‘When did it become fashionable for the French not to serve coffee in a china teacup and saucer?’ Madame Beaumont said, loud enough to ensure the maitre d’ would hear.
‘Mother,’ Alice chided. ‘You shall have to get used to it once I have married Jacques.’
‘Alice, once you have married Jacques we shall no longer have to stay in common resorts like this.’ She gestured to the crowded beach below. ‘I am allowing this marriage precisely because of your fiance’s inheritance. I do not intend to see out my days as a penniless widow.’
‘Well, you shall have to wait. Jacques parents are in extremely good health.’ Alice stood and stormed off.
Madame Beaumont lifted her mug of coffee and took a small sip. ‘We shall see about that, my dear,’ she muttered.
At the table behind her an impeccably dressed short man with brilliantined hair and a waxed moustache perched his egg-shaped head to one side. His green eyes sparkled like a cat’s as he adjusted his cutlery so that it sat symmetrically.

Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in around 150 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.
To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
49 responses to “POIROT’S COFFEE AT DEAUVILLE”
Lovely, a murder mystery in the making. I have always enjoyed A C Poirot. Your story is a worthy follow up to A C’s Poirot
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Thanks Michael, I love them too, so a little homage, nothing more.
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Looks like Poirot is going to solve this murder before it happens.
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Perhaps, but Agatha Christie did like to keep her reader guessing – the obvious suspect quite often turned out to be innocent.
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Love Poirot! I can just see him twirling his mustache. Nice beginning.
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Thanks Janet, I’m a big fan too, glad you liked it 🙂
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Love this murder mystery. Poirot makes it doubly exciting. Nicely written, Kelly.
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Thanks Neel
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Brilliant. Looks like the entire wedding is in question!
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Thank you, the start of a twisty murder mystery I think 🙂
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Wow,a full novel potential story
Click Here to see what Mrs. Dash Says
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Thank you, just a little piece of fan fiction for on of my favourites.
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Good story Iain. I mustn’t have taken in the title at first, as I thought the man on the nearby table was a hit man who’d overheard a business opportunity. Then my brain slowly registered the pointers.
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Thanks, at first I didn’t have his name in the title, but then thought not everyone will recognise the description, so to make it clearer I put it in. He does have a very distinctive description though!
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It was my brain that made me slow to spot the
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Sorry … It was my brain that made me slow to recognise the obvious characteristics, not the writing.
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Good one, a great mystery. Foul play is afoot, indeed! 🙂
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Thanks Jelli, I do love books that start with a crime that you know will need solving with a few twists along the way. 🙂
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Ahh! Something is brewing! (and its not the coffee) 🙂
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Haha, thanks Joy 🙂
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I love this his. The evil scheming mother and the man behind her, presumably a detective of some kind that she’s not even aware of. I would love to read the rest of the story. You’ve created fascinating characters very well.
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Thanks Mandi. It is indeed a detective – Poirot. This is a bit of fan fiction, but the original novels are brilliant if you want to read more like it I highly recommend them 🙂
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Madame Beaumont seems to have made arrangements for the murder of her son-in-law’s parents! Great story Iain!
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Thanks PJ, it certainly does seem that way – but nothing is that straightforward in a Poirot novel!
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LOL! So true…!
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Ho ho. It seems the Madame is going to give herself away too early.
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She isn’t an experienced murderer it seems – but then what happened to her late husband?! thanks for reading.
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A great detective mystery potential, Iain. Loved your take.
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Thank you Kitty
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Welcome Iain.
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Lovely little homage to M. Poirot. Good one, Iain.
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Thanks Varad
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Very Nice. I like where the plot is heading!
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Thanks Joy
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Time to start using his little grey cells! Nice one Iain
Click to read my FFfAW
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Ha, indeed. Thanks Keith.
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Fantastic imagery and impressive evocation of intrigue. So. Fun.
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Thank you Casey 🙂
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Cunning Mom, naive daughter and murder plot brewing… but some one is listening!
Tale woven with twists and turns!
-Anagha from Team MocktailMommies
http://mocktailmommies.blogspot.in/2017/09/dark-bitter-but-not-so-cool.html?m=1
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Thank you.
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Liked it all but the end…maybe should have ended 1 paragraph earlier at the high point. Just a thought.
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lol forgot – mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/09/30/1-shade-of-amber/
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Erm, Thanks for commenting. I’m guessing you have never read a Poirot novel by Agatha Christie, but this is a little homage to the most famous literary detective in the world and the final paragraph is a description of Poirot, so without it the whole thing – especially the title – would make no sense at all. Just a thought.
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And then what does he do? A great enticing story with lots of hooks to pull us in.
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If it follows a typical Poirot novel, there will be the murder and he will catch the killer – but with a lot of twists along the way!
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Which means the conversation he overheard is probably a red-herring?
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Exactly that, I think you’re the first to suggest that. Most Poirot novels have an obvious suspect, or three or four, to keep you guessing.
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The true nature of her mother comes out! Looking forward to the next chapter….the man in the background certainly adds to this story and leaves the reader seeking more. Enjoyed. Well written. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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