Dr Mark Aldridge is a senior lecturer at Solent University, Southampton. He was awarded his PhD at the University of Southampton in 2009, and previously wrote the definitive book about the film and television adaptations of Agatha Christie’s work, Agatha Christie on Screen, which was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2016. Originally from Devon, he now lives in Hampshire with his partner, James.


Hercule Poirot has had a near-permanent presence in the public eye ever since the 1920 publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The detective who solves diabolical crimes using his “little grey cells” has enamored audiences not only in the original novels, short stories, and plays, but also across radio, television, and movies.

From Agatha Christie’s earliest conceptions and publication history, to forays on the stage and screen, the story of Poirot is as fascinating as it is enduring. Mark Aldridge tells this story decade-by-decade, exploring and analyzing Poirot’s many and often wildly different appearances, following the detective to present day when he is enjoying a worldwide renaissance.

Packed with original research, never-before-published correspondence, and images from the Agatha Christie archives, Agatha Christie's Poirot will delight fans of Hercule Poirot and mystery lovers alike.