Hercule Poirot is a beloved detective, a true icon of classic crime whose fastidious nature and over-the-top character have won him fans around the world. Poirot is meticulous, brilliant, and just a bit theatrical, with his waxed moustaches, patent leather shoes, and that delightful obsession with order and method. Who can forget his frequent bursts of false modesty and self-reproach as he battles with some of the most fiendish murderers of his times?
A Belgian refugee living in London, Hercule Poirot adds a touch of Euro-sophistication and worldliness to his sleuthing, collaborating with Scotland Yard and his loyal friend Captain Hastings. Despite his fussiness, there’s a real warmth to Poirot, especially in his friendship with Captain Hastings, who brings a nice touch of bumbling loyalty to balance Poirot’s outstanding and almost superhuman brilliance.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
This is a book that is hard to review as it contains one of the most talked-about twists in crime! Published in 1926 as the third Hercule Poirot mystery, this book is a Christie classic that helped cement her reputation as an iconic crime writer.
The violent murder of Roger Ackroyd is deceptively simple, but there is a fiendish murderer out there who is a sufficient match for the intelligence of Hercule Poirot. The murder is a brutal stabbing in a study, but there is a suave intelligence to this apparently savage act. Can Hercule figure it out in time?
This is a wonderful crime novel that disrupted the genre: it’s not only worth reading as a Poirot, but also as a classic of crime that helps you understand the genre as a whole.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the first time we meet Hercule Poirot, laying the groundwork for his dynamic with Hastings and Inspector Japp. Written in 1916, and published in 1920, it is an early Christie with some juvenile elements, but already it has many of her hallmarks.
Styles is a real mystery novel with maps, evidence fragments, and a convoluted and layered plot. The murder at Styles is one that revolves around money, inheritance, and infidelity.
Lots of people would benefit from the death of the old matriarch, but did anybody actually have the opportunity to do so? It’s a very classic murder set-up with a late-night rush to the bedroom and the usual business of locked connecting doors, potentially poisoned hot beverages, and household items and members in strange places.
There are some deliciously fiendish clues to do with tables falling over, wet carpets, bits of wax – Poirot teases Hastings and the reader by drawing attention to seemingly small details that are hard to understand as clues at first.
It’s a great introduction to Poirot.
Death on the Nile
Imagine a steamer on the Nile, floating down the river in the hot, dark night, ice cubes clinking in glasses filled with Scotch….. A captive cast of characters, a thwarted honeymoon, and lovers who want to move beyond jealous exes and their past: Death on the Nile is a masterclass in passion.
Christie has written some iconic crime books in some beautiful locations, and Death on the Nile is a great example of an iconic location adding to the crime of murder. Published in 1937, this novel has often been adapted and it is one of her most beloved works.
This is a story all about love, passion, and jealousy. Poirot is the perfect detective for untangling this dense and heady web.
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
This is a murder mystery and courtroom drama a la Poirot, but I was also really taken by the elegiac romance of this book. Published in 1942, it is known as one of her “quieter” works and the first Poirot novel to venture into the courtroom.
In Sad Cypress, the story of Elinor Carlisle, Roddy, and Mary Gerrard is one of attraction, jealousy, and the chaos of sexual relationships. More than some of her other books I “believe” some of the chemistry and the psychology here, especially the power of guilt.
It’s always interesting when Poirot gets to look into someone who is the “obvious suspect” and see if he agrees. There’s not a huge cast of characters in this one, so it’s very easy to follow and the sequence of events is pretty straightforward too.
The ABC Murders
Published in 1936, this novel is a bit of a departure for Christie in some ways, yet her classic intricate plotting and her fiendish understanding of human psychology are both present.
The ABC Murders is a serial killer novel, a nasty and dark mystery that Hercule Poirot tackles in collaboration with the police who are slightly behind him when it comes to understanding the serious and interconnected nature of these crimes.
Our murderer seems particularly fiendish and capricious, killing people near the railway line and leaving ABC rail guides next to their victims.
A great novel full of suspense and intriguing characters. Poirot really shines in this one.
Five Little Pigs
Published in 1942, this Poirot novel has Poirot going back in time to piece together a murder mystery from 16 years ago. Going through testimonies and analysing everyone’s motives, this is a really satisfying and cerebral murder mystery. You get into the story and start to re-live the events of that day with Poirot.
The final denouement is incredibly ingenious and Poirot gets to display his genius understanding of human relationships in a very satisfying way.
Hercule Poirot features in some of the best Agatha Christie novels of all time, and here are some great examples of iconic Agatha Christie books. A true connoisseur of human nature, Poirot is a charismatic sleuth with an intimate knowledge of some of the emotions that push people to murder: passion, jealousy, and rage. One of the most loved literary characters of all time, Poirot still seems relevant to us today.
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