Quotes from Agatha Christie

I know that in books it is always the most unlikely person. But I never find that rule applies in real life. There it is so often the obvious that is true.

Some of the greatest criminals I have known had the faces of angels.

The great merit of being a doctor," said Sir Bartholomew, "is that you are not obliged to follow your own advice.

They have a genius, young ladies, for getting into various kinds of trouble and difficulty.

C'est une femme," said the chef de train again. "Women are like that. When they are enraged they have great strength." He nodded so sagely that everyone suspected a personal experience of his own.

Servants must be treated with the utmost courtesy. They are doing skilled work which you could not possibly do yourself without long training. And remember they cannot answer back. You must always be polite to people whose position forbids them to be rude to you. If you are impolite, they will despise you, and rightly, because you have not acted like a lady.

All three wore the air of superiority assumed by people who are already in a place when studying new arrivals.

One must have consideration for those less gifted than oneself.

Hercule Poirot addressed himself to the task of keeping his moustaches out of the soup.

What do most people mean when they say that ? So young. Something innocent, something appealing, something helpless. But youth is not that ! Youth is crude, youth is strong, youth is powerful-yes, and cruel ! And one thing more-youth is vulnerable.' Hercule Poirot

The motto of the mongoose family, so Mr Kipling tells us, is: 'Go and find out.' If Caroline ever adopts a crest, I should certainly suggest a mongoose rampant. One might omit the first part of the motto. Caroline can do any amount of finding out by sitting placidly at home.

The truth must be quite plain, if one could just clear away the litter.

Miss Howard: Like a good detective story myself. Lots of nonsense written, though. Criminal discovered in last Chapter. Everyone dumbfounded. Real crime - you'd know at once.

My dear Poirot, it's not for me to dictate to you. You have a right to your own opinion, just as I have mine.

Nobody over fifty has got any sense.

Write even when you don't want to, don't much like what you are writing, and aren't writing particularly well.

Juliet singles out Romeo. Desdemona claims Othello. They have no doubts, the young, no fear, no pride.

We will make them tell us what it is," said Poirot. "Third degree?" said Colonel Carbury. "No." Poirot shook his head. "Just ordinary conversation. On the whole, you know, people tell you the truth. Because it is easier! Because it is less strain on the inventive faculties! You can tell one lie - or two lies - or three lies or even four lies - but you cannot lie all the time. And so - the truth becomes plain.

You belong to the League of Nations?' 'I belong to the world, Madame,' said Poirot dramatically.

Long walks are off, and alas, bathing in the sea; fillet steaks and apples and raw blackberries (teeth difficulties) and reading fine print. But there is a great deal left. Operas and concerts, and reading, and the enormous pleasure of dropping into bed and going to sleep, and dreams of every variety. Almost best of all, sitting in the sun--gently drowsing and there you are again--remembering. I remember, I remember, the house where I was born....

I know he'll probably always be like it, but I love him. I may be able to help him and I may not. But I'll take that risk.

I don't want to write about it at all. I want, you see, to think about it as little as possible. Hercule Poirot was dead - and with him died a good part of Arthur Hastings.

Hercule Poirot spread out his hands in his most foreign manner.

Oh, my friend, have I not said to you all along that I have no proofs. It is one thing to know that a man is guilty, it is quite another matter to prove him so. And, in this case, there is terribly little evidence. That is the whole trouble.