When she first tried her hand at writing she had six consecutive rejections, undaunted nevertheless her breakthrough came in 1920 with the publication of her first novel, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," introducing the world to one of her most iconic characters, Hercule Poirot (Christie, 1977).
Hercule, was a brilliant Belgian detective with a penchant for solving intricate crimes.
The novel featuring Poirot, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," marked the beginning of Christie's phenomenal career as a crime fiction writer. Poirot would go on to solve numerous puzzling cases in subsequent novels, captivating readers with his sharp intellect and rather eccentric personality.
At this time the whole genre of crime and mystery was still fresh and exciting. There had been distinctive, highly esteemed writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Wilkie Collins introducing the concept of detective fiction in the late 19th and early 20th century, so the world was ripe for Agatha Christie's fresh new take upon crime. Her writing career blossomed during what became known as the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction," a period marked by the popularity of crime novels and detective stories(Curran, 2011; Symons, 1972).
Quickly gaining a reputation for her ability to craft compelling mysteries filled with suspense and unexpected twists her readers were captivated. Amusing and unlikely characters, including the astute, elderly Miss Marple and the quirky little moustachioed Belgian detective 'Poirot', captured the interest of her readers and further solidified her status as the "Queen of Crime" (Curran, 2011).
Agatha Christie penned around 66 detective novels, 14 short story collections, and six lesser known novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, Agatha writing as Mary Westmacott falls broadly into the genre of romance, something she had longed to try her hand at but the stories are bittersweet and poignant, for example studying complex mother daughter relations that never quite had the appeal of her detective fiction (Thompson, 2007).
Agatha Christie's crime fiction and mystery books however, continue to captivate readers with their ingenious plots and memorable characters.
Christie's mastery of suspense, intricate plotting, and clever misdirection became her trademarks. Her books were meticulously crafted, leaving readers guessing until the very end. She created complex characters, each with their own secrets and motives, making her stories gripping and unpredictable (Gill, 1990).
Some of her notable books featuring Poirot include "Murder on the Orient Express," "Death on the Nile," and "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd." The final chapter is invariably, cleverly played out to the captive protagonists, including the criminal, with a final denouement to "shock and awe" of all involved in the storyline.
Apart from Poirot, Christie also introduced another beloved detective, Miss Jane Marple. With her sharp wit and keen observation skills, Miss Marple solved crimes in the quaint village of St. Mary Mead. The character of Miss Marple brought a fresh perspective to Christie's books, showcasing her versatility as an author (Gill, 1990; Osborne, 1983).
As time goes by people increasingly relish the nostalgic settings of Agatha's stories which lends them perfectly to film and television adaptations, ever since the early days of black and white movies to contemporary cinema. By modern standards nowadays, some of her plots are very simplistic, almost cliched but there is almost an enjoyable comfort in knowing that everything will be revealed in the final scene. Her influence on the crime fiction genre is unparalleled, inspiring generations of writers and shaping the way mysteries are crafted (Norman, 2009).
Agatha Christie also wrote the world's longest-running play, "The Mousetrap," performed in London's West End since 1952 holding the world record for the longest initial run, with over 27,500 performances by September 2018 (Osborne, 1983).
Her contributions to literature were further recognized when she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1971. Her impact on the literary world was immense. With over two billion copies of her novels sold, she holds the Guinness World Record for being the best-selling fiction writer of all time. Her most popular work, "And Then There Were None," has sold approximately 100 million books, making it one of the top-selling novels in history.
Christie's contributions to crime fiction have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Her book "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" was voted the best crime novel ever by 600 professional novelists of the Crime Writers' Association.
Agatha Christie's enduring popularity continues to extend far beyond her lifetime. First Editions and vintage copies of her books are highly collectable and her books have been translated into numerous languages, making her the most-translated individual author according to UNESCO's Index Translationum.
In addition to her literary achievements, Christie's own life had an air of mystery. Her unexplained disappearance in 1926 sparked a nationwide manhunt and still remains somewhat of an intriguingly unsolved episode even though there have been various speculations as to what actually happened - the truth can never be entirely understood. She reappeared eleven days later with no apparent memory of what transpired, this peculiar incident added another layer of mystique to her already enigmatic persona (Thompson, 2007).
Throughout her life Agatha Christie certainly earned her crown as the 'Queen of Crime', still today, her books vintage and new alike, continue to be cherished by readers of all ages, keeping her stories alive and ensuring her place as one of our best loved authors of all time.
References & Further Recommended Reading:
Agatha Christie. (1977) An Autobiography. Collins. ISBN 978 0002160124
Cade, J. (Nov.,1998). Agatha Christie and the Eleven Missing Days. Peter Owen Publishers. ISBN 978-0720610550
Curran, J. (2011). Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making. William Morrow and Company. ISBN 9780062065421
Gill, G. (1990). Agatha Christie: The Woman and Her Mysteries.The Free Press. ISBN 002911702X
Osborne, C. (1983). The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie: A Biographical Companion to the Works of Agatha Christie. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0002164627
Symons, J. (1972). Bloody Murder: From the Detective Story to the Crime Novel: A History. Faber and Faber. ISBN 9780571094653
Thompson, L. (2007). Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life. Headline Review. ISBN 978-0755314874
