2.5 stars ( )

A macabre recurring dream... revenge against a blackmailer... jealousy, infidelity and a tortured conscience... a stolen gemstone... the haunting attraction of an ancient relic... a rece against time... a tragic love triangle... a body in a box... an unexpected visitor from beyond the grave...
Nine quintessential examples of Agatha Christie's brilliance are contained in this new collection of early short stories - including the very first one she ever wrote - and provide a unique glimpse of the Queen of Crime in the making

This is another collection of short stories which were re-issued in this particular collection published in 1997, so not a compilation that Dame Agatha would have had a hand in compiling.

Nevertheless, there are some real gems amongst the stories. My personal favourites, the eponymous While the Light Lasts, The Edge and The Actress, are where AC shows some of the darker aspects of life, and she does it well.

The stories do not follow the usual formula of the who-dunnit and if that is what you are looking for you may as well pick one of her Marple or Poirot short stories. However, there are a couple that were later re-worked into Poirot adventures.

The stories contained in this volume are:

- The House of Dreams (first published in January 1926)

- The Actress (first published in May 1923 under the title of A Trap for the Unwary)

- The Edge (first published February 1927)

- Christmas Adventure (first published on 11 December 1923). This story was later expanded into novella form and was printed as The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (Poirot).

- The Lonely God (first published in July 1926)

- Within a Wall (first published in October 1925)

- The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest (first published in January 1932). The story was later expanded into The Mystery of the Spanish Chest.

- While the Light Lasts (first published in April 1924)

- Manx Gold (first published in May 1930)

3.5* really, but not quite 4*. ( )

Interesting collection of short stories including a couple where Poirot makes an appearance. ( )

Indeholder "1. Drømmenes hus", "2. Skuespillerinden", "3. Kanten", "4. Juleeventyr", "5. Den ensomme gud", "6. Manx-guld", "7. Inden i en mur", "8. Baghdad-kistens mysterium", "9. I mørket skal jeg ikke glemme".

"1. Drømmenes hus" handler om et hus som en mand drømmer om men som er en allegori over en sindssyg kvinde han er forelsket i - i en dødelig feberdrøm når han målet.
"2. Skuespillerinden" handler om Jack Levitt, der forsøger at afpresse Olga Stormen - tidligere kendt som Nancy Taylor - men hun iscenesætter en lille mordscene og anbringer ham i midten af den.
"3. Kanten" handler om et trekantsdrame hvor de to rivalinder ender med at tilintetgøre hinanden.
"4. Juleeventyr" handler om Herkules Poirot, der er inviteret til juleselskab hos Mr Endicott og indrullerer nogle børn til at hjælpe med at genskaffe en stjålen rubin samtidig med at tyvene Oscar Levering og søster får lov at stikke af med en efterligning.
"5. Den ensomme gud" handler om en gudefigur på British Museum og to ensomme mennesker som finder hinanden via gudefiguren.
"6. Manx-guld" handler om Juan og Fenalla - Tommy og Tuppence op ad dage - der finder 4 gemte snustobaksdåser som del af en arv - lige for næsen af to andre arvinger - Ewan Corjeag og dr Fayll - Fayll myrder Corjeag og bliver fanget.
"7. Inden i en mur" handler om maleren Alan Everard gift med Isobel Loring men elsket af Jane Haworth - Jane giver penge til Isobel så Alan kan male - hvilket Alan aner men først får vished for da Jane dør.
"8. Baghdad-kistens mysterium" handler om Poirot og et mord hvor Mr Clayton er blevet stukket ihjel og gemt i en kiste - Poirot finder ud af at det er omvendt - Curtiss har fået Clayton til at skjule sig i kisten og så kan Curtiss myrde Clayton uden at blive mistænkt.
"9. I mørket skal jeg ikke glemme" handler om Deirdre Crozier gift med George efter at hendes første mand Tim Nugent blev dræbt i krigen - men han blev kun hårdt såret og vender nu tilbage - hun narrer ham til at tro at hun venter barn med George og Tim begår selvmord i en tobakslade - hvilket hun nu bliver mindet om hver gang hun lugter tobak "mens lyset var ved, så skal jeg huske. og i mørket skal jeg ikke glemme".

Glimrende små noveller. ( )