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I have read quite a few adventures of Poirot, a couple of books featuring Miss Marple and one Tommy and Tuppence novel. Only the exploits of Mr. Parker Pyne were remaining. With this book I have read most of Pyne’s adventures as well.

This book contains twelve stories featuring our eponymous hero. Mind you, Pyne does not consider himself to be a typical detective, rather he introduces himself as a “heart specialist�� and can inspire reassurance in people. He places an ad in The Times offering his services to people who are unhappy.

Pyne, a retired civil servant from the department of records, banks on the knowledge of statistics and a small but very diverse team of employees to provide unconventional solutions to his clients. At times he makes a neat profit, and if the case is worth it �� he is willing to make a loss as well.
The first six stories are set in the UK where clients would seek his help with a range of issues such as marital discord, boredom with life, a yearning for adventure and romance. The next six stories are conventional detective stories where Pyne would go around helping people and solving crimes �� theft, murder, scams, during his visit to the Middle East and finally in Greece.

The stories are decent and can be read very quickly. But, we need to remember that the book was published in 1934. A lot has changed since then. You might find a few things prejudicial in the light of the current values and conventions. Some readers might find the stories a bit dated as well.

If you are a staunch Agatha Christie fan, then you might want to check out this character. I learnt that there are other stories featuring Pyne which were not included in this collection. I would like to check out those as well.