My first introduction to Hercule Poirot on the big screen was the 1978 movie ‘Death on the Nile.’ I loved seeing David Niven in that movie as well as Bette Davis. Years later, I rejoiced that my favourite Professor, Minerva McGonagall, had been on that boat too.
The first Poirot I read was ‘Murder on the Orient Express.’ That was not the first Christie book I had read though. That book was ‘And then there were none.’
Mark Aldridge‘s book is a wonderful compendium. It lists all the works from Dame Agatha Christie featuring the Belgium detective.
The chronological order does not just list the books and films that Poirot appeared in but also the plays for theatre and radio. The set up is extremely simple and user friendly. Just check the contents for a title or time period.
All Poirot works are featured with pictures of the many different book covers that accompanied the books over the years. And to my delight, those covers are not just the English ones!
The book has photographs, play bills, newspaper articles, a listing of key names, bibliography, picture credits, end notes, and an extensive index. It is a great asset to your Christie or Poirot collection.
Summarizing the book is impossible. There are too many stories to cover. The book is rich in details and also gives us insight into the Christie Archive Trust. We learn why certain works were and some were not made into movies. What was negotiated and what was compromised? Which works were held back?
We learn how protective Agatha’s daughter Rosalind Hicks was of her mother’s works and legacy. We see the differences in reasoning when her son Mathew thinks in broader terms. Some readers may immediately say that’s generational however, Mathew seems as protective as his mother despite being willing to explore more media platforms.
If you like the Christie stories with Hercule Poirot you will love this book. This compendium has everything Poirot. It made me want to re-read certain books and I need to catch up on the TV series with David Suchet. Those to be re-read so far? Cards on the Table, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and I need to buy Curtain!
Thank you Mark Aldridge for many hours of Poirot fun and discovery, for this compendium, and for making me want to dig into the older, lesser known Christie books again.
Highly recommended!
My other book reviews are here.