What do you think?
Rate this book
Agatha Christie's Poirot : The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot
The definitive companion to the POIROT novels, films and TV appearances. 'My name is Hercule Poirot and I am probably the greatest detective in the world.' The dapper, moustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head, curious mannerisms and inordinate respect for his own 'little grey cells' has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century. Yet despite being familiar to millions, Poirot himself has remained an enigma -- until now. From his first appearance in 1920 to his last in 1975, from country-house drawing-rooms to opium dens in Limehouse, from Mayfair to the Mediterranean, Anne Hart stalks the legendary sleuth, unveiling the mysteries that surround him. Sifting through 33 novels and 56 short stories, she examines his origins, tastes, relationships and peculiarities, revealing a character as fascinating as the books themselves.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
30 people are currently reading
882 people want to read
About the author
Anne Hart
201 books12 followersAnne Hart has written a book a year since 1963 and specializes in mystery novels, adventure, and suspense. She also teaches part-time online writing courses for a university and holds a graduate degree.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 7, 2016
(At the outset - read this only if you are a diehard Poirot fan, like me; and after you have finished all the novels and stories. The book is remarkably spoiler-free, but there is an off-chance you may guess the solution to a few of the stories.)
Some fictional characters become larger than life as we follow them through various novels and stories. Sherlock Holmes, Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, James Bond - to name a few. Especially, detectives in popular fiction have the habit of outliving and upstaging their creators. Holmes is the most obvious example, but Poirot would be a close second.
This book does a fantastic job of chronicling the life and times of the famous Belgian detective with the magnificent moustaches and the egg-shaped head, the one who believed that the use of the "little grey cells" was more important than going down on all fours and rooting through cigarette ash; right from his arrival in England in 1916 to his death in 1974. (That his 58 years of existence resulted in only apparently about twenty years of physical ageing, we can put down to the relativity of fictional time vs temporal time - James Bond is chasing girls even now!) In his charmed life, Poirot solved a lot of intriguing mysteries, meeting with a lot of remarkable characters and moving through a changing world.
Apart from tracing Poirot's life journey, Anne Hart analyses the various facets of the famous detective ("The Detective Poirot", "The Domestic Poirot" etc) and his relationship to an alien country which he nevertheless loved. She also spends a lot of time on Arthur Hastings - Poirot's Watson - and the numerous police officers he was associated with; also on Mrs. Oliver, the mystery writer who was his companion in six novels and the Countess Vera Rossakkof, the gentlewoman "thief" for whom Poirot nurses a flame in his heart.
A must read for all Christie fans.
Some fictional characters become larger than life as we follow them through various novels and stories. Sherlock Holmes, Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, James Bond - to name a few. Especially, detectives in popular fiction have the habit of outliving and upstaging their creators. Holmes is the most obvious example, but Poirot would be a close second.
This book does a fantastic job of chronicling the life and times of the famous Belgian detective with the magnificent moustaches and the egg-shaped head, the one who believed that the use of the "little grey cells" was more important than going down on all fours and rooting through cigarette ash; right from his arrival in England in 1916 to his death in 1974. (That his 58 years of existence resulted in only apparently about twenty years of physical ageing, we can put down to the relativity of fictional time vs temporal time - James Bond is chasing girls even now!) In his charmed life, Poirot solved a lot of intriguing mysteries, meeting with a lot of remarkable characters and moving through a changing world.
Apart from tracing Poirot's life journey, Anne Hart analyses the various facets of the famous detective ("The Detective Poirot", "The Domestic Poirot" etc) and his relationship to an alien country which he nevertheless loved. She also spends a lot of time on Arthur Hastings - Poirot's Watson - and the numerous police officers he was associated with; also on Mrs. Oliver, the mystery writer who was his companion in six novels and the Countess Vera Rossakkof, the gentlewoman "thief" for whom Poirot nurses a flame in his heart.
A must read for all Christie fans.
February 18, 2019
Hercule Poirot is no longer merely a fictional character - he has a biography of his own now. If you have only ever read Agatha Christie's novels haphazardly like me, you might not have been able to get a full sense of Poirot's life in chronology. This is what Anne Hart has done with The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot. He arrived in England in 1916 as a refugee of the Great War, and made it his home. I guess that's one refugee the English were happy to welcome. He remains in the country until the Curtain spectacularly falls on his life.
Hart goes into detail about Poirot's life based on information gleaned from all the novels and short stories. She even delves into information dredged from other novels featuring other detectives in the Agatha Christie universe. She addresses the discrepancies in Poirot's character - for example, his age (he is close to retirement when he arrives in England and then continues to solve mysteries for another sixty or so years!) Poirot's life, his relationships, and his eccentricities are a delight to read. You would be forgiven for believing, even if only for a moment, that you were reading about a real person.
I think this book is best enjoyed by fans, or at least those who have read most of the books. Hart manages to avoid spoilers completely, but I think that true enjoyment can only be obtained if you have already read the books from which she quotes regularly, in order to understand the context. If you don't like Poirot all that much and only read the novels for the great mysteries, don't bother to pick this up. This is definitely a very fond pro-Poirot biography.
What this book isn't is a deeply analytical look at the works of Agatha Christie and why she made Poirot the way he was. This is not about the author, her ideas, or her work at all. But what it is - an excellent biography of a much-beloved character - is done brilliantly. So read in the spirit of Poirot and look elsewhere for deeper understanding of his creator.
Hart goes into detail about Poirot's life based on information gleaned from all the novels and short stories. She even delves into information dredged from other novels featuring other detectives in the Agatha Christie universe. She addresses the discrepancies in Poirot's character - for example, his age (he is close to retirement when he arrives in England and then continues to solve mysteries for another sixty or so years!) Poirot's life, his relationships, and his eccentricities are a delight to read. You would be forgiven for believing, even if only for a moment, that you were reading about a real person.
I think this book is best enjoyed by fans, or at least those who have read most of the books. Hart manages to avoid spoilers completely, but I think that true enjoyment can only be obtained if you have already read the books from which she quotes regularly, in order to understand the context. If you don't like Poirot all that much and only read the novels for the great mysteries, don't bother to pick this up. This is definitely a very fond pro-Poirot biography.
What this book isn't is a deeply analytical look at the works of Agatha Christie and why she made Poirot the way he was. This is not about the author, her ideas, or her work at all. But what it is - an excellent biography of a much-beloved character - is done brilliantly. So read in the spirit of Poirot and look elsewhere for deeper understanding of his creator.
October 25, 2014
A must-read for all Poirot & Christie fans! I discovered Anne Hart with The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple and just couldn't resist reading this book as well. Having read most of Poirot's "adventures", I found it very interesting to read about the chronology of it all. A great read!
August 14, 2015
A very well chronicled biography of Poirot. If any one has ever wondered about any aspect of Poirot's life and character, he or she will definitely find the answer here.
November 28, 2024
Anne Hart’s The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot is an engaging and meticulously researched exploration of Agatha Christie’s iconic Belgian detective. Presented as a fictional biography, the book weaves together details from Poirot’s many cases to create a cohesive picture of his life, career, and unique personality.
The book offers a fresh perspective on Poirot’s relationships, habits, and quirks, making it a treasure trove for Christie enthusiasts. Hart has compiled fragments from various novels and short stories into a seamless narrative demonstrates her deep understanding of Christie’s work.
While the book is a delight for die-hard Poirot fans, its lack of original storytelling might not appeal to casual readers. Nevertheless, it stands as a fitting tribute to one of crime fictions most beloved detectives, capturing the essence of Poirot’s “little grey cells” with precision and charm.
The book offers a fresh perspective on Poirot’s relationships, habits, and quirks, making it a treasure trove for Christie enthusiasts. Hart has compiled fragments from various novels and short stories into a seamless narrative demonstrates her deep understanding of Christie’s work.
While the book is a delight for die-hard Poirot fans, its lack of original storytelling might not appeal to casual readers. Nevertheless, it stands as a fitting tribute to one of crime fictions most beloved detectives, capturing the essence of Poirot’s “little grey cells” with precision and charm.
August 17, 2022
4 stars- English Ebook
My name is Hercule Poirot and I am probably the greatest detective in the world.'
The brave, moustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head, curious mannerisms and inordinate respect for his own "little grey cells" has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century. Yet despite being familiar to millions, Poirot himself has remained an enigma, until now.
From his first appearance in 1920 to his last in 1975, from country house drawing rooms to opium dens in Limehouse, from Mayfair to the Mediterranean, Anne Hart stalks the legendary sleuth, unveiling the mysteries that surround him.
Sifting through 33 novels and 56 short stories, she examines his origins, tastes, relationships and peculiarities, revealing a character as fascinating as the books themselves.
This new edition has been updated to include new information about original publication dates, newspaper and magazine serials, and up-to-date lists of film, TV, radio and stage adaptations (including David Suchet, Kenneth Branagh, John Malkovich, Tom Conti and Robert Powell).
Fascinating read!
My name is Hercule Poirot and I am probably the greatest detective in the world.'
The brave, moustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head, curious mannerisms and inordinate respect for his own "little grey cells" has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century. Yet despite being familiar to millions, Poirot himself has remained an enigma, until now.
From his first appearance in 1920 to his last in 1975, from country house drawing rooms to opium dens in Limehouse, from Mayfair to the Mediterranean, Anne Hart stalks the legendary sleuth, unveiling the mysteries that surround him.
Sifting through 33 novels and 56 short stories, she examines his origins, tastes, relationships and peculiarities, revealing a character as fascinating as the books themselves.
This new edition has been updated to include new information about original publication dates, newspaper and magazine serials, and up-to-date lists of film, TV, radio and stage adaptations (including David Suchet, Kenneth Branagh, John Malkovich, Tom Conti and Robert Powell).
Fascinating read!
June 29, 2015
Biography of Lil Grey Cells. So often we get synced with our favorites. It seems incredible that they don't exist in flesh & blood, but only in imagination and print.
Like Sherlock, Watson, Howard Roark, Scarlett O'Hara.
Ayn Rand once published an edited scene from Fountainhead with a disclaimer, 'This did NOT happen to Howard. It is an fictional event'
Hart's book is a lovingly chronicled account of Papa Poirot, complete from his first look to last look, his idiosyncrasies, his unabashed un-subtle declarations (I am the greatest) his heartbreaks (Russian Rossakoff), his style statements (dapper, dandy), his enemies, his friends (Hastings & Japp) and his dietary quirks (blackberry sirops).
There is inevitable comparison with Sherlock.
Yet, it doesn't give us the grit & grime of Poirot's churning brain. Ye dil maange more!
Like Sherlock, Watson, Howard Roark, Scarlett O'Hara.
Ayn Rand once published an edited scene from Fountainhead with a disclaimer, 'This did NOT happen to Howard. It is an fictional event'
Hart's book is a lovingly chronicled account of Papa Poirot, complete from his first look to last look, his idiosyncrasies, his unabashed un-subtle declarations (I am the greatest) his heartbreaks (Russian Rossakoff), his style statements (dapper, dandy), his enemies, his friends (Hastings & Japp) and his dietary quirks (blackberry sirops).
There is inevitable comparison with Sherlock.
Yet, it doesn't give us the grit & grime of Poirot's churning brain. Ye dil maange more!
February 26, 2017
I expected more, like analysis of the character, information about the culture of the decades in which Poirot operated, or maybe including more about the history of police in Britain and comparisons between real cases and Poirot's cases. The author wrote the biography as if Poirot were real but still maintained that he was Agatha Christie's creation. I'd prefer her to have stuck with one rather than both. On the plus side, I liked her including information about Poirot's friends and collegues, such as Ariadne Oliver and Superintendent Battle being in non-Poirot stories. I'm also glad she didn't include the solutions to cases since I hadn't read some of the cases.
February 11, 2013
A genious biography about Poirot's life.
It's written almost as detailed as an encyclopedia. Not to mention that Miss Hart did a well job in giving Poirot's eccentric habit! How I wish I could meet him alive!
A must-have book for all Agatha Christie's fans!
It's written almost as detailed as an encyclopedia. Not to mention that Miss Hart did a well job in giving Poirot's eccentric habit! How I wish I could meet him alive!
A must-have book for all Agatha Christie's fans!
July 18, 2021
Not much of a biography (fictional or not) but a nice summary of various cases from Poirot's life, putting them in an order and giving some context to the events surrounding them. I didn't know Polish translators took so many... liberties with the source material.
Made me want read Christie again.
Made me want read Christie again.
September 26, 2021
I love Poirot so I found this book to be a lot of fun.
December 23, 2021
im mcloving it!!! now i have a poirot biography and bibliography yay!!
July 5, 2022
While I enjoyed reading this, in reality it is just a culmination and brief overlook of all Poirot’s cases. Nothing new is ever learned about Poirot by reading this, unless there are certain Christie books you - like me - just haven’t gotten around to reading yet.
This is, however, a good for readers who;
- have already read all of Christie’s Poirot books but it’s been a while and just want a quick refresher
- haven’t read all the Christie Poirot books yet
- haven’t read any Poirot book before but are interested and want an idea of what the stories are like before committing to reading Christie’s entire series
Despite covering all his cases, very little spoilers are in this book. What spoilers are shared are small in the grand scheme of things and aren’t easily noticed - you only see them when you know what you’re looking for.
This is, however, a good for readers who;
- have already read all of Christie’s Poirot books but it’s been a while and just want a quick refresher
- haven’t read all the Christie Poirot books yet
- haven’t read any Poirot book before but are interested and want an idea of what the stories are like before committing to reading Christie’s entire series
Despite covering all his cases, very little spoilers are in this book. What spoilers are shared are small in the grand scheme of things and aren’t easily noticed - you only see them when you know what you’re looking for.
June 9, 2017
An amazing book for fans of Hercule Poirot. It helps to be familiar with Agatha Christie's novels before reading this "memoir" She gives no secrets away as to the solutions or anything, but only someone already fascinated with M. Poirot would enjoy reading Ms. Hart's book.
August 27, 2016
A must-read for all Poirot & Christie fans! I discovered Anne Hart with The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple and just couldn't resist reading this book as well. Having read most of Poirot's "adventures", I found it very interesting to read about the chronology of it all. A great read!
April 21, 2014
To paraphrase The Godfather, "just when you think you're out; they pull you back from in." Every series writer should be so lucky to have something like this written! I want to get every single Poirot story and read in the order presented in Hart's book. And take notes!
May 24, 2021
On holiday in the South West of England’s last year, I realised I was about an hour’s drive away from Greenway, Agatha Christie’s summer home, and when I visited they had a fantastic little gift shop with Agatha Christie merchandise I’d never seen before (and they stamp any of the books you buy with a unique Greenway-inspired design as well!). While I was there, I picked up this book, and decided to wait until after I’d read all of the Poirot books to read it. Difficult as it was to resist, I’m incredibly glad I did, because reading this so soon after finishing Poirot’s Last Case earlier this month really made me appreciate this all the more.
.
Although Poirot is obviously a fictional character, The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot is written in the style of a biography, tracking his life from early childhood, to his career in the Belgian police force, then to his days as a refugee living in the UK, and on to being the self-proclaimed “greatest detective in the world” that we see in Christie’s novels. Details of Poirot’s personal life are mentioned very rarely in his novels, so it was satisfying to see them all described here in (non-spoilery) chronological order, and it’s clear that Anne Hart has researched these novels meticulously to write this book. Admittedly, a couple of the middle chapters seemed to go into unnecessary details about slightly trivial things, like Poirot’s opinions on certain nationalities, but even these chapters I found to be quite interesting.
.
The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot is a fantastic read for any Christie fan, and I think it works as a great summing up of Poirot’s journey as a whole. I definitely recommend it to anyone who’s even vaguely interested in these stories, and it’s made me want to reread certain cases of Poirot’s just because it made me remember them so fondly all over again!
.
Although Poirot is obviously a fictional character, The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot is written in the style of a biography, tracking his life from early childhood, to his career in the Belgian police force, then to his days as a refugee living in the UK, and on to being the self-proclaimed “greatest detective in the world” that we see in Christie’s novels. Details of Poirot’s personal life are mentioned very rarely in his novels, so it was satisfying to see them all described here in (non-spoilery) chronological order, and it’s clear that Anne Hart has researched these novels meticulously to write this book. Admittedly, a couple of the middle chapters seemed to go into unnecessary details about slightly trivial things, like Poirot’s opinions on certain nationalities, but even these chapters I found to be quite interesting.
.
The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot is a fantastic read for any Christie fan, and I think it works as a great summing up of Poirot’s journey as a whole. I definitely recommend it to anyone who’s even vaguely interested in these stories, and it’s made me want to reread certain cases of Poirot’s just because it made me remember them so fondly all over again!
June 12, 2022
Turns out I’m not quite done with Agatha Christie yet. This book could be seen as one for the completists but actually it works surprisingly well. It’s a “biography” of Hercule Poirot pieced together from the bits and pieces of information scattered across the novels and short stories. It’s actually quite insightful and has nuggets of trivia I wasn’t aware of (for example whilst his main London residence Whitehaven Mansions is quite well known, did you know that his cottage in the country was called Rest Haven?) It also expands on all the other recurring characters that pop up in the Poirot novels (there is such a thing as a Christie-verse - with quite a few characters like Colonel Race, Superintendent Battle, Ariadne Oliver & Mr Satterthwaite popping up in non Poirot novels as well).
It pulls all this off without spoiling any of the stories - quite a feat.
It certainly enhanced my understanding of the man and his stories. There’s an equivalent biography of Miss Marple available and I’m sure I’ll be reading that sooner than later.
It pulls all this off without spoiling any of the stories - quite a feat.
It certainly enhanced my understanding of the man and his stories. There’s an equivalent biography of Miss Marple available and I’m sure I’ll be reading that sooner than later.
May 1, 2020
This is a wonderful biographical sketch by the author Annie Hart on one of the most celebrated and favourite fictional detective character- Hercule Poirot, an amazing conception by his creator Agatha Christie.
The author deep dives in all the aspects of Hercule Poirot’s life- his career, friends, travels, hobbies etc. It is extremely well-researched in the manner of the research scholar, but the biggest achievement of the author is the combination of wit and facts, and many instances draw an instant smile as you recollect the occurrence in the respective books. In fact, the narrative almost takes us through all the books tantalizingly and will definitely whet the appetite of anyone who is going to read them.
Again a significant achievement is that it brings out the personality of Hercule Poirot as any biography should do and you feel definitely feel more closer to the persona after reading the book.
A fantastic read and a great companion supplement for Agatha Christie fans.
The author deep dives in all the aspects of Hercule Poirot’s life- his career, friends, travels, hobbies etc. It is extremely well-researched in the manner of the research scholar, but the biggest achievement of the author is the combination of wit and facts, and many instances draw an instant smile as you recollect the occurrence in the respective books. In fact, the narrative almost takes us through all the books tantalizingly and will definitely whet the appetite of anyone who is going to read them.
Again a significant achievement is that it brings out the personality of Hercule Poirot as any biography should do and you feel definitely feel more closer to the persona after reading the book.
A fantastic read and a great companion supplement for Agatha Christie fans.
May 5, 2017
A fairly interesting book about the books and short stories involving Hercule Poirot. A few chapters dealing with the books/stories in date order (without giving the endings away), the chapters on his friends - Capt Hastings, Miss Lemon, etc. And on his home, his work, his views and so on.
But somehow rather dull.
But somehow rather dull.
September 19, 2025
I was hoping for some thoughtful insight into and criticism of the literary character of Hercule Poirot.
That is not what this book is. It feels trite and flat and utterly without depth. (To be fair, I did give up on it within a couple chapters. Possibly it does get better, but I don't have the free time to gamble on that.)
That is not what this book is. It feels trite and flat and utterly without depth. (To be fair, I did give up on it within a couple chapters. Possibly it does get better, but I don't have the free time to gamble on that.)
April 27, 2019
The fictitious bibliography of Hercule Poirot. If you ever wanted to look behind the façade of the famous detective, then this book is for you. It puts the different stories in context to each other and the time in which they where written.
July 30, 2021
It was very well researched and stunningly detailed, but suffocating at times for this exact reason. While I certainly appreciated the thematic look at different aspects of Poirot’s life, I had hard time reaching the end, and I typically take any Poirot-related material like a shot.
October 5, 2018
It's Poirot you either love him or hate him. I love him.
August 10, 2019
I lost in some part , because i didn’t read all Aghatha books , but somehow o enjoyed this book
February 10, 2021
Only a study of lives and times of Poirot, not as a story but as a character sketch from different novels of Christie
June 7, 2021
I can't believe I didn't write this book.
July 16, 2022
Meeting an old friend again.
December 4, 2023
Enjoyable enough but not in the class of William Baring-Gould's Sherlock Holmes biography.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews