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Poirot or Miss Marple?

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Question (197) Crime (31) Mystery (29) Detective (10)

marple and poirot, Agatha Christie, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, David Suchet, Joan Dickson

David Suchet as Poirot and Joan Hickson as Miss Marple from the BBC adaptations.

Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are two of Agatha Christie's most famous characters, but fans are divided as to which is the better detective.

Jane Marple, who appears in 12 of Christie's novels and 20 short stories, is an unassuming little old lady with a sharp wit, keen observational skills and a great understanding of human nature. She solves cases by comparing the behaviour of the people involved with those of the inhabitants of her village. People underestimate Miss Marple at their peril.

Poirot is a Belgian former policeman turned private detective, distinguished by his excellent moustache and use of "the little grey cells". He appears in a whopping 33 novels and over 50 short stories. He is arrogant, yet charming in his own way.

If you are a Christie fan, which of the two detectives do you prefer, the little grey cells or the knitting nemesis?

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Top Answers

I don't have a favourite per se, but I do like they way that Miss Marple consistently allows other people to underestimate her, and ruthlessly manipulates people around her to get the results she's after. The only reason she isn't a villain herself is that those results usually work out well for the people around her, and she rarely profits directly.

by Paul Douglas

Oh Paul! That's way TOO scientific for me! Just love her for what she does & I don't try to go deeper!

by donjo

I've never been able to choose between them. I've read all the Miss Marple books but probably only about half of the Poirots- there are so many! Maybe I need to read them all first then report back.

I go through phases of preferring one or the other. Like Paul I find Miss Marple a tad creepy at times but I like that about her. She's like one of the fates with all that knitting. Poirot is an odd fellow, which makes him interesting too. I think he has a more optimistic view of humanity than Miss Marple does even though her books are superficially lighter since they often end with two characters becoming romantically involved rather than the murderer committing suicide which happens in a few Poirot stories.

by Jennifer Muirhead

I'm not an Agatha Chrisite fan, not by a long shot but my husband is. On a take it or leave it basis I would prefer to leave them both, but if I had to choose, and I often do (sigh) I would choose Miss Marple. My husband's favourite is Poirot, sadly.

by Gayle Beveridge

I love them both! I have read all the Poirot books and am intending to get the complete David Suchet on dvd too. I haven't read any of the Miss Marple stories but an audiobook of several of the short stories is one of our favourite in-car cds.

by VerityG

Had the privilege of meeting David Suchet ('Poirot'), when he toured here last year with drama play 'The Last Confession'. Absolute gentleman & very funny. Fabulous to see on stage, as are ALL great actors/actresses.

Can't chose between the two, as I love them equally! They each contribute their 'own way' of crime solving. Such was the genius of Christie.

by donjo

The Little Grey Cells! I haven't read any of the novels though. Poirot won't be any more, unless there repeats. Wonderful series though. The total music got me interested in the first place!

by Miro

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