Meet the mysterious Mr. Harley Quin, a man with an almost supernatural flair for appearing on the scene just when he is needed to assist in finding the truth behind remarkable crimes. The collection includes 12 complete stories.
When Mr. Satterthwaite visits a new exhibit at the Harchester Galleries, there is one painting that bears an unusual likeness to a mysterious acquaintance of his, Mr. Quin. In one bold move he purchases the canvas on the spot, and in another invites the artist of “The Dead Harlequin” to dine with him that night, with an empty place at the table set for Mr. Quin. Dinner conversation soon turns to the setting of “The Dead Harlequin,” the doomed and ghostly house Charnley, where many have perished under tragic circumstances. But when a new guest is announced, it is not Mr. Quin but famed comic stage actress Aspasia Glen, who demands that she be given that very painting. Then comes a frantic telephone call from Alix Charnley herself, and Alix has the same request. What is the meaning of the painting, and can it shed any light upon the happenings at Charnley?
Mr. Harley Quin has an almost magical flair for appearing at the scene of the most remarkable crimes. But is it a light trick that haunts his shadow with a ghostly apparition? Is it fate that invited him to a New Year's Eve murder? And what forces are at work when his car breaks down outside Royston Hall, an isolated estate with a deadly history?
The inimitable Agatha Christie intrigues, surprises, and delights with The Mysterious Mr. Quin—a riveting collection of short stories centered around the enigmatic Harley Quin, whose unpredictable comings and goings are usually a good indication that something is about to happen…and rarely for the best. It had been a typical New Year's Eve party. But as midnight approaches, Mr. Satterthwaite—a keen observer of human nature—senses that the real drama of the evening is yet to unfold. And so it proves when a mysterious stranger knocks on the door. Who is this Mr. Quin? Mr. Satterthwaite's new friend is an enigma. He seems to appear and disappear almost like a trick of the light. In fact, the only consistent thing about him is that his presence is always an omen—sometimes good, but sometimes deadly. . . .