Monsieur Hercule Poirot was a very precise and fastidious man who knew his place in the scheme of things. He was quite simply the best at doing what he did and there was no arguing. No one else ever came anywhere close to the brilliance he showed when he was on top form.
Poirot, the accomplished Belgian detective, was created by English crime novelist Agatha Christie in 1920 as the star sleuth of her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles. In a long and successful career that spanned 55 years, Poirot appeared in 35 mystery novels, more than 50 short stories and he made appearances in stage plays and movies when he had time. Never a person to hide his exceptional talents behind false modesty, Poirot knew that he was the world's top detective and he basked in the glory of his position.
During one of his investigations, a murder suspect once made the appalling mistake of referring to Poirot as 'a detective'. 'I am THE detective,' Poirot immediately corrects him. It was important to Poirot that potential criminals knew what they were up against when they crossed his path.
Poirot was hardly a prepossessing figure when it came to physical appearance. He didn't have the commanding presence of his only fictional rival, Sherlock Holmes. He was a plump, elderly man, short in stature - hardly five feet, four inches tall - with a balding, egg-shaped head. He had piercing, green eyes and a stiff, perfectly trimmed black moustache that curled upwards at the ends. Whatever the situation, Poirot was always immaculately dressed. He wore a formal three-piece suit, black, pointed shoes and carried the necessary cane and bowler hat. He looked a little like a well-dressed penguin, but no one would have ever dared point out the resemblance to him.
Many people believed that Poirot was French and this was another big mistake that he hated. He was Belgian and he always corrected anyone who got his nationality wrong. Poirot's nationality was a vital part of his character and he took great pains to put people right when they got it wrong. It was a mistake that no one made twice.
Poirot first came to England during the first world war. He was a retired officer who had been highly respected in the Belgian police force. When war broke out in mainland Europe, Poirot and a group of his countrymen sought refuge in England. There, he slowly built up a highly esteemed new career for himself as a private detective tracking down criminals of all shapes and sizes.