What was Parker Pyne's former job before advertising his services?

Parker Pyne’s former job before advertising his services was statistician.

James Parker Pyne is introduced as a retired government employee who turns his knowledge of human behaviour into an unusual private practice. His newspaper advertisement—“Are You Happy? If Not, Consult Mr. Parker Pyne”—promises help with unhappiness rather than conventional detective work.

Pyne calls himself a “detective of the heart.” He classifies personal troubles, then uses carefully planned schemes and a team of assistants to restore romance, confidence or contentment. His statistical background gives him a practical, analytical way to think about recurring patterns in human dissatisfaction.

The character first appeared in stories collected in Parker Pyne Investigates, published in Britain in 1934. That book’s American edition appeared later the same year as Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective, which can cause confusion when readers search for the character. He is also connected to Miss Lemon and Ariadne Oliver, both of whom later intersect with Christie’s better-known detective world.