- When a reclusive painter is found dead, Poirot finds the vital clue in the dead man's last meal.
- The estranged, elderly Gascoigne brothers are found dead within days of each other. The one, Anthony, died in his home in Brighton in circumstances that give no cause for suspicion. The other brother, Henry, an eccentric, reclusive painter, however, has fallen downstairs and been dead for some time before his death is discovered. Poirot had been eating in the same restaurant as Henry just before the death. Henry had been pointed out as a creature of habit, a man who always ate exactly the same meal on every visit. On this last occasion, though, he had had a completely different set of courses, which leads Poirot to suspect foul play.—don @ minifie-1
- Poirot and Hastings are dining with Poirot's dentist one evening when the waitress points out an eccentric-looking man in the corner. He is Henry Gascoigne, an artist and a man of set routines. Yet he has been varying his habits of late. A few days later Poirot is at his dentist when he is informed that Mr Gascoigne died, apparently by falling down a flight of stairs at his house. For Poirot, the change of habits and sudden death seem too coincidental and he starts looking into Gascoigne's death, suspecting it was murder.—grantss
- A series of unusual circumstances leads Hercule Poirot to investigate the death of Henry Gascoyne who reportedly broke his neck after falling down the stairs. The man was a painter and a creature of habit but his behavior recently had become uncharacteristic. He was ordering different food than he did normally and didn't acknowledge well-known acquaintances on the street. Poirot soon learns that Henry did not get along with his twin brother Anthony but it appears he too has also passed away. Their only surviving heir is George Lorimer, a nephew who manages a music hall. Poirot finds both the motive for the murder and the culprit.—garykmcd
- The episode starts with a doctor declaring that a bedridden old man by the name of Anthony is close to death. Anthony' maid calls his nephew George Lorrimer (Richard Howard) who is a theatre director & informs him of Anthony's impending death. Lorrimer also specifically asks the maid not to inform Anthony's brother Gasquet & says that he will inform him himself.
Poirot is eating out with his dentist, Henry (Andrew Mackintosh), and the conversation turns to people's habits. Henry eats regularly in the restaurant that they are in, and he points out a white-bearded man (Gasquet) as evidence of his theories. This bearded man eats the same meal there on Saturdays and Thursdays and always orders much the same items as part of his three-course meal. The waitress brings their meals and sees Henry staring at the bearded man. She tells him that except the previous week he also came in on Monday and ordered things he'd never ordered before. Poirot's curiosity is piqued when the waitress says that toady (Saturday) the bearded man has ordered the same non-usual items today as he had the day, he had come in on Monday the week before.
Three weeks later, Poirot and Henry meet at Poirot's dentist appointment with Henry & during the conversation Henry mentions that Gasquet had died. Poirot starts to investigate. Poirot meets the dead man's model, as Gasquet was an artist.
The man lived alone and died after an accidental fall downstairs at his house and was found near the milk bottles. He died at approximately 10.00 pm on that day and had eaten a meal a couple of hours before, at the same restaurant (& on the same day) Poirot saw him. He had a letter in the pocket (The police had estimated the time of death as around 10 pm as that letter had been delivered by the postal service at 9 30 pm that evening).
In response to the question of relatives, Poirot is told that the man had a twin brother, Anthony, who died on the afternoon of the previous day (Friday) as his brother after a long illness and that their only surviving relative is a nephew, George Lorrimer.
Poirot visits that pathologist in charge of Gasquet's body & studies Gasquet's teeth. He then meets Gasquet's agent who tells Poirot that Anthony hated Gasquet as Anthony's wife was one of Gasquet's earlier models whom he used to paint naked.
It hits Poirot that Gasquet had eaten lunch that day (& hence the conclusion that the dead body had taken a light meal 2-3 hrs before death. A heavy meal at lunch would look the same as a light meal at dinner) & the man seen the restaurant was not Gasquet as that man had ordered a blackberry crumble, which would have left a stain in teeth & Gasquet's teeth were not stained. Poirot concludes that Gasquet was dead when he saw the man disguised as Gasquet at the restaurant. The man was disguised as Gasquet to make a clean escape without arousing any immediate suspicion of Gasquet's death.
Poirot is interested in the dead man's teeth, and it is confirmed that they were very white for their age... Poirot meets Anthony's maid who tells him she called Lorrimer on Thursday informing him of Anthony's illness, but he didn't arrive till Sunday & is now going to inherit all Anthony's & Gasquet's money. Poirot meets Lorrimer and accuses him of murder. Lorrimer's response proves the accusation has hit home. Meeting Henry again, Poirot explains: Anthony left a large fortune to his (dead, but estranged,) brother Gasquet. Lorrimer would eventually inherit (after Gasquet was dead) but was impatient for the money. He actually murdered Gasquet.
In disguise, impersonated his uncle at the restaurant. However, he forgot to impersonate his uncle's eating habits and ordered different foods to those usually chosen, including blackberry tart for dessert. His uncle didn't eat food which stained the teeth whereas Lorrimer's teeth are stained.
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