Hardest Agatha Christie - Closing lines Trivia Quiz | Literature

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "I have no pity for myself either. So let it be veronal. But I wish Hercule Poirot had never retired from work and come here to grow vegetable marrows."

Answer: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' is one of the most famous novels of Agatha Christie, where Poirot retires to grow vegetable marrows but has to take up a case. Doctor Sheppard is a key character who assists Poirot throughout the novel. But at the end, in a stunning climax, it is revealed that Sheppard is the murderer. Poirot gives him an option to end it all or go to prison.

Sheppard writes a last note and decides to kill himself by veronal (the same poison he used for one of his victim).

2. "Oh, dear, it's quite true what Dr. Reilly said. How does one stop writing? If I could find a really good telling phrase... Like the one M. Poirot used. In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate... Something like that."

Answer: Murder in Mesopotamia

'Murder in Mesopotamia' features the death of Louise Leidner. Louise's nurse Amy is the narrator of the novel. As Poirot delivers his denouement, he starts with the Islamic phrase "In the name of Allah..." While concluding the narration, Nurse Amy uses the same lines.

3. "The tear rose in Miss Marple's eyes. Succeeding pity, there came anger - anger against a heartless killer. And then, displacing both these emotions, there came a surge of triumph - the triumph some specialist might feel who has successfully reconstructed an extinct animal from a fragment of jawbone and a couple of teeth."

Answer: A Pocket Full of Rye

'A Pocket Full of Rye' is a Miss Marple mystery where a maid trained by Miss Marple is murdered. Miss Marple unravels the mystery but doesn't have the evidence. At the end of the story she receives a letter sent by the maid before her death, which has a photograph of the killer who had used an alias. Miss Marple feels triumphant as the evidence is now complete to convict the killer.

4. "'Nothing', I said sadly. 'They are two delightful women!' 'And neither of them is for you?' finished Poirot. 'Never mind. Console yourself, my friend. We may hunt together again, who knows? And then _____' "

Answer: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' is the first Hercule Poirot novel. In the novel, Poirot and Hastings crack a murder mystery. During the course of the novel, there are two women Hastings is attracted to. But he doesn't get either of them. Poirot consoles him saying that next time they hunted, Hastings would find his love. And in their next case, 'Murder on the Links', Hastings finds his wife Cinderella.

5. "In my end is my beginning - that's what people are always saying. But what does it mean? And just where does my story begin? I must try and think..."

Answer: Endless Night

'Endless Night' is a dark and chilling novel by Christie. The novel centres on the narrator Michael Rogers and his life. A curse haunts Rogers and when his wife dies, it seems the curse has come true. But the novel ends in a shocking climax with Rogers revealed as the murderer. This is one of the rare novels by Christie where the narrator turns out to be the murderer.

6. "'Which of 'em is she going to choose?' said Dermot Craddock. 'Don't you know?' said Miss Marple. 'No, I don't.' said Craddock. 'Do you?' 'Oh, yes, I think so,' said Miss Marple. And she twinkled at him."

Answer: 4.50 from Paddington

'4.50 from Paddington' is a Miss Marple mystery featuring a murder on a train, witnessed by Miss Marple's friend Miss MacGillicuddy (the novel is also known as 'What Miss MacGillicuddy Saw'). Miss Marple takes the help of Lucy Eyelesbarrow to solve the mystery. Lucy is wooed by two of the characters in the novel.

The novel ends with Marple and the police officer speculating over whom Lucy would choose. Whom she eventually chooses is not revealed and left for the reader to speculate.

7. "He said gently as he came towards her: 'Last time I had my hands on you, you felt like a bird - struggling to escape. You'll never escape now....' She said : 'I shall never want to escape.'"

Answer: Towards Zero

'Towards Zero' is a novel featuring the police officer Superintendent Battle. The novel is the story of a tennis player Nevile Strange and his old and new wife. The villain of the piece is Nevile himself who commits a murder and tries to implicate his first wife Audrey.

A distraught Audrey tries to commit suicide and is saved by a man named MacWhirter, who later helps Battle to unravel the mystery. The novel ends on a 'Mill & Boonish' note with Audrey and MacWhirter deciding to get married.

8. "'Well,' said Miss Marple. 'Are you going to let her get away with it?' There was a pause, then Father brought down his fist with a crash on the table. 'No', he roared - 'No, by God I'm not!' Miss Marple nodded her head slowly and gravely. 'May God have mercy on her soul,' she said."

Answer: At Bertram's Hotel

'At Bertram's Hotel' is a Miss Marple mystery featuring an Edwardian hotel in London. Bess Sedgwick, a much married woman and an adventuress is involved in a crime and commits suicide to save her daughter from being caught in another case. When the daughter fails to confess, Miss Marple asks the officer in charge whether he would allow the daughter to get away with the crime.

The officer vows to bring her to book.

9. "And Mr. Burnaby said acutely: 'Well, it doesn't seem to have done her much good, poor lass.' But after a while they stopped talking about her and discussed instead who was going to win the Grand National. For, as Mr. Ferguson was saying at that minute in Luxor, it is not the past that matters but the future."

Answer: Death on the Nile

'Death on the Nile' is a Hercule Poirot mystery set on a voyage to Egypt. The novel is the story of a rich heiress Linnet Doyle. The novel starts with a pub owner Burnaby discussing about the wealthy heiress. Linnet is killed during the journey and Poirot unravels the case on board the ship. The novel ends with the same pub owner Burnaby discussing her death.

10. "We shall not hunt together again, my friend. Our first hunt was here - and our last ... They were good days, Yes, they have been good days..."

Answer: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case

'Curtain: Poirot's Last Case' is the last case that features Hercule Poirot. The novel is set at Styles, the venue of Poirot's first case. In the novel, Poirot kills the criminal Norton and then deliberates does not take his heart ailment tablets, thus killing himself.

At the end of the novel, Poirot leaves a manuscript for Hastings, with the poignant ending lines. Technically, this is not the last line of the novel, because there is a foot note by Hastings, explaining some loose ends in the case.

Source: Author deepakmr

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Agatha Christie - Closing lines Quiz

Agatha Christie's novels are known for their dramatic climaxes. Can you identify the novel by reading its closing (last few) lines? No hints given and lots of spoilers! This quiz is inspired by Mother Goose's quiz on opening lines.

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