Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie, hailed as the “Queen of Crime,” is the most widely read novelist in history, with over two billion books sold worldwide. Born to a well-off family, Christie received much of her early education at home. During World War I, she volunteered as a nurse and later as a dispenser, gaining practical knowledge of poisons that would enrich her plots. In 1920 she published her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which introduced Hercule Poirot, a fastidious Belgian detective who would appear in more than 30 of her novels and many short stories. Her career produced enduring classics, including Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and And Then There Were None. Christie also achieved enormous success as a playwright; her 1952 stage mystery The Mousetrap still holds the record for the longest continuous theatrical run. Known for intricate plots, sharp misdirection, and acute psychological insight, Christie reshaped the detective genre. Her novels, translated into over 100 languages, continue to captivate readers, making her the best-selling novelist of all time.