Now check out this TOP 15 dedicated to Agatha Christie’s most famous detective – Hercule Poirot. Not only is he Christie’s most used character throughout her works, but also a role model in the world of criminal novels. Pretty much all of the Agatha Christie Poirot novels will be the perfect read during these trying lockdown times, but also anytime thereafter. On top of it all, Poirot’s adventures are my personal guilty pleasure, as I have devoured again and again all of the stories with the charismatic sleuth.
Hercule Poirot is a Belgian refugee who lives in England after his country was attacked in World War II. As a former Belgian policeman, he stands out for his unusual investigative methods. A quiet and comfortable sofa will suffice for him to contemplate the solution to a crime. All the answers are found by using the little gray cells, with order and method. In addition to his unusual means of investigation, Poirot is easily recognized by his striking mustache, his egg-shaped head and, of course, his impeccably clean clothing where not a single grain of dust would last for long. His grandiloquent name was one of his mother’s whims. Hercule comes from the famous Greek warrior Hercules. But unlike Hercules, Poirot is small and wispy. Agatha Christie admits in her autobiography that Poirot drove her to exhaustion, and that several times, she thought about putting an end to her creation. But the readers’ affection for her offspring made her continue writing intricate stories with the beloved character.
ABS TRACT: TOP 15 Agatha Christie Poirot Books
Continue here to discover my personal picks for the top 15 Agatha Christie Poirot works. I’m convinced you will enjoy the diverse selection, and each of the works will make the current lockdown time a million times more exciting for you. I’m including links to get the books and dive right into the world of our crime queen Agatha Christie, and her often ridiculed, yet so amiable star, Hercule Poirot.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was Agatha Christie’s first major success, and it is also one of her most acclaimed titles. Hercule Poirot is enjoying his pension in the planting of small pumpkins. But there is nothing that piques Poirot’s interest more than a crime, and so of course, it must happen right where he is currently residing. This book stands out for one of the most shocking endings ever written by Agatha Christie. Nothing is as it seems, and not all characters show their true faces. I’m not going to spill the beans here, to save the surprise for you. Get The Murder of Roger Ackroyd on Amazon*.
There are those who love this book as well as those who hate it. I was positively satisfied when reading this work. The Big Four is a case about an organization that aims to end civilization as we know it and to create a worldwide dictatorship. An unknown figure plays a fundamental role in the resolution of this crime – Poirot’s twin brother. You will find a captivating book, wherein each page throws you into new events at a breakneck pace. Get The Big Four on Amazon*.
As the title already suggests, we are looking at a book with a story that occured in the past, but is still alive in people’s memories. And it is up to Hercule Poirot to solve the case that took place several years ago. Only with the help of small bits and pieces of memories that people still have from way back when, Poirot is able to unearth the mystery and the find solution to a crime that had been abandoned for too long. In Elephants Can Remember, we also enjoy the participation of Ariadne Oliver, better known as the alter ego of Agatha Christie. Get Elephants Can Remember on Amazon*.
The ABC Murders brings us to an intelligent serial-killer and a multi-faceted character, who is taking peoples’ lives in the most unusual ways and for no apparent reason. However, the death list seems to follow an alphabetical pattern, that is, the fist murder occurs in a city starting with the letter A, where the victim’s name starts with an A, and so on. The scheme continues until the murderer makes a mistake in killing the wrong person, and in doing so he is unmasked by Poirot. But the surprising finale unravels a secret I didn’t see coming. Get The ABC Murders on Amazon*.
Another one of the most famous titles by Agatha Christie is Death on the Nile. On a honeymoon cruise along the Nile, Linnet Ridgeway is brutally murdered in her cabin. In a story of drama and forbidden love, combined with lively descriptions of Egypt and its famous monuments, Christie transports us to another dimension, because even with the sun shining so bright and hot, there is always a shadow. Get Death on the Nile on Amazon*.
Out of all the books I read by Agatha Christie, Third Girl is what I consider to be the most contemporary story. Drama, drugs and greed set the tone. I would find it believable had someone told me this book was written only last year, because the theme surrounding the murder case is so current that it turns out to be a timeless classic. Get Third Girl on Amazon*.
This book is one of the most interesting and creative stories of the crime queen. Cards on the Table presents to us a crime, in which only one of four card players could have committed it, and no-one other than Hercule Poirot solves it all in a masterful way, by analysis the progress of the play and the ranking of the players. Get Cards on the Table on Amazon*.
Sometimes children are great observers without being aware of the value of the things they observe, and this book is undoubtedly the one that showcases this theme perfectly. An unusual crime, and the reason for the murder lies in the distant past. The Clocks shows what people are willing to do in order to hide their foregone sins. Get The Clocks on Amazon*.
Dumb Witness starts with our detective Poirot arriving quiet a bit too late to the party, as the lady who requested his services is already dead once he arrives at the scene. But nothing prevents Poirot from bringing justice on behalf of the deceased, even without knowing what it was about. Inheritance and money are part of the information needed to solve this crime. Get Dumb Witness on Amazon*.
We have arrived at the great and most famous classic of all criminal novels. Agatha Christie, a travel enthusiast, shows her immense interest in exotic places in several of her books. In Murder on the Orient Express, we follow Poirot on his most famous journey, on the Orient Express, the luxurious train that connects Istanbul with London. In the most exquisite places, the is not only an abundancy of luxury, but also a multitude of motives for murder. Poirot and also you as the reader will find the resolution to this murder more than surprising. Get Murder on the Orient Express on Amazon*.
Five Little Pigs is another story of revisiting the past: Carla receives a letter from her mother, who has died in prison and who had been convicted for murdering her own husband. In this letter, the mother claims to be innocent, and who better than Poirot to discover the tumultuous events from over ten years ago, and to prove the innocence of Carla’s mother? Get Five Little Pigs on Amazon*.
It is Halloween Eve and at a party to celebrate the occasion, a child is murdered after claiming that she once observed a crime. Nobody believed her story, as she had been known to be a compulsive liar, until now … And it is Hercule Poirot with the help of Miss Oliver who will discover what the child thought she had watched, or maybe not… Hallowe’en Party is one of Agatha Christie’s most compelling stories with our favorite detective. Get Hallowe’en Party on Amazon*.
Nick is not an ordinary woman’s name, but even more unusual are several accidents and the various attempts to make away with her. Poirot decides to protect the young woman, but the story turns out to be much more complex than initially suggested. Romance is exposed, and like so many times, we find out how money corrupts the character. Peril at End House is of the crime queen’s most creative books. Get Peril at End House on Amazon*.
The death of the wealthy Mr. Abernethie appears to be a tragic and unfortunate event, but no homicide. That is until his sister Cora, poses the inevitable question in a direct way and claims that he was murdered. Almost everyone had to gain from his death, but the one who really committed the crime benefited the least from his death. After the Funeral is fantastic puzzle with a totally unpredictable finale. For me, it is one of her absolute masterpieces. Get After the Funeral on Amazon*.
And so we come to my favorite Agatha Christie Poirot book, which is also the detective’s last case. Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case is the story in which our crime queen says goodbye to her creature in an intimate, touching and proud way. Here we find an aged Poirot who can only be mobile using a wheelchair. His body may be weakened and disabled, but his mind is still brilliantly sharp, in the same way he has accompanied us throughout his adventures. The whole story takes place in Styles, which happens to be the location where Agatha Christie’s first book was written. It all ends where it started, and Poirot has a respectable rival for the first time, with the most intelligent murder method out of all his opponents. But it is Poirot who will prevail and put an end to everything, even if he has to make the ultimate sacrifice. Get Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case on Amazon*.
An interesting side note: This book was written in the middle of the first World War and kept in a safe, in case Agatha Christie did not survive the bombings. More than 40 years later, the book was published after the writer’s death, and it was an astounding success, with Poirot being the first fictional character with an obituary in the New York Times.
Agatha Christie’s works are timeless, and even so many years after her death, they are still translated into hundreds of languages and sold all over the world. Her works are true classics of world literature and she will forever remain in the hall of fame of great writers. I think it’s a given that future generations will still appreciate, as we do today, the great creativity of one of the best writers of all time.
In this TOP 15, I focused on the Agatha Christie Poirot series. Bear with me to read more detailed critiques in separate posts I will write about each of these books. I hope you enjoy my selections and you will come back for also for other literary recommendations in my ABSTRACT category. And above all, it’s never too late to read one of crime queen’s books, in case you haven’t had a chance yet. Believe me, you will not regret it.
