Plot

Poirot receives taunting letters from a serial killer who appears to choose his victims and crime scenes alphabetically.

Hastings returns to Britain after a long absence to find Poirot anxious for a new case which will challenge his gray cells. Poirot quickly gets his wish in the form of taunting letters from a serial killer who has dubbed himself ABC and who leaves an ABC railroad schedule at the scene of each crime. The victims as well as the crime scenes appear to be chosen randomly, but maintain an obsessive adherence to alphabetical order. However, Poirot grows to believe that the killer is not the madman the authorities believe, but a methodical murderer with a very tangible motive.—G. Taverney (duke1029@aol.com)

Hercule Poirot receives a letter, indicating that a murder is about to take place, showing the date and area and challenging Poirot to solve the case. It is signed the "ABC". The murder takes place, with a copy of the ABC railway timetable nearby. Soon hereafter Poirot receives another letter with a similar indication. It is soon apparent that the murderer is killing people in alphabetical order by surname and area - the first person had a surname starting with A and was killed in an area starting with A, the second B in an area starting with B. Poirot and the police try to stay one step of the murderer but it proves to be a difficult task.—grantss

Hercules Poirot is involved in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a maniac who is telling him in advance of his murder plans. Assisted by Captain Hastings, who has just returned from a six-month trip to South America, Poirot tries to decipher the killer's next move. The killer has been writing to Poirot telling him the date and location of his next murder. He signs the notes ABC and leaves an ABC rail schedule at the site of each crime. The first victim is a Mrs. Asher who lives in Andover. The second is a Miss Barnard who lives in Bexhill-on-Sea, while the third is Sir Carmichael Clarke who lived in Churston. The police soon focus on and eventually arrest a suspect but Poirot is not convinced that he is guilty. In fact, he doesn't think this is the work of a maniac but a very intelligent killer with a specific goal in mind.—garykmcd