Greta Ohlsson

Greta Ohlsson is a Swedish missionary nurse who, during the investigation of the murder on the Orient Express, is revealed to have been the nurse of the kidnapped child Daisy Armstrong, making her one of the twelve conspirators who collectively executed Ratchett.

Identity and Background

Greta Ohlsson is a forty-nine-year-old Swedish woman who works as a matron in a missionary school near Stamboul and is a trained nurse. She is described as having a long, mild, sheep-like face, with a mass of faded yellow hair unbecomingly arranged in a large bun, and wearing glasses. Her manner is gentle and amiable, and she speaks French. She is travelling home for a holiday, intending to stay with a sister in Lausanne before continuing to Sweden. She presents herself as a simple, devout Christian, and when she first learns of the murder, she weeps, saying, "I am foolish. I am bad to cry. All is for the best, whatever happen."

Role in the Plot and Concealment

On the night of the murder, Ohlsson is the last passenger to see Ratchett alive. She opens the door of his compartment by mistake while looking for Mrs. Hubbard's compartment to ask for aspirin. Ratchett laughs and says something she finds unpleasant, telling her she is "too old." She then goes to Mrs. Hubbard, who asks her to check whether the communicating door between their compartments is bolted; Ohlsson confirms it is. She returns to her own compartment, takes the aspirin, and goes to bed at five minutes to eleven. She shares compartment No. 10 with Mary Debenham, and she swears that Debenham never left the compartment during the night, providing Debenham with an alibi. When first interviewed by Poirot, Ohlsson denies any knowledge of the Armstrong case, saying she has never heard of it. She also claims she has never been to America, though she nearly went once with an invalid lady. Her demeanor is that of a kindly, slightly flustered woman, and she is easily moved to tears by the tragedy.

Revelation as a Conspirator

Later, when Poirot confronts her, Ohlsson breaks down completely. She admits that she was the nurse in charge of little Daisy Armstrong. She weeps bitterly, describing Daisy as "an angel—a little sweet trustful angel" and expressing her joy that the evil man who killed her is dead. She confesses that she lied out of fear. Poirot accepts her confession without further questioning, patting her on the shoulder and telling her he understands everything. Her role in the conspiracy is confirmed by Linda Arden, who, in her final confession, explains that the plan was devised by the twelve people connected to the Armstrong tragedy, and that Ohlsson was one of them. Ohlsson's part in the murder itself was to enter Ratchett's darkened compartment and stab him, one of twelve blows delivered by the twelve conspirators.

Relationships and Thematic Significance

Ohlsson's connection to the Armstrong household is that of a devoted servant who loved the child she cared for. Her grief and rage over Daisy's death, combined with the injustice of Cassetti's acquittal, drove her to participate in the planned execution. She is a figure of quiet, maternal devotion turned to violent purpose. Her character illustrates how ordinary, gentle people can be transformed by collective trauma and a shared sense of justice. She is also a key part of the "jury of twelve" motif, representing the idea that the crime was not the act of a single murderer but a communal execution carried out by those who had been wronged. Her tearful, emotional collapse when confronted shows the psychological cost of the conspiracy, contrasting with the more controlled reactions of other conspirators like Mary Debenham or Colonel Arbuthnot.