4.50 from Paddington

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign countries. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott.

‘Without a doubt, the greatest mystery writer of all time’ – Ragnar Jonasson‘A hundred years after her first novel, and we are all still standing in her shadow’ – Andrew Taylor‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed’ – Susan Lewis‘Dame Agatha has sold more books than all besides Shakespeare and the Bible’ – David Baldacci‘All crime fiction writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt’ – Peter James‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ – Tana French