The Curious Mind of Hercule Poirot
This podcast explores the character of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's famous detective, through the lens of neurodiversity. It examines how Poirot's traits like attention to detail, hyperfocus, logical thinking, and routine may reflect characteristics often associated with autism. Each episode analyzes a different Poirot case to highlight these traits. The first season consists of six episodes.
Episodes
68. S11E5 The Collapse of Order: Post-War Britain and the End of Class
As post-war Britain changes, the orderly world Poirot once knew begins to disappear. This episode explores social collapse, change, neurodiversity, and Poirot’s determination to preserve moral clarity in a world growing increasingly uncertain.
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67. S11E4 The Moral Middle: Respectability and the Burden of Appearances
Behind the polished manners and tidy gardens of Christie’s middle class lies fear, shame, and moral performance. This episode explores respectability, masking, hypocrisy, and why Poirot values honesty more than appearances.
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66. S11E3 Foreigners and Outsiders: Poirots Precarious Position
Poirot is admired, respected, and successful — yet never fully accepted. In this episode, we explore foreignness, belonging, neurodiversity, and the quiet burden of always living slightly outside the world around you.
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65. S11E2 The Servants Who See Everything
In Christie’s world, servants are often overlooked — yet they notice everything. This episode explores silence, service, invisibility, and the moral wisdom of those below stairs, revealing why Poirot listens carefully to the voices others ignore.
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64. S11E1 The Country House: A Map of Manners and Murder
The English country house was more than a setting — it was a map of class, power, and hidden tensions. In this episode, we explore how Agatha Christie used grand estates, servants’ corridors, and polite society to reveal deeper truths about hierarchy, morality, and human nature.
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63. S10E6 What Cosy Mysteries Teach Us About Human Nature
Beneath the clues, suspects, and village scandals, cosy mysteries are stories about people. In this final episode, we reflect on what these beloved stories reveal about truth, friendship, community, imperfection, and hope. Along the way, we consider why readers continue returning to cosy mysteries—and how their promise of restoration echoes a deeper human longing for a world made whole.
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62. S10E5 The Fantasy of Starting Over
New village. New community. New beginning. From Agatha Raisin's move to the Cotswolds to countless cosy mystery protagonists seeking a fresh start, stories of reinvention appear throughout the genre. This episode explores why the idea of starting over is so appealing and what it reveals about hope, identity, and personal growth.
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61. S10E4: Friendship, Companionship, and Fictional Communities
Many readers return to cosy mystery series not just for the mysteries but for the people. Whether it's Poirot and Hastings, Sarah and Jack, or the familiar faces of a village community, this episode explores why recurring characters can begin to feel like old friends—and what that reveals about our need for belonging and companionship.
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60. S10E3: Why We Love Flawed Detectives
From Hercule Poirot's peculiar habits to Agatha Raisin's insecurities and impulsiveness, many of our favourite detectives are far from perfect. This episode explores why readers are drawn to flawed heroes and what their strengths, weaknesses, and humanity reveal about the way we view ourselves and others.
59. S10E2: The Psychology of the Fictional Village
Carsely, Cherringham, St Mary Mead. Fictional villages lie at the heart of many beloved mysteries, but why do readers find them so appealing? This episode explores belonging, familiarity, gossip, and community, revealing how these imagined places meet deep human needs for connection and identity.
58. S10E1 Murder as Comfort Reading
Why do millions of readers relax with stories that begin with murder? In this episode, we explore the curious appeal of cosy mysteries. From village settings and recurring characters to the promise that order will be restored, discover why these stories feel comforting rather than frightening—and what they reveal about our longing for meaning, security, and hope.
57. Special Episode: The Whole Story: Strengths, Struggles, and the Autistic Experience
For the past year, this podcast has explored autism through the character of Hercule Poirot—his attention to detail, his routines, his unique way of seeing the world, and the strengths that may resonate with many autistic people.
In this special episode, I want to acknowledge something equally important. Autism can be challenging.
56. S9E6 The Designed Detective: Towards a Theology of Neurodiversity
In this final reflection, we draw together centuries of history to build a theology of neurodiversity. We move beyond clinical labels to see Poirot’s mind as a divine workmanship, crafted intentionally for the "good work" of justice. By examining the "wages of misunderstanding," we acknowledge the cost of pathologizing difference and imagine a world where every kind of mind is seen and allowed to
55. S9E5 The Neurodivergent Detective: When Poirot Meets Modern Understanding
Discover how Hercule Poirot fits into the modern neurodiversity paradigm, where "eccentricity" is finally recognized as a distinct neurotype. We map his investigative genius to contemporary concepts like pattern recognition, flow states, and sensory intelligence. By applying the "double empathy problem" to his social interactions, we reframe his literal communication as a strength of clarity rathe
54. S9E4 The Disordered Detective: Early Autism Research and The Age of Pathology
Enter the complex "Age of Pathology," where early 20th-century researchers like Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger began to medically classify the human mind. We examine what these clinical pioneers would have made of Poirot, often missing his brilliance by focusing strictly on "deficits" and "rigidity". While Asperger noted a "strong sense of justice," the era still lacked the framework to see these tr
53. S9E3 The Sacred Detective: Saints, Sinners and the Medieval Mind Meets Poirot
Travel further back into the medieval imagination, where the strange and the meticulous were interpreted through a spiritual lens. In this world of saints and sinners, Poirot’s love of routine might have found a home in a monastic scriptorium, viewed as a contemplative vocation or a "divine gift of discernment". However, the same traits could also trigger suspicion of "scrupulosity" or "unnatural"
52. S9E2 The Strange Detective: How the Victorians Understood Poirot’s Mind
Journey back to the rigid moral climate of Victorian England to imagine Poirot through the lens of early psychiatry. In an era that viewed behaviour as a reflection of character rather than biology, his hyperfocus would likely be labelled "monomania" and his sensory sensitivities dismissed as a "delicate nervous system". We analyse how the Victorians conflated neurology with morality, placing bril
51. S9E1 The Eccentric Detective: How 1920s Britain Understood Poirot's Mind
Step into 1920s Britain, a world where the language of neurodiversity had yet to be born. In this era, Hercule Poirot’s precise routines, literal speech, and intense focus were often dismissed as mere "continental eccentricity" or explained away by his Belgian roots. We explore how society used cultural stereotypes to fill the void of neurological understanding. By examining these early perception
50. S8E6 Season Reflection: Seeing Clearly in a World of Distractions
A season of illusion. A pattern of truth. A mind that sees clearly. In this episode, we reflect on Poirot Investigates and discover how attention, pattern, and quiet discernment reveal what others overlook.
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49. S8E5 The Case of the Missing Will: Intelligence, Intention & the Truth Hidden in Plain Sight
A hidden document. A carefully designed test. A truth waiting to be seen. In this episode, we explore The Case of the Missing Will and discover how Poirot looks beyond complexity to uncover the intention hidden in plain sight. Spoilers included.
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48. S8E4 The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman: Charm, Performance & the Truth Hidden in Conversation
A frantic call. A staged scene. A story that doesn’t quite hold. In this episode, we explore The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman and discover how Poirot listens beyond words to uncover the truth hidden within a carefully constructed performance. Spoilers included.
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47. S8E3 The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim: Identity, Illusion & the Truth We Cannot Escape
A vanished man. An impossible mystery. A truth hiding in plain sight. In this episode, we explore The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim and discover how Poirot looks beyond disappearance to uncover the deeper question of identity and intention.
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46. S8E2 The Kidnapped Prime Minister: Power, Panic & the Illusion of Presence
A missing leader. A nation in panic. A deception on a grand scale. In this episode, we explore The Kidnapped Prime Minister and discover how Poirot sees through urgency and assumption to uncover a truth hidden in plain sight.
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45. S8E1 The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan: Glamour, Greed & the Discipline of Noticing
A stolen necklace. A convincing imitation. A truth easily misread. In this episode, we explore The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan and discover how Poirot looks beyond appearance to uncover what is real — and what only seems to be.
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44. S7E6 The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb: Fear, Superstition and the Stories We Believe
A series of deaths. A whispered curse. A fear that spreads. In this episode, we explore The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb and discover how Poirot looks beyond superstition to uncover the truth hidden beneath fear. Spoilers included!
43. S7E5 The Million Dollar Bond Robberty: Trust, Deception & the Limits of Systems
A missing fortune. An impossible theft. A system quietly deceived. In this episode, we explore The Million Dollar Bond Robbery and discover how Poirot looks beyond procedure and assumption to uncover a truth hidden in plain sight. Spoilers included!
42. S7E4 The Mystery of Hunters Lodge: Justice, Distance and the Limits of Proof
A remote lodge. A carefully constructed illusion. A truth that cannot be proven. In this episode, we explore The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge and discover how Poirot sees beyond appearances — and what it means when truth is known, but justice cannot follow. Spoilers included!
41. S7E3 The Adventure of the Cheap Flat: Identity, Disguise & the Ordinary as Cover
A cheap flat. A common name. A dangerous deception. In this episode, we explore The Adventure of the Cheap Flat and discover how Poirot sees beyond the ordinary to uncover what is hidden in plain sight. Spoilers included!
40. S7E2 The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor: Performance, deception and exposure
A suspicious death. A story that almost holds. In this episode, we explore The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor and discover how Poirot brings truth to light when a carefully constructed illusion begins to break. Spoilers included!
39. S7E1 The Adventure of the Western Star: Glamour, Truth & Method
A famous diamond. A mysterious warning. In this episode, we explore The Adventure of the Western Star and discover how Poirot sees beyond appearances to uncover the truth. Spoilers included!
38. Special Episode: Poirot and Mrs Oliver go to Church
In this special bonus episode, we imagine how Christie’s famous detective and his unconventional friend might experience worship through their very different minds and senses. Poirot finds holiness in order, stillness, and careful attention. Mrs Oliver encounters it in colour, connection, and spontaneous joy. Through their contrasting perspectives, we discover how neurodiversity shapes faith — and
37. S6E6 Every Sense of Grace: Designing Church for all Minds
In his final case, we consider how Poirot finds strength in order, stillness, and sensory peace. This concluding episode brings together everything we’ve explored — scent, sound, touch, routine, and communication — to imagine what church could feel like if every kind of mind were truly at home. Through detective fiction and theology, we discover how designing for sensory inclusion is not merely pr
36. S6E5 Unspoken Rules: Social Codes and Belonging
Poirot sees through the polite masks people wear — noticing truth where others hear only social performance. This episode explores the hidden social rules that shape church life, and why neurodivergent believers may experience these unspoken expectations differently. Through detective fiction, psychology, and Scripture, we reflect on how honest communication can create deeper belonging — and how t
35. S5E4 The Comfort of Order: Routine as Reverence
Poirot’s meticulous routines are not eccentric habits but anchors of peace in a chaotic world. This episode explores how predictability, rhythm, and repetition can transform worship from endurance into sanctuary — especially for neurodiverse minds. Through liturgy, psychology, and faith, we discover how routine can become reverence, and how sacred rhythm allows the soul to rest.
34. S6E3 The Touch of Peace: Physicality and Personal Boundaries
When Poirot declines a handshake, he is not rejecting connection — he is honouring his boundaries. This episode explores the complex role of touch in church life, from handshakes and hugs to communion and prayer. Drawing on detective fiction, sensory science, and theology, we consider how true peace respects bodily autonomy and creates space for every person to belong. Because sometimes, the most
33. S6E2 The Noise of the World: Sound, Silence and Worship
Poirot listens differently. While others are absorbed by sound, he seeks silence — knowing that clarity emerges in stillness. This episode explores how neurodivergent minds experience sound, and why what feels joyful to some can be overwhelming to others. Blending insights from Death on the Nile, neuroscience, and Scripture, we reflect on how churches can rediscover silence as a sacred gift — and
32. S6E1 The Smell of Paint: Sensory Sensitivity and Sacred Space
Inspired by Poirot’s inability to tolerate the smell of fresh paint, this episode explores the powerful and often overlooked role of scent in worship. For some neurodiverse believers, smell is not background but foreground — shaping whether church feels like sanctuary or survival. Through detective fiction, neuroscience, and theology, we consider how sacred spaces can honour the sensory life of ev
31. Special Episode: Stories that teach us to love
In this special episode, we explore how stories themselves teach us to love. Through the detective fiction of Agatha Christie and the parables of Scripture, we discover how storytelling strengthens empathy, deepens understanding, and invites us to look beyond behaviour into the human heart. Because every story — sacred or secular — trains us to listen more carefully, judge more gently, and see oth
30. S5E6 Integrity: When Belief and Behaviour Align
What if the true measure of faith is not what we say, but how we live? Hercule Poirot’s brilliance lies not only in his intellect, but in his integrity — the rare wholeness that unites belief and behaviour. In this final episode of The Faithful Detective, we explore the quiet power of a life lived without division. In a world of compromise, Poirot remains undivided — a man whose logic, conscience,
29. S5E5 Faith in a Secular Age
What does it mean to believe when the world no longer does? As war, loss, and modern doubt erode the certainties others once trusted, Hercule Poirot remains quietly unmoved. His faith is never loud, never preached — yet it shapes every decision he makes. In this episode, we explore the hidden conviction beneath Poirot’s logic, and the moral courage required to trust in goodness when belief itself
28. S5E4 Mercy and the Measure of Justice
When does justice require restraint rather than punishment? Through cases like Murder on the Orient Express and Five Little Pigs, this episode explores how Poirot balances law and love, revealing mercy as wisdom, not weakness.
27. S5E3 Confession, Truth and Grace
Poirot’s drawing rooms often become places of confession. This episode explores the detective as confessor, showing how truth, spoken aloud, becomes an act of grace — restoring moral order through patience, listening, and mercy.
26. S5E2 Sin and Moral Judgement
Poirot does not chase evil as spectacle — he exposes it as disorder. In this episode, we examine how Agatha Christie portrays sin through Poirot’s compassionate yet uncompromising moral vision, where truth is revealed to heal, not humiliate.
25. S5E1 Faith, Form and the Little Grey Cells
Poirot’s routines and precision tell us something important about how he sees the world. This episode reflects on how his love of order, method, and clarity points to a deeper sense of calling and moral responsibility.
24. S4E6 The Vision of the Stanger
What does it mean to see the world as an outsider? In this season finale, we explore Poirot’s greatest gift — not genius, but perspective. Standing slightly apart, he sees patterns others overlook, revealing prejudice, fear, and hidden truth with quiet clarity. Through Christie’s outsiders, neurodiversity insights, and gentle theological reflection, this episode considers why truth is often visibl
23. S4E5 The Innocent Suspect
Why do communities rush to blame the wrong person? This episode explores Christie’s “innocent suspects” — the nervous servant, the refugee, the timid companion — the ones accused not because of evidence, but because their difference makes them convenient targets. Through psychology, theology, and Poirot’s steady moral clarity, we examine how fear fuels scapegoating, and why Poirot consistently int
22. S4E4 The Ethics of the Outsider
What happens when justice and compassion collide? This episode explores Christie’s most morally complex territory: the moment when Poirot confronts not just crime, but conscience. Drawing on the Murder on the Orient Express, we examine how motive, mercy, and moral ambiguity shape Christie’s world — and how Poirot, as an outsider, discerns truth when law and humanity pull in different directions. B
21. S4E3 The Heart Misunderstood
Why are emotional women so often treated as suspects? This episode explores Christie’s “misjudged women” — the ones who feel deeply, speak plainly, or refuse to shrink into the roles expected of them. From Elsa Greer to Veronica Cray, we examine how emotion becomes misunderstood as manipulation, and how Poirot cuts through stereotype with empathy and pattern-based logic. Blending literary insight,
20. S4E2 The Shape of Oddness
Why do “odd” people become the first suspects? This episode explores Christie’s fascination with eccentrics and misfits — the artists, outsiders, worriers, and wanderers whom polite society mistrusts. From Henrietta Savernake to Cust and Miss Lawson, we look at how difference becomes suspicion, and how Poirot quietly resists that pattern. Blending literary insight, neurodiversity reflections, and
19. S4E1 The Foreigner Who Saw Clearly
In this episode, we explore how Agatha Christie’s famous detective sees what others miss — not despite his difference, but because of it. In this episode, we look at Poirot as the outsider: the foreigner whose accent, routines, and precision set him apart in English society, yet sharpen his insight. Through literature, neurodiversity, and gentle theological reflection, we consider why truth is oft
18. S3E6 Two Minds, One Purpose: The Harmony of Difference
This episode brings the season to a gentle close, exploring how Poirot and Mrs Oliver’s contrasting minds form a genuine harmony. Through Elephants Can Remember and Cards on the Table, we see logic and intuition, steadiness and spontaneity, fact and feeling working side by side. Their friendship becomes a picture of cognitive community — a reminder that different minds don’t compete but complete o
17. S3E5 Tea, Talk and Tolerance: Connection Across Neurotypes
This episode explores how connection grows between very different minds. Through Mrs McGinty’s Dead and Hallowe’en Party, we see Poirot’s quiet precision meet Mrs Oliver’s energetic, rapid-fire intuition. Their communication misfires, overlaps, and occasionally collides — yet their friendship endures through patience, affection, and curiosity. Blending psychology and gentle spiritual reflection, t
16. S3E4 All in the Mind: Focus and Flow
This episode explores hyperfocus in both Poirot and Mrs Oliver — two very different minds drawn into the same deep flow. Through Cards on the Table, we see Poirot’s quiet, steady concentration alongside Mrs Oliver’s energetic, idea-filled rush. One focuses through stillness, the other through movement, yet both express passion, purpose, and the beauty of a mind absorbed in meaningful work. Hyperfo
15. S3E3 Symmetry and Surprise: Physical space reflects the mind
This episode explores how our physical spaces shape our inner worlds. Through the contrast between Mrs Oliver’s colourful, creative clutter and Poirot’s precise, symmetrical apartment, we see two different ways minds find clarity — one through movement and possibility, the other through calm and order. Drawing on psychology and gentle spiritual reflection, this episode reminds us that there is no
14. S3E2 Different Ways of Knowing: Logic, intuition, and the beauty of two minds seeing differently
This episode explores two distinct ways of knowing: Poirot’s careful logic and Mrs Oliver’s racing intuition. Through Dead Man’s Folly and The Pale Horse, we see how their contrasting minds work in tandem — his patience meeting her instinct, his order grounding her rapid leaps. Their partnership challenges the idea that insight comes only through analysis, showing instead that truth can emerge fro
13. S3E1 The Pattern and the Storm: Introducing Ariadne Oliver
This episode explores the partnership between Poirot and Mrs Oliver, showing how different ways of thinking can work together. Poirot brings order, patience, and careful reasoning; Mrs Oliver brings intuition, energy, and surprising insight. Through their contrasts — logic and impulse, quiet and volume — we see that truth is found not in one style but in the meeting of many. Their collaboration ch
12. S2E6 Myth 6: Autistic lives are limited - The Whole Life of Hercule Poirot
This episode explores the myth that autistic people don’t want or need friends. Through the enduring bond between Poirot and Captain Hastings, we see how true friendship can thrive across difference — one mind logical and precise, the other warm and impulsive. Their story reminds us that connection isn’t about sameness but the quiet beauty of two minds learning to walk together.
11. S2E5 Myth 5: Autistic People Don’t Want Friends - A Friendship of Two Minds
This episode challenges the myth that autistic people lack imagination or humour. Through The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and The ABC Murders, we see how Poirot’s creativity flows through order and logic — finding beauty in patterns and joy in precision. His quiet wit and structured imagination reveal that creativity can be disciplined, purposeful, and deeply human.
10. S2E4 Myth 4: Autistic People Lack Imagination and Humour - The Imaginative Mind of Order
This episode challenges the myth that autistic people lack imagination or humour. Through The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and The ABC Murders, we see how Poirot’s creativity flows through order and logic — finding beauty in patterns and joy in precision. His quiet wit and structured imagination reveal that creativity can be disciplined, purposeful, and deeply human.
9. S2E3 Myth 3: Autistic People are Rigid and Inflexible - The Rhythm that Frees
This episode explores the myth that autistic people are rigid or inflexible. Through The Clocks and Evil Under the Sun, we see how Poirot’s love of order isn’t limitation but strength — a rhythm that steadies him in chaos and allows calm creativity to flourish. His routines become a form of wisdom and grace, showing that structure can be not control, but care.
8. S2E2 Myth 2: Autistic People don't Care about Others - Compassion in a Different Key
This episode explores the myth that autistic people don’t care about others. Through Peril at End House and Lord Edgware Dies, we see how Poirot’s empathy is thoughtful, precise, and deeply moral — a compassion expressed through truth and action rather than display. His friendship with Hastings reminds us that care can take many forms, and that true empathy often requires translation between diffe
7. S2E1 Myth 1: Autistic People lack Emotion - The Silent Heart of Hercule Poirot
In this opening episode, we challenge the myth that autistic people lack emotion. Through The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and Sad Cypress, we see Poirot’s quiet depth of feeling — compassion expressed through calm, justice, and respect. Beneath his order and restraint lies a deeply human heart that feels sorrow, empathy, and grace in ways the world often overlooks.
6. S1E6 The Moral Compass: Justice, Fairness, and the Heart of Integrity
In Five Little Pigs, Poirot revisits a decades-old murder not for fame, but to restore truth. This episode explores his unwavering sense of justice — a fairness grounded in compassion rather than condemnation. Through the lens of neurodiversity, we see how Poirot’s clarity, consistency, and moral reasoning reflect a mind deeply attuned to truth and integrity — revealing how difference can illumina
5. S1E5 The Art of Connection: Unique Social Interactions and the Heart of Empathy
In Lord Edgware Dies, Poirot’s literal, precise way of communicating reveals a different kind of social intelligence — one grounded in sincerity rather than charm. This episode explores how his formality, honesty, and attentiveness reflect neurodiverse ways of connecting, and how grace invites us to value truth over performance. Difference, we discover, is not a barrier to empathy — it’s another e
4. S1E4 The Comfort of Order: Routine, Rhythm, and Rest
For Hercule Poirot, order isn’t just preference — it’s peace. In this episode, we explore how routine brings balance, stability, and clarity to both Poirot’s world and to many neurodivergent lives. From tidy desks to daily rituals, we discover how rhythm creates resilience — and how small, steady habits can become quiet acts of grace.
3. S1E3 The Order of the Mind: Logical Thinking and the Pursuit of Truth
In Murder on the Orient Express, Hercule Poirot’s reason is tested when logic uncovers a truth too complex for law alone to resolve. This episode explores logical thinking as both a refuge and a moral compass — a way of seeing that organises chaos and reveals beauty in order. Through Poirot’s dilemma, we reflect on the limits of reason, the call to compassion, and the balance between truth and mer
2. S1E2 The Case of the Burning Mind: Hyperfocus and the Pursuit of Order
In The ABC Murders, Poirot’s relentless concentration reveals both his genius and his vulnerability. This episode explores hyperfocus — the deep, consuming attention that fuels Poirot’s pursuit of justice yet isolates him from the world around him. Through literary and spiritual reflection, we consider how intense focus can be both a sacred gift and a human challenge — one that calls for balance,
1. S1E1 The Little Grey Cells: Attention to Detail and the Neurodiverse Mind
Hercule Poirot’s genius lies not in intuition, but in his devotion to noticing. In this opening episode, we explore how Poirot’s extraordinary attention to detail — his love of order, his sensitivity to pattern, and his disciplined observation — mirrors the strengths often found in neurodivergent minds. Through The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, we discover how careful attention becomes both a path to t
