# John Ingles — The Big Four character guide

> John Ingles in The Big Four by Agatha Christie.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. John Ingles, Mr. Ingles, Ingles

**First appearance:** 0001-ii-the-man-from-the-asylum

## Snapshot

A quiet, unassuming man who steps forward from a corner by the bookcase to confirm that he, too, has heard of the shadowy Li Chang Yen.

## Who they are

Ingles is an old acquaintance of Poirot's, present at the tense briefing where the detective lays out the Big Four's existence to skeptical officials. While a French premier dismisses the whole conspiracy as mania, Ingles' unexpected voice cuts through the disbelief with a single, steadying word of corroboration. His quiet reliability makes him exactly the kind of ally Poirot needs when the world's most powerful men refuse to believe what is coming.

## Relationships

### [Hercule Poirot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/characters/hercule_poirot)

_friendship_

John Ingles is an ally and friend who aids Poirot in his investigation against the Big Four.

### [Hercule Poirot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/characters/hercule_poirot)

_friendship_

John Ingles is an ally and friend who aids Poirot in his investigation against the Big Four.

### [Hercule Poirot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/characters/hercule_poirot)

_friendship_

John Ingles is an ally and friend who aids Poirot in his investigation against the Big Four.

## In the story

### [We Hear More About Li Chang Yen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/iii-we-hear-more-about-li-chang-yen)

Retired Civil Servant with deep knowledge of Li Chang Yen; describes Li Chang Yen as the controlling brain behind global unrest; shares a letter from Jonathan Whalley about 'The Big Four.'

### [IV: The Importance of a Leg of Mutton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/iv-the-importance-of-a-leg-of-mutton)

Present at the bungalow, examines Chinese pottery, and later praises Poirot's deduction.

### [XV: The Terrible Catastrophe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xv-the-terrible-catastrophe)

Confirms the existence and power of Li Chang Yen, supporting Poirot's claims.

### [The Dying Chinaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xvi-the-dying-chinaman)

Reported missing and presumed dead after falling overboard from the S.S. Shanghai; Hastings suspects murder by the Big Four.

### [Number Four Wins a Trick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/chapters/xvii-number-four-wins-a-trick)

Mentioned as having sent a coded message via his dying servant, which Poirot uses to deduce the meeting place.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/characters/john_ingles
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_big_four_se/characters