Ode to The Queen of Mystery: Agatha Christie - With a Complete Book List (In Chronological Order!)
Detective Stories That Are Still as Popular as Ever!
Anyone who knows me well, knows that my love of British literature runs deep, and even deeper with British female authors. My obsession with the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen is widely known, and it is understood that no one ever speaks against Mr. Rochester, Mr. Darcy, or Colonel Brandon in my presence. But, if I think back to my early teen years, the first female writer that I admired wrote detective stories. Can we hear it from the cheap seats for the QUEEN of mystery, AGATHA CHRISTIE?!
Celebrating over 100 years of detectives Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple
In her long career, Christie wrote 66 detective novels (listed later in this post) and 14 short story collections (and we are STILL reading them!), some of which were published over 100 years ago!
Like I said earlier, mysteries like And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express were on my nightstand at a pretty young age. Throughout my life, I have cleared my calendar Sunday nights for Masterpiece Theatre TV versions of her notable works, as my Irish parents and grandparents did before me. The twists and turns in Christie’s mysteries always have me guessing until the very end.
But, it was not until recent years that I began to look at the woman herself. Agatha Christie lived a fascinating life!
Here are some fun (some not so fun) facts about Agatha Christie’s life:
- Christie’s first detective story, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was born from a bet with her sister.
- She wrote six semi-autobiographical books under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott; her real identity stayed a secret from the public for twenty years.
- After finding out that her first husband was having an affair, Christie mysteriously disappeared. She was found, checked into a hotel under the name of her husband’s mistress. She appeared to be suffering from amnesia.
- During the first World War, Christie trained as an apothecary’s assistant, giving her intimate first hand knowledge of various poisons, which she used in her novels for decades. More on that here.
- When Hercule Poirot’s character died, the New York Times printed a full page obituary, found here.
Agatha Christie is one of the most well-known and beloved mystery writers in the world. Born in 1890 in Torquay, England, Christie began writing at a young age and published her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920.
Over the course of her career, Christie wrote more than 70 detective novels and over 150 short stories, featuring iconic characters like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
Her works have been translated into over 100 languages and have sold over two billion copies, making her one of the best-selling authors of all time.
In addition to her writing, Christie was also a playwright and created several successful stage adaptations of her novels. One of her most famous works, The Mousetrap, has been running continuously in London’s West End since 1952 and is the longest-running play in history.
One of the most well-known scandals involving Christie was her sudden disappearance in 1926. On December 3 of that year, Christie left her home in Berkshire and was not seen for 11 days. Her car was later found abandoned near a lake, and a massive search was launched to find her. She was eventually discovered at a hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, suffering from amnesia and unable to remember anything about the previous two weeks. The incident caused widespread media attention and speculation, with many speculating that Christie had fled to escape her unhappy marriage or was suffering from mental illness.
Another scandal in Christie’s personal life was her affair with the archaeologist Max Mallowan. Mallowan was married when he and Christie first met, and the two began a relationship while he was still married. Despite the scandal, Mallowan and Christie eventually married in 1930 and remained together until Christie’s death in 1976.
In addition to these personal scandals, Christie’s works were also the subject of controversy on occasion. Some critics accused her of promoting outdated and stereotypical gender roles in her works, and her portrayal of racial and ethnic minorities was also called into question.
Despite these scandals, Christie’s reputation as a talented and successful author has remained largely untarnished. Her works continue to be popular and widely read, and she is often referred to as the “Queen of Crime.”
Can you see why I am so fascinated by Agatha Christie? For more information, and to see where I learned the fun facts above, check out this site: The Home of Agatha Christie
How to Teach Christie's Mysteries
I have recently begun teaching a mystery unit focused on Christie’s novels!
I start by introducing the author and her works, a brief overview of Christie’s life and career, and providing some context.
As students read, I ask them questions about the plot, characters, and themes of the novel. I encourage them to make predictions and try to solve the mystery along with the detective.
I live for class discussions and debate. Christie’s novels often raise interesting themes and issues, so I press students to share their thoughts and opinions.
I am currently working on creating a project that will allow students to explore different aspects of the novels in more depth. This will be in the form of an investigation of a crime – complete with evidence logs, pinboards, etc. My students will LOVE this!
Marple: 12 New Mysteries - New Miss Marple Mysteries From Contemporary Famous Writers!
This beautiful book is currently sitting on my bedside table, waiting to be read, so I cannot personally recommend it. However, with this list of amazing female authors, I have all the faith that it will be a worthwhile read. I personally cannot wait to spend more time in St. Mary Mead. Purchase your copy of Marple: 12 New Mysteries right now!
New Historical Fiction about Agatha Christie's Life!
I just finished reading a historical fiction novel called The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont, based on Agatha’s Christie’s disappearance and told from the perspective of her HUSBAND’S MISTRESS! It was a fun read. Unfortunately, the sex scenes might be a little too graphic for me to recommend this to my students, but it is perfect for any adults who are interested in the life of Agatha Christie. Purchase your copy here so we can talk about it!
Highly recommended: The Agatha Three Part series on PBS
My husband and I binged these episodes. They span decades and each includes a little mystery of its own, while telling us about the woman behind the pen.
Check out the linked previews below:
– PBS: Agatha and the Truth of Murder
* PBS: Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar
~ PBS: Agatha and the Midnight Murders
Here is the trailer for the Miss Marple series on Acorn or BBC:
a chronological list of Agatha Christie’s novels
Poirot and Marple mysteries have been noted. They do not need to be read in order. Enjoy!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
1920s
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles – 1920 – POIROT – Amazon
2. The Secret Adversary – 1922 – Amazon
3. Murder on the Links – 1923 – POIROT – Amazon
4. The Man in the Brown Suit – 1924 – Amazon
5. The Secret of Chimneys – 1925 – Amazon
*This is one of my favorites!
6. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – 1925 – POIROT – Amazon
*See here for my post on using The Murder of Roger Ackroyd in the English classroom!*
7. The Big Four – 1927 – POIROT – Amazon
8. The Mystery of the Blue Train – 1928 – POIROT – Amazon
9. – The Seven Dials Mystery – 1929 – Amazon
*Another favorite!
1930s
10. The Murder at the Vicarage – 1930 – MARPLE – Amazon
11. The Sittaford Mystery – 1931 – Amazon
12. Peril at End House – 1932 – POIROT – Amazon
13. Lord Edgware Dies – 1933 – POIROT – Amazon
14. Murder on the Orient Express – 1934 – POIROT – Amazon
15. Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? – 1935 – Amazon
16. Three Act Tragedy – 1935 – POIROT – Amazon
17. Death in the Clouds – 1935 – POIROT – Amazon
18. The A.B.C. Murders – 1936 – POIROT – Amazon
19. Murder in Mesopotamia – 1936 – POIROT – Amazon
20. Cards on the Table – 1936 – POIROT – Amazon
21. Death on the Nile – 1937 – POIROT – Amazon
22. Dumb Witness – 1937 – POIROT – Amazon
23. Appointment with Death – 1938 – POIROT – Amazon
24. Hercule Poirot’s Christmas – 1938 – POIROT – Amazon
25. And Then There Were None – 1939 – Amazon
1940s
26. Sad Cypress – 1940 – POIROT – Amazon
27. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe -1940 – POIROT – Amazon
28. Evil Under the Sun – 1941 – POIROT – Amazon
29. N or M? – 1941 – Amazon
30. The Body in the Library – 1942 – MARPLE – Amazon
31. Five Little Pigs – 1942 – POIROT – Amazon
32. The Moving Finger – 1942 – MARPLE – Amazon
33. Towards Zero – 1944 – Amazon
34. Death Comes as the End – 1944 – Amazon
35. Sparkling Cyanide – 1945 – Amazon
36. The Hollow – 1946 – POIROT – Amazon
37. Taken at the Flood – 1948 – POIROT – Amazon
38. Crooked House – 1949 – Amazon
1950s
39. A Murder is Announced – 1950 – MARPLE – Amazon
40. They Came to Baghdad – 1951 – Amazon
41. Mrs. McGinty’s Dead – 1952 – POIROT – Amazon
42. They Do It with Mirrors – 1952 – MARPLE – Amazon
43. A Pocket Full of Rye – 1953 – MARPLE – Amazon
44. After the Funeral -1953 – POIROT – Amazon
45. Destination Unknown – 1954 – Amazon
46. Hickory, Dickory, Dock – 1955 – POIROT – Amazon
47. Dead Man’s Folly – 1956 – POIROT – Amazon
48. 4.50 From Paddington – 1957 – MARPLE – Amazon
49. Ordeal by Innocence – 1958 – Amazon
50. Cat Among the Pigeons – 1959 – POIROT – Amazon
1960s
51. The Pale Horse – 1961 – Amazon
52. The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side – 1962 – MARPLE – Amazon
53. The Clocks – 1963 – POIROT – Amazon
54. A Caribbean Mystery – 1964 – MARPLE – Amazon
55. At Bertram’s Hotel – 1965 – MARPLE – Amazon
56. Third Girl – 1966 – POIROT – Amazon
57. Endless Night – 1967 – Amazon
58. By the Pricking of My Thumbs – 1968 – Amazon
59. Hallowe’en Party – 1969 – POIROT – Amazon
1970s
Detective Hercule Poirot Books In Order
The Mysterious Affair at Styles – 1920 – Amazon
Murder on the Links – 1923 – Amazon
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – 1925 – Amazon
-The Big Four – 1927 – Amazon
Mystery of the Blue Train – 1928 – Amazon
Peril at End House – 1932 – Amazon
Lord Edgware Dies – 1933 – Amazon
Murder on the Orient Express – 1934 – Amazon
Three Act Tragedy – 1935 – Amazon
Death in the Clouds – 1935 – Amazon
The A.B.C. Murders – 1936 – Amazon
Murder in Mesopotamia – 1936 – Amazon
Cards on the Table – 1936 – Amazon
Death on the Nile – 1937 – Amazon
Dumb Witness – 1937 – Amazon
Appointment with Death – 1938 – Amazon
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas – 1938 – Amazon
Sad Cypress – 1940 – Amazon
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe -1940 – Amazon
Evil Under the Sun – 1941 – Amazon
Five Little Pigs – 1942 – Amazon
The Hollow – 1946 – Amazon
Taken at the Flood – 1948 – Amazon
Mrs. McGinty’s Dead – 1952 – Amazon
After the Funeral -1953 – Amazon
Hickory, Dickory, Dock – 1955 – Amazon
Dead Man’s Folly – 1956 – Amazon
Cat Among the Pigeons – 1959 – Amazon
The Clocks – 1963 – Amazon
Third Girl – 1966 – Amazon
Hallowe’en Party – 1969 – Amazon
Elephants Can Remember – 1972 – Amazon
Curtain – 1975 – Amazon
Hercule Poirot Short Story Collections in Order
Detective Miss Marple Books In Order
Murder at the Vicarage – 1930 – Amazon
-The Body in the Library – 1942 – Amazon
The Moving Finger – 1942 – Amazon
A Murder is Announced – 1950 – Amazon
They Do It with Mirrors – 1952 – Amazon
A Pocket Full of Rye – 1953 – Amazon
4.50 From Paddington – 1957 – Amazon
The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side – 1962 – Amazon
A Caribbean Mystery – 1964 – Amazon
At Bertram’s Hotel – 1965 – Amazon
Nemesis – 1971 – Amazon
Sleeping Murder – 1976 – Amazon
Miss Marple Short Story Collections In Order
Books Written Under the Pseudonym Mary Westmacott:
If you enjoyed this post, please check out my other book recommendations on my blog: The Lit Lady!
Check out the lesson planning template that I use for creating and organizing my lessons here!