Hercule Poirot

The world-renowned Belgian private detective, unsurpassed in his intelligence and understanding of the criminal mind, respected and admired by police forces and heads of state across the globe. Famous as much for his magnificent moustaches as his little grey cells.

My name is Hercule Poirot and I am probably the greatest detective in the world.

Hercule Poirot - The Mystery of the Blue Train

About Hercule Poirot

Hercule Poirot: the world-renowned, moustachioed Belgian private detective, unsurpassed in his intelligence and understanding of the criminal mind, respected and admired by police forces and heads of state across the globe. Since his inception over 100 years ago, Poirot has stolen the hearts and minds of audiences from Azerbaijan to Vietnam, and his celebrated cases have been recorded across 33 original novels and over 50 short stories.

Standing at a diminutive 5’4” – although there have been various interpretations of this on stage and screen – Poirot’s described in writing as having an egg-shaped head, often tilted to one side, and eyes that shine green when he’s excited. He dresses very precisely, and takes the utmost pride in his appearance.

Perhaps even more famous than the man himself, is his moustache. Luxurious, magnificent, immense, and dedicatedly groomed, the moustache precedes Poirot into a room; it’s a unique talking point, it’s provocative, and it has a character all of its own.

Poirot’s friend Hastings puts us straight in the picture in their first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, where we’re informed that “as a detective, Poirot’s flair had been extraordinary”. While some detectives scrabble around on the floor searching for clues, Poirot uses psychology and his extensive knowledge of human nature to weed out the criminals. He will of course take physical evidence into account, but more often than not his combination of order, method and his little grey cells does the trick. Poirot’s cases are invariably finished with a typical, dramatic denouement, satisfying his own ego and confirming to all that he is truly "the greatest mind in Europe."

Discover more about Hercule Poirot

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Facts About Hercule Poirot

Discover more about Hercule Poirot with the latest fact file

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The Top Ten Poirot Novels

Discover the best Hercule Poirot stories with our helpful introduction

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The Official Poirot Reading List

Discover the definitive Hercule Poirot reading list

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The Hercule Poirot Quiz

Challenge your little grey cells with these Hercule Poirot questions.

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The Making of the First Poirot Novel

Find out how Christie wrote her very first detective novel

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The Best Poirot Quotes

Discover the Belgian detective in Christie's own words.

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Hercule Poirot Stories

Explore all of the books that feature Christie's famous Belgian detective.

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Read an Extract from the Latest Poirot Novel

Discover an extract from the new Sophie Hannah Poirot novel, The Killings at Kingfisher Hill

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The Creation of Poirot

Discover the influences behind the creation of Hercule Poirot.

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Past Poirot Portrayals

A look at some of the actors that have brought Poirot to life on stage and screen.

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Timeline of Poirot Portrayals

Since the 1920’s there have been over 35 Poirot portrayals.

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Introducing the Sidekicks

Discover some of Hercule Poirot's most trusted companions.

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Crafting Poirot's Sidekick

Sophie Hannah talks about creating Poirot's latest sidekick.

Featured Hercule Poirot stories

Murder on the Orient Express
Hercule Poirot
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Hercule Poirot
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Hercule Poirot

Download the Hercule Poirot reading list

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Did you know?

  1. Austin Trevor was the first to play Poirot on screen (1931, Alibi)

  2. Once famous, Agatha Christie refused to allow Poirot to appear on book jackets

  3. Christie thought Sad Cypress would have been a much better read without Poirot

  4. Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case was written in the 1940s and locked away until 1974

  5. It took David Suchet almost exactly 25 years to film 70 Poirot stories

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