First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday: Parker Pyne

Published on by Margaret

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea hosts First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where you can share the first paragraph, or a few, of a book you are reading or thinking about reading soon.

I’ve been looking at some of Agatha Christie’s short stories and wondering which to read first. One of the collections I own is The Complete Parker Pyne: Private Eye. It looks a good place to start.

In the Author’s Foreword Agatha Christie tells how she came to write these stories:

One day, having lunch at a Corner House, I was enraptured by a conversation on statistics going on at a table behind me. I turned my head and caught a vague glimpse of a bald head, glasses and a beaming smile – I caught sight that is, of Mr Parker Pyne. I had never thought about statistics before (and indeed seldom think about them now!) but the enthusiasm with which they were being discussed awakened my interest. I was just considering a new series of short stories and then and there I decided on the general treatment and scope, and in due course enjoyed writing them.

I like the details she gives – the Corner Houses, smarter and grander than tea shops and noted for their art deco style first appeared in 1909 and  remained until 1977. And I love the fact that she was eavesdropping on the conversation going on behind her and the insight this gives into how she got ideas for her stories.

The stories were all written in the 1930s and first appeared in various UK and US magazines. The first story in this collection is The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife and it begins:

Four grunts, an indignant voice asking why nobody could leave a hat alone, a slammed door, and Mr Packington had departed to catch the eight forty-five to the city. Mrs Packington sat on at the breakfast table. Her face was flushed, her lips were pursed, and the only reason she was not crying was that at the last minute anger had taken the place of grief, ‘I won’t stand it,’ said Mrs Packington. ‘I won’t stand it!’ She remained for some moments brooding , and then murmured: ‘The minx. Nasty sly little cat! How can George be such a fool!’

14 thoughts on “First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday: Parker Pyne”

  1. I’ve read some Agatha Christie, but none of her short stories. Having just written a story with a mystery subplot, I can’t imagine pulling it off in short story format.

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  2. I’m learning A.C. has written many more books that I ever knew about. I do like her mysteries, and would certainly try this one from the intro.

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  4. I’m jealous, I have been unable to locate these short stories here in Canada, but I’m on the hunt again after that intro. Thanks Margaret

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  5. I have never read any Agatha Christie! I know, I know, sacrilege! But I get wooed by the newer authors, titles and covers…..I want to read this one now. Thanks for the into!

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  6. This looks like a wonderful collection. I’ve read some of Agatha Christie’s short stories (it’s been awhile), but I remember that I enjoyed them. I hope that you enjoy this collection!

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  9. I have not read these Parker Pyne short stories at all. I will admit that my favorite Christie story collection is the Tuesday Club Murders – Miss Marple and friends. LOL

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  12. Christie was such a talented writer of short stories, Margaret. I hope you’ll enjoy these. And I’ve always thought Parker Pyne didn’t get the press he deserved…

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  13. I am pleased to see your Agatha Christie reading is continuing. I am hoping your example will rub off on me, so I will finally read more of her novels and stories myself!

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