Agatha Christie (born September 15, 1890 – died January 12, 1976) was a British writer known as the Queen of Crime. She authored 66 detective novels, 14 short story collections, and the world's longest-running play, *The Mousetrap*.
Born in Torquay, England, Christie created two of the most iconic detectives in literary history: Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her most celebrated works include *Murder on the Orient Express*, *The Murder of Roger Ackroyd*, and *And Then There Were None*.
Christie is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, with over two billion copies of her books sold. Her works have been translated into more than 100 languages, making her one of the most translated authors in history.
She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971 for her contributions to literature. Christie's influence on mystery and crime fiction remains unmatched, and her works continue to captivate readers and audiences worldwide.
Date of Birth: September 15, 1890
Place of Birth: Torquay, England, United Kingdom
Nationality: British
Known for: Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, *The Mousetrap*, Detective Fiction
Christie's unique plot structures, red herrings, and surprising twists revolutionized detective fiction. Her books are known for their logic-based mysteries, psychological depth, and memorable characters.
In 1926, Christie famously disappeared for eleven days, sparking national intrigue. She later resumed writing and continued her prolific output under both her name and the pseudonym Mary Westmacott for romance novels.
Agatha Christie died on January 12, 1976, in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Her legacy endures through adaptations, festivals, and academic study. She remains the most influential figure in crime literature.
| Year | Title/Event | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detective & Mystery Novels (Agatha Christie) | |||
| 1920 | The Mysterious Affair at Styles | Novel | Poirot debut |
| 1922 | The Secret Adversary | Novel | Tommy & Tuppence |
| 1923 | Murder on the Links | Novel | Poirot case |
| 1924 | The Man in the Brown Suit | Novel | Adventure thriller |
| 1925 | The Secret of Chimneys | Novel | Political intrigue |
| 1926 | The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Novel | Classic twist |
| 1927 | The Big Four | Novel | Poirot conspiracy |
| 1928 | The Mystery of the Blue Train | Novel | Train murder |
| 1929 | The Seven Dials Mystery | Novel | Chimneys circle |
| 1930 | The Murder at the Vicarage | Novel | Miss Marple debut |
| 1930 | The Mysterious Mr Quin | Novel | Harley Quin tales |
| 1931 | The Sittaford Mystery | Novel | Seance clue |
| 1932 | Peril at End House | Novel | Poirot seaside |
| 1932 | Lord Edgware Dies | Novel | Poirot & society |
| 1933 | Murder on the Orient Express | Novel | Poirot train |
| 1934 | Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? | Novel | Amateur sleuths |
| 1934 | Three Act Tragedy | Novel | Poirot theatre |
| 1934 | Murder in Mesopotamia | Novel | Archaeology setting |
| 1935 | Death on the Nile | Novel | Poirot Egypt |
| 1935 | Appointment with Death | Novel | Poirot Jerusalem |
| 1936 | The A.B.C. Murders | Novel | Serial pattern |
| 1936 | Murder in the Mews | Novel | Poirot stories |
| 1936 | Cards on the Table | Novel | Poirot & suspects |
| 1937 | Dumb Witness | Novel | Dog evidence |
| 1937 | Death on the Downs | Novel | Superintendent Battle |
| 1937 | Miss Marple’s Final Cases and Two Other Stories | Collection | Marple late cases |
| 1938 | Hercule Poirot’s Christmas | Novel | Holiday murder |
| 1938 | Sad Cypress | Novel | Poirot tragedy |
| 1939 | And Then There Were None | Novel | Island countdown |
| 1939 | Murder Is Easy | Novel | Village killings |
| 1940 | One, Two, Buckle My Shoe | Novel | Poirot dentist |
| 1940 | Sad Cypress | Novel | Courtroom tension |
| 1941 | N or M? | Novel | Wartime spies |
| 1941 | Evil Under the Sun | Novel | Resort alibi |
| 1942 | The Body in the Library | Novel | Marple evidence |
| 1942 | Five Little Pigs | Novel | Cold-case Poirot |
| 1944 | Towards Zero | Novel | Battle investigation |
| 1945 | Death Comes as the End | Novel | Ancient Egypt |
| 1946 | Sparkling Cyanide | Novel | Poison reprise |
| 1948 | The Hollow | Novel | Country-house drama |
| 1949 | Taken at the Flood | Novel | Postwar motives |
| 1950 | A Murder Is Announced | Novel | Marple notice |
| 1951 | They Came to Baghdad | Novel | International thriller |
| 1952 | Mrs McGinty’s Dead | Novel | Poirot boardinghouse |
| 1953 | After the Funeral | Novel | Poirot inheritance |
| 1954 | A Pocket Full of Rye | Novel | Nursery rhyme |
| 1955 | Hickory Dickory Dock | Novel | Poirot hostel |
| 1956 | Dead Man’s Folly | Novel | Ariadne Oliver |
| 1957 | 4.50 from Paddington | Novel | Train witness |
| 1958 | Ordeal by Innocence | Novel | Adoption secrets |
| 1959 | Cat Among the Pigeons | Novel | School mystery |
| 1960 | The Pale Horse | Novel | Poison network |
| 1961 | The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side | Novel | Marple & stardom |
| 1962 | The Clocks | Novel | Poirot puzzle |
| 1963 | A Caribbean Mystery | Novel | Marple holiday |
| 1964 | At Bertram’s Hotel | Novel | Marple London |
| 1965 | Third Girl | Novel | Oliver & Poirot |
| 1967 | Endless Night | Novel | Psychological twist |
| 1968 | By the Pricking of My Thumbs | Novel | Tommy & Tuppence |
| 1969 | Hallowe’en Party | Novel | Poirot child death |
| 1970 | Passenger to Frankfurt | Novel | Political thriller |
| 1971 | Nemesis | Novel | Marple & will |
| 1972 | Elephants Can Remember | Novel | Oliver casefile |
| 1973 | Postern of Fate | Novel | Berresfords finale |
| 1974 | Poirot’s Early Cases | Collection | Early Poirot |
| 1975 | Curtain | Novel | Poirot last case |
| 1976 | Sleeping Murder | Novel | Marple last case |
| Romance Novels (as Mary Westmacott) | |||
| 1930 | Giant’s Bread | Novel | Westmacott debut |
| 1934 | Unfinished Portrait | Novel | Psychological romance |
| 1944 | Absent in the Spring | Novel | Identity reckoning |
| 1948 | The Rose and the Yew Tree | Novel | Rural obsession |
| 1952 | A Daughter’s a Daughter | Novel | Family conflict |
| 1956 | The Burden | Novel | Sister bond |
| Short Story Collections (Book Collections) | |||
| 1924 | Poirot Investigates | Collection | Poirot shorts |
| 1929 | Partners in Crime | Collection | Tommy & Tuppence |
| 1932 | The Thirteen Problems | Collection | Marple stories |
| 1933 | The Hound of Death | Collection | Supernatural tales |
| 1934 | Parker Pyne Investigates | Collection | Parker Pyne cases |
| 1934 | The Listerdale Mystery | Collection | Mixed mysteries |
| 1939 | The Regatta Mystery | Collection | Poirot & others |
| 1947 | The Labours of Hercules | Collection | Poirot twelve |
| 1948 | Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories | Collection | Courtroom stories |
| 1960 | The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding | Collection | Seasonal Poirot |
| 1971 | The Golden Ball and Other Stories | Collection | Early fiction |
| Other Books (Nonfiction / Memoir / Poetry) | |||
| 1925 | The Road of Dreams | Poetry | Early poems |
| 1946 | Come, Tell Me How You Live | Memoir | Archaeology travel |
| 1965 | Star Over Bethlehem | Poetry/Stories | Religious themes |
| 1977 | An Autobiography | Autobiography | Posthumous memoir |
| Stage Works (Notable Plays) | |||
| 1952 | The Mousetrap | Play | West End record |
| 1953 | Witness for the Prosecution | Play | Courtroom thriller |
| 1954 | Spider’s Web | Play | West End hit |