Quotes from Agatha Christie

The rain was pouring down again. The wind came in fitful gusts. The depressing sound of the pattering rain nearly drove them mad. By

He thought: Best of an island is once you get there—you can't go any farther … you've come to the end of things…. He knew, suddenly, that he didn't want to leave the island. VI

I did not really seek liberty. I am a civilised man. The civilised man knows there is no such thing. Only the younger and cruder nations put the word Liberty on their banner. There must always be a planned framework of security. And the essence of civilisation is that the way of life should be a moderate one.

You know," said the young man with enthusiasm, "I think you're splendid, simply splendid." "Cut out the compliments," said Tuppence. "I'm admiring myself a good deal, so there's no need for you to chime in.

I can admire the perfect murderer--I can also admire a tiger-- that splendid tawny-striped beast. But I will admire him from outside his cage. I will not go inside. That is to say, not unless it is my duty to do so. For you see, Mr. Shaitana, the tiger might spring. . . .

There is no greater mistake in life than seeing things or hearing them at the wrong time. Shakespeare is ruined for most people by having been made to learn it at school; you should see Shakespeare as it was written to be seen, played on the stage. There you can appreciate it quite young, long before you take in the beauty of the words and of the poetry.

Proof must be solid break walls of facts.

What a poisonous woman! Whew! Why didn't somebody murder her!" "It may yet happen," Poirot consoled him.

Too much mercy... often resulted in further crimes which were fatal to innocent victims who need not have been victims if justice had been put first and mercy second.

I've become a killer of the Lord. It's the Lord's will that I should kill you. So that makes it all right. You do see that, don't you? You see, it makes it all right.

Oh dear, I never realized what a terrible lot of explaining one has to do in a murder!

In my day if a man was mad he was mad and we didn't look about for scientific terms to soften it down.

Success had its penalties.

I'm afraid I always find Shakespeare terribly dreary. All those long scenes where everybody is drunk and it's supposed to be funny.

The truth is I'm not very good with people. I think trees are much nicer than people, more restful.

Mon Dieu! It is that in this country you treat the affairs gastronomic with a criminal indifference.

First, you have to think and think and think and think; then you have to force yourself to write it down.

And then the lights came on and suddenly it was all as usual - I don't mean really as usual, but we were ourselves again, not just - people in the dark. People in the dark are quite different, aren't they?

The trouble is that practically everything one does nowadays is illegal," said Giles gloomily. "That's why one has a permanent feeling of guilt.

When it is a question of an irate middle-aged lady, there is only one thing to be done - listen to her.

Being in love has a very bad effect on men - it seems to addle their wits.

The police, as servants of law, must be of a high order of integrity. For their word is perforce believed by the virtue of their profession.

With more insight into the English character, I poured out a stiff whisky and soda and placed it in front of the gloomy inspector.

If there were only any peace in Egypt I should like it better," said Mrs. Allerton. "But you can never be alone anywhere. Someone is always pestering you for money, or offering you donkeys, or beads, or expeditions to native villages, or duck shooting.