Agatha Christie

Click on title "Agatha Christie" to see internet bio and book list

I've been a long time fan of Agatha Christie. I have a library of all her books. I've read all of them and some of them more than once. She wrote a number of mystery novels and short stories (in collections) and a few other stories under a pen name.

I have decided to read my way through her books starting with the mysteries. (Since I have forgotten most of them or gotten them confused in my head. I'm reading the whole library straight through IN THE ORDER they were written (published.)

I finished THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES (1920) her first book which introduced Hercule Poirot, her famous private detective.

What I like about Agatha Christie's books is the lack of description; it's kept to a minimum. I just can't stand too much description. I am not a visual person. I am an auditory person and I prefer to read dialog. I actually hear the dialog in my head as if it were really being spoken.

I also like the fact that Poirot and her other crime solving characters think a lot. (I once submitted a story in a contest and received the comment from the critiquer/judge that my characters spent too much time thinking. I disagree. I like characters who think a lot. I once read a novel that was ALL thinking. So there!)

In Christie's novels, besides talking and thinking, there is very little cliff-hanging adventure/action. I don't like those fast paced thrillers (well, maybe Davinci Code.) Not much suspense. I get too nervous if there is too much suspense.

I perfectly enjoy joining Christie's characters in there English country estates and reading about all their family and friends as they help Poirot solve the mystery.

Agatha Christie's mysteries are amazing in that she gives tons of clues to help the reader guess the culprit, as well as lots of red-herrings (false clues to mislead readers.) In some of the books she actually tells who committed the crime, but most of us read right over those and are surprised at the end that she really DID tell us who did it.

And I have never guessed any of them (except the one that had a list of characters in the front which gave descriptions of all of them. So don't read those lists, they tend to give away too much information.)

I love mysteries. My favorite genre. I read every word and never peak at the end. That would be ruining everything for myself.

They are fun books with nothing scary or gross. So join me in reading your way through Agatha's books.