Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English writer, the best-selling novelist of all time and the undisputed 'Queen of Crime.' Across a long career she wrote 66 detective novels and numerous short-story collections and plays, creating two of fiction's most famous sleuths — the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and the sharp-eyed spinster Miss Marple.
Christie perfected the 'whodunit,' the puzzle mystery in which the reader is invited to solve the crime alongside the detective. Her most celebrated works — Murder on the Orient Express, And Then There Were None, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd — are masterpieces of misdirection, though most of her catalogue remains under copyright.
The library offers a selection of her early works that have entered the public domain, including The Secret Adversary and The Murder on the Links — the books where she first introduced Poirot and her adventurous duo Tommy and Tuppence, and honed the plotting that would make her world-famous.
Her prose is clean and modern, and our editions present these early mysteries clearly. Read the opening free, and read or listen to these early works with a membership.
Agatha Christie in the library · 5 works
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The Murder on the Links
The Secret Adversary A Fast-Paced Detective Adventure of Intrigue and Espionage
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The Seven Dials Mystery
Audiobooks by Agatha Christie
Every Agatha Christie title in the library is also a complete, professionally produced audiobook — 5 audiobooks in total. Members listen free on any device. Browse the audiobook library →
Frequently asked questions about Agatha Christie
What did Agatha Christie write?
Christie wrote 66 detective novels and many short stories and plays, becoming the best-selling novelist in history. She created the detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and her famous titles include Murder on the Orient Express, And Then There Were None, and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Her play The Mousetrap is the longest-running stage production in history.
Which Agatha Christie books can I read here?
The library offers her early works that are now in the public domain, including The Secret Adversary, The Murder on the Links, Poirot Investigates, The Secret of Chimneys, and The Seven Dials Mystery. These are the mysteries from the start of her career, when she introduced Hercule Poirot and the crime-solving pair Tommy and Tuppence. Most of her later, most famous novels remain under copyright and are not included.
Where should I start with these Christie mysteries?
The Secret Adversary is a great starting point — a fast, fun thriller introducing the young adventurers Tommy and Tuppence. If you prefer a classic detective puzzle, The Murder on the Links features Hercule Poirot, or Poirot Investigates collects several of his short cases. All show the plotting and misdirection that made Christie famous.
Who is Hercule Poirot?
Hercule Poirot is Agatha Christie's most famous detective, a fastidious, mustachioed Belgian who solves crimes using his 'little grey cells' — sharp psychological insight and logical deduction. He appears in dozens of Christie's novels and stories, beginning early in her career. Several of the public-domain works offered here, such as The Murder on the Links and Poirot Investigates, feature him.
Are Agatha Christie's books hard to read?
Not at all — Christie wrote in a clear, brisk, and engaging style designed for a wide readership, which is part of why she remains so popular. Her plots are ingenious but her prose is easy and inviting. The early works offered here are especially quick and enjoyable reads.
Why aren't all of Agatha Christie's books available here?
Because most of Christie's novels are still protected by copyright. Only her earliest works have so far entered the public domain, which is what the library can legally offer in modern editions. We include those early mysteries and clearly note that her later, best-known novels are not part of the collection.
When did Agatha Christie live?
Christie was born in 1890 and died in 1976. She published her first novel in 1920 and wrote steadily for over fifty years, becoming the best-selling novelist of all time. The early works offered here date from the 1920s, the first decade of her long career.
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