# The Big Four — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for The Big Four by Agatha Christie.

- [The Unexpected Guest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/i-the-unexpected-guest.md): Hastings visits Poirot, who is about to depart for South America on a mysterious commission from Abe Ryland. Before he leaves, a stranger arrives at Poirot's flat in a state of collapse, repeatedly murmuring 'M. Hercule 
- [II: The Man from the Asylum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/ii-the-man-from-the-asylum.md): Poirot and Hastings return to London after realizing the train diversion was a plot to get Poirot out of the way. They find their guest dead, apparently from natural causes, but Poirot deduces he was gagged and poisoned 
- [We Hear More About Li Chang Yen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/iii-we-hear-more-about-li-chang-yen.md): A week after the fake asylum attendant's visit, Hastings hopes the man will return, but Poirot dismisses the idea. The inquest results in a verdict of accidental death. Poirot then takes Hastings to visit Mr. John Ingles
- [IV: The Importance of a Leg of Mutton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/iv-the-importance-of-a-leg-of-mutton.md): Poirot and Hastings, accompanied by Ingles, investigate the murder of Mr. Whalley at Granite Bungalow. Poirot examines the scene, noting footprints and bloodstains, and deduces that the murderer was a youngish man who ar
- [V: Disappearance of a Scientist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/v-disappearance-of-a-scientist.md): After the trial of Robert Grant, Poirot and Hastings receive a visit from Inspector Japp and Captain Kent of the US Secret Service, who reveal that a scientist named Halliday has disappeared in Paris. Halliday was workin

> 13 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=the_big_four_se_574kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest.

- [The Woman on the Stairs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/vi-the-woman-on-the-stairs.md)
- [VII: The Radium Thieves](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/vii-the-radium-thieves.md)
- [In the House of the Enemy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/viii-in-the-house-of-the-enemy.md)
- [IX: The Yellow Jasmine Mystery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/ix-the-yellow-jasmine-mystery.md)
- [X: We Investigate at Croftlands](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/x-we-investigate-at-croftlands.md)
- [XI: A Chess Problem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xi-a-chess-problem.md)
- [The Baited Trap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xii-the-baited-trap.md)
- [The Mouse Walks In](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xiii-the-mouse-walks-in.md)
- [XIV: The Peroxide Blonde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xiv-the-peroxide-blonde.md)
- [XV: The Terrible Catastrophe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xv-the-terrible-catastrophe.md)
- [The Dying Chinaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xvi-the-dying-chinaman.md)
- [Number Four Wins a Trick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xvii-number-four-wins-a-trick.md)
- [In the Felsenlabyrynth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xviii-in-the-felsenlabyrynth.md)

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters