Poirot's Allies
Before being reunited in 2013's The Big Four, Poirot's recurring friends (the "group of three") were last seen in Evil Under the Sun (2001).
Hercule Poirot, the Belgian private detective from Agatha Christie's creative mind, couldn't have had an illustrious career without the help of his allies. His associates include Captain Arthur Hastings (his first friend in his new country of England), Ariadne Oliver (a successful mystery writer), Chief Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard, Mr. Goby the informant, Dr. Stillingfleet, and many others. These "others" include policemen and theatrical agents. The pictures that accompany these entries come from the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989-2013) that starred actor David Suchet. These physical appearances do not necessarily match the characters' descriptions in the books.
The entries below list the novels and short stories in which the characters appear, and do not reflect any televised stories (that either starred David Suchet as Poirot or any of his other predecessors). The supporting cast for the series of Poirot included Captain Hastings, Chief Inspector Japp, and Miss Lemon that spanned seasons 1-8 (1989-2002). This "group of three" returned in the final season in 2013. Again, it is important to note that their appearances on the show do not match those appearances in the books. That goes also for the character of George, Poirot's valet, who doesn't even appear on the show until season 10 (in 2006). Despite the "over and under-appearances" of these characters, they have added so much to the series of Poirot and are characters loved by fans around the world. Withourt further ado, here are the various associates of Poirot's through the years and books:
Captain Arthur Hastings
Arthur Hastings was played by actor Hugh Fraser in all the stories the character appeared in (on the series Agatha Christie's Poirot). This is from the adaptation of Dumb Witness (1996).
Captain Arthur Hastings was Poirot's long-time friend and narrator of a few of Poirot's cases. He appears in 26 short stories, but in only eight novels. He first appeared in 1916, recovering from wounds in WWI. There, he again met Poirot (they were known to each other before) at Styles Court and helped Poirot solve a murder. They also rented an apartment together while solving crimes. Hastings serves as narrator in all of the cases in which he appears.
Hastings married a sweet young woman named Dulcie Duveen and they both moved to Argentina. Through the years, however, Hastings returned to London to visit his friend Poirot. Hastings also had 4 children, one of which is Judith, a research scientist living in England. It is not known how many years younger he was than Poirot, but he was old enough to be losing hair during his exploits during the 1930's.
Appears in:Novels
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
- Murder on the Links (1923)
- The Big Four (1927)
- Peril at End House (1932)
- Lord Edgware Dies (1933)
- The ABC Murders (1936)
- Dumb Witness (1937)
- Curtain (1975)
Short Stories
- Poirot Investigates (1924)
- "The Adventure of the 'Western Star'"
- "The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor"
- "The Adventure of the Cheap Flat"
- "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge"
- "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery"
- "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb"
- "The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan"
- "The Kidnapped Prime Minister"
- "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim"
- "The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman"
- "The Case of the Missing Will"
- "The Veiled Lady"
- "The Lost Mine"
- "The Chocolate Box"
- The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939)
- "The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest"
- Three Blind Mice and Other Stories (1950)
- "The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly"
- The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951)
- "The Plymouth Express"
- "The Affair at the Victory Ball"
- "The Market Basing Mystery"
- "The Lemesurier Inheritance"
- "The Cornish Mystery"
- "The King of Clubs"
- "The Submarine Plans"
- "The Adventure of the Clapham Cook"
- Double Sin and Other Stories (1961)
- "Double Sin"
- "The Double Clue"
Chief Inspector James Japp
Philip Jackson portrayed Japp on the Poirot series. He is shown here in the 1992 version of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.
Japp was a member of Scotland Yard. His association with Poirot dates back to 1904, when Poirot was with the Belgian police. They worked together on two unrecorded cases, the Abercrombie forgery case and on the Baron Altara case. They met again in 1916 during the Styles Court investigation (The Mysterious Affair at Styles, published in 1920). During the course of the stories in which he appears, Japp is promoted from Detective Inspector to Chief Inspector. In his final appearance on the Poirot television series, Japp tells Poirot that he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner.
Captain Hastings described Japp as a "little, sharp, dark, ferret-faced man", not quite the appearance of Japp on the Poirot series. Japp was an ardent (amateur) botanist who also enjoyed English cooking. He had dreamed of living in the countryside after his retirement from police work.
Appears in:Novels
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
- The Big Four (1927)
- Peril at End House (1932)
- Lord Edgware Dies (1933)
- Death in the Clouds (1935)
- The ABC Murders (1936)
- One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (1940)
- Black Coffee (1998), adapted from play by Charles Osborne
Short Stories
- Poirot Investigates (1924)
- "The Adventure of the Cheap Flat"
- "The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge"
- "The Kidnapped Prime Minister"
- "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim"
- "The Veiled Lady
- Murder in the Mews (1936)
- "Murder in the Mews"
- The Labors of Hercules (1947)
- "The Girdle of Hippolyta"
- "The Flock of Geryon"
- "The Capture of Cerberus"
- The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951)
- "The Plymouth Express"
- "The Affair at the Victory Ball"
- "The Market Basing Mystery"
Felicity Lemon
On Poirot, the secretary Miss Lemon was played by Pauline Moran. She introduces her sister to Poirot, as seen here, in the adaptation of the novel Hickory Dickory Dock (1995).
Felicity Lemon was Hercule Poirot's secretary, and before that, was employed as Mr. Parker Pyne's. She was described as "unbelievably ugly and incredibly efficient" and looked as though "a lot of bones [were] flung together at random". She was extremely useful to Poirot as being the perfect secretary with hopes of creating the perfect filing system. Her passion for order matched that of Poirot himself. Miss Lemon had a sister who managed a youth hostel in Hickory Dickory Dock.
Appears in:Novels
- Hickory Dickory Dock (1955)
- Dead Man's Folly (1956)
- Third Girl (1966)
- Elephants Can Remember (1972)
Short Stories
- Parker Pyne Investigates (1934), non-Poirot
- "The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife"
- "The Case of the Distressed Lady"
- The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939)
- "How Does Your Garden Grow?"
- The Labors of Hercules (1947)
- "The Nemean Lion"
- "The Capture of Cerberus"
- The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1960)
- "The Mystery of the Spanish Chest"
Ariadne Oliver
Mrs. Oliver first appeared for Agatha Christie's Poirot in the adaptation of the novel Cards on the Table (2006). She was portrayed by Zoe Wanamaker, whom appeared in all adaptations of the Poirot novels that featured the character.
Ariadne Oliver is a successful detective novelist that has worked side by side with Hercule Poirot. The middle-aged writer of detective stories is broad-shouldered and has "rebellious" gray hair. Ariadne Oliver is known for her love of apples and her strong belief in woman's intuition. She is also the creator of the Finnish detective Sven Hjerson, of whom she has a great dislike. Most of the books she appears in have been with Poirot. For more on Mrs. Oliver at HPC, simply go here.
Appears in:Novels
- Cards on the Table (1936)
- Mrs. McGinty's Dead (1952)
- Dead Man's Folly (1956)
- The Pale Horse (1961), non-Poirot
- Third Girl (1966)
- Hallowe'en Party (1969)
- Elephants Can Remember (1972)
Short Stories
- Parker Pyne Investigates (1934), non-Poirot
- "The Case of the Discontented Soldier"
- "The Case of the Rich Woman"
George
Poirot's valet, George, first appears in the TV adaptation of Taken at the Flood (2006). He is shown here in 2008's Third Girl. George appears in seven episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot.
George (sometimes referred to as Georges) is Poirot's valet, or gentleman's gentleman. He came into the employ of Poirot sometime after Captain Hastings had left for Argentina (after Murder on the Links). Prior to being Poirot's valet, he served for Lord Edward Frampton. George remained the Belgian's valet until the last novel, Curtain. Poirot utilized George as a source of knowledge of the English aristocracy and was described as a "delicate social recorder". George was also an expert at being a "social snob". Poirot always appreciated the thorough accuracy of George's descriptions he used on people. George was described as having a deferential manner and it was said that communication was sometimes involved with difficulties between him and his employer.
Appears in:Novels
- The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
- One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (1940)
- Taken at the Flood (1948)
- Mrs. McGinty's Dead (1952)
- After the Funeral (1953)
- Hickory Dickory Dock (1955)
- Cat Among the Pigeons (1959)
- The Clocks (1963)
- Third Girl (1966)
- Hallowe'en Party (1969)
- Elephants Can Remember (1972)
- Curtain (1975)
Short Stories
- Murder in the Mews (1936)
- "Murder in the Mews"
- The Labors of Hercules (1947)
- "The Nemean Lion"
- "The Lernean Hydra"
- "The Apples of the Hesperides"
- The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1960)
- "Four and Twenty Blackbirds"
- The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951)
- "The Under Dog"
Superintendent Bert Spence
Poirot's friend, formerly of Scotland Yard, served in the Kilchester Police. He was described as having a large red face and a man "keen on roses". He first appears in Mrs. McGinty's Dead, enlisting Poirot's help in clearing the murder charge of a James Bentley, Mrs. McGinty's lodger. By the time Hallowe'en Party is published, Spence is retired and lives with his sister Elspeth. Spence proves to be of help in this case, as well as Poirot's penultimate story of murder/suicide, Elephants Can Remember. He is not the same Spence who appears in the Poirot novel Taken at the Flood.
Appears in:- Mrs. McGinty's Dead (1952)
- Hallowe'en Party (1969)
- Elephants Can Remember (1972)
Mr. Satterthwaite
He was the small, snobbish, social butterfly who was an associate of the enigmatic Harley Quin and friend of Poirot's. He was already known to readers of Agatha Christie's stories as an "agent and pawn" of Quin from the short stories that featured them. When Satterthwaite appeared in Three Act Tragedy, he was a weekend guest of Sir Charles Cartwright when the local reverend was poisoned. Satterthwaite assists Poirot in the investigation and learns more (as does the reader) about Poirot's personality. In the short story, "Dead Man's Mirror", Satterthwaite is reacquainted with the Belgian sleuth once again.
Appears in:Novels
- Three-Act Tragedy (1934)
Short Stories
- The Mysterious Mr. Quin (1930), non-Poirot
- "The Coming of Mr. Quin"
- "The Shadow on the Glass"
- "At the Bells and Motley"
- "The Sign in the Sky"
- "The Soul of the Croupier"
- "The World's End"
- "The Voice in the Dark"
- "The Face of Helen"
- "The Dead Harlequin"
- "The Bird with the Broken Wing"
- "The Man From the Sea"
- "Harlequin's Lane"
- Murder in the Mews (1936)
- "Dead Man's Mirror"
- Three Blind Mice and Other Stories (1950)
- "The Love Detectives", non-Poirot
- Problem at Pollensa Bay and Other Stories (1991)
- "The Harlequin Tea Set", non-Poirot
Superintendent Battle
Battle was a member of Scotland Yard who had a expressionless face and powerful physique. His cases tended to be that of crimes related to politics or international diplomacy. In the five novels that feature him, only one is a Poirot story. Battle does not appear in the television adaptation of Cards on the Table starring David Suchet. Instead, the character is replaced by a Superintendent Jim Wheeler. For more information on Superintendent Battle, visit this article on HPC.
Appears in:- The Secret of Chimneys (1925), non-Poirot
- The Seven Dials Mystery (1929), non-Poirot
- Cards on the Table (1936)
- Murder is Easy (1939), non-Poirot
- Towards Zero (1944), non-Poirot
Colonel Race
Colonel Race joins Poirot on a case in the TV adaptation of Death on the Nile, with David Suchet as Poirot. Race is played by James Fox.
Race was a member of the British Secret Service, "usually to be found in one of the outposts of the Empire where trouble was brewing". This tall man with a bronzed face appeared in only four stories, two of the them featuring Hercule Poirot. His character appeared in the Poirot series' adaptation of Death on the Nile (2004). Unfortunately, Race does not appear in 2006's adaptation of Cards on the Table; a Secret Service character named Colonel Hughes (created for the episode) takes his place. To read more on Colonel Race, click on this article.
Appears in:- The Man in the Brown Suit (1924), non-Poirot
- Cards on the Table (1936)
- Death on the Nile (1937)
- Sparkling Cyanide (1945), non-Poirot
Joseph Aarons
Aarons was an expert in the theatre. He was a vital resource to Poirot in the Belgian detective's early years in England. The theatrical agent Aarons boasted once to Poirot and Hastings, "There's not much about the profession I don't know." Not only did Aarons know theatre, but the people in that world and the rumors surrounding them.
Appears in:- Murder on the Links (1923)
- The Big Four (1927)
- The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
Mr. Goby
A long-time friend of Poirot's, Goby himself was a private investigator who specialized in information--and obtaining it quickly. Few employed him because he was very expensive for his services. He was described in After the Funeral as "small and spare and shrunken. He had always been refreshingly nondescript in appearance and he was now so nondescript as practically not to be there at all." When he speaks to someone, he doesn't look at the person. Goby became more talkative as the years went by, rambling on instead of being focused on the subject of his investigations. He assisted Poirot later after having been hired by the American millionaire Rufus Van Aldin in The Mystery of the Blue Train. The character of Mr. Goby does not appear on screen in any adaptation of the works listed below.
Appears in:- The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
- After the Funeral (1953)
- Third Girl (1966)
- Elephants Can Remember (1972)
Edward Catchpool
Edward Catchpool is a policeman for Scotland Yard, having been created by author Sophie Hannah in three authorized Poirot novels. He had been with the Yard for two years and a policeman for five. He is an umarried young man of thirty-two who enjoys crossword puzzles and, in fact, fills his free time by creating one himself. He resides in a London lodging house owned by a Mrs. Blanche Unsworth. It is there that he meets Hercule Poirot as Poirot takes a room for himself to rest from his labors. Catchpool narrates their investigation of three murders at London's Bloxham Hotel. A short time later he is reunited with Poirot in the town of Clonakilty in the Irish Free State, as a guest of a wealthy writer. The writer's secretary is murdered and it is up to Poirot and Catchpool to identify the killer. In the latest of the new Poirot novels, Poirot faces a case of poison pen letters. These are, bizarrely, signed by Hercule Poirot himself!
Appears in:- The Monogram Murders (2014)
- Closed Casket (2016)
- The Mystery of Three Quarters (2018)
Dr. John Stillingfleet
Dr. Stillingfleet, as he appears on the TV adaptation of the short story "The Dream".
He was a doctor of "thirty-odd with red hair and a rather attractively ugly face." He called upon Poirot's help in the Benedict Farley suicide case in the short story "The Dream". In the novel Third Girl, the doctor saved Norma Restarick's life from oncoming traffic. Upon Poirot's request, he helped her recover from the illegal drugs in her system. The long-legged doctor later married Norma and moved to Australia to start a new practice there. He confessed once, "I'm just interested in people."
Appears in:Novel
- Third Girl (1966)
Short Story
- The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939)
- "The Dream"
Colin Lamb
Colin appears as "Colin Race", the son of Colonel Race, in the TV adaptation of The Clocks (aired in 2011).
Colin Lamb was a marine biologist helping the Sercret Service when he meets a young woman who finds a dead body. He narrates half the novel The Clocks, giving his own point-of-view of the police proceedings in the investigation of three murders while describing his own adventures into espionage. Apart from being friends with Poirot, he was also acquainted with the mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver. It is hinted in the novel that his father might've been Superintendent Battle, but it is up to the reader to decide. It was Poirot that Colin contacts to help assist him and Detective Inspector Hardcastle in investigating the murder of a Mr. Curry. What is inexplicable, however, is that in the television version of The Clocks, Colin's last name is Race and his father is Colonel Race, seen in the adaptation of Death on the Nile.
Appears in:- The Clocks (1963)
Monsieur Bouc
Bouc appeared in the TV adaptation of the famous novel Murder on the Orient Express, which aired in 2010.
Belgian director of la Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits, he had a long-standing friendship with Hercule Poirot, dating from the time Poirot was the star of the Belgian police force. He hired Poirot to investigate the murder of Samuel Edward Ratchett, one of the passengers aboard the Orient Express. He was with Poirot in the solving of the crime from beginning to end.
Appears in:- Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Dr. Burton
Burton was a friend of Poirot's and a Fellow of All Soul's. He was a "plump, untidy" man who knew nothing of neatness--he had tobacco ash always covering him. The white-haired doctor wondered why Poirot's mother would choose such a first name as "Hercule". He laughed at the thought of Poirot retiring and growing vegetable marrows. "Yours aren't the Labors of Hercules," said the doctor. "Yours are labors of love."
Appears in:- The Labors of Hercules (1947)
Lucien Bex
Bex appeared in the TV adaptation of the novel Murder on the Links (1996).
Bex was the police official in charge of the Renauld case. Hastings describes Bex as a "short stout man with a huge mustache". He had worked with Poirot in Ostend (Belgium) when Poirot was a member of the police force there. It was Bex who introduced Poirot and Hastings to Giraud, the famous detective from the Paris Surete, Poirot's rival in the Renauld case. In the television adaptation, he is seemingly unknown to Hercule Poirot (unlike the novel).
Appears in:- Murder on the Links (1923)
Achille Poirot
An invention of Hercule Poirot's, Achille was Hercule's twin brother. Hercule describes his brother is "not nearly so handsome. And wears no mustaches." Achille's power of deduction and reasoning is equal to that of his brother. Achille "appears" at the climax of The Big Four to lend assistance to Hercule and Captain Hastings, only to disappear "to the land of myths." Curiously, although Achille was something of fiction (as if Hercule weren't real enough!), Achille is mentioned in the foreward of the short story collection The Labors of Hercules. Dr. Burton, a friend of Hercule's, ponders about Madame Poirot's choice of names for her sons. Burton talks as if Achille actually existed. Some fans of Agatha Christie believe Achille did exist and Hercule was just bluffing. The existence of Achille Poirot is left to the reader to decide.
Appears in:- The Big Four (1927)