Dame Agatha Christie, Lady Mallowan, is the best-selling fiction writer of all time, according to Guinness World Records. Her work includes 66 detective novels as well as the world’s longest-running play, The Mousetrap. According to UNESCO's Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated individual author, having sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born on 15 September 1890 in Torquay, Devon, South West England. The youngest of three children in a wealthy upper middle-class family, she taught herself to read at age five and was further home-schooled by her American father.
In 1912, Agatha met Archie Christie, an aviator in the Royal Flying Corps. They married in1914 but during WWI, Archie was stationed in France while Agatha volunteered at a Red Cross hospital in England, qualifying as a paid apothecary's assistant. Here she learned about many types of poisons, which would influence her stories as poison was often her favorite tool of murder.
Her first book received six consecutive rejections, but her life changed with the publication of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring the debut of detective Hercule Poirot, a former Belgian police officer with "magnificent moustaches" and a head "exactly the shape of an egg," who had taken refuge in Britain after Germany invaded Belgium. Poirot appears in 33 novels and is the only fictional character to receive a New York Times obituary.
In 1918, Archie returned to England. Their only child, Rosalind, was born in 1919, the same year Agatha received a contract to write five more books. Agatha created other detectives, including Miss Marple, who appeared in 26 novels.
Unfortunately, her husband proved to be both physically abusive and philandering. One night in December 1926, Agatha left her child with servants and disappeared. Her car was found abandoned several miles away. A nationwide search ensued. Although much speculation and many books and movies have portrayed these 11 days, very few facts are known. After extensive psychotherapy, Agatha said she left home that night contemplating suicide, accidentally crashed her car, struck her head, then somehow traveled by train to Harrogate. This much is verifiable: Agatha checked into the Harrogate Spa Hotel under the name of Theresa Neale. The hotel staff recognized her and alerted the police. She never spoke of this time with friends or family. Public reaction at the time was largely negative, supposing a publicity stunt or an attempt to frame her husband for murder.
She and Archie divorced in 1928.
Because of an avid interest in archeology, Agatha began regular trips to an Iraqi dig. There she met her second husband, the archeologist Max Mallowan,14 years her junior.
During World War II, Max worked in Cairo, using his languages to assist the war effort. Agatha remained in England, writing and volunteering in a pharmacy. She published a number of books, including And Then There Were None.
The 1940s and 50s saw many cinematic and theatrical productions. She said she would allow a movie version of The Mousetrap when it closed in London. It has run continuously since 1952. It is now celebrating its 70th year. No movie version has yet to be made.
In 1955, Christie was the first recipient of the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. Later that year, Witness for the Prosecution received an Edgar Award for best play.
In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature.
Agatha's last public appearance was at the opening night of the 1974 film version of Murder on the Orient Express starring Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot. Her verdict: a good adaptation with the minor point that Poirot's moustaches weren't luxurious enough.
She died peacefully on January 12, 1976. She is buried in the churchyard of St Mary's, Cholsey, near Wallingford.
In 2013, she was voted the best crime writer and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd the best crime novel ever by 600 professional novelists of the Crime Writers' Association. In September 2015, And Then There Were None was named the "World's Favourite Christie" in a vote sponsored by the author's estate. Many of Christie's books and short stories have been adapted for television, radio, video games, and graphic novels. More than 30 feature films are based on her work.
