Mrs Craddock

In the novel Cards on the Table, Mrs Craddock was a patient of Dr Roberts. Her husband died from anthrax poisoning, and she died abroad.

Shortly after the death of her husband, Mrs Craddock sold her house at 117 North Audley Street, and planned to go to Egypt. She went to Dr Roberts for inoculations against typhoid fever, in preparation for the trip. She also purchased a lot of new clothes, all in light colours.

While she was in Egypt, Mrs Craddock contracted blood poisoning, and eventually died. Superintendent Battle surmises that the bacteria could have been introduced into the bloodstream before leaving Engand, when she had the typhoid inoculations. However, there is no proof that this is what happened.

Portrayals
In the film adaptation of Cards on the Table in Series 10 of ITV's Agatha Christie's Poirot drama series, Mrs Craddock is given the first name "Dorothy". Dr Roberts claimed that she had tried to attract his attention but he had rebuffed her and this had led to a violent argument in his clinic which had been overhead by his secretary. Her death in Egypt was thought to be due to an infection sustained there. However Poirot later reconstructed how she died and why Dr Roberts killed her, a conclusion that was not challenged by Roberts. Mrs Craddock had discovered that Roberts was having a homosexual relationship with her husband. The argument over this in the clinic was what was overhead by the secretary. Roberts thought Mrs Craddock might expose the facts. So, since she needed inoculations for a trip to Egypt, he proceed to give her an injection with an infected needle (there is a flashback showing how this was done). She later developed blood poisoning in Egypt and died. Poirot surmised that before dying, Mrs Craddock must have met Shaitana and told him her suspicions. Mrs Craddock is portrayed by Zigi Ellison.