Hercule Poirot in literature
Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie.
Hercule Poirot is a fictional detective created by Agatha Christie, appearing in numerous novels and short stories. The character is one of the most famous in crime literature, with a long-running series of works detailing his cases.
Quick Facts
- Creator
- Agatha Christie
- First appearance
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
Facts from the source article.
Copyright and continuation
In the United Kingdom, the Poirot books remain under copyright until January 1, 2047, with Mathew Prichard, Christie's grandson, currently holding the rights. In the United States, certain Poirot stories have entered the public domain due to differing copyright rules, including The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and Poirot Investigates. Since 2013, the Christie estate has authorized Sophie Hannah to write continuation novels, starting with The Monogram Murders in 2014, followed by five further titles.
Hercule Poirot series in publication order
The series began with The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920) and continued with novels such as The Murder on the Links (1923), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926), and The Big Four (1927). Short story collections include Poirot Investigates (1924) and later volumes like The Labours of Hercules (1947) and Poirot's Early Cases (1974). Notable titles include Murder on the Orient Express (1934), Death on the Nile (1937), and Curtain (published 1975, written about 1940). The series also includes a play, Black Coffee (1930), later novelized by Charles Osborne in 1998. Sophie Hannah's continuation novels include The Monogram Murders (2014), Closed Casket (2016), The Mystery of Three Quarters (2018), The Killings at Kingfisher Hill (2020), and Hercule Poirot's Silent Night (2023).
Books and short stories in chronological order
The chronological order begins with the short story 'The Chocolate Box' from Poirot's Early Cases, followed by The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Early cases include 'The Affair at the Victory Ball' and 'The Kidnapped Prime Minister'. After settling in London, Poirot handles numerous short stories, such as 'The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan' and 'The Adventure of the Western Star'. Novels like Murder on the Links and The Big Four appear later in the timeline. The Mystery of the Blue Train is an expanded version of the earlier short story 'The Plymouth Express'. Other short stories include 'Wasp's Nest' and 'The Third Floor Flat', both from Poirot's Early Cases.
More in Characters & Cast
Elsewhere in Hercule Poirot
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