Hickory Dickory Dock
Also known as Hickory Dickory Death
SYNOPSIS
In a student house in London strange things have been going happening- a shoe, a stethoscope, light bulbs and a pair of old trousers stolen, a rucksack found but slashed and a diamond ring found in a bowl of soup...not normally something which could interest a famous detective but when it impacts the work of his infallible secretary Miss Lemon...Poirot is drawn in. What starts out as some odd occurrences however, soon turns into full blown murder.
poirot
when to read
Somehow I always turn to this when its raining - possibly due to my own experiences of student life spend in Durham where I often walked to and from lectures in the rain...why not indulge in a thick hot chocolate to warn up with while reading (with a dollop of Bailey's in for good measure).
murder mystery
Multiple murders and a host of suspects to keep you guessing all the way through.
england
Set in the student digs on Hickory Road, London
Publishing info
Published in 1955, this novel comes between 'Destination Unknown' in 1954 and 'Dead Man's Folly' 1956.
overall rating
5/5
On Screen
Watching Agatha Christie
Hickory Dickory Dock by Agatha Christie was filmed as part of the ITV feature length episodes and is Season 6 episode 2 starring David Suchet.
Hickory Dickory Dock Character List
| Ahmed Ali | A student from Egypt and resident at Hickory Road |
| Celia Austin | Dispenser at local hospital (St Catherine’s) |
| Chandra Lal | A student from India living at Hickory Road |
| Christina Nicoletis | Owner of the hostel |
| Colin McNabb | Psychiatry post-graduate student |
| Elizabeth Johnson | A student from Jamaica living at Hickory Road who has her papers ruined with green ink |
| Elizabeth Johnston | Jamaican law student |
| Felicity Lemon | Poirot’s secretary |
| Geneviève Maricaud | Student from France living in London at Hickory Road |
| George | Poirot’s valet |
| Geronimo | Married to Maria, he also cooks for the students at Hickory Road. |
| Gopal Ram | A second student from India, living and studying in London at Hickory Road |
| Inspector Sharpe | Investigating officer |
| Jean Tomlinson | Another resident at Hickory Road, she works in the same hospitol as Celia |
| Leonard Bateson | Medical student at the hostel |
| Maria | Cook at Hickory Road |
| Mr Akibombo | Resident at Hickory Road, a West African student |
| Mrs Hubbard | Miss Lemon’s sister |
| Nigel Chapman | History student at the hostel |
| Patricia Lane | Archaeology student |
| René Halle | A young french woman studying English Literature and a resident of Hickory Road |
| Sally Finch | American student on a Fulbright scholarship |
| Valerie Hobhouse | Co-owner of the beauty parlour ‘Sabrina Fair’ and a resident of Hickory Road |
SPOILERS BELOW!
Celia Austen, Mrs Nicoletis, Patricia Lane & Mrs Chapman (Nigel’s mother)
Nigel Chapman
Nigel Chapman smuggles illegal drugs into England with the help of Valerie and Mrs Nicoletis.
Celia finds out so he kills her and then Mrs Nicoletis as he’s afraid she’ll lose her nerve and confess to the police.
He kills Pat as he thinks she would let on to his father who would then expose him as Nigel killed his mother…
Celia is poisoned with morphine
Mrs Nicoletis is also poisoned
Patricia Lane is hit over the head
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