Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is one of the most successful and widely read writers in literary history. Born in Torquay, Devon, in 1890, she became known throughout the world as the “Queen of Crime”, creating ingenious mysteries that combine murder, clues, misdirection and the satisfying restoration of order. Her books are admired less for elaborate prose than for their ingenious plotting, memorable situations and apparently effortless readability.

Her first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, appeared in 1920 and introduced Hercule Poirot, the fastidious Belgian detective who would become one of fiction’s most recognisable characters. Miss Jane Marple followed later, bringing her own deceptively gentle methods of detection to a long series of mysteries.

Christie drew extensively on her own experiences. Her wartime work in hospital dispensaries gave her a detailed knowledge of medicines and poisons, while her travels with her second husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan, provided settings and inspiration for many novels. She also wrote plays, short stories and six novels under the name Mary Westmacott.