The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is my 13th selection for #20BooksOfChristmas. It’s a Christmas mystery classic and one of my favorite holiday-themed short stories.
Publication
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is the first short story in a collection of mysteries titled The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and A Selection of Entrees, published in 1960.
What the heck is a Christmas Pudding?
In this cozy Christmas mystery, the plot revolves around a Christmas pudding, a seemingly innocent dessert that becomes a key element in a series of intriguing events. For my fellow Americans who are reading this blog, you might be wondering
What is a Christmas Pudding?
The Christmas pudding, a unique and quintessentially British dessert, is a rich, dense pudding made with a variety of ingredients, including dried fruits, suet (or a vegetarian substitute), breadcrumbs, flour, sugar, spices (like cinnamon and nutmeg), and often alcohol such as brandy or rum. It’s a dish that truly captures the essence of a British Christmas, and its unique preparation and ingredients are sure to pique your interest.
The pudding is typically steamed for several hours to achieve its moist, dense texture. It’s often prepared weeks or months in advance, allowing the flavors to mature and develop.
Some versions of the Christmas pudding are even more exciting, as they include hidden coins or trinkets. These additions, thought to bring luck to the person who finds them, are used in the Story to give clues about the characters, adding an element of mystery to the narrative.
Traditionally, the Christmas pudding is doused in brandy and set alight before being brought to the table, creating a spectacular and festive display. It’s served with accompaniments like custard, cream, or brandy butter, adding to the celebratory atmosphere of the Christmas feast. The sight of the flaming pudding is a true spectacle that adds to the joy of the holiday season.
Christmas pudding has historical roots dating back to the Middle Ages, evolving into the festive dessert it is today. Its long history and evolution over the centuries make it a fascinating part of British culinary tradition, connecting us to the past and the ways in which our festive celebrations have evolved.
The Story
Hercule Poirot is enlisted by Mr. Jesmond, acting on behalf of an eastern prince, to recover a stolen ruby. The prince, who brought the gem to London for resetting, lost it to a young woman during a reckless encounter. To avoid scandal, Poirot investigates discreetly at Kings Lacey, a grand English country house, under the guise of experiencing a traditional Christmas.
At Kings Lacey, Poirot meets the hosts, Colonel and Mrs. Lacey, their family, and guests, including Sarah, Lacey’s granddaughter, and her unsuitable suitor, Desmond Lee-Wortley, who his sister accompanies. The Laceys hope Poirot’s presence will help resolve various tensions.
The intrigue deepens when Poirot receives a cryptic warning about the Christmas pudding. During the feast, the stolen ruby appears in the pudding. Poirot later avoids drinking drugged coffee and catches someone searching his room.
The following day, children at Kings Lacey stage a mock murder to entertain Poirot. However, their prank becomes a real drama when Poirot declares Bridget, one of the participants, truly “dead.” Poirot uses the situation to expose who is behind the jewel smuggling plot.
The Review
. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is quintessential Agatha Christie. Hercule Poirot, dragged away from his warm London apartment and nestled in a large manor house, is delighted by the various activities of his hosts and other guest. For once, he does not mind British cooking and gets into the swing of the part full of young men and women skating, falling in love- with a possible scoundrel- and eating a lot!
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding is like a warm hug. Even the discovery of the ruby hidden inside doesn’t seem to upset the dinner party, and Hercule Poirot lets the burglar search his room in a taut scene—but like usual, Poirot has hidden the Ruby too well, foiling the theif and practically giving me a heart attack.
The piece de resistance in the story is Poirot using the silly pretend murder plot to his advantage and drawing the killer out into the open. He also pulled the wool over my eyes, and I thought there was a horrible murder, but it was just Poirot putting his theatrical skills on display. His willingness to go along with a murder mystery jape is interesting when compared to other canonical mysteries where he declares that he does not find murders to be suitable entertainment- I guess to catch a thief, he is willing to put on a little charade.
The mystery is capped off by Poirot kindly thanking the housemaid who tried to warn him about the tampered Christmas pudding. Papa Poirot, as he likes to call himself, is on full display when feeling especially kindly in this fun and festive atmospheric mystery.
The mystery is clever and robust for a novella, and there’s murder. For an authentic English country manor house mystery Christmas treat, look no further than The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding.
#20BooksOfChristmas Reviews
Golden Age of Detective Fiction 
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