Agatha Christie - Cards on the Table - BBC full-cast dramatisation

At an exhibition of snuff boxes, Hercule Poirot meets Mr. Shaitana. The extravagant Shaitana claims that he collects items that may be of interest to Poirot. When the Belgian detective inquires what these items are, Shaitana responds that he collects the finest specimens in the world of crime: the people who commit a murder and get away with it. Shaitana proceeds to invite Poirot over for dinner in order to meet his 'collection'.

Upon arrival at Shaitana's house, Poirot is met by a number of other guests. Mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver, Scotland Yard's Superintendent Battle, Colonel Race of His Majesty's Secret Service, Dr Geoffrey Roberts, Mrs Lorrimer, Major John Despard, Miss Anne Meredith and Poirot converse as dinner is prepared. At the dinner table, conversation turns to the topic of murder. Shaitana discusses the thought that if he were to commit a murder, he would make it simple: a domestic or a shooting accident. He also mentioned that poison was a woman's weapon and about a doctor's opportunities. These comments leave many guests uncomfortable and the party adjourns to a game of contract bridge.

Dr Roberts, Anne Meredith, Mrs Lorrimer and Major Despard sit down to a game in a small room, while Shaitana leads Poirot, Mrs Oliver, Race and Battle into an adjoining room where the four begin a second game of bridge. Shaitana claims that bridge is not his preferred game and returns to the first room. The evening progresses and when Poirot and his company prepare to leave, they move to say farewell to their host, who is sitting in his chair in the first room. Upon inspection, it is quickly discovered that he has been murdered, stabbed with a small stiletto. It becomes apparent that no one has entered the first room since the bridge games began, immediately pointing to the four members of Shaitana's 'collection' of murderers as the suspects.

The four 'sleuths' (Poirot, Oliver, Race and Battle) interrogate the four suspects, all of whom, to their belief, have killed before. Upon finding very little from their interviews, the 'sleuths' prepare to go about their own ways to determine who murdered Shaitana.