Who doesn’t know Agatha Christie? The Queen of Mystery continues to enchant readers through her captivating plots and characters even today. If you’ve read a Christie book once, there’s just no going back. But if you’re new to her books, here’s a curated list of some of best Agatha Christie books you just can’t miss. These books represent a diverse selection of Agatha Christie’s work and showcase her mastery of mystery writing. Whether you’re new to her novels or a dedicated fan, these titles are excellent starting places to immerse yourself in her thrilling and intricate storytelling.
Who is Agatha Christie?
Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was a renowned British author and one of the most celebrated and successful crime writers of all time. Born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller, she began writing mystery novels in the early 20th century and went on to publish an extensive body of work that has captivated readers around the world.
Christie’s novels are known for their intricate plots, clever twists, and memorable characters, particularly her beloved detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her stories often involve murder mysteries set in various settings, ranging from quaint English villages to glamorous international locales. Over the course of her prolific career, Agatha Christie wrote 66 detective novels, numerous short stories, and several successful plays, including “The Mousetrap,” which holds the record for the world’s longest-running play. Her works have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over two billion copies worldwide, making her one of the best-selling authors in history.
(Source: Goodreads, Google)
And now, let’s dive into the list.
And Then There Were None
First, there were ten – a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal – and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.
The ABC Murders
There’s a serial killer on the loose, working his way through the alphabet and the whole country is in a state of panic.
A is for Mrs. Ascher in Andover, B is for Betty Barnard in Bexhill, C is for Sir Carmichael Clarke in Churston. With each murder, the killer is getting more confident — but leaving a trail of deliberate clues to taunt the proud Hercule Poirot might just prove to be the first, and fatal, mistake.
Death on the Nile
The tranquility of a lovely cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot. She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything – until she lost her life.
Who is also on board? Christie’s great detective Hercule Poirot is on holiday. He recalls an earlier outburst by a fellow passenger: ‘I’d like to put my dear little pistol against her head and just press the trigger.’ Despite the exotic setting, nothing is ever quite what it seems…
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
A refugee of the Great War, Poirot has settled in England near Styles Court, the country estate of his wealthy benefactor, the elderly Emily Inglethorp. When Emily is poisoned and the authorities are baffled, Poirot puts his prodigious sleuthing skills to work. Suspects are plentiful, including the victim’s much younger husband, her resentful stepsons, her longtime hired companion, a young family friend working as a nurse, and a London specialist on poisons who just happens to be visiting the nearby village.
All of them have secrets they are desperate to keep, but none can outwit Poirot as he navigates the ingenious red herrings and plot twists that contribute to Agatha Christie’s well-deserved reputation as the queen of mystery.
Elephants Can Remember
Hercule Poirot stood on the cliff-top. For here, many years earlier, there had been a tragic accident – the broken body of a woman was discovered on the rocks at the foot of the cliff. This was followed by the grisly discovery of two more bodies – a husband and wife – shot dead. But who had killed whom? Was it a suicide pact? A crime of passion? Or cold-blooded murder? Poirot delves back into a crime committed 15 years earlier and discovers that, when there is a distinct lack of physical evidence, it’s just as well that ‘old sins leave long shadows.’
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
In Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, the holidays are anything but merry when a family reunion is marred by murder — and the notoriously fastidious investigator is quickly on the case. The wealthy Simeon Lee has demanded that all four of his sons — one faithful, one prodigal, one impecunious, one sensitive — and their wives return home for Christmas. But a heartwarming family holiday is not exactly what he has in mind. He bedevils each of his sons with barbed insults and finally announces that he is cutting off their allowances and changing his will. Poirot is called in the aftermath of Simeon Lee’s announcement.
Nemesis
In utter disbelief, Jane Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr Rafiel – an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. He had left instructions for her to investigate a crime after his death. The only problem was, he had failed to tell her who was involved or where and when the crime had been committed. It was most intruguing. Soon she is faced with a new crime – the ultimate crime – murder. It seems someone is adamant that past evils remain buried…
The Body in the Library
It’s seven in the morning. The Bantrys wake to find the body of a young woman in their library. She is wearing an evening dress and heavy makeup, which is now smeared across her cheeks. But who is she? How did she get there? And what is the connection with another dead girl, whose charred remains are later discovered in an abandoned quarry?
The respectable Bantrys invite Miss Marple into their home to investigate. Amid rumors of scandal, she baits a clever trap to catch a ruthless killer.
They Came to Baghdad
In Agatha Christie’s classic crime adventure novel, They Came to Baghdad , a bright, young adventure seeker in the Middle East finds more excitement than she bargained for when a wounded spy expires in her hotel room. A secret superpower summit is being held in Baghdad, but the word is out, and an underground organization in the Middle East is plotting to sabotage the talks. Into this explosive situation appears Victoria Jones, a young woman with a yearning for adventure who gets more than she bargains for when a wounded spy dies in her hotel room. The only man who can save the summit is dead. Can Victoria make sense of his dying Lucifer…Basrah…Lefarge. . . .
Five Little Pigs
All the evidence said Caroline Crale poisoned her philandering husband, a brilliant painter. She was quickly and easily convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Now, sixteen years later, in a posthumous letter, Mrs. Crale has assured her grown daughter that she was innocent. But instead of setting the young woman’s mind at ease, the letter only raises disquieting questions. Did Caroline indeed write the truth? And if she didn’t kill her husband, who did?
To find out, the Crale’s daughter asks Hercule Poirot to reopen the case. His investigation takes him deep into the conflicting memories and motivations of the five other people who were with the Crales on the fatal day.
A Murder is Announced
The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn, including Jane Marple, are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which reads: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.’
A childish practical joke? Or a hoax intended to scare poor Letitia Blacklock? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out…
Question of the Day
Which is your favorite Agatha Christie novel? Have you read her books? Which book do you plan to read from the list? Do share your thoughts below.
