Agatha Christie, the queen of mystery didn't get that title for nothing. I've read all her novels and enjoyed them immensely. I've recently decided to start re-reading her novels. This page will contain all her most important characters with links to the books they appear in (just click on the character you're interested in). The reviews of her books will appear on my main page. I will rate her books from the standard five stars with the rating appearing in a caption under the picture.
Agatha's Sleuth Directory
The Big, The Famous:
Hercule Poirot: Christie's most popular detective Hercule Poirot. The little Belgium detective has fascinated readers from the moment of his creation. Methodological, precise, neat and clever Hercule Poirot is the best detective around. He and his famous "grey cells" can solve any crime. What do you need? "Order and Method" that's what!
Miss Marple: Miss Marple is a gentle old lady - with a mind like a sink. Or so her nephew says. She knows what goes on in the village, knows every gossip there is to know, and can find a parallel to any person she meets. Her skills lie in knowing types and seeing what motives, and instincts people act on. Does that guy remind you of anyone? Why, he's somewhat like that nice chemist in our town who left his wife and ran away with his assistant!
The close friends:
Arthur Hastings: Every great detective has to have a side-kick. Sherlock Holmes can tell you that. Such is Captain Hastings. Discharged after being injured in the war, he occupies rooms with his friend famous detective Hercule Poirot. The innocent and naive young Captain has a somewhat chivalrous mind. He sees the best in people and never fails to miss Poirot's point in a case. And ALWAYS does he suspect Poirot is going on the wrong track (does he never learn?!)
Dulcie Duveen aka Cinderella: Hastings; true love and his future wife.
Colonel and Dolly Bantry: Miss Marple's closest friend, the charming Dolly Bantry loves the thrill of adventure. Her staunch and loyal heart always sticks by her friends and she believes implicitly in Miss Marple's skill as a detective.
Raymond and Joan: Miss Marple's pompous (but well-meaning) nephew, Raymond and his wife Joan. They appear in the background of various novels, mostly together. Raymond, a rich novelist often sends his aunt on trips he thinks she will enjoy, and which often end in her involvement in a murder!
Dr. Haydock: Miss Marple's doctor. He knows how Miss Marple's mind works and whenever she is feeling under the weather, encourages her in a little sleuthing.
Leonard and Griselda Clement: The vicar at St. Mary Mead and his charming wife Griselda are two of my favorite characters.
Sir Henry Clithering: An old friend of Miss Marple.
Raymond and Joan: Miss Marple's pompous (but well-meaning) nephew, Raymond and his wife Joan. They appear in the background of various novels, mostly together. Raymond, a rich novelist often sends his aunt on trips he thinks she will enjoy, and which often end in her involvement in a murder!
Dr. Haydock: Miss Marple's doctor. He knows how Miss Marple's mind works and whenever she is feeling under the weather, encourages her in a little sleuthing.
Leonard and Griselda Clement: The vicar at St. Mary Mead and his charming wife Griselda are two of my favorite characters.
Sir Henry Clithering: An old friend of Miss Marple.
The Others:
Ariadne Oliver: This famous mystery writer somewhat represents her creator. She has written novels of a foreign detective and longs to kill him off (apparently Agatha Christie grew tired of her most famous character). The clumsy author has the worst luck. She often finds herself in the middle of a crime. Mostly lost in the world of her own creation, she occasionally steps out to appear in many novels. Sometimes alongside Hercule Poirot and in some with other detectives or friends.
Mr. Satterthwaite: The clever and perceptive Mr. Satterthwaite has made a habit of observing people. He is an onlooker of life enjoying the drama of human life. Somewhat a snob, he is accustomed to pleasure and moves in high society. He also is a friend of Hercule Poirot appearing alongside the Belgian detective in many novels. His role was chiefly that of the listener before Mr. Quin came along and showed him his skill as the solver of mysteries.
Mr. Quin: No one knows who he is. Is he the hand of fate, the spokesman of the dead? He appears as a mysterious character in short stories, the guiding hand behind Mr. Satterthwaite.
Tommy and Tuppence: The two cutest couple amateur sleuths you can find. Trace the development of their relationship through the different novels they appear in. Tuppence quick witted, engaging and charming, Tommy intelligent and dependable, together they make an unstoppable team.
Mr. Carter: The Chief of Intelligence, he realizes the potential of the young couple Tommy and Tuppence and gives them many top-secret jobs over the years.
Countess Vera Rosakoff: A Russian countess whom Poirot comes across when she tries to steal some jewels. Poirot is instantly struck by her and finds her unique. He makes the prophecy that they will meet again, and they do in many stories.
Colonel Race: The strong and silent type with a penetrating mind. Having widely travelled, he has extensive knowledge of the world. In one of the novels it is revealed he has suffered from a disappointment in love. He is said to be a Secret Service Agent.
Mr. Carter: The Chief of Intelligence, he realizes the potential of the young couple Tommy and Tuppence and gives them many top-secret jobs over the years.
Countess Vera Rosakoff: A Russian countess whom Poirot comes across when she tries to steal some jewels. Poirot is instantly struck by her and finds her unique. He makes the prophecy that they will meet again, and they do in many stories.
Colonel Race: The strong and silent type with a penetrating mind. Having widely travelled, he has extensive knowledge of the world. In one of the novels it is revealed he has suffered from a disappointment in love. He is said to be a Secret Service Agent.
Superintendent Battle: Big and quiet this inspector gets his job done. He has the strong values of a family man. Looks like a large, wooden man! Again appearing in various novels with or without his friend Hercule Poirot.
Inspector Japp: A friend of Hercule Poirot; he occasionally calls to ask for help on various cases. Arthur Hastings' opinion of him is not favourable, ".....the detective's highest talent lay in the gentle art of seeking favours under the guise of conferring them!"
Chief-Inspector Craddock: Chief-Inspector Craddock has come into contact with Miss Marple quite a few times and is aware of her detecting skills. He is Sir Henry Clithering's godson. For a small village, St. Mary Mead seems to be the center of a lot of crime!
Chief-Inspector Neele: His way of working is to compound fantastic theories about each suspect and pretends to look stupid so that people underestimate him.
Mr. Robinson: Who he is he? Where does he come from? That is a mystery none can solve. Mr. Robinson has his finger in all financial pies, knows all secrets and hence is someone whom everyone stands in awe of. Is he one of the good guys? or does he have something up his sleeve? That's what we're left wondering.
Dr. Stillingfleet: A young psychologist. Friend to the great Hercule Poirot. In one novel, one of the characters call him rude, but he is actually quite a frank and honest person with an undefinable charm.
Parker Pyne: Appearing only in the short stories this detective is not one of the better known ones.
Chief-Inspector Craddock: Chief-Inspector Craddock has come into contact with Miss Marple quite a few times and is aware of her detecting skills. He is Sir Henry Clithering's godson. For a small village, St. Mary Mead seems to be the center of a lot of crime!
Chief-Inspector Neele: His way of working is to compound fantastic theories about each suspect and pretends to look stupid so that people underestimate him.
Mr. Robinson: Who he is he? Where does he come from? That is a mystery none can solve. Mr. Robinson has his finger in all financial pies, knows all secrets and hence is someone whom everyone stands in awe of. Is he one of the good guys? or does he have something up his sleeve? That's what we're left wondering.
Dr. Stillingfleet: A young psychologist. Friend to the great Hercule Poirot. In one novel, one of the characters call him rude, but he is actually quite a frank and honest person with an undefinable charm.
Parker Pyne: Appearing only in the short stories this detective is not one of the better known ones.
Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent: A young enthusiastic woman introduced first in The Seven Dials Mystery. She is intelligent and out to solve crime as an amateur sleuth.
Major Despard and Rhoda Stuart: This couple appears in a couple of novels. Appearing first in Cards on the Table, they later marry and are seen again as relations of the main character in The Pale Horse. Major Despard is shown as a serious and insightful man who yet prefers to live his own private life.
Mr. Rafiel: A wealthy businessman with a keen eye into character. He meets Miss Marple in one case, and contacts her for another. Appears in a total of two cases.
Major Despard and Rhoda Stuart: This couple appears in a couple of novels. Appearing first in Cards on the Table, they later marry and are seen again as relations of the main character in The Pale Horse. Major Despard is shown as a serious and insightful man who yet prefers to live his own private life.
Mr. Rafiel: A wealthy businessman with a keen eye into character. He meets Miss Marple in one case, and contacts her for another. Appears in a total of two cases.
The Young Man In Love With One of the Women Suspects: These men appear scattered in various novels of Agatha Christie. For example, in Ordeal by Innocence we have a doctor who brings in the final clue that leads to solving the mystery. He has his own interests as is the case in Towards Zero. These men become involved in the case by accident and are led to solve it due to romantic motives!
The Young Couple: Cast in the mold of Tommy and Tuppence we have various other young couples. The young guy seeks to impress the girl he has fallen for. She has an interest in the case which he presents to her. Together they set out to solve the mystery because somebody has to do something! The girl may be introduced from the beginning as in Why Didn't They Ask Evans, or the hero may meet her later on as in The Pale Horse. The important thing is that they solve the case together with the girl, although independent and confident, believing implicitly in the guy.
Miss Lemon: Poirot's personal secretary. She appears mostly in novels where Poirot's friend, Hastings, is not around. A stickler for order and her own work, she never enjoys taking part in Poirot's 'theories'.
Georges: Poirot's valet. He is an expert in pin-pointing what class people belong too. His years as a butler have made him a good 'social recorder'.
Mr. Goby: Someone whom Poirot employs when he needs 'information'.
Monsieur Giraud: A famous detective from the Paris Surete. He is considered by many, including Hastings, to be a true detective. He is arrogant in manner and often slights Hercule Poirot, believing himself to be the best.
Jim and Cherry Baker: Miss Marple's daily helper; she and her husband later take some rooms over Miss Marple's kitchen to take full time care of her. Cherry is young and full of life. She may not do things the way they were done, but she and Miss Marple work well together.
Reverend and Mrs. Dane Calthrop: Reverend Calthrop is an intelligent and slightly absent-minded genius. He writes the most wonderful sermons, but it is his wife everyone is afraid of. Mrs. Dane Calthrop never interferes, but she has an uncanny habit of being able to look into your very soul and see the truth. They live at Lymstock.
Mrs. Summerhayes: An enchanting and unique woman who Poirot meets on one of his cases. She appears only once as far as I remember but is an acquaintance of another in Cat Among the Pigeons. I remember her because of her forgetful habits which were so annoying to Poirot, yet nobody could help but like her.
Miss Lemon: Poirot's personal secretary. She appears mostly in novels where Poirot's friend, Hastings, is not around. A stickler for order and her own work, she never enjoys taking part in Poirot's 'theories'.
Georges: Poirot's valet. He is an expert in pin-pointing what class people belong too. His years as a butler have made him a good 'social recorder'.
Mr. Goby: Someone whom Poirot employs when he needs 'information'.
Monsieur Giraud: A famous detective from the Paris Surete. He is considered by many, including Hastings, to be a true detective. He is arrogant in manner and often slights Hercule Poirot, believing himself to be the best.
Jim and Cherry Baker: Miss Marple's daily helper; she and her husband later take some rooms over Miss Marple's kitchen to take full time care of her. Cherry is young and full of life. She may not do things the way they were done, but she and Miss Marple work well together.
Reverend and Mrs. Dane Calthrop: Reverend Calthrop is an intelligent and slightly absent-minded genius. He writes the most wonderful sermons, but it is his wife everyone is afraid of. Mrs. Dane Calthrop never interferes, but she has an uncanny habit of being able to look into your very soul and see the truth. They live at Lymstock.
Mrs. Summerhayes: An enchanting and unique woman who Poirot meets on one of his cases. She appears only once as far as I remember but is an acquaintance of another in Cat Among the Pigeons. I remember her because of her forgetful habits which were so annoying to Poirot, yet nobody could help but like her.
