Agatha Christie, a beloved mystery writer of the 20th century, was honored by Queen Elizabeth II and had a successful career. Her personal life inspired many of her books, and she developed popular characters such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her works have been adapted into films, radio programs, and television productions, but some adaptations lack fidelity to her original stories. Christie published over 70 novels, 24 plays, and several short story collections, making her one of the most prolific writers of her time.
Agatha Christie, born Agatha Miller, is one of the most beloved mystery writers of the 20th century. She is certainly the most relatable, and no mystery or mystery writer since then has had the same level of success. She was born in 1890 and died, much to the disappointment of her admirers. As well as enjoying the financial success of her books and plays, Agatha Christie was honored by Queen Elizabeth II when he bestowed the title of Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1976.
Her early years gave her much inspiration for later books. She married in 1914 and divorced her first husband, Archibald Christie, 14 years later. She is described as good-looking but cruel, and many of these males in Christie’s books are thought to have been modeled on her unhappy life with her first husband. Christie had her only daughter, Rosalind, in 1919.
Agatha Christie remarried in 1930 to Sir Max Mallowan who was an archaeologist. Together the two frequently traveled to the Middle East, and many of her later books are set in Egypt, with her most famous novel, Murder on the Orient Express set on the train itself.
Before becoming a mother, Agatha Christie worked as a nurse during the First World War. She later worked at a pharmacy, which provided her with significant information about poisons, which has been instrumental in some of her storylines. After the end of the war, she published her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which featured her famous Belgian detective character, Hercule Poirot. Almost every year of her life thereafter, she published at least one book, and sometimes several.
Agatha Christie was thought to be quite innovative in form. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd published in 1926 has a particularly unpredictable surprise ending given the first-person narrative he employs. Christie’s first play was published in 1928, but it was two of her later plays by her that gained the most critical attention.
Ten Little Indians, published in 1943, was based on his 1939 novel which appeared under several titles including And Then There Were None. The book was a great success, with a fantastic surprise ending. The Mousetrap was first produced in 1952 at the Ambassador’s Theater in London and is the longest running play in history. It is still being performed in London today and there is no intention of stopping production.
Agatha Christie developed several characters that soon became fan favorites and appeared in several of her books. Besides Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence and Ariadne Oliver make several appearances. Miss Oliver is a mystery writer, who many believe may be a semi-autobiographical but parodied version of Christie. She always appears in the Poirot novels, often taking center stage on parts of the Poirot stories. Also, Captain Hastings plays Poirot’s “Watson” in many instances.
In addition to her “character” novels, Agatha Christie has published numerous short stories. Her books have sold 2 billion copies in English translation alone and have been translated into over 100 languages. Her last two novels, Poirot’s Curtain and Sleeping Murder, Miss Marple’s Last Case, were published posthumously at her request.
Agatha Christie’s novels and plays have been made into feature films, radio programs and television productions. Many of the film adaptations lack merit. Truer adaptations can be found in BBC productions of the late 1980s and 1990s. The Miss Marple series starring Joan Hickson as Miss Marple is considered the best adaptation of Christie’s novels. Many of her fans also agree that David Suchet brilliantly played Poirot in more than ten separate episodes. The Poirot series may disappoint some of Christie’s more meticulous readers, as they often alter the main characters and events of her. A more recent adaptation of the Miss Marple books has also been produced by the BBC, but many find it to lack the fidelity and quality of performance that made Joan Hickson’s version so captivating.
Throughout her life, Agatha Christie published over 70 novels, 24 plays and several short story collections. She is one of her most prolific writers, having amassed an extraordinary amount of work in her lifetime. Her work is eminently accessible and always makes for easy and enjoyable reading.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
