The Big Four [Delicious Death]

The Big Four

UK: Collins, London, Jan. 1927; The Sketch, Jan.2-Mar.19 1924 as 'The Man who was No. 4'
US: Dodd, Mead & Co., New York, 1927; Blue Book Magazine, Mar. 1927 - Jan. 1928

Plot

Framed in the doorway of Poirot's bedroom stood an univited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man's gaunt face stared for a moment, then he swayed and fell.
Who was he? Was he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what was the significance of the figure four, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper?

1. The Unexpected Guest
2. The Man from the Asylum
3. We Hear More About Li Chang Yen
4. The Importance of a Leg of Mutton
5. Disappearance of Scientists
6. The Woman on the Stairs
7. The Redium Thieves
8. In the House of the Enemy
9. The Yellow Jasmine Mystery
10. We Investigate at Croftlands
11. A Chess Problem
12. The Baited Trap
13. The Mouse Walks In
14. The Peroxide Blonde
15. The Terrible Catastrophe
16. The Dying Chinaman
17. Number Four Wins a Trick
18. In the Felsenlabyrinth

(different version) The Sketch (UK)
1. The Unexpected Guest (The Sketch, January 2 1924)
2. The Adventure of the Dartmoor Bungalow (The Sketch, January 9 1924)
3. The Lady on the Stairs (The Sketch, January 16 1924)
4. The Radium Thieves (The Sketch, January 23 1924)
5. In the House of the Enemy (The Sketch, January 30 1924)
6. The Yellow Jasmine Mystery (The Sketch, February 6 1924)
7. The Chess Problem (The Sketch, February 13 1924)
8. The Baited Trap (The Sketch, February 20 1924)
9. The Adventure of the Peroxide Blonde (The Sketch, February 27 1924,)
10. The Terrible Catastrophe (The Sketch, Mar.5 1924)
11. The Dying Chinaman (The Sketch, March 12 1924)
12. The Crag in the Dolomites (The Sketch, March 19 1924)

(different version) Blue Book Magazine (US)
1. The Unexpected Guest (The Blue Book Magazine, March 1927)
2. The Dartmoor Adventure (Blue Book Magazine, April 1927)
3. The Lady on the Stairs (Blue Book Magazine, May 1927)
4. The Radium Thieves (Blue Book Magazine, June 1927)
5. In the House of the Enemy (Blue Book Magazine, July 1927)
6. The Yellow Jasmine Mystery (Blue Book Magazine, August 1927)
7. The Chess Problem (Blue Book Magazine, September 1927)
8. The Baited Trap (Blue Book Magazine, October 1927)
9. The Peroxide Blond (Blue Book Magazine, November 1927)
10. The Enemy Strikes (Blue Book Magazine, December 1927)
11. The Crag in the Dolomites (Blue Book Magazine, January 1928)

Characters

Hercule Poirot, Arthur Hastings, Li Chang Yen, John Ingles, Jonathan Whalley, Robert Grant, Mr. John Halliday, Mrs. Halliday, Madame Olivier, Madame Inez Veroneau, Abe Ryland, Miss Martin, James, Deaves, Mr. Paynter, Gerald Paynter, Ah Ling, Dr. Quentin, Dr. Savaronoff, Gilmour Wilson, Sonia Daviloff, Claud "Claudie" Darrell, Miss Flossie Monro, Sydney Crowther, Monsieur Desjardeaux

Joseph Aarons, Mr. Appleby, Betsy Andrews, Andre, Monsieur Henri, Ivan, Wycherly, Sir Charles Kingwell, Miss Clark, Mademoiselle Claude, Captain Kent, Madame Gospoja, Pierre Combeau, Chap. Saunders, Insp. James Japp, Giraud, John St. Maur, Mr. Templeton, Mrs. Templeton, Micky Templeton, Dr. Treves, Captain Harvey, Mabel Palmer, Halsey, Mrs. Pearson, Abraham Biggs, Professor Bourgoneau, Bronsen, Dulcie "Cinderella" Hastings, Achille Poirot, Mr. Hodgson, Dr. Boritho, Mr. McNeil, Mayerling, Insp. Meadows, Ernest Luttrell, Austen Lee, Dr. Ridgeway, Arthur Leversham, Duke of Loamshire, Felix Laon, Countess Vera Rossakoff, Arthur Neville, George, Rubinstein, Capablanca, Lasker