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“Freeing myself of the shackles of your judgment and your malfeasance will be a delightful result of your duplicity, a result you never intended,” she writes.įrom there, a rich dual storyline unfolds. The novel opens moodily with a letter written by Agatha and left for Archie before her disappearance. But Benedict’s imagining stands out from the pack, cleverly positing that Agatha’s private tragedy was the genesis of the legendary author’s success. Several other books and movies have tried fictionalizing this stretch of time, with mixed results, for example the 1979 film “Agatha” with Vanessa Redgrave and Dustin Hoffman. Christie,” boldly speculates on what could have happened during those unexplained days. Her brilliantly inspired historical fiction, “The Mystery of Mrs. It was a case fit for Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple.Ĭue, instead, lawyer and bestselling novelist Marie Benedict (“The Only Woman in the Room,” “The Other Einstein,” “Carnegie's Maid,” “Lady Clementine”). The police found her car parked near the gloomy Silent Pool, igniting an extensive hunt, and Agatha’s unfaithful husband, Colonel Archibald Christie, was suspected of murdering her. 3, 1926, when she kissed her 7-year-old daughter, Rosalind, goodnight, then vanished for 11 days. What’s even more incredible is that the “Queen of Crime” – Dame Agatha Christie (“And Then There Were None,” “Murder on the Orient Express”) – became the center of a fascinating missing person’s case herself on Dec.

So although he is not always present, I believe that Hastings’s contribution to the success of the Poirot stories should not be underestimated.It’s quite remarkable that the third-bestselling author of all time – outdone only by Shakespeare and the Bible – wrote mystery novels and had no formal education. And to my mind, he adds a very special ingredient to the adventure. Whenever Hastings returns to England from his ranch in Argentina, one of his first actions is to call on his old friend and inevitably he ‘helps’ solve another baffling murder mystery. There is a genuine affection between Hastings and Poirot. With all these characters, our knowledge of them grows as we read the books, what happened before is largely irrelevant, or only very rarely referred to. As with Poirot and Miss Marple, very little baggage comes with Hastings. In fact he tells us that he has no near relations or friends. When we first meet Hastings in ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles,’ we learn nothing about his background, other than the fact that he has been invalided home from the front. Yes, Captain Hastings is an extremely likeable character, gallant, totally trustworthy and reliable and innocently susceptible to the ladies.īeauty in distress will always bring out the Knight in Shining Armour in him, and if ever she should prove to be the villain of the piece, he will be saddened and shocked but will be none the wiser for the experience! It is the obvious that I have neglected.’ Did I not say to you once that you had a genius for stating the obvious. Poirot replies ‘ While I was asking myself certain questions I remembered a remark of yours – a remark absolutely shimmering in its clear vision. ‘ How have I inspired you this time?’ Hastings asks.

My good genius…Always – always you help me – you bring me luck. He takes things at their face value – doesn’t look for hidden agendas as Poirot does, and quite often it is this same uncomplicated outlook that gives Poirot the final piece of the puzzle.įor example, in ‘ The ABC Murders’ Poirot wakes Hastings from a nap by tapping him on the shoulder and remarking ‘ Mon cher Hastings. He, like the reader, sees and hears exactly what Poirot sees and hears but – again like the reader – nearly always draws quite the wrong conclusion. Poirot himself tells Hastings, ‘… you have a nature so honest, and a countenance so transparent that – enfin, to conceal your feelings is impossible!’īut although Captain Hastings is a simple man, he is not a stupid one. Hercule Poirot’s loyal sidekick does not feature in all his adventures by any means, but I love it when he does. An upright, honourable man who is exactly what he appears to be. He is a guileless and open character who tends to look at the human race through rose coloured spectacles. Captain Hastings is the perfect foil for the great detective Hercule Poirot.