Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie (1890–1976) was an English writer of mystery and detective fiction, born in Ashfield, in Torquay, Devon. She began writing in the years after the First World War, and her first novel, featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, appeared in 1920. Over a long career she wrote dozens of novels and many short stories, as well as plays, and created another famous sleuth, the quiet elderly Miss Marple. Her plots are known for their careful clues, closed circles of suspects and surprising solutions, which challenge readers to solve the puzzle alongside the detective. She is among the best-selling authors of all time, and her books and plays have been translated into a great many languages and adapted for stage, film and television. Her work shaped the classic detective story and still defines it for many readers today.