It was purely by chance that my friend Hercules Poirot, a former head of the Belgian police, became involved in the Stilts case. His success brought him fame, and so he decided to dedicate himself to solving mysterious crimes. Having been injured at the Battle of Somme and retired due to disability, I went and eventually lived with him in London. Since I know most of his cases firsthand, I was asked to select some of the most interesting ones and document them. Therefore, I believe there is no better way to start than with the strange entanglement that captured the public's attention at that time. I am referring to the mystery of the Disguised Ball.
Although it may not be as indicative of Poirot's particular methods as some of his lesser-known cases, the sensational nature of the case, the involvement of very famous personalities, and the tremendous publicity it received in the press make it stand out as a cause célèbre* and I have long believed that the world should learn about Poirot's role in its resolution.