Detecting Christie Characters Quiz

Answer: Hercule Poirot

Crime-solving partner and best friend of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, Captain Arthur Hastings, OBE, was first introduced 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles'. The book was written during World War 1 and published in 1920, and tells the story of the murder of Mrs Emily Inglethorp, who is hosting refugees and injured soldiers at her home. Poirot (naturally) solves the mystery of her murder and cements a lifelong friendship with Hastings, who appears in numerous Poirot stories.

We learn when reading about him in his various appearances in Poirot novels that Hastings has a fondness for auburn-headed women, and Dulcie Duveen, whom he nicknamed Cinderella, was indeed auburn-haired. They moved to Argentina for a number of years where Hastings operated a ranch; sadly Cinderella died there. Hastings, bereft, eventually moved home to England.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

Poirot, who has been retired for sometime and been busy growing marrows, is accompanied in this investigation by Dr James Sheppard. Mrs Ferrars, a wealthy widow, is found dead, to the distress of Roger Ackroyd, who had hoped to marry her. He tells Poirot that Mrs Ferrars had confessed to him that she had murdered her husband; it was supposed that she had committed suicide, unable to bear the guilt.

In a twist, Poirot discovers that Dr Sheppard has been blackmailing Mrs Ferrars and killed Roger Ackroyd to prevent him discovering this. The book was originally serialised in fifty-four parts in the London Evening News.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

Countess Vera Rossakoff, who appeared in 'The Big Four' and 'The Labours of Hercules', is a mysterious Russian with a hidden agenda. Poirot has always had a secret crush on her, but they were never romantically involved. Countess Rossakoff was a double agent whose real allegiances lie with 'The Big Four', a malevolent and mysterious organisation bent on world domination.

In 'The Labours of Hercules' she has become a devious jewel thief.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

Ariadne Oliver is a recurring character who appears in six Christie novels. Her first appearance with Poirot is in the 1936 novel 'Cards on the Table'.

A middle-aged woman and successful novelist, Ariadne Oliver is frequently found munching apples and 'using her intuition' - which may or not be helpful to Poirot. In the novel 'Dead Man's Folly', first published in 1956, Oliver buys Christmas presents for her nephews. In this novel, Poirot and Oliver again join forces to find the killer of a young girl, who was only supposed to be pretending to be dead for a murder mystery party.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

Japp appeared in 'The Big Four', 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles', 'Peril at End House', 'Lord Edgware Dies' and numerous others. He was never a match for the intellect and acumen of Poirot, and was indebted to Poirot for the successful capture of murderers and thieves. On a personal level, Japp is the father of two sons and loves cricket.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

Approaching early middle age, Felicity Lemon is described as not particularly attractive or interesting, and with spectacles. Her passion is order, precision and proper filing in the office. The only ocasion on which she makes a mistake is when she is worried about the puzzling events surrounding her sister in the novel 'Hickory Dickory Dock', first published in 1955. She shockingly makes a typing error and mistakenly posts an electricity bill!

Apart from 'Hickory Dickory Dock', Miss Lemon also appears in 'Dead Man's Folly', 'Third Girl' and 'Elephants Can Remember'.

Answer: Hercule Poirot

'Lord Edgware Dies' was first serialised in 'The American Magazine' in March 1933, and later that year was published by Collins. The morning after a dinner party, at which 13 people were in attendance, Lord Edgeware is found dead in the study. That same morning actress Carlotta Adams was also found dead.

It transpires that Lord Edgeware's wife, Jane Wilkinson, wants a divorce. But she can't wait and has hired Carlotta Adams to impersonate her at the dinner party, while she is at home, murdering her husband. Wilkinson also murders another guest who has realised she was not the person he was siting next to at dinner. Thankfully, by this time Poirot has worked out the murderer and Miss Wilkinson is led off to her fate.

Answer: Jane Marple

Dolly Bantry is a recurring character in Miss Marple books, and she and her husband Arthur are residents of St Mary Mead. Apart from some short stories, Dolly appeared in 'The Body in the Library', 'The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side', and 'Sleeping Murder'. Sir Henry Clithering suggests that Miss Marple be invited to the Bantrys' dinner party at Gossington Hall, after which she and Dolly became close friends. It also gave Miss Marple the opportunity to take stock of a possible murderer up close, on more than one occasion!

Answer: Jane Marple

Sir Henry Clithering is the former head of Scotland Yard and an old friend of Miss Marple's whose support she relies upon when she is told to 'butt out' of the case by local police. He appears in numerous short stories, as well as the novels 'The Body in the Library', 'A Murder is Announced', 'A Pocket Full of Rye' and '4.50 from Paddington'; he is also mentioned in the novel 'Nemesis'.

In 'A Murder is Announced', Clithering recommends to the Chief Constable of the county that the assistance of his old friend Miss Marple should be sought. Clithering is godfather to Dermot Craddock, who leads the investigation, and Craddock works closely with Miss Marple as an 'inside' source of information.

Answer: Jane Marple

Raymond West is the nephew of Jane Marple and is himself a renowned author, living in London. Because he adores his aunt, he occasionally sends her on vacations. One such vacation is when he sends her on a trip to the West Indies, in the book 'A Caribbean Mystery'.

He also appears in 'Murder at the Vicarage' and 'Sleeping Murder', as well as 'The Body in the Library'. He is very solicitous of Miss Marple, insisting she has a live-in companion after suffering a bout of bronchitis, in the novel 'The Mirror Crack'd'. He also assists her financially to have a short, nostalgic stay 'At Bertram's Hotel'.

Answer: Jane Marple

'At Bertram's Hotel' was first publised in 1965. Miss Marple was enjoying a nostalgic sojourn at Bertram's Hotel, courtesty of her nephew, Raymond West. Adventuress Bess Sedgwick, said to be the second best-dressed woman in Europe, breezed in. What she hadn't realised that in all her adventures, she had been really married to her first fling, Michael Gorman, and her subsequent marriages hadn't been legal.

When Gorman was killed, Bess confessed to the murder, to cover for her daughter Elvira, who she believed had killed him. Miss Marple, who had been observing all the comings and goings of the Hotel's occupants, helped the police discover that under the elegant facade of Bertram's, a criminal gang has been operating.

Answer: Jane Marple

Jason Rafiel, an aged impresario, had encountered Miss Marple while both of them were on holiday in the Caribbean, and sets her to find the murderer of Verity Hunt in 'Nemesis'. He left Miss Marple a request in his will, to join a tour party. On that same tour she meets Elizabeth Temple, a former headmistress, who tells Miss Marple the story of Verity Hunt, a young woman who died prior to the events of the novel.

A series of clues is gradually revealed to Miss Marple, all a result of the machinations of Mr Rafiel. She discovers that Mr Rafiel's son, Michael, has been falsely imprisoned for Verity's murder. Miss Marple's investigation concludes that Michael Rafiel is not guilty of her murder, and he is released, while the real murderer is apprehended. Miss Marple feels she has repaid Mr Rafiel's kindness and fulfilled the mission he set for her from beyond the grave.

Answer: Jane Marple

Letitia (Letty) Blacklock and Charlotte (Lotty) Blacklock are sisters, but Letitia is by far the more successful. She was left a legacy in the will of her employer, Randall Goedler. However, Letitia became ill and died. Charlotte, not wanting to forgo the fortune, posed as her sister and was living quietly at her home, Little Paddocks, in Chipping Cleghorn.

However, she was recognised. Someone who is set to inherit after Letty's death seeks to kill her, by announcing to the whole community via the local paper that a murder would occur at a given time at Little Paddocks.

The curious turn up, and an attempt on the life of the woman they know as Letty life is made; it is her companion who ends up dead. Sir Henry Clithering introduces Miss Marple to the local constable and between them, they successfully uncover the killer.

Answer: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford

Mr Carter represents British Intelligence and is recognised by Tommy at their first meeting as a high-ranking official in the war when Tommy was serving in Intelligence. Mr Carter offers to fund Tommy and Tuppence's exploits but insists on no public recongnition. He appears in 'The Secret Adversary', 'A Fairy in the Flat/A Pot of Tea', 'Blindman's Buff' and 'The Man Who Was No. 16'.

Mr Carter is the person at British Intelligence with whom Tommy and Tuppence liaise, and he proves a good friend to them. His country place is said to have been 'north of London somewhere'. His assistance in finding Prudence after Tommy went off on a wild goose chase to look for Jane Finn was crucial.

Answer: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford

In the novel 'N or M?', British Intelligence have given the code name 'M' to a female German spy in World War II. Tommy Beresford was roped in by British Intelligence to identify M and her male colleague, code-named N. N and M were assigned to organise Fifth Column activities in England. Tommy and Tuppence travlled to the seaside, where they worked to discover which of the guests at a boarding house were the spies.

Answer: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford

Tommy Beresford and Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley formed their company, 'The Young Adventurers, Ltd', hoping to make money after the war. They were later married.

In 'The Secret Adversary', they stumble into a plot, courtesy the casual mention of the name 'Jane Finn', an orphaned cousin of Julius P Hersheimmer. Hersheimmer is determined to find his cousin and will resort to force to achieve it. In the course of the adventure, Tommy gets himself kidnapped and Tuppence receives an offer of marriage, they recover a lost treaty, reveal that Julius P Hersheimmer is a traitor masquerading as a good guy, and land themselves a retainer with British Intelligence.

Answer: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford

In 'By the Pricking of My Thumbs', when Tuppence is unexpectedly asked by a resident while visiting a retirement home, "Was it your poor child? There, behind the fireplace", Tommy and Tuppence decide to investigate. Tuppence discovers an old doll containing diamonds; she is also struck on the head, and forced to drink poisoned milk before Tommy can rescue her.

The resident of the retirement home, Mrs Lancaster, was later discovered to have been the wife of Sir Phillip Starke, and her real name was Julia Starke. Sir Phillp had been at pains to cover up his wife's insanity and her involvement in the deaths of a number of children. He had been fond of hosting charity events and fairs, and was devastated to find that his wife had taken some of the children attending and killed them. He had her confined to the retirement home to prevent further tragedies, under the pseudonym Mrs Lancaster.

Answer: Mr Satterthwaite

In the short story 'The Voice in the Dark', Mr Satterthwaite finds himself investigating the daughter of Lady Barbara Stranleigh, an old friend. Margery Gale, Lady Barbara's daughter, insists that someone is haunting her home, as she has been hearing voices. Mr Quin unexpectedly joins Mr Satterthwaite on the train towards the Stranleigh family seat, Abbot's Mede.

The fact that Beatrice, sister of Lady Barbara who had been an occupant of the house some years ago and thought to be dead, comes to light. Beatrice was masquerading as a maid and it was she who was mysteriously calling on Margery to give back the house, believing it was rightfully hers. Mr Satterthwaite exposes her and she is soon found dead - this time for good.

Answer: Mr Satterthwaite

In 'The Man from the Sea', Anthony Cosden meets Harley Quin, after whom the short story is named. When Cosden goes to drown himself, he is prevented by a strange man, wearing a harlequin suit, who seems to just appear from the sea. The next day, Mr Satterthwaite takes a walk in the same area of the coast and encounters Cosden, who has decided to try again. Mr Satterthwaite successfully talks him out of it but feels unsure that Cosden won't try again.

While pondering this, he notices a woman who is also about to commit suicide and is also able to prevent this.

He engineers a meeting between Cosden and the unnamed woman and they hit it off. Quin appears briefly again and he and Mr Satterthwaite discuss the unexpected events of the past few days.

Answer: Mr Satterthwaite

Harley Quin is a mysterious character who assists Mr Satterthwaite with his enquiries. He seems to appear out of nowhere to give advice to Mr Satterthwaite. Christie created him as one concerned with "affairs of human beings and particularly of lovers." It's hard to exactly define Mr Quin; some think he is supernatural, like an assisting angel, while others think of him as a darker character, to whom the knowledge of death is given. Others think he may just be in the mind of Mr Satterthwaite, a mirror who helps Satterthwaite reason and come to the correct conclusions about the investigations. Regardless, Mr Quin ('Quinn' for 4 of the short stories in which he appears) is instrumental in solving fourteen mysteries.

In 'The Harlequin Tea Set', Mr Quin states: "It is life that matters. We do not want someone young, someone who is happy, or could be happy, to die. ... That is the reason why we must always save a life when the command comes."