---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd be an absolutely appalling…"
description: "\"I'd be an absolutely appalling detective... Appalling.\" — Nicola Walker"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg"
---

#  I'd be an absolutely appalling detective... Appalling.

![“I'd be an absolutely appalling detective... Appalling.” quote by Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg)

> “I'd be an absolutely appalling detective... Appalling.”

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker admits to being a terrible detective, emphasizing self‑awareness of incompetence.

**In simple terms:** Self‑recognition of poor skill.

Key Takeaway

Accept and improve limitations.

Themes

self‑awareness humor profession

Mood

wry reflective

Type

dramatic self‑critical

When to use this quote

- job performance reviews
- personal coaching
- skill training
- team dynamics

Key Concepts

psychology career development

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps improve detective skills?
- How does humor affect professional growth?

A Different Perspective

May undermine confidence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely/) [Absolutely Appalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely-appalling-3968016/) [Appalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalling/) [Appalling Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalling-detective-3968014/) [Detective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective/) [Detective Appalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detective-appalling-3968015/)

## Related quotes

> [The English treatment of the Irish was appalling. It was absolutely appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perdita-weeks/the-english-treatment-of-the-irish-was-appalling-it-was-absolutely/)

[Perdita Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perdita-weeks/)

> [This new thing about liking yourself, I find that absolutely appalling. Anyone who likes themselves, I just can't go too close to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-bouquet/this-new-thing-about-liking-yourself-i-find-that-absolutely-appalling/)

[Carole Bouquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-bouquet/)

> [I could never be anyone I've played. I am so not a detective; I can barely get 200 yards from A to B with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-could-never-be-anyone-i-ve-played-i-am-so-not-a-detective-i-can/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [New York is appalling, fantastically charmless and elaborately dire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/new-york-is-appalling-fantastically-charmless-and-elaborately-dire/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“I’m tired of the news. I’m tired of the way it makes things spectacular that aren’t, and deals so simplistically with what’s truly appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-m-tired-of-the-news-i-m-tired-of-the-way-it-makes-things-2/)

[Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/)

> [All of television's appalling, but this is hardly a new statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/all-of-television-s-appalling-but-this-is-hardly-a-new-statement/)

[Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/)

> [“Life is short and the number of books is appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/life-is-short-and-the-number-of-books-is-appalling/)

[John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/)

> [Every other writer's process is sort of vaguely scary and appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/every-other-writer-s-process-is-sort-of-vaguely-scary-and-appalling/)

[Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/)

> [All my friends' mothers were appalling women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/all-my-friends-mothers-were-appalling-women/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

> [The quality of writing attracts me to films, also who the other actors are, who the director is, where it's being shot. Any or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/the-quality-of-writing-attracts-me-to-films-also-who-the-other-actors/)

[Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/)

> [Regret is an appalling waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/regret-is-an-appalling-waste-of-time/)

[Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/)

> [You never know with politicians what they are really saying. And I don't say that in a negative way-they have an appalling job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/you-never-know-with-politicians-what-they-are-really-saying-and-i-don/)

[James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/)

> [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [What is this life but the sound of an appalling love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/what-is-this-life-but-the-sound-of-an-appalling-love/)

[Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/)

> [The neglect this implied, the suffering and wasted quality of human life were appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hollows/the-neglect-this-implied-the-suffering-and-wasted-quality-of-human/)

[Fred Hollows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hollows/)

## More by Nicola Walker

> [My two great fears are either not working or working on something that means you can't do something else you really want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/my-two-great-fears-are-either-not-working-or-working-on-something/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [My husband says I'm a grumpy lioness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/my-husband-says-i-m-a-grumpy-lioness/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> ['Spooks' was very much of its time and rather unique, so I was more than happy to be in that as a long-runner -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/spooks-was-very-much-of-its-time-and-rather-unique-so-i-was-more-than/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [I don't really have a treasured possession, but I do love my family's proper old photo album. We all have hundreds of photos on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-don-t-really-have-a-treasured-possession-but-i-do-love-my-family-s/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [My whole family were from the East End, but they moved away when I was a child. They still cannot get their heads around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/my-whole-family-were-from-the-east-end-but-they-moved-away-when-i-was/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [I'm a proper Essex girl because my family was part of that great exodus from the East End.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-m-a-proper-essex-girl-because-my-family-was-part-of-that-great/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [The best thing my mum and dad did was to send me to the local youth theatre. I loved that; I felt I'd found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/the-best-thing-my-mum-and-dad-did-was-to-send-me-to-the-local-youth/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [I would like to think that there are more women in positions of power, to actually get these projects off the ground that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-would-like-to-think-that-there-are-more-women-in-positions-of-power/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [I'm a hoarder, but then, when it all gets too much, I turn into a ruthless chucker. I'm very good at clearing out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-m-a-hoarder-but-then-when-it-all-gets-too-much-i-turn-into-a/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [My family moved out of London's East End to a tiny village. The school I went to was supposed to be mixed gender, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/my-family-moved-out-of-london-s-east-end-to-a-tiny-village-the-school/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [We're all used to seeing a lot of cop shows, some of them brilliant, some of them very generic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/we-re-all-used-to-seeing-a-lot-of-cop-shows-some-of-them-brilliant/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [You can't escape your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/you-can-t-escape-your-face/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [My dad always jokes that if I ever write an autobiography, which I'm not going to, it'll be called 'It's Tough in the Middle.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/my-dad-always-jokes-that-if-i-ever-write-an-autobiography-which-i-m/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [Cornwall is my favourite place - I wish I could earn a living there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/cornwall-is-my-favourite-place-i-wish-i-could-earn-a-living-there/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

> [It was really unusual that the crews on 'Spooks' were a real mix of men and women, and you'd struggle to see many women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/it-was-really-unusual-that-the-crews-on-spooks-were-a-real-mix-of-men/)

[Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

[Explore all 91 Nicola Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/)

## More Absolutely quotes

> [I am absolutely my own biggest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-am-absolutely-my-own-biggest-critic/)

[Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/)

> [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/)

[David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/)

> [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/)

[Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/)

> [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/)

[Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/)

> [“None is absolutely true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-z-lavine/none-is-absolutely-true/)

[T.Z. Lavine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-z-lavine/)

> [The game business arose from computer programs that were written by and for young men in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-laurel/the-game-business-arose-from-computer-programs-that-were-written-by/)

[Brenda Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-laurel/)

> [If I was a man, I would be a drag queen. Honestly, I would. I absolutely love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/if-i-was-a-man-i-would-be-a-drag-queen-honestly-i-would-i-absolutely/)

[Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/)

> [There's very little about being in a functional-M.R.I. scanner that is natural: you are flat on your back, absolutely still, with your head immobilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/there-s-very-little-about-being-in-a-functional-m-r-i-scanner-that-is/)

[Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/)

> [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/)

[Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/)

> [I'm absolutely an Elizabeth Taylor fan!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-m-absolutely-an-elizabeth-taylor-fan/)

[Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/)

> [You can absolutely be what you can't see! That's what innovators and disruptors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/you-can-absolutely-be-what-you-can-t-see-that-s-what-innovators-and/)

[Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/)

> [There were a lot of clubs interested in me - a lot, really. But Manchester United appeared and didn't go away. They absolutely wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-di-maria/there-were-a-lot-of-clubs-interested-in-me-a-lot-really-but/)

[Angel Di Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-di-maria/)

> [People look at the same passage, and one person will say this is the best thing he's ever read, and another person will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/people-look-at-the-same-passage-and-one-person-will-say-this-is-the/)

[Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/)

> [I absolutely love 'TOWIE.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/i-absolutely-love-towie/)

[Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/)

> [Chucky is absolutely still a puppet. He will remain to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-dourif/chucky-is-absolutely-still-a-puppet-he-will-remain-to-be/)

[Fiona Dourif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-dourif/)

[Browse all 1,136 Absolutely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'd be an absolutely appalling detective... Appalling.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nicola Walker"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective-appalling/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Absolutely"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective-appalling/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db3/nicola-walker-7390_absolutely_i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective_2877221.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'd be an absolutely appalling detective... Appalling.” — Nicola Walker",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nicola Walker",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'd be an absolutely appalling detective......",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective-appalling/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-d-be-an-absolutely-appalling-detective-appalling/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
