Hickory Dickory Dock [DeliciousDeath]

Collins, London, 1955
Dodd Mead, New York, 1955 as "Hickory, Dickory, Death"

Plot

(from HarperCollins "The Agatha Christie Collection" cover)

An outbreak of kleptomania at a student hostel was not normally the sort of crime that aroused Hercule Poirot's interest. But when he saw the list of stolen and vandalised items - including a stethoscope, some old flannel trousers, a box of chocolates, a slashed rucksack and a diamond ring found in a bowl of soup - he congratulated the warden, Mrs Hubbard, on a 'unique and beautiful problem'.

The list made absolutely no sense at all. But, reasoned Poirot, if this was merely a petty thief a work, why was everyone at the hostel so frightened?

Characters

Hercule Poirot, Mr. Akibombo, Achmed Ali, Celia Austin, Leonard Bateson, Sergeant Bell, Nigel Chapman, Mr. Endicott, Sally Finch, Valerie Hobhouse, Mrs. Hubbard, Elizabeth Johnson, Chandra Lal, Patricia Lane, Felicity Lemon, Colin McNabb, Mrs. Nicholetis, Inspector Sharpe, Nigel Stanley, Jean Tomlinson

Mother Goose

Hickory, dickory, dock: Hickory, dickory, dock,; The mouse ran up the clock.; The clock struck one,; The mouse ran down!; Hickory, dickory, dock.; Dickery, dickery, dare,; The pig flew up in the air.; The man in brown; Soon brought him down!; Dickery, dickery, dare.

Movie & TV

[TV] Hickory Dickory Dock: "Agahta Christie's POIROT VI", 1995(UK/LWT) 103min.; [direct] Andrew Grieve; [script] Anthony Horowitz; [cast] (Series Main-starring) David Suchet(Poirot), Hugh Fraser(Hastings), Philip Jackson(Japp), Pauline Moran(Miss Lemon); [cast] (Co-starring) Paris Jefferson(Sally Finch), Jonathan Firth(Nigel Chapman), Damian Lewis(Leonard Bateson), Granville Saxton(Mr Casteman), Gilbert Martin(Colin McNabb), Elinor Morriston(Valerie Nobhouse), Polly Kemp(Patricia Lane), Sarah Badel(Mrs Hubbard), Rachel Bell(Mrs Nicholetis), David Burke(Sir Arthur Stanley), Jessica Lloyd(Celia Austin)