Miss Felicity Lemon appears in four Hercule Poirot novels and three Poirot short stories. I have access to only three of the four novels at this moment — “Dead Man’s Folly”, “Elephants Can Remember” and “Hickory Dickory Dock” (“Third Girl” is checked out). In the opening scene of “Dead Man’s Folly”, Miss Lemon is taking dictation from Poirot when a phone call from Ariadne Oliver interrupts them. After the phone call is finished, instead of continuing the dictation, Poirot has a short conversation with Miss Lemon about who Ariadne Oliver is. The first scene of “Elephants Can Remember” does not feature Miss Lemon. I’m guessing you’re looking for “Hickory Dickory Dock”, as the first scene of that novel features a concerned Poirot confronting Miss Lemon about three typographical errors in her paperwork — *gasp* — and her revealing that she’s been inappropriately distracted by problems with her sister. If that’s not the one, I’d be happy to keep looking…just let me know! P.S.: If you’re a Christie fan, don’t miss the special public presentation being given at Gere Branch Library on Sunday, September 30th (2:00-3:30) on Agatha Christie. It will cover her life (including her 11 day disappearance), her most significant novels, her plays, and the film/tv/stage adaptations of her work. This is all in advance of the Lincoln Community Playhouse and Beatrice Community Players putting on both a Hercule Poirot play (“Black Coffee”) and a Miss Marple play (“A Murder is Announced”) in Lincoln and Beatrice in late October!

Slight correction: Of the three short stories in which Miss Lemon appears, only one is a Hercule Poirot story “The Nemean Lion”, while the other two “The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife” and “The Case of the Discontented Soldier” are both Parker Pyne stories (in the collection “Parker Pyne Investigates”). The opening scene of “The Nemean Lion” features a conversation between Miss Lemon and Poirot, as he arrives in his offices and asks if there is any significant mail, and Miss Lemon says she’s gone through his mail and found only one item of note — a request that Poirot find a missing Pekinese dog. Poirot thinks Miss Lemon has lost her ability to determine what is important, but after reading the letter in question, takes the case.

July 16, 2018 at 9:38 am