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Colonel Race
Andrew Pennington is one of the two remaining American trustees for Linnet Ridgeway (the other being his partner Sterndale Rockford, another tall, graying, clean-shaven man who resembles Pennington). He works in an office in New York City and is in charge of managing her fortune until she either reaches twenty-one or gets married. When he receives a letter revealing that Linnet suddenly married Simon Doyle, he immediately decides he needs to go to Egypt to see them on their honeymoon as this marriage could cause him and his partner significant financial difficulties. Pennington remains a plausible candidate for the murderer for much of the story, and like many characters, he gets himself in trouble through his own greed.
Andrew Pennington Quotes in Death on the Nile
The Death on the Nile quotes below are all either spoken by Andrew Pennington or refer to Andrew Pennington. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter Twenty-Six Quotes
“Perhaps not, but the custom, it still remains. The Old School Tie is the Old School Tie, and there are certain things (I know this from experience) that the Old School Tie does not do! One of those things, Monsieur Fanthorp, is to butt into a private conversation unasked when one does not know the people who are conducting it.”
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“That was an accident. I swear it was an accident!” The man leant forward, his face working, his eyes terrified. “I stumbled and fell against it. I swear it was an accident. . . .”
The two men said nothing.
Pennington suddenly pulled himself together. He was still a wreck of a man, but his fighting spirit had returned in a certain measure. He moved towards the door.
“You can’t pin that on me, gentlemen. It was an accident. And it wasn’t I who shot her. D’you hear? You can’t pin that on me either—and you never will.”
He went out.
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Chapter Thirty-One Quotes
Lastly the body of Linnet Doyle was brought ashore, and all over the world wires began to hum, telling the public that Linnet Doyle, who had been Linnet Ridgeway, the famous, the beautiful, the wealthy Linnet Doyle was dead.
Sir George Wode read about it in his London club, and Sterndale Rockford in New York, and Joanna Southwood in Switzerland, and it was discussed in the bar of the Three Crowns in Malton-under-Wode.
And Mr. Burnaby said acutely: “Well, it doesn’t seem to have done her much good, poor lass.”
But after a while they stopped talking about her and discussed instead who was going to win the Grand National. For, as Mr. Ferguson was saying at that minute in Luxor, it is not the past that matters but the future.
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Andrew Pennington Character Timeline in Death on the Nile
The timeline below shows where the character Andrew Pennington appears in Death on the Nile. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter One
X. Andrew Pennington reads a letter that makes him slam his fist on his desk in his New...
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Pennington and Rockford discuss, obliquely, how Linnet’s marriage will affect them. As they think about ways...
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...boat on the Nile. It also mentions a chance encounter with “my American trustee, Andrew Pennington,” who, the sender says, had no idea that the sender of the letter was married...
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...to take a trip to Egypt. He argues Fanthorp is perfect because neither Linnet nor Pennington know him. Fanthorp doesn’t like the idea, but Carmichael insists on it, calling the whole...
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Chapter Three
...introduce himself. Linnet says she remembers him and introduces the American as her trustee, Mr. Pennington. Tim then takes the whole party to the hotel terrace to meet his mother, Mrs....
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Chapter Six
Poirot asks Simon about a third person who’s been traveling with him and Linnet: Andrew Pennington (Linnet’s American trustee). Simon says they met Pennington by chance meeting in Cairo. Poirot delicately...
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Simon tells Poirot that he learned in Cairo that Pennington was taking the same Nile trip as Simon and Linnet. It’s been a relief, since...
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Chapter Seven
...if given the right motivation. They discuss several hotel guests—Mrs. Allerton herself, Simon, Linnet, Jacqueline, Pennington, and Mrs. Otterbourne—and come to the conclusion that all of them could commit murder for...
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Chapter Eight
...Linnet (wearing an expensive frock and a pearl necklace) seated off in a corner with Pennington. They figure out that Fanthorp is one of the other men at Dr. Bessner’s table,...
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Chapter Nine
...tour is being run, while Mrs. Allerton makes small talk with Mr. Fanthorp. Meanwhile, Andrew Pennington stands with Linnet and remarks that she looks well—better than she’s been looking lately. Soon...
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Later, in the saloon, Pennington asks if it’s okay to bring up a business issue with Linnet (who is with...
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As Pennington leafs through the papers for Linnet and Simon, Fanthorp comes into the saloon. After signing...
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Chapter Ten
As the tour guide leads the whole group ashore, Poirot walks with Pennington. Poirot asks him about his boat ride over from the U.S. on the Carmanic and...
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Poirot changes the topic to Linnet and Simon, asking Pennington if Linnet is in line to inherit a large fortune. Pennington confirms that this is...
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Chapter Twelve
...with Dr. Bessner. Fanthorp is seated nearby, while Simon and Linnet are playing bridge with Pennington and Race, and Poirot is yawning in a corner. Miss Van Schuyler tells Poirot that...
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...Schuyler to bed, comes back to the saloon with some needlework. Simon, Linnet, Race, and Pennington are still playing bridge. Jacqueline comes up to Cornelia and begins making conversation. Jacqueline calls...
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Simon makes a bad play in bridge, and Linnet declares that she’s sleepy. Race and Pennington agree that they are too, while Simon says he’ll have a drink before retiring. Cornelia...
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Chapter Thirteen
...and Poirot her story. They establish that she last saw Linnet alive at 11:20 p.m. Pennington left for bed a few minutes after, leaving Jacqueline, Simon, Fanthorp, and Cornelia in the...
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Chapter Fifteen
Race asks if there are any other “possibilities,” and Poirot brings up Pennington, the American trustee. He found it suspicious earlier when Pennington was trying to get Linnet...
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Chapter Eighteen
When Pennington is brought into the smoking room, he acts shocked and saddened at the murder of...
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Chapter Twenty-One
...only one who would’ve had a chance to really hear what was going on was Pennington. They resolve to see him again with “the kid gloves removed.”
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Chapter Twenty-Two
...Simon, who confirms that Linnet didn’t travel with imitation pearls. They find nothing. While checking Pennington’s room, they find no pearls and all his documents seem to be legitimate. He does...
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After leaving Pennington’s cabin, Poirot suggests Race search Jacqueline’s cabin, Cornelia’s cabin, and two empty cabins while Poirot...
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Chapter Twenty-Four
...deck lounge and didn’t see anyone run that way. Race identifies the revolver as possibly Pennington’s, then goes to Pennington’s cabin to confirm that the revolver from his drawer is in...
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Race and Poirot find Pennington writing letters on the deck below, apparently oblivious to the shot. He is shocked to...
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Chapter Twenty-Five
Pennington is shocked that his revolver was used to commit murder and maintains that he was...
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Race and Poirot leave Pennington, agreeing that he seems afraid. As they reach the promenade deck, Mrs. Allerton comes up...
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Chapter Twenty-Six
Race finds Poirot still sitting in the saloon and reminds him that his interview with Pennington in the smoke room is in 10 minutes. Poirot asks Race to first get Fanthorp....
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...prevent Linnet from signing anything without reading it first. Poirot then reveals to Fanthorp that Pennington’s revolver was the murder weapon. Poirot asks why Fanthorp really came on the trip.
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...Poirot that his uncle Carmichael was Linnet’s lawyer and that, for various reasons, Carmichael suspected Pennington of being a crook. When his uncle received a letter that mentioned Linnet’s unexpected meeting...
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...With a smile, Fanthorp says Simon, which Poirot agrees with—and notes that this fact gives Pennington a motive to kill Linnet. Fanthorp calls the theory interesting but says there’s no evidence....
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When Pennington arrives in the smoking room, he is smiling, with just a hint of guardedness. Poirot...
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...gain control of her fortune on her twenty-first birthday, but that her marriage changed things. Pennington recoils at this question and asks if it’s relevant. Poirot insists it may be relevant...
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Poirot catches Pennington in a lie—the labels on his luggage say Normandie, not Carmanic, meaning he took a...
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Poirot suggests instead that Linnet’s sudden marriage caused a financial problem for Pennington. After failing to get her to sign the right documents, Pennington (according to Poirot) was...
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Poirot goes further: he says Pennington again saw an opportunity on the boat to dispose of Linnet when the murder would...
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Poirot creates a hypothetical scenario for Pennington: if Linnet is dead, Simon would know nothing about how to manage her fortune and...
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Pennington confesses to the financial problems: he blames the recent financial slump and says that he...
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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Race sighs and says they got more from Pennington than expected: a confession of fraud and of attempted murder. He muses that a real...
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...order that only makes sense to him, Poirot at last says, “Yes, it’s all there. Pennington didn’t do it, Race!” Race is startled. Poirot explains that despite the motive, Pennington isn’t...
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...that were stolen from the nightstand. Tim goes pale—he can’t control himself as well as Pennington. He says if all that’s true, then where are the real pearls?
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