События романа «Рождество Эркюля Пуаро» разворачиваются накануне и после Рождества. В центре повествования – убийство хозяина дома, престарелого миллионера Симеона Ли, который впервые за двадцать лет решил собрать на Рождество всех своих детей. Убийство происходит непосредственно в вечер перед Рождеством после большого семейного скандала. Основное расследование ведет талантливый инспектор Сагден при поддержке полковника Джонсона, начальника местной полиции. Поскольку в вечер убийства в доме Джонсона гостил его друг Эркюль Пуаро, полковник приглашает знаменитого детектива помочь в раскрытии убийства в качестве неофициального консультанта.Неадаптированный текст романа снабжен комментариями и словарем. Книга предназначена для студентов языковых вузов и всех любителей детективного жанра.

Eine Leiche zum Heiligen Abend, das ist nicht die feine englische Art... Der Alte war reich – und ein Ekel, das die ganze Familie tyrannisierte. Ein Motiv, ihn umzubringen, hätte also jeder aus dem Clan gehabt. Poirots kleine graue Zellen müssen ganz schön arbeiten, bis klar ist, wer dafür gesorgt hat, dass der Alte den Weg zur Erbschaft freigab... Die Originalausgabe erschien unter dem TitelHERCULE POIROT’S CHRISTMAS© 1939 Agatha Christie Limited,a Chorion Company.

Agata KristiHerkula Puaro varoņdarbiApgāds «Artava» RīgaStāstu krājums Herkula Puaro varoņdarbi ietver divpadsmit sižetiski saistītus darbus. Visos stāstos darbojas beļģu detektīvs Herkuls Puaro. Pirms aiziešanas pensijā viņš iecerējis nodoties kabaču audzēšanai, tomēr nolemj izmeklēt vēl tieši divpadsmit krimināllietas, lai to skaits atbilstu slavenā vārdabrāļa grieķa Hērakla (romiešu Herkulesa) veiktajiem varoņdarbiem. Vina krimināllietām un Hērakla varoņdarbiem jābūt līdzīgiem ja ne pēc satura, tad vismaz pēc formas. Visi divpadsmit stāsti ir īsti meistardarbi saistoši un intriģējoši, ar negaidītām beigām.Agatha ChristieTHE LABOIJRS OF HERCULES Copyright: Agatha Chrislie Mal!owan 1947No angļu valodas tulkojusi Līga Kalniņa Mākslinieks Māris Sīmansons© Tulkojums, noformējums, «Artava», 1995 ISBN 9984-529-45-2Noskannējis grāmatu un failu izveidojis Imants LočmelisAUTORES PRIEKŠVĀRDSPuaro kristītais vārds padarīja šo stāstu rakstīšanu par ļoti saistošu nodarbi, kurai nodevos no visas sirds. Darbu sāku apmātības pilnā aizrautībā, tiesa, brīžiem mani atvēsināja neparedzētas grūtības. Daži stāsti ta­pa it kā paši no sevis. Tā notika ar Nemejas lauvu, un arī Lernes hidru uzrakstīju vienā elpas vilcienā. Da­žiem citiem varoņdarbiem toties bija nepieciešamas visas iztēles rezerves. Erimanta meža kuilis mocīja mani ilgāku laiku, tāpat ari Hipolites josta. Kerbera sagūstīšana mani noveda pilnīgā izmisumā. Es nekū­di nespēju radīt virsrakstam atbilstīgu sižetu. Šī stāsta rakstīšanu pat atliku uz veselu pusgadu. Un tad, slī­dēdama augšup metro eskalatorā, piedzīvoju īstu at­klāsmi. Apcerot prātā iešāvušos ideju, vizinājos aug­šup lejup reizes astoņas un tad traucos uz autobusu, lai ātrāk nokļūtu mājās! Vislieliskākā nodarbe, kuras laikā iespējams rāmi Un netraucēti pārdomāt stāsta ieceri, ir trauku mazgāšana. Mehānisks, vienkāršs darbs palīdz raisīties domām, turklāt tik jauki pama­nīt, ka pie viena esi apdarījis arī saimniecības darbus! Tāpēc no sirds iesaku visiem radošiem ļaudīm ļauties saimniekošanas dienišķajai vienmuļībai. Tas gan nav attiecināms uz pavārmākslu, jo tā pati par sevi ir pie­tiekami radoša, turklāt nesalīdzināmi aizraujošāka par rakstīšanu, taču, ak vai, ne tik labi apmaksāta.AGATA KRISTIEDMUNDAM KORKAM, par kura pūlčm Herkula Puaro vārdā esmu dziļi pateicīga un kuram patiesā sirsnībā veltu šo grāmatuSATURSPriekšvārds 9Nemejas lauva 18Lernes hidra 54Arkādijas briežu māte 88Erimanta meža kuilis 114Augeja staļļi 145Stimfālas putni 172Krētas vērsis 202Diomēda zirgi 242Hipolites josta 271Gēriona ganāmpulks 295Hespcridu āboli 324Kerbera sagūstīšana 347 Hērakla varoņdarbi grieķu mitoloģijā 386Paskaidrojumi 390

Edgars VollessHipodroma blēžiRomānsDārgakmeņu kontrabandistiSlepkavība uz skatuvesValentīnas fenomenālā iedomaKurš ir Vilkatis jeb Mistera Gilda noziegums«TAPALS» RĪGA 1993Edgars Volless HIPODROMA BLĒŽI RomānsTulkojis E. Feldmanis Izdevniecība "Grāmatu Draugs", 1932Tulkojis E. Feldmanis Izdevniecība "Latgrāmata" VALENTĪNAS FENOMENĀLĀ IEDOMA "Latvijas Kareivis", 1929 KURŠ IR VILKATIS JEB MISTERA GILDA NOZIEGUMS "Jelgavas Vārds", 1929© Mākslinieks EDGARS FOLICSNoskannējis grāmatu un failu izveidojis Imants Ločmelis

The Adventure of Wisteria LodgeThe Adventure of the Cardboard BoxThe Adventure of the Bruce-Partington PlansThe Adventure of the Devil's FootThe Adventure of the Red CircleThe Disappearance of Lady Frances CarfaxThe Adventure of the Dying DetectiveHis Last Bow – An Epilogue of Sherlock HolmesPREFACEThe friends of Mr. Sherlock Holmes will be glad to learn that he is still alive and well, though somewhat crippled by occasional attacks of rheumatism. He has, for many years, lived in a small farm upon the downs five miles from Eastbourne, where his time is divided between philosophy and agriculture. During this pe riod of rest he has refused the most princely offers to take up various cases, having determined that his retirement was a permanent one. The approach of the German war caused him however, to lay his remarkable combination of intellectual and practical activity at the disposal of the government, with historical results which are recounted in His Last Bow. Several previous experiences which have lain long in my portfolio have been added to His Last Bow so as to complete the volume.JOHN H. WATSON, M. D.

Nero Wolfe again exposes a communist-murderer in a case both the FBI and the police try to keep hushed. Two female suspects smack it out in Wolfe’s office and one drunken woman pats him on the head after pouring scotch in his beer. The feds and cops try to raise hell when they learn that Wolfe offers to “bribe” a suspect.

Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of Perry Mason, was one of the leading writers for Black Mask, the legendary hard-boiled crime fiction magazine. Although Perry Mason never appeared in its pages, Black Mask in the early 1930s published a series of six short novels by Erie Stanley Gardner starring a crusading lawyer named Ken Corning who fought against injustice in a corrupt city Representing clients framed by crooked police arid bribed city officials, Ken Corning protected the rights of the underdog while relentlessly pursuing the guilty through a maze of violent subterfuge and sinister intrigue. Now, for the first time, all six Ken Corning short novels are collected in book form in Honest Money.These are good tight mysteries with lots of action — the stuff that made Erie Stanley Gardner justly famous. As a collection, they rank right up there with both Dead Men’s Letters and The Blonde in Lower Six.

«NIGHT…FOG…AND MURDER!!It had begun as a voyage to freedom, a dream come true.But now every passenger on the ship was stalked by deadly fear, every shadow had become infused with dread.One man had died, a knife buried deep in his back. Another had met an even more gruesome end. That was bad, but what was worse — the murderer was readying to strike again…»Five passengers and three crewmen survive a sinking Portugese cargo ship via a lifeboat, but when they're picked up by a U.S. hospital ship, the Portugese mate is found murdered. Against a backdrop of Portugal being a haven for espionage with undertones of Nazi and Resistance alliances, Eberhart spins a claustrophobic web.

Doroteja Simpsone Ierasties un mirtPret Stīvenu Loiigu dzīve nav bijusi sevišķi dāsna. Šķīries no sievas, atsvešinājies no savas ģime­nes, izņemot dvīņubrāli, viņš kļu­vis par īstu vientuļnieku. Bet naktī, kad Stīvena galvaskausu kāds sadragā ar vienu vienīgu sitienu, pie viņš durvīm klauvē­juši vairāki cilvēki. Iedziļinoties nabaga mirušā jau­nekļa pagātnē, inspektors Tenets nonāk uz pēdām. vairākiem iespē­jamiem ļaundariem.Ln tomēr tikai viens ar nepa­rasti vēsu aprēķinu ir izplānojis šo slepkavību.Dorothy Simpson DEAD ON ARRIVALCopyright © Dorothy Simpson 1986 All rights reservedDoroteja Simpsone IERASTIES UN MIRTROMĀNSNoskannējis grāmatu un failu izveidojis Imants LočmelisApgāds «Artava» RīgāNo angļu valodas tulkojis Jānis Cekuls Mākslinieks Jānis Jaunarājs©Tulkojums, noformējums, «Artava», 1994 ISBN 9984-529-36-3Patai un Elizai

Agata KristiIlūzija un īstenībaROMĀNSIzpildot savas skolasbiedrenes lūgumu, mis Mārpla dodas padzīvot uz lauku savrupmāju, kurā izmitināti divi simti jauniešu, kas pastrādājuši dažādus noziegumus, un kur sabraukuši septiņi radinieki, kas pēc vecās lēdijas nāves varētu kļūt par mantiniekiem. Viens cilvēks no šīs kuplās sabiedrības, meistarīgi izmantojot ilūzijas efektu, izdara slepkavību… Kurš? Kāpēc? Mis Mārpla palīdz rast pareizās atbildes uz šiem jautājumiem savai jaunības dienu draudzenei un izmeklētājam.Noskannējis grāmatu un failu izveidojis Imants LočmelisApgāds «Artava» RīgāNo angļu valodas tulkojusi Elfrīda Melbārzde Mākslinieks Māris Sīmansons©Tulkojums, noformējums «Artava», 1997 ISBN 9984-12-336-7Metjū Pričardam

Nero Wolfe agreed to cook the Ambassador’s trout — not to catch the diplomat’s killer.

In both And Be a Villain and The Second Confession, Nero Wolfe had sharp but long-distance encounters with a certain powerful mystery man of crime named Zeck. That Zeck was a blackmailer was obvious. That he was perhaps the most potent and utterly ruthless of all underworld characters seemed more than possible. These episodes hinted that in some future book Zeck would play a leading role — and now he does, in this new full-length novel.

It all begins when a woman whose homeliness is exceeded only by her wealth brings to Nero the problem of discovering where her handsome husband has been getting the money she refused him. Next, Nero answers his phone and Zeck, on the other end, says, “Lay off this case.” Nero once told Archie that it he ever had to come to grips with Zeck, he would disappear first so as not to endanger Archie, his orchid plants, or his house in lower Manhattan, and Nero is a man of his word.

Where Nero went, what happened in his absence, how he came back, and the manner of his coming are as fine a combination of outright drama and downright hilarity as was ever put together in a novel of crime.

One of the corollary mysteries of this book is: how the devil is even Rex Stout ever going to top it?

A story from the novel The Loot of the Cities: Being the Adventures of a Millionaire in Search of Joy.

A quarter of a century’s requests from many thousands of Ellery Queen fans all over the world have finally borne fruit. At long last, here is a full-fledged murder mystery investigated and solved by Inspector Richard Queen without so much as a single deduction’s help from his celebrated son.But Inspector Queen’s Own Case is far more than a baffling murder mystery. It is also a tender, understanding story of middle-aged people everywhere who find themselves put out to pasture on a pension to face an empty old age.Ellery’s father was spending the summer with friends at their beach house on the Connecticut shore. It should have been a golden summer, but all the Inspector could think about was his enforced uselessness. The old pro had been retired — the Administrative Code made no exceptions when a New York police officer reached the age of 63. How was he to occupy the endless days? He was still vigorous, still useful. A man needed more than security. He needed something to do.Richard Queen found one man’s answer on Nair Island, and he was soon plunged into the most challenging and dangerous case of his long career. And he found something else, too — that life can even be sweet at 63. Her name was Jessie Sherwood, a registered nurse in her late 40s, lonely, still pretty, and all woman. Jessie had been hired by the blueblood Humffreys to take charge of their newborn infant. When queer, frightening things began to happen in that multimillionaire home...A helpless baby, a unique romance, and a tensely plotted tale of multiple murder mounting to a shocking climax make Inspector Queen’s Own Case one of the most superb novels to come from Ellery Queen’s typewriter.