Oswald Forbes

In the novella Dead Man's Mirror, Oswald Forbes was a family friend of the Chevenix-Gore family and the family lawyer. His firm “Forbes, Ogilvie & Spence” had represented the Chevenix-Gore family for well over a hundred years. After the death of Gervase Chevenix-Gore, Forbes told Major Riddle and Poirot, who were investigating the murder, about the contents of dead man's will. He also gave some background of the relationship between Gervase and his nephew Hugo Trent which explained why he only got a small share of the estate. Forbes later told them that after his arrival at Hamborough Close, Gervase had instructed him to prepare a new will which would have contained a conditional clause that Ruth Chevenix-Gore, originally the main legatee, would only inherit if she married Hugo Trent.

Forbes was extremely cautious and guarded. He only answered what was asked and did not offer his own opinion. As Major Riddle said to Poirot after the interview, "Extracting information from these old fashioned legal wallahs takes a bit of doing."

Oswald Forbes is not featured in the film adaptation of the original story in Series 5 of ITV's Agatha Christie's Poirot.