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"Five Little Pigs" is a detective novel by Agatha Christie featuring the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The story revolves around Carla Lemarchant, who seeks Poirot's help to solve a cold case involving the murder of her father, the famous painter Amyas Crale, sixteen years earlier. Amyas was believed to have been poisoned by his wife, Caroline Crale, who was subsequently convicted and died in prison. However, Caroline's posthumous letter to her daughter professes her innocence.
Poirot takes on the case and unravels the events of the past, focusing on five people who were present on the day of the murder, whom he refers to as "the five little pigs." These include Philip Blake, a stockbroker; Meredith Blake, an amateur chemist; Angela Warren, Caroline's half-sister; Cecilia Williams, the governess; and Elsa Greer, Amyas's model. Each of their perspectives provides clues to the puzzle.
Through meticulous investigation and understanding of human nature, Poirot reveals that Elsa Greer, driven by jealousy and feeling betrayed by Amyas, was the actual murderer. She had witnessed Amyas reassuring his wife that he was not leaving her, which led Elsa, who had expected to marry him, to poison him. Although proving this in court presents challenges due to the time elapsed and the circumstantial evidence, Poirot successfully uncovers the truth, providing closure for Carla and clearing her mother's name.