Name Dropping #24: Agatha Christie Characters

Ex-Army Colonel and former leader of MI5’s counter intelligence division who appeared in The Man in the Brown Suit (1924), Cards on the Table (1936), Death on the Nile (1937) and Sparkling Cyanide (1945), and who was mentioned in Appointment with Death (1938) and Third Girl (1966).

Appeared as a young flapper in The Secret of Chimneys (1925) and as the more mature, sleuthing heroine of The Seven Dials Mystery (1929).

Appeared as a detective in five novels, one of which featured Hercule Poirot. (I don’t believe his given name was ever revealed.)

This friend of one of Christie’s principal detectives lives with her husband Arthur (a colonel) at Gossington Hall in St. Mary Mead. She appeared in The Thirteen Problems (1932) (U.S.: The Tuesday Club Murders, 1933), The Body in the Library (1942), The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (1962) (U.S.: The Mirror Crack'd, 1963) and Sleeping Murder (1976).

Miss Marple’s nephew, a famous author, who appeared in two Miss Marple novels (and was mentioned in another) and seven Miss Marple short stories.

A mysterious man who appears at opportune moments to solve mysteries at the urging of his friend, Mr Satterthwaite. He appeared in short stories throughout the 1920s (eventually published as a collection in 1930), and in the short stories The Love Detectives (1926; not published in book form until 1950 in the U.S. and 1991 in the U.K.) and The Harlequin Tea Set (believed to have been written in the 1950s, but not published until 1971).

Whodunit author who appeared in two Parker Pyne short stories, seven Poirot novels and The Pale Horse (1961).

Appeared in a collection of Parker Pyne short stories as Parker Pyne’s secretary, and then in six Poirot novels and four Poirot short stories as his secretary.

Belgian detective who appeared in 33 novels, two plays, and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975.

Appeared in seven Poirot novels published between 1920 and 1940 (during which period he was promoted from Inspector to Chief Inspector), and was mentioned in two others.

Appeared (or was mentioned) in six Miss Marple novels and 13 Miss Marple short stories published between 1927 and 1971.

One half of a husband-and-wife detective team who appeared in four novels between 1922 and 1973, and in a 1929 short story collection.

The correct answer is the character’s maiden name.

A Russian jewel thief by whom Poirot is smitten. She appeared in The Big Four (1927), The Labours of Hercules (1947 short story collection) and Poirot’s Early Cases (1974 short story collection); and she is mentioned in One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (1940) (U.S.: The Patriotic Murders in 1941 and An Overdose of Death in 1953) and Hickory Dickory Dock (1955) (U.S.: Hickory Dickory Death).

Elderly spinster from the village of St. Mary Mead who engaged in amateur detecting in 12 novels and 20 short stories published between 1927 and 1976.

Detective who appeared in a collection of 12 short stories and two additional short stories that were later converted into and published as Poirot stories.