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Is Hastings married?

biscotte 11 Feb 09 at 5:44 p.m. GMT

I have been reading Agatha Christie novels for a months now and I just LOVE it! So much selection!

The only problem is that i have not been reading them in chronological order at all. I never really thought it was important.

But this leads me to this funny question:

Is Captain Hastings (hercule poirot's friend) married?

He seemed to have made a girl friend in Murder on the links. In the stories i read after that one, she is never mentionned again, but maybe these were stories written BEFORE "Murder on the links"

Any opinions on the subject?

It is not important at all, but it's always in the back of my mind when he follows Poirot around on a case for weeks or months! I always think: i hope this guy isnt married!

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21 replies

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de_misteri 15 Dec 11 at 1:39 a.m. GMT

I know, I agree. The book was only suggestive that he married her, in the epilogue. I think Dulcie Devine was a good match for him, though I still need to watch Murder on the Links so I can see what she looks like!!!

Angelina_ 05 Dec 11 at 1:26 p.m. GMT

As far as Hastings' second marriage is concerned, I sincerely hope he didn 't follow Poirrot 's advice. I hardly think Elisabeth Cole would have been a suitable companion for him, especially in comparison to Cinders, who was such a sweet, laughing, tender woman. Poor Elisabeth carried a heavy past and seemed so pessimist and bitter.

de_misteri 16 Nov 11 at 9:04 p.m. GMT

He also has four children; Judith Hastings, who is featured in Curtain. She is the youngest, and Hastings' favourite.

Another son joins the Navy, and the other son manages Dulcie's death.

The last daughter, Grace, marries a British Officer in India.  

I don't know if you know this, but the postscript in Curtain suggests that Hastings took a second wife, Elizabeth Litchfield, or "Elizabeth Cole", as she is known throughout the book.

LadyMary 15 Nov 11 at 7:02 p.m. GMT

Yes, he was married.  If you read Curtain, the last Poirot written, you will find out more about her.  She was the lady he met in Links, and they went to Argentina and bought a ranch there.  He comes back in another story, I forget which one, and has left her behind to sell the ranch as it was unprofitable.  He is trying to get reestablished in England, again.  I always wondered how he made a living.  He is always traveling around with Poirot and I find it hard to believe he makes enough from that.

MrOwen 15 Nov 11 at 11:33 a.m. GMT

Yes. He meets her in Muder on the Links. I think they have a falling out and that's why he leaves. As Poirot refers to it in Murder in Mesopotamia. As Hasting's is tryig to give Poirot some advice and Poirot remarks to him that 'Didn't she ask you to leave?' So I think she needed her own space. I think she was glad that he left to see Poirot haha.

Japp, Hastings and Lemon haven't appeared since Evil Under The Sun TV Episode. But they aren't in any of the books after that. But I know that the writers of the show included them in a lot of the earlier episodes even when they never appeared in the books.

I love Hastings, Lemon and Japp and really wish they would return.

MissQuin 12 May 10 at 8:25 p.m. GMT

After about 2001 Miss Lemon, Hastings left. Japp appeared in Roger Ackyod but isn't in any of the post 2001 episodes. The producers wanted to cut out the humour and give a more serious element. Now some people (me) prefer the earlier episodes and other like more recent episodes.

I think fans of the early series should be called Jappites!

ispygibson 12 May 10 at 8:15 p.m. GMT

Peek-a-boo,

What I was wondering is if anyone knows what has happen to Hastings and Japp. I got two of the most recently movies (A Cat Among The Piegons, and another one, can't remember the title), but they do not appear in either one of them. I have always been a big fan of all of the players, even Ms. Lemon. I don't see her either, are they on a holiday?

ArlenaSMarshall 09 Apr 09 at 12:13 a.m. GMT

Yes, in the movie Evil Under the Sun, they used reference to his wife.

AnnieN 11 Mar 09 at 4:39 p.m. GMT

I tend to agree.  Surely we are all intelligent enough to appreciate that a term of reference might have been common in previous decades, even though we would not use it now?  I find it condescending to have my thinking done for me by well-meaning but intensely irritating PC watchers.

Tommy_A_Jones 11 Mar 09 at 4:20 p.m. GMT

Thankyou susandiame, It is nice to know there are still people who don't have hang-ups about the past, Society wants us to be PC and feel apologetic for History we can't change afew months ago there was alot about the slave trade and how we in Britain should apologise for it and I thought 'Hang on, someone who wasn't alive to encourage or stop it should apologise to someone who wasn't alive then and who didn't suffer so isn't that patronising? I am Disabled and as near to afew decades ago people like me would have been shut away in homes, but I don't want Abled bodied people coming up to me apologising for the way disabled people would have been trated then, infact if anyone dtriede I think I would be quite annoyed, what happened happened and as long as people realise racism, homophobia, sexism and treating disabled people like 2nd class citizens is wrong that is enough for me. 

susandiane 11 Mar 09 at 1:05 p.m. GMT

PT 2

Why can't we accept stories as they are written in the TIME that they were written? Let's all go and ban EVERYTHING that's not written by the "enlightened" babyboomer! Shya right, if THEY had the ability, they wouldn't want stuff banned!(sorry, you got on a band wagon that i'll ride straight to hell, changing or BANNING books, the very idea that Twain gets banned!!! did ANYONE stop to think that LETTING kids read these works might help them decide? NO, we MUST protect the children. from what? THINKING? sorry, if YOUR kid's too stupid to make an informed decision, fine...ban it from YOUR house! but don't put MY kids in your "perfect little box" i want my kids to KNOW things!)

susandiane 11 Mar 09 at 1:05 p.m. GMT

WINNEBAGO1901

Someone pointed out to me that it would have been the Publidshers who would have altered the rhyme in later editions of 'AND THEN THERE WERE NONE', as well as the name of the book so if they could do that surely they could alter other things, I have recently read 'PARKER PYNE INVESTIGATES' and in one story the man who Parker Pyne helps comes to the aid of a Girl being attacked by 'Negros' surely the publishers could have changed that in later editions when The Country was more sensitive.

I really despise it when the "pc" police change words and phrases in books and stories to appease the "offended" party! I am of German, English, Scot, Irish, Cherokee (and gosh knows how many other) decent. In other words, a true American MUT! Muts, that's what WE are! Be proud, be LOUD! MUTS! I could find insult in ANYTHING! Do I? A resounding NO! I accept that cousins of mine were probably involved with the Holocaust, how can I deny that (there's bound to be cousins over there during that time)? I also admit that my Cherokee/American ancestors were both slaves AND slave holders (yes, the NOBLE Native American practiced slavery) Ironically, my WHITE European/American ancestors NEVER owned slaves (at least in America, white trash, why do you think they came to America? And I doubt if they were "landholders" in Europe either)

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Mar 09 at 2:49 p.m. GMT

Someone pointed out to me that it would have been the Publidshers who would have altered the rhyme in later editions of 'AND THEN THERE WERE NONE', as well as the name of the book so if they could do that surely they could alter other things, I have recently read 'PARKER PYNE INVESTIGATES' and in one story the man who Parker Pyne helps comes to the aid of a Girl being attacked by 'Negros' surely the publishers could have changed that in later editions when The Country was more sensitive.

squatty 04 Mar 09 at 2:54 p.m. GMT

I agree winnebago - I think her publishers could have been more proactive, especially in her later books where she often got names and important bits of information wrong. I find Elephants Can Remember almost impossible to read and she has people's ages all over the place in that book.

I also think, the publishers could make amendments when AC reveals the solution, or murderers, from other books. This sometimes happens when Poirot meets a character from the past and they cosily reminisce

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Mar 09 at 4:20 p.m. GMT

That is the fault of the Publishers, they should have pointed out the mistakes.

pghfan 20 Feb 09 at 2:19 p.m. GMT

Hastings met his wife Dulcie (Cinderella) Duveen in Murder on the Links. She has a twin sister named Bella. Christie apparently got mixed up later in life and refers to Hastings' wife as Bella in later books.

susandiane 15 Feb 09 at 1:16 p.m. GMT

This reply contains spoiler information. Show reply

squatty, LOL you made my drink come out of my nose when I read your post. About "Cinders" her sister marries the son of the Argentine mogul and she and Hastings go to Argentina to take care of the ranch down there. Or at least that's what AC implied.

squatty 15 Feb 09 at 11:40 a.m. GMT

Mrs Hastings must have been a very liberated wife, as she was perfectly happy to let her husband return to work with Poirot on sveral occassions, often for long periods of time. I'm not a great fan of Hastings, so I'm sure if he was my partner, I'd be happy to have a break from him every now and again.

susandiane 14 Feb 09 at 9:35 p.m. GMT

Hastings met "Cinderella" in Murder On The Links. Hastings has come back to England several times to take care of her in-laws business (they had a ranch in the Argentine) most notably in The ABC Murders. To read the postscript of that romance, read Curtain.

Tommy_A_Jones 12 Feb 09 at 3:53 p.m. GMT

Yes Hastings did get married He met his wife during a Poirot book, and they went to live in Argentina, He came back to England at his wife's request without her.