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Hercule Poirot #0.08
The Submarine Plans: a Hercule Poirot Short Story
The plans for England's new submarine have been stolen from the aspiring Prime Minister. The situation is urgent and Hercule Poirot is summoned late in the evening to crack the case, but none of the witness accounts are the same! Was it an outsider who dashed into the house and snatched the plans, or a member of Lord Alloway's household? Or could it have been a guest?
Previously published in the print anthology "Poirot's Early Cases."
Previously published in the print anthology "Poirot's Early Cases."
20 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 1923
50 people are currently reading
1423 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,785 books74.8k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
July 14, 2023
This time Poirot is dealing with a different case of National interest. The plans for a new submarine are stolen from the aspiring Prime Minister of England.
Poirot has a case similar to what James Bond deals with here. It is entangled with double agents, treason, national safety, spies and many others.
This will be a good choice if you want to read a Poirot mystery with a different theme.
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Poirot has a case similar to what James Bond deals with here. It is entangled with double agents, treason, national safety, spies and many others.
This will be a good choice if you want to read a Poirot mystery with a different theme.
—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Threads ID - Dasfill | Twitter ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1
April 18, 2025
Whodunnit?
Poirot and Hastings get called to a politician's house when the plans for a hush-hush submarine get stolen.
Lord Alloway, a mover and shaker in England's political circles and possibly the next Prime Minister, is hosting a house party when he realizes that top secret plans for the Allies' new Z-type sub. And who should be one of the guests but Mrs. Conroy, a beautiful woman who is already suspected of being someone who sells secrets to England's enemies.
Case solved, right?
Mais non! Because she has the alibi unshakable!
It's not what you think in this strange tale of spies, lies, blackmail, and (most surprising of all!) morally upright politicians.
The idea for this was slightly expanded upon in the longer novella The Incredible Theft.
Man, I'm finding that Agatha did that a lot!
First published in The Sketch in 1923.
Read as part of the short story collection The Early Cases of Hercule Poirot.
Poirot and Hastings get called to a politician's house when the plans for a hush-hush submarine get stolen.
Lord Alloway, a mover and shaker in England's political circles and possibly the next Prime Minister, is hosting a house party when he realizes that top secret plans for the Allies' new Z-type sub. And who should be one of the guests but Mrs. Conroy, a beautiful woman who is already suspected of being someone who sells secrets to England's enemies.
Case solved, right?
Mais non! Because she has the alibi unshakable!
It's not what you think in this strange tale of spies, lies, blackmail, and (most surprising of all!) morally upright politicians.
The idea for this was slightly expanded upon in the longer novella The Incredible Theft.
Man, I'm finding that Agatha did that a lot!
First published in The Sketch in 1923.
Read as part of the short story collection The Early Cases of Hercule Poirot.
May 31, 2025
‘Of course, you understand that all this is in confidence, M. Poirot. We have had a most serious loss. The plans of the new Z type of submarine have been stolen.’
Poirot deals with another situation of national importance in The Submarine Plans, tracing the theft of the design plans of a Navy submarine, dealing with the various statements and confidences given by the people in the house and getting to the truth, though confirmed only by the news several months later.
The plot is interesting enough, but Poirot's ability to understand and judge people serves him well in this story and leads to the actual solution. A good read on the whole, but not top tier.
🌟🌟🌟
[Half a star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 star for the plot; Half a star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]
Poirot deals with another situation of national importance in The Submarine Plans, tracing the theft of the design plans of a Navy submarine, dealing with the various statements and confidences given by the people in the house and getting to the truth, though confirmed only by the news several months later.
The plot is interesting enough, but Poirot's ability to understand and judge people serves him well in this story and leads to the actual solution. A good read on the whole, but not top tier.
🌟🌟🌟
[Half a star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 star for the plot; Half a star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]
December 1, 2023
Of course, there is just my opinion, but Agatha's short stories are definitely worse than her novels, which are almost always tied to high standards.
A novel is a work of endurance, a short story must have at least a sparkle or two, and those have not...
A novel is a work of endurance, a short story must have at least a sparkle or two, and those have not...
January 31, 2020
This Hercule Poirot short story was first published in The Sketch magazine in the UK on November 7, 1923. US publication followed in The Blue Book magazine in July 1925.
Poirot is once again approached by the British government to help solve a case. Plans for a new Z type Submarine have been stolen, and Poirot's little grey cells are needed to help the Ministry of Defense get them back. An entertaining little story with some intrigue and great sleuthing on Poirot's part as usual!
Christie later expanded the story idea from this short mystery into a novella, The Incredible Theft. The Incredible Theft was first published in the Daily Express in seven parts in 1937, as well as in the story collection Murder in the Mews and Other Stories. The television show Agatha Christie's Poirot adapted this longer version into an episode (Season 1, episode 8), so The Submarine Plans was not adapted for television.
I am enjoying these early, short Poirot mysteries! Because they are all so short, they lack the twisty plots and classic reveals of the novels but they do showcase Poirot as a character and Christie's wit. She can stuff a lot into just a few pages. Each story is a nice glimpse into the character of Poirot. I'm sure these stories helped bump up readership for her next two Poirot novels, Murder on the Links (1923) and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, (1926) which is often recognized as one of the best mystery novels ever written.
Poirot is once again approached by the British government to help solve a case. Plans for a new Z type Submarine have been stolen, and Poirot's little grey cells are needed to help the Ministry of Defense get them back. An entertaining little story with some intrigue and great sleuthing on Poirot's part as usual!
Christie later expanded the story idea from this short mystery into a novella, The Incredible Theft. The Incredible Theft was first published in the Daily Express in seven parts in 1937, as well as in the story collection Murder in the Mews and Other Stories. The television show Agatha Christie's Poirot adapted this longer version into an episode (Season 1, episode 8), so The Submarine Plans was not adapted for television.
I am enjoying these early, short Poirot mysteries! Because they are all so short, they lack the twisty plots and classic reveals of the novels but they do showcase Poirot as a character and Christie's wit. She can stuff a lot into just a few pages. Each story is a nice glimpse into the character of Poirot. I'm sure these stories helped bump up readership for her next two Poirot novels, Murder on the Links (1923) and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, (1926) which is often recognized as one of the best mystery novels ever written.
May 12, 2016
I gotta say I always adore even these short stories. But was Poirot guessing or not?? ^_^
September 23, 2019
Some important naval plans go missing. I feel like something similar happened in a Sherlock Holmes short story?
Read
May 31, 2024Still too short to rate. Submarine plans have been stolen so Poirot is hired to investigate on the downlow. Too short to really guess what happened but it was still nice
April 10, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening 🎵🎎🎶
This kindle e-book novella is from Amazon for $0.99
Hercule Poirot is called to the lords estate. Plans for the submarine are missing. Poirot investigation leads to the recovery of the plans.
I would recommend this novella and author to readers of British mystery novels and Agatha Christie fans. 2024
This kindle e-book novella is from Amazon for $0.99
Hercule Poirot is called to the lords estate. Plans for the submarine are missing. Poirot investigation leads to the recovery of the plans.
I would recommend this novella and author to readers of British mystery novels and Agatha Christie fans. 2024
March 26, 2025
Agatha Christie Book Reading Challenge
1.5 stars✨
BOOK 76:- March 2025
1.5 stars✨
BOOK 76:- March 2025
July 8, 2021
A good short read to pass the time, but nothing really stood out to me and the mystery was just okay.
November 11, 2023
Different kind of mystery for Hercule Poirot
November 21, 2021
3 Stars. A touch light. The clues are all there; did you catch them? As usual I didn't but there are many of you out there better than me. This is an earlier and shorter version of the novelette, "The Incredible Theft," which I prefer - more plot, more extraneousness! With many of the names changed to confuse the innocent. The story first came out in the UK in "The Sketch" in 1923. My reading was from "Poirot's Early Cases," the 2002 edition of the 1974 original from Collins. Poirot and Hastings receive a summons late one evening from Lord Alloway asking them to rush to his estate in the country. The UK has developed plans for a new submarine and he, as Minister of Defence, had been reviewing them with the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Harry Weardale when they disappeared. The plans were only out of their sight for a few minutes. If they fall into the wrong hands, catastrophe. What would it mean to Alloway's aspirations to become Prime Minister? As usual, Poirot and Hastings, wade through the distractions. But not without a Poirot putdown of Hastings beyond the usual, as "A thing of no account, not here at all." (November 2021)
August 17, 2025
3.5☆
Post war, the head of the newly formed Ministry of Defense Lord Alloway has the plans for a new type of submarine at his home in the country to discuss with Admiral Sir Harry. The plans disappear, and Lord Alloway summons Poiroit at 11 pm to come down from London to recover the plans before they can be spirited out of the country.
Poiroit questions all those in the house, assures Lord Alloway that the country is in the hands of a great man (not unlike himself), and then returns home to London before morning. Case solved!
Post war, the head of the newly formed Ministry of Defense Lord Alloway has the plans for a new type of submarine at his home in the country to discuss with Admiral Sir Harry. The plans disappear, and Lord Alloway summons Poiroit at 11 pm to come down from London to recover the plans before they can be spirited out of the country.
Poiroit questions all those in the house, assures Lord Alloway that the country is in the hands of a great man (not unlike himself), and then returns home to London before morning. Case solved!
September 6, 2019
I liked how this story unfolded...
March 27, 2020
Loved this one ; feel I’ve read a poirot similar to it before but can’t remember which one, very enjoyable
Read
May 3, 2022???
May 9, 2021
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The Submarine Plans:
A Short Story (Hercule Poirot),
by Agatha Christie.
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Stolen, or ...
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The Submarine Plans:
A Short Story (Hercule Poirot),
by Agatha Christie.
................................................................................................
................................................................................................
Stolen, or ...
................................................................................................
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................................................................................................
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November 7, 2016
Great short story for Hercule Poirot.
October 26, 2018
2 1/2 star. Ok. As Hastings says, one day his assumptions might not work out right.
April 13, 2019
Poirot is called in late one night by Lord Alloway to solve the mystery of the missing submarine plans.
Another enjoyable short story mystery
Another enjoyable short story mystery
March 27, 2020
Read 2020
July 1, 2020
This...was just okay
November 30, 2020
“This is all guesswork on your part, Poirot.”
Another enjoyable short story with Poirot and Hastings.
Another enjoyable short story with Poirot and Hastings.
November 26, 2024
A short story featuring Hercule Poirot. Quick and entertaining.
August 5, 2022
3.5 stars. I like everything that Agatha Christie writes...however, I find that in her short stories there sometimes is not enough time to develop the characters. That said, she still makes you use your "little grey cells" as Poirot would say, and it's always fun to find out who actually did it. I also like how it's never the obvious clues, but the "psychology" of the characters that helps Poirot solve the mystery.
March 31, 2025
Almost done with all these short stories. Have watched and rewatched the PBS Poirot episodes for years bot now they are moving to BritBox. The did that with Miss Marple too.
October 6, 2021
A clever short story.
July 4, 2016
Poirot is called in to help the Government discreetly. It is described as a problem because the plans for a new type of submarine have gone missing.
Poirot's deductions push someone to promise that the plans will be returned.
Who done it?
Poirot's deductions push someone to promise that the plans will be returned.
Who done it?
December 28, 2019
Audio
While not a whole book, it was just the break I needed from the fantasy genre I'd been in the last few weeks. I've been a Christie fan from waaaaaay back, introduced to her stories in the 3rd grade, and will always have a fond spot in my heart for her characters.
While not a whole book, it was just the break I needed from the fantasy genre I'd been in the last few weeks. I've been a Christie fan from waaaaaay back, introduced to her stories in the 3rd grade, and will always have a fond spot in my heart for her characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews