Hercule Poirot and Christie’s Other Famous Sleuths

HERCULE POIROT AND CHRISTIE’S OTHER FAMOUS SLEUTHS David Suchet as Poirot. Photo Credit: PBS. Joan Hickson as Miss Marple. Photo Credit: BBC. Jessica Raine as Tuppence and David Williams as Tommy. Photo Credit: Laurence Cendrowicz. Maurice Denham as Parker Pyne. Photo Credit: Poirot and Friends. Zoe Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver.Photo Credit: PBS

Hercule Poirot - The protagonist in Murder on the Orient Express, Poirot appears in thiry-three novels and over fifty of Christie’s short stories. Poirot is diminutive in stature, but large in intelligence, savvy, and ability to solve crimes. Poirot’s most famous physical feature is his impressive mustache, which he preserves lovingly throughout his stories; his fastidiousness about his mustache also extends to his clothing and grooming. He is admired by important people and police across the globe, and is a stickler for everything being “just so,” which is one reason he is so good at noticing the things that aren’t quite right that lead him to solving crimes.

Miss Jane Marple - Miss Marple appears to be a little old lady who loves knitting, gardening, and gossip, which she absolutely is . . . and so much more! Behind her unassuming grandmotherly ways is a highly intelligent woman who is an astute observer of human behavior. She has spent her whole life in the small village of St. Mary Mead, but she has learned much about people because “There is a great deal of wickedness in village life.” Christie first introduced amateur detective Marple in a short story in 1927, and much to Christie’s surprise, the character became a reader favorite after her first full-length novel, Murder at the Vicarage. Marple appears in twelve novels and twenty short stories.

Tommy & Tuppence - Spunky and charismatic Tuppence runs into her old friend, the thoughtful and deliberate Tommy, in a train station right after WWI. The two of them start “Young Adventurers, Ltd.” who are “Willing to do anything. Go anywhere... No unreasonable offer refused.” The characters are the only ones who aged along with their stories, appearing in four novels and a short story collection.

Harley Quin - Harley Quin is a mysterious character, whose insight into people and circumstances seems otherworldly, and throughout his appearances, it is unclear whether he has a corporeal body or if he is just another hidden part of Sattherwaite’s personality. Outwardly, Sattherwaite is “a dried up man” who shows an inordinate interest in the goings-on of others. Together, they solve mysteries, and perhaps are one of the oddest sleuthing teams in the genre. Quin and Sattherwaite appear in the eponymous collection The Mysterious Mr. Quin.

Parker Pyne - Mr. Parker Pyne is a retired civil servant who specializes in “curing unhappiness.” This leads him to unconventional means of investigation, using ruses and disguises with other members of his team. Often, his cases are resolved without anyone knowing it was he who resolved them. There is only one collection of his stories, but he appears in other collections as well.

Ariadne Oliver - A successful detective novelist that many associate with Christie herself, Mrs. Oliver is a middle-aged woman who is feisty and often jumps to conclusions. She accompanies Poirot in six novels, aiding him in solving cases, and appears in one novel on her own.