The London Syndicate
is a fanfiction by en verite on FanFiction.Net (with an Ao3 link here) featuring Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and some of his more notable associates as they take on the titular organization. It's told as several short but closely-related short stories. For the most part, it sticks to being an Original Flavor fic which could conceivably have been written by Dame Agatha herself, though as the summary relates, the syndicate is unusually preoccupied with keeping the great detective out of their hair...
This work contains the following tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: With Poirot kidnapped in Absent Without Leave, it's up to Hastings to solve a mystery with Japp (and a hint from Poirot). He does it in the nick of time, too!
- After Action Patch Up: In The Rival Gang after Hastings comes home injured, a small one of these happens.
- Arch-Enemy: The Syndicate as a whole to Poirot.
- Bad Cop/Incompetent Cop: Inspector Morett, put in charge during Japp's vacation in The Elusive One. Hastings suspects he might even cross the line into Dirty Cop in the pay of the Syndicate. they're just exploiting his xenophobia to get Poirot out of the way.
- Batman Gambit: Attempted in The Rival Gang, where it turns out that the titular rival gang operating right in Poirot's neighborhood is just a bunch of disguised members of the syndicate there to distract him from their real smuggling operations, assuming he will chase after the decoy. They even attack his friend twice to deflect his interest. The gambit fails.
- On a smaller scale, Poirot guesses in The Elusive One that appealing to Rose's empathy regarding Hastings, whom she has fallen in love with, will cause her to rethink her plan to get Poirot himself in trouble with the law. This results in him spending precious time chasing her down when he realizes what's going on. This one succeeds.
- Berserk Button: If you decide to mess with Hastings, Poirot will not be happy. He even gets into a physical fight during the events of The Rival Gang to try to protect him.
- As Absent Without Leave shows, these sentiments are reciprocated entirely.
Hastings (addressed to Poirot's kidnappers after rescuing his friend): You have no idea how fortunate you are that my hands are now unable to fasten themselves around your worthless neck! - Brownface: Employed by the Syndicate in The Rival Gang, as Poirot figures out during the aforementioned after-action patch-up.
- Closest Thing We Got: At one point, when Poirot is kidnapped, Hastings has to solve the case himself and work out how the Syndicate intend to 'dispose' of Poirot before his friend is taken out of the country.
- The Dulcinea Effect: Hastings goes out of his way to help a crying young woman he had just met in The Elusive One, sympathizing greatly with her. This trope is quickly deconstructed when it turns out she's not quite so innocent as she seems.
- Even Evil Has Standards: As outlined by Poirot early on, the London Syndicate will not stoop to murder. Anything else is fair game, though.
- Officially subverted starting in chapter seven, when Poirot realizes they've been pushed enough to attempt murder.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: As in canon, Poirot and Hastings are this. Perhaps a bit closer here than usual.
- Hurt/Comfort Fic: Listed as one. Definitely has its moments, too.
- In Love with the Mark: Rose Whitcombe. Hastings is a bit disturbed by the whole thing.
- Love at First Sight: One-sided example when Rose Whitcombe falls in love with Hastings over the course of one meeting. Becomes plot-relevant a few times afterwards when Poirot takes advantage of her feelings and sympathy for their friendship.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Downplayed example with Japp, who states he prefers "hunting elusive and elusive flowers" to hunting, and almost turns down a safari until he hears a renowned botanist is involved in the party.
- Unbroken Vigil: Hastings keeps one in the nursing home after Poirot's suicide attempt. Although the latter is not in a coma and the former dozes off occasionally, it still counts.
- What Beautiful Eyes!: One of the first thing Hastings notices about Rose is her unusual eyes, which are blue with gold around the iris.
