At an exhibition of snuff boxes Hercule Poirot meets Mr Shaitana a mysterious foreign man Shaitana jokes about Poirot's visit to the snuff box exhibition and claims that he has a better "collection" that Poirot would enjoy -- people who have gotten away with murder Though apprehensive Poirot accepts an invitation to a dinner party where Shaitana will show off his collection Upon his arrival Poirot is joined by mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver Scotland Yard's Superintendent Battle Colonel Rice of the Secret Service and four more guests Having brought them all to dinner Shaitana manipulates the topic of conversation to possible motives for murder He makes allusions to crimes being committed yet their culprits getting away scotfree During this conversation several of the guests exhibit nervous reactions A postdinner bridge game results in Shaitana's murder -- stabbed in the chest with a jeweled stiletto There are only four suspects -- each of th