Agatha Christie Essay, Research Paper

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is the best-known mystery writer in the world. Her books have

sold over a billion copies in the English language. Another billion have also

been sold in forty-five foreign languages. Her works have been translated into

more languages than those of William Shakespeare. Only the Bible and Shakespeare

outsell her novels, thus making her the most successful mystery writer of all

time.

Agatha Miller was born in Torquay, England on September 15, 1890. As a child,

she was educated by her mother and did not attend school. In 1914 she was

married to Colonel Archibald Christie, an aviator in the Royal Flying Corps.

Around this time, World War I broke out. To help the war effort, Agatha worked

for the Red Cross as a nurse. This experience was useful when she later wrote

about various poisons and diseases.

Agatha and Archibald divorced in 1926, but Agatha continued to use his name.

Later, she married Max Mallowman, an archeologist. She accompanied him on his

excavations in Syria and Iraq. These experiences gave Christie inspiration for

various novels.

During her career, Agatha Christie wrote 79 novels as well as short story

collections. Some of her most famous books include: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,

Death on the Nile, And Then There Were None, and Murder On the Orient Express.

Agatha also wrote six romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In

addition, she wrote over a dozen plays. The Mousetrap opened in London in 1952

and is now the longest continuously-running play in theatrical history.

In 1971, Agatha achieved her country’s highest honor. She received the Order

of the Dame Commander of the British Empire. However, four years later she died.

Even though Agatha Christie is dead, she remains the greatest mystery writer the

world has ever known.