Hello crime readers and food lovers! Today’s installment of Dining With The Dame is inspired by a story collection called The Labours of Hercules, and features our favourite detective, Hercule Poirot.  As Poirot nears retirement, he takes on twelve new cases –  each case mirroring one of the twelve labours of Hercules from Greek mythology! It’s a fun concept, though perhaps a tad forced at times.  The Lernean Hydra is the second of these stories.  Moving on to the culinary delights, our recipe for Afternoon Tea Scones comes from a long-time blog favourite, Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery.

The Lernean Hydra- The Plot

Poirot nodded his head thoughtfully.  He said:  “Yes, rumour is indeed the nine-headed Hydra of Lernea which cannot be exterminated because as fast as one head is cropped off two grow in its place

Agatha Christie – The Lernean Hydra from The Labours of Hercules

Dr. Charles Oldfield seeks Hercule Poirot’s help to dispel rumors that he poisoned his wife in order to marry his medical dispenser, Jean Moncrieff.  The rumours are destroying his reputation and his medical practice.  

We have:

• The Doctor inheriting a rather large fortune from his difficult and hypochondriac wife.  Is that a motive for murder? 
• Both the doctor and Jean Moncrieff had access to drugs, including arsenic.  Mrs Crawford died of a gastric ulcer, the symptoms of which are similar to that of arsenical poisoning
• Cells from Mrs Crawford’s exhumed body containing more than a lethal dose of arsenic

Did the Doctor do it?  Did Jean?  Will the course of their true love not run smooth because one of them is a murderer?  Good thing we have Poirot on the case to bring the guilty to justice and stop the vicious hydra of gossip.  

The Labours of Hercules – The Covers

There are some wonderful covers here including a Russian version.  I love the two pulp fiction covers but for me the absolute highlighr is the French cover, bottom left.  This depiction is a little Poirot, a little Groucho Marx and a little Dumbo the elephant!  

The Recipe: Afternoon Tea Scones

Nibbling delicately at a scone and balancing a cup of tea on his knee, Hercule Poirot allowed himself to be come confidential with his hostess.  Miss Leatheran had been kind enough to ask him to tea andhad thereupon made it her business to find out exactly what this exotic little foreigner was doing in their midst

Agatha Christie – The Lernean Hydra

Links To The Christieverse

A Miss Leatheran lives in the village and it is she who gives Poirot the scones.  Although this is not a common surname, there is no mention that she is any relative of Amy Leatheran from Murder in Mesopotamia.  

Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in  The Lernean Hydra

• Tea x 2

Our May read is Witness for the Prosecution.

Have a great week!