The series follows the adventures and exploits of the Beresfords, who have recently taken over the running of a detective agency based in London. Each episode features one of the stories from the book. Among these are a quest for missing jewels, the investigation of poltergeists and a story involving poisoned chocolates.
The series followed the short stories closely with two notable exceptions: First, the detective parodies, although alluded to on occasion, were for the most part dispensed with. Secondly, the story arc of the blue Russian letters and the search for the agent known as Number 16 were also dispensed with. For this reason three chapters (The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger, Blindman's Bluff and The Man Who Was No. 16) were not adapted.
The series' original run was immediately preceded by transmission on 9 October 1983 of the same production team's adaptation of Christie's second novel The Secret Adversary, which also starred Annis and Warwick in the same roles and which acted as an introduction for viewers to Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime.
The series ran for one season between 16 October 1983 and 14 January 1984 with ten episodes. It was poorly received at the time, but was later shown in the United States, where John Tribe, the series graphic designer, won an award at the 1985 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Graphic and Title Design in recognition of the programme's title sequence. As of 2007, the series is regularly aired in the UK on the digital channel ITV3. Unavailable on DVD for a long period, it was released by Acorn Media UK on 2 September 2013.
Phyllida Hewat (as Woman in Tea Shop) James Walker (as First Clerk) Mike Elles (as Second Clerk) Gabrielle Blunt (as Annie) Norman Hartley (as Florist) Roger Ostime (as Ritz Hotel Receptionist) Nicholas Geake (as Watson)
Norma West (as Estelle Blaney) Jo Ross (as Gwen Foster)
The Man in the Mist
11 December 1983
Tim Brierly (as James Reilly) Roger Kemp (as Inspector Jeavons) Christopher Johnston (as PC Bamford) Geoffrey Greenhill (as Police Sergeant) Valerie Lilley (as Ellen)
Constantine Gregory (as Bulger Escourt) Patrick Marley (as Lord Leconbury) Linda Marlowe (as Gilda Glenn) Anne Stallybrass (as Dorothea Honeycott) Paddy Ward (as Barman)
Mark Farmer (as Page Boy)
The Unbreakable Alibi
18 December 1983
Ellis Dale (as Henri) Michael Jayes (as Peter Le Marchant) Preston Lockwood (as Head Waiter) Tim Meats (as Montgomery Jones)
Anna Nygh (as Una Drake) Anna Nygh (as Vera Drake) Gay Soper (as Hotel Receptionist) Stephen Wale (as Car Park Attendant)
Elaine Wells (as Chambermaid)
The Case of the Missing Lady
1 January 1984
Jonathan Newth (as Gabriel Stavansson) Rowena Cooper (as Dr Irma Kleber) Ewan Hooper (as Dr Horriston) Elspeth March (as Lady Susan Clonray)
Elizabeth Murray (as Hermione Leigh Gordon) Tim Pearce (as Muldoon) Mischa de la Motte (as Manservant)
