Stories

The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife

When Mrs Packington, whose husband is paying more attention to a secretary, answers an ad in the papers reading, ARE YOU HAPPY? IF NOT, CONSULT MR PARKER PYNE, she soon finds herself being dazzled and swept off her feet by the handsome Mr Luttrell.

This story marks the first appearance of Miss Felicity Lemon who is Parker Pyne’s secretary.  She appears in one other story in this collection before being ‘head-hunted’ by Hercule Poirot.  It would be fair to describe Parker Pyne as a ‘romantic’ detective and his cases rarely deal with the types of crime Christie’s other detectives would be used to.

The story was adapted in 1982 as part of The Agatha Christie Hour and starred Maurice Denham as Parker Pyne with Gwen Watford, Peter Jones and Linda Robson also in the cast.  Published in Parker Pyne Investigates.

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