Jules Poiret in The Murder in Torquay (A Jules Poiret Mystery), by Frank Howell Evans

Jules Poiret, a famous detective is asked by a Baronet to help exonerate his friend, who is accused of murdering her employer. Together with Captain Haven, Jules Poiret descends on Torquay to use his world class intellect to resolve the case.

According to Wikipedia, Jules Poiret was inspired by Sherlock Holmes and in turn inspired Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. Created in 1909 by writer Frank Howel Evans, Jules Poiret is one of the grandfathers of the British detective genre.

BBC researcher Margaret Osoba has, in the year that Sophie Hannah writes the first new Hercule Poirot book in 39 years, come up with the theory that Agatha Christie stole her famous character from the turn of the century thriller writer, Frank Howel Evans. In 1909 when Agatha was 19 and had already begun to write, Evans published a story about a heavyset detective named Jules Poiret with much of Hercule Poirot's mannerisms and speech patterns.

Researcher Margaret Osoba argues that Agatha Christie got her idea for Hercule Poirot from Frank Howel Evans' Jules Poiret stories (New Magazine, 1909-10) and the title for her play "Mouse Trap" from his book "Murder Trap".

Margaret Osoba gives a full listing of Frank Howel Evans’ writings in her articles, “The Strange Case of Monsieur Poiret,” in the June 2000 edition of the Book and Magazine Collector (No. 195, pages 27 to 31) and in her earlier biography of Frank Howel Evans in the April 1993 edition of Country Quest (Vol. 33:No. 11, pp. 28-29: “Old Pawray-the roots of a detective”).

Frank Howel Evans' books, mostly crime fiction, were written between 1917 and 1930. His A Girl Alone (1917) and The Murder Club (1924) both had American editions as had his play, “The Wrong Side of the Road.”

Frank Howel Evans' contributions to magazines came in Union Jack (1906-08: Sexton Blake stories), in Penny Popular (1913) and in Champion (1923-24). Under the nom-de-plume of "Crutchley Payne" he contributed to Chumand.

He also wrote a number of stories for the stage. These reflected his acting experience.

The 1906 Christmas Double number of Answers summed up his career: Frank Howel Evans is one of Answers' most valued contributors. A large proportion of the humorous illustrated articles, which are so popular a feature of the journal, are from his pen. His first profession was the stage, but after many and varied experiences, he turned to journalism in which calling after the usual early struggle for recognition he has met with much success and may be considered one of the leading humorists of the day.

Jules Poiret in The Murder in Torquay
Jules Poiret in Sir Alexander dies
Jules Poiret in The Murder of Lady Malvern
Jules Poiret in Lord Hammershield dies

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon

###