin, was adapted into a movie - The Passing of Mr. Quin - in 1928. I enjoyed these stories! They all center around lovers or relationships damaged by violence or unsolved crimes. Mr. Quin has a supernatural element to him, which adds a splash of extra fun to the tales. Mr. Satterthwaite is a bit of wealthy snob. He's big on class distinctions and proper behavior in the wealthy class and "lower'' strata. I see this theme repeated often in Christie's characters, and racist nuances pop in at times. Colonial opinions. Commentary on other cultures, races. Characters giving opinions on the poor, servants, lower and middle classes. I still love the stories, but they are definitely a product of 1920's-1930s upper class white European opinions. I'm really enjoying my journey through Christie's writings in publication order (Or as close to publication order as I can get) and researching whatever little rabbit holes I find on the way. And I'm loving reading Christie's works as a 52-year old and discovering little tidbits of social commentary and early 1900s nuances that I missed as a child/teenager reading these stories for the first time. The mysteries hold up and are just as much fun to read as they were back when I first read them.....but the social opinions and ideas expressed by some characters in the stories do not hold up to nearly 100 years of time passing. Thank God! I have yet to read Christie's autobiography or a biography on her...reading through all her fiction first. I'm curious as to one thing -- did Christie hold the opinions of her upper class characters? Or....was she making thinly veiled social commentary?? I can't wait to find out! In my quest to read all of Christie, I'm going to skip over The Floating Admiral (1931) for now because Christie helped write it as part of the The Detection Club, a group of mystery writers. I'm going to read it -- and the other books written by the Club -- but focusing on works written only by Christie for right now. So...moving on to: The Sittaford Mystery (also published as The Hazelwood Mystery). This is one I haven't read before -- can't wait!!!!

This is so unlike Agatha, and yet she is lingering somewhere in the shadows all along. Absolutely loved this, some stories more than other. Apart from one or two, each of them had something to take from it.

4 Stars. The adjective Christie applied to her lead character, Mr. Quin, was "mysterious." After reading all 12 short stories, and the two extras located elsewhere, several other adjectives come to mind: "extraordinary," "psychic," and "manipulative." He's a magician who conjures up scenes to assist a person, invariably distraught, involved in a love affair of some sort. Usually there's a crime involved but not always. He doesn't act directly but guides his friend Satterthwaite in the right direction. Harlequin, on which Harley Quin is modelled, is a fictitious character, a song and dance man from Italy's commedia dell'arte. There's much we don't know about Mr. Q. Where is his home? How does he get his information? How is he able to appear at precisely the right time? But that's the art of Christie. These are fantasies on the edge of science fiction. Favourites? In "The Sign in the Sky," Mr. S visits Banff in the Canadian Rockies to find a clue. In "The Voice in the Dark," the colour of a young maid's eyes is the give-away. And in "The Dead Harlequin," the background in a lovely painting is crucial. The Quin drawn by Christie is from a different world. You'll enjoy meeting him. (October 2021)