The Labors of Hercules: The Flock of Geryon by Agatha Christie (1947)

The Labors of Hercules: The Flock of Geryon by Agatha Christie (1947)

Poirot reunites with Miss Carnaby, acknowledging her as one of the most adept criminals he’s encountered, stemming from their previous encounter involving the Nemean Lion. However, Miss Carnaby expresses deep concern over her persistent attraction to illicit schemes, fearing she’s veering towards a hardened criminal path. Desiring redemption, she offers her skills to aid Poirot…

gaodf

February 26, 2024

3–4 minutes

Agatha Christie, Book Review, Book Reviews, Hercule Poirot, mystery, Short Story, The Flock of Geryon, The Labors of Hercules

The case involves Mrs. Emmeline Clegg, a wealthy widow who finds solace in a religious sect named “The Flock of the Shepherd,” led by the charismatic Dr. Andersen. Mrs. Clegg plans to bequeath her estate to the sect upon her demise. Miss Carnaby, alarmed by the deaths of three similar women connected to the sect, investigates but finds no foul play. Poirot tasks her with infiltrating the group under the guise of skepticism, then feigning conversion once inside.

Upon consulting with Japp, Poirot learns of Andersen’s background as a chemist exiled by the Nazis. Despite no evidence linking him to the deaths, Poirot perceives Andersen as a monstrous figure, akin to Geryon, whom he is determined to expose. Miss Carnaby immerses herself in the sect alongside Mrs. Clegg, attending their nocturnal festival, “The Full Growth of the Pasture.” During a service, she experiences an unexpected euphoria after being pricked with a needle.

Poirot strategizes with Miss Carnaby, instructing her to fabricate a story about impending wealth and health issues to gain Andersen’s trust. He also inquires about a peculiar man named Mr. Cole at the sanctuary. Miss Carnaby finds Mr. Cole odd, his tales ranging from virgin sacrifices to Norse mythology. Their conversation is interrupted by Mr. Lipscombe, the estate’s lodge-keeper.

Just before a crucial service, Miss Carnaby rendezvous with Poirot, seemingly swayed by Andersen’s charisma and refusing to betray him. She hastily departs, observed by a suspicious figure. During the service, as Miss Carnaby faces another injection, Mr. Cole, revealed as Detective Inspector Cole, intervenes, leading to Andersen’s arrest.

Following the arrest, the truth emerges. Miss Carnaby’s apparent allegiance to Andersen was a ruse to unveil Mr. Lipscombe’s involvement. Andersen, utilizing his chemistry expertise, orchestrated the deaths of his followers for inheritance. With evidence from the raided sanctuary laboratory, justice prevails.

The Review

The return of Mrs. Carnaby was such an unexpected delight. I’m not usually a fan of Christie’s stories involving cults, but I liked this one because the manipulation tactics by Andersen are a good approximation of cult leaders, and it’s chilling to see Mrs. Carnaby go from an ardent critic of Andersen to a devout follower through her immersion in the cult for her investigation.

I also loved how comical Mr. Cole’s religious fervor was in his long, rambling, insane monologues. I was immediately suspicious that he, too, was a plant in case Mrs. Carnaby cracked (or so it seems) and was proved right.

Although I was following the story closely, I was still stumped as to how I could figure out how he was killing his wealthy followers. Thankfully, Poirot was on the case instead of me. I don’t know. I follow Christie’s explanation of how cannabis is made from bacterial cultures. I am also not sure if all of the ways the person died were actually by bacterial poisoning. Still, given that Christie was a nurse, I will trust that her medical knowledge is sound enough for the period she was writing.