REVIEW: The Golden Ball and Other Stories

 The Golden Ball and Other Stories
Author: Agatha Christie

This short story collection was published in the US in 1971. All but one of the stories it contains were first published in magazines in the UK in the 1920s and in the UK short story collections The Listerdale Mystery (1934) and The Hound of Death. (1933). 

I'm reading Agatha Christie in publication order because I've always wanted to read everything she wrote. Despite the fact this collection was published in 1971, a  majority of the stories it contains were published early in Christie's writing career. So I'm reviewing it early in my journey through her stories. 

There are 15 stories in this collection: 

The Listerdale Mystery
The Girl in the Train
The Manhood of Edward Robinson
Jane in Search of a Job
A Fruitful Sunday
The Golden Ball
The Raja's Emerald
Swan Song
The Hound of Death
The Gypsy
The Lamp
The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael
The Call of Wings
Magnolia Blossom
Next to a Dog

The Listerdale Mystery - first published in The Grand Magazine in December 1925 (UK) and later included in The Listerdale Mystery short story collection in 1934. An upper class family that has fallen down on their luck rents a very nice town house for next to nothing...but is there something sinister going on? 

The Girl in the Train - first published in The Grand Magazine in February 1924 and included in The Listerdale Mystery collection. George Rowland is a bit lazy and gets into a row with his uncle. He sets out on a journey to a town he finds in a tourist book -- Rowland's Castle. But....he finds a bit of an adventure instead! Adapted for television in 1982 for The Agatha Christie Hour (episode 3). 

The Manhood of Edward Robinson - An impetuous man who feels a bit controlled by his fiance, Maud, wins $500 in a contest on goes on a bit of an unexpected adventure. This story was first published in The Grand Magazine in December 1924 in the UK, and also in The Listerdale Mystery.  This story was adapted for television in 1982 for The Agatha Christie Hour (episode 10)

Jane in Search of a Job - Jane Cleveland needs a job. She sees an interesting advert, and ends up on quite the adventure! First published in the UK in The Grand Magazine in August 1924, and later included in The Listerdale Mystery. It was adapted for television in 1982 for The Agatha Christie Hour (episode 9). Some changes were made to the story, but the changes are minor.  

A Fruitful Sunday - A Housemaid on her Sunday off is tempted to make a poor decision. This story was first published in the Daily Mail in August 1928 and later included in The Listerdale Mystery.  No adaptations for radio or television for this story were found. 

The Golden Ball - After being fired by his wealthy uncle for being less than dependable, George Dundas meets a very interesting society girl who asks him to marry her, leading to a bizarre chain of events. This story was first published under the title Playing The Innocent in the Daily Mail in August 1929, and later published as The Golden Ball in The Listerdale Mystery story collection. No radio adaptations of this story were found. It was adapted for television by NBC in 1950 (Fireside Theatre Season 2 episode 18). I could not find video anywhere of this episode. It was not for lack of trying!!

The Rajah's Emerald - James Bond travels to the beach with his girlfriend, but feels slighted by her. A rash decision leads to unexpected events. First published in Red Magazine in July 1926 in the UK, and later included in The Listerdale Mystery short story collection.  I found no radio or film adaptations for this story.

Swan Song - An opera star agrees to a private performance, and gives the ultimate Swan Song. This story was first published in The Grand Magazine in September 1926 (UK) and later included in the short story collection, The Listerdale Mystery (1934).  This story has never been adapted for television. BBC4 Radio did a dramatization of this story in the early 2000s, but it was "modernized'' with major changes to the plot and characters. 

The Hound of Death - An American journalist investigates a WWI legend to find if it is merely a story or the truth. This short story first appeared in 1933 in the story collection by the same name. BBC4 Radio "modernized'' the story for a radio drama in 2010, so changes were made in the plot and characters. The story has never been adapted for television.

The Gypsy - After the breakup of his engagement, a man confides in a friend about a fear that has had an effect on him his whole life. This short, spooky tale was first published in the UK in The Hound of Death short story collection in 1933. This story was adapted by BBC4 Radio, but the story was "modernized'' so changes were made to plot and characters. 

The Lamp - A widow rents a very nice home at a ridiculously cheap rate, but the house comes with a ghost. This story first appeared in The Hound of Death story collection in 1933 (UK).  BBC4 radio adapted this story for BBC 4 Extra: Haunted in 1984 (Episode 15 from July 7, 1984). It has never been adapted for television. (You can find this episode of BBC Extra: Haunted by searching on Internet Archive -- it's excellent!)

The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael - Dr Edward Carstairs is called in to investigate a case. It seems the personality and behavior of young Sir Arthur Carmichael changed overnight and others in the house hear the strange yowling of a cat at night. This story was first published in The Hound of Death in 1933 (UK). It has never been adapted for television or radio. 

The Call of Wings -Silas Hamer is a happy man. He's made a fortune and has the sort of life he wants. But, when he witnesses a death, he starts wondering if he really has what he needs. Death could take it all from him. Then, he hears a street musician playing a song and his outlook, and his fate, is strangely changed. This story was first published in The Hound of Death story collection in 1933 (UK). I found no record of adaptations of this story for radio or television. 

Magnolia Blossom - A woman is about to run away with her lover, when she learns her husband's business concerns are about to fail. She rushes home to see if she can help...and learns that choices have consequences. She learns a lot about herself, her lover....and her husband.  This story was first published in The Royal Magazine in 1926. It was adapted for television by The Agatha Christie Hour in 1982 (episode 6) and was also later "modernized'' in a BBC4 Radio drama (Agatha Christie: Twelve Radio Mysteries). 

Next to a Dog - A poor widow will do just about anything to keep her beloved wire-haired terrier. This story first appeared in this collection. Agatha Christie had a personal fondness for wire-haired terriers and even dedicated one of her books to her dog, Peter. The story was included in the later UK story collection, Problem at Pollensa Bay (1991). 

I liked most of the stories in this collection. The final three really weren't to my taste -- but 12 out of 15 is pretty good! Not every story is for every reader....but only three of these fit into that "not-for-me'' category. Very enjoyable story collection, overall. 

I listened to the audio book format of this story collection. Most of the stories were narrated by Hugh Fraser (who played Hastings in the Poirot television show). The stories from Hound of Death were narrated by Christopher Lee -- very fitting!