Captain Hastings Trivia Quiz

Answer: Thirty years old

Captain Hastings is the narrator of Agatha Christie's first published book, "The Mysterious Affair At Styles" (1920). Captain Hastings had been sent home to recoup from wounds suffered at the Front. After spending some months in a Convalescent Home, he was given a thirty-day leave. Hastings was invited to spend his leave at Styles Court by an old acquaintance, John Cavendish. Describing Cavendish, Hastings says, "He was a good fifteen years my senior, for one thing, though he hardly looked his forty-five years." This tells us that Hastings was around thirty years old when he helped Poirot investigate "The Mysterious Affair At Styles". We are told, in "Curtain" (1975), that the events depicted in "The Mysterious Affair At Styles" happened in 1916.

Answer: Hastings was a private secretary to a MP (Member of Parliament)

At the beginning of the second Poirot-Hastings novel, "The Murder On The Links" (1923), we are told that after leaving the military, Hastings moved into London rooms with Hercule Poirot and became a private secertary to a MP (Member of Parliament). The Young Adventurers, Ltd. was formed by Miss Prudence "Tuppence" Crowley and Thomas "Tommy" Beresford in "The Secret Adversary" (1922).

It was the first of five Tuppence and Tommy mysteries. The others were: "Partners In Crime" (1929), "N or M" (1941), "By The Pricking of My Thumbs" 1968), and "Postern of Fate" (1974).

In "The Mysterious Affair At Styles", Hastings told Mary Cavendish, in conversation over tea, that he had been with Lloyd's before the War.

Answer: She was several years older than Hastings

Hastings meets Dulcie Duveen in "The Murder On The Links" (1923), on the Calais Express. She was around seventeen years old, and Hastings was in his early 30's. Hastings learns that she was born in America but has spent most of her life in England. Hastings finds himself strangely attracted to this sassy young lady, while at the same time thinking her not quite his sort.

She tells Hastings that, along with her sister, she is part of an acrobatic, song and dance variety act. When the train stops, she tells Hastings that her name is "Cinderella" and that is what Hastings calls her for the rest of the book. Finally, the complicated plot of the Duveen sisters, Bella and Dulcie, is sorted out, and Hastings ends up with Dulcie.

There has been some confusion over his wife's name, because in "The ABC Murders" (1934), while referring to his wife, Hastings says, "Bella always trusts my judgment", but this is just a tiny error on Christie's part.

In "Curtain" (1975), Hastings refers to his wife always as "Cinders", which is just a take on Cinderella.

In "An Autobiography", Agatha Christie says, "I think 'Murder on the Links' was a moderately good example of its kind. This time I provided a love affair for Hastings. Truth to tell, I think I was getting a little tired of him." After their marriage, the Hastings moved to the Argentine. Luckily for his fans, Christie does bring Hastings back in several Poirot mysteries.

Answer: Arthur

Hastings never tells us his name while narrating his first adventure with Hercule Poirot, "The Mysterious Affair At Styles". In fact, it was not until the last page of their second mystery novel, "The Murder On The Links", published in 1923, that we find out that his first name is Arthur: "And what of Captain Arthur Hastings, humble chronicler of these pages?" In the beginning of the final Hercule Poirot mystery, "Curtain" (1975), a retrospective Hastings says, on his journey back to Styles Court, "It had seemed in 1916 to young Arthur Hastings that was already old and mature".

Answer: No

Hastings is not featured in any of the mysteries of Hercule Poirot and Mrs. Oliver. We are never led to believe that Hastings ever meets Mrs. Oliver. Like Hastings, Mrs. Oliver was the perfect foil for Poirot's brillance. Together they solved many dicey mysteries.

The pair's long friendship begins in "Cards on the Table" (1936) when they meet at a bizarre dinner party of murderers and detectives. The last mystery that Poirot and Mrs. Oliver solved together was told in "Elephants Can Remember" (1972). One of my favorite Christie novels is the Hercule Poirot and Mrs. Oliver mystery, "Hallowe'en Party" (1969).

Answer: False

Captain Hastings never appears in any short story or novel without Hercule Poirot, but Poirot appears in most of his mysteries without Hastings. These are the books I have read that feature Hastings: "The Mysterious Affair At Styles" (1920), "The Murder On The Links" (1923), "Poirot Investigates" (1924), "The Big Four", (1927), "The ABC Murders" (1935), "Poirot Loses A Client" (1937), and "The Under Dog and Other Stories" (1957).

Answer: Hastings listened at keyholes and had few scruples

Hastings was a man of very high principles and scruples. He would never stoop to opening someone else's mail or putting his eye to a keyhole! Hastings was always a loyal and trustworthy friend to Poirot. Poirot even refers to Hastings, in their final adventure "Curtain", as "my faithful dog" and "My excellent and loyal Hastings". We know that everything that Hastings felt showed on his face, because in "The Mysterious Affair At Styles", Poirot says to Hastings, "You see, my friend, you have a nature so honest, and a contenance so transparent, that, enfin, to conceal your feelings are impossible." Hastings certainly was not a user of his little grey cells, but that Hastings had a good heart, there is no doubt. Poirot says to Hastings, in the short story "The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan", "You have a good heart to think of an old man. And the good heart, it is in the end worth all the little gray cells."

Answer: Four

In "Curtain" (1975), Hastings tells us that he has four children, two boys and two girls. One son was in the Navy, and the other son is married and running the cattle ranch in the Argentine. He never tells us their names. The names of his daughters are Grace and Judith. Grace is married to a soldier and lives in India. Judith is a secretary to specialist in in the study of tropical disease, Dr. Franklin.

Answer: Yes

Hastings did appear with Poirot in the 1934 stage play "Black Coffee". In the 1990's, Charles Osbourne turned two of Agatha Christie's plays into novels. "Black Coffee" was one of them, and the other was "The Unexpected Guest". While no one can beat Dame Agatha, the Osbourne novelizations are fun reads.

Answer: Judith

All things must come to an end, and it is fitting that the Poirot-Hastings mysteries should end back at Styles Court where it all began, so long ago. In "Curtain" (1975) Hastings has been summoned to Styles by his old friend, Hercule Poirot. The ever faithful Hastings answers the summons, and the hunt for X begins. Hastings's youngest child, Judith, is at Styles Court, too.

She is the secretary for Dr. Franklin, a specialist in tropical diseases. Judith is the child that Hastings secretly loves best but knows the least.

She is extremely intelligent, beautiful, and has a mind of her own. In fact, Hastings admits that he is a little afraid of his brillant, difficult daughter. I hope you enjoyed my quiz on Hercule Poirot's good friend, Captain Arthur Hastings. All the information for my quiz can be found in the novels and short stories of Poirot and Hastings. I have tried to make it interesting without putting in any "spoilers". I wonder if perhaps Poirot shone so brightly because Hastings was a little "dim"? A huge thank you to my very smart younger brother, a real Christie fan, for his invaluable help. Thank you for taking my quiz.