Poirot is hired by Chief Inspector Japp to solve a series of jewel thefts. Japp is quite desperate as his job is on the line. Another jewel theft occurs, this time at the home of Marcus Hardman, a jewel collector. Poirot is quickly on the case but is distracted and beguiled by Countess Vera Rossakoff, a Russian who fled her country during the revolution and thus someone Poirot can relate to, as they are both refugees, in a way. With Poirot's attention elsewhere, Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon do the investigating, with...interesting results.
An interesting an engaging Poirot. The mystery is reasonably good, though maybe a touch unsatisfactory in its conclusion. The Poirot- Countess relationship takes more of the spotlight than the mystery, and this is fairly engaging. Quite different to see Poirot so vulnerable and infatuated. We're so used to seeing the cold, rational, unemotional Poirot that this certainly makes a turn up for the books.
The Hastings-Lemon investigations are also fairly amusing, as generally are sub-plots involving Hastings.