Hercule Poirot in literature
This page details the books featuring the fictional character Hercule Poirot. Hercule Poirot and fictional canon. Only works written by Christie (including short stories, the novels and her play "Black Coffee") are to be considered canon by most fans and biographers. The Poirot books are still under copyright in the United Kingdom. "The Mysterious Affair at Styles", "The Murder on the Links" and "Poirot Investigates" are now public domain in the US but will not become public domain in the UK until 2046 (70 years after Christie's death). Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard, now owns  the copyright to his grandmother's works. In 2014, the Christie estate authorised author Sophie Hannah to write a new Poirot book, "The Monogram Murders". She later also wrote "Closed Casket" (2016), "The Mystery of Three Quarters" (2018) and "The Killings At Kingfisher Hill" (2020). Hercule Poirot Series in publication order. Short story collections listed as "ss" Books and short stories in chronological order. Career as a private detective and retirement. The Twenties (1920–1929). Poirot settles down in London and opens a private detective agency. These are the short story years (25 short stories and only 4 novels). The Thirties  (1930–1939). Christie increased her novel production during this time (23 novels, 21 total short stories and 1 theatre play). Twelve short stories form "The Labours of Hercules". The other short stories listed here take place in this period but were published before and after the publication of "Hercules". The theatre play is named "Black Coffee" and was written by Agatha Christie, who stated a frustration with other stage adaptations of her Poirot mysteries. In 1998, author Charles Osborne adapted the play into a novel. Post World War II. In chronological order, only the following are set following World War II  Expanded/Adapted stories. Some Poirot adventures were later expanded into other stories or re-written. They are: Drama. Other stories were adapted by Christie into plays, sometimes removing Poirot: In addition, the 1930 play "Black Coffee" was novelized by Charles Osborne in 1998.