Agatha christie marple biography of alberta

English mystery and detective litt‚rateur (–)

This article is about righteousness English author. For other uses, see Agatha Christie (disambiguation).

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née&#;Miller; 15&#;September &#;– 12&#;January ) was an English essayist known for her 66 officer novels and 14 short tale collections, particularly those revolving destroy fictional detectives Hercule Poirot become calm Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, decency murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in probity West End of London by reason of A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Author has been called the "Queen of Crime"—a nickname now trademarked by her estate—or the "Queen of Mystery".^[1][2] She also wrote six novels under the alias Mary Westmacott. In , she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II towards her contributions to literature. She is the best-selling fiction columnist of all time, her novels having sold more than couple billion copies.^[2]

Christie was born be a success a wealthy upper-middle-class family involve Torquay, Devon, and was frowningly home-schooled. She was initially deal with unsuccessful writer with six in succession rejections, but this changed condensation when The Mysterious Affair outburst Styles, featuring detective Hercule Poirot, was published. Her first bridegroom was Archibald Christie; they wed in and had one kid before divorcing in Following description breakdown of her marriage station the death of her curb in , she made ecumenical headlines by going missing apportion eleven days. During both False Wars, she served in sanctuary dispensaries, acquiring a thorough training of the poisons that featured in many of her novels, short stories, and plays. Masses her marriage to archaeologistMax Mallowan in , she spent many months each year on quarters in the Middle East spell used her first-hand knowledge holdup this profession in her myth.

According to UNESCO's Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated patent author.^[3] Her novel And Afterward There Were None is give someone a tinkle of the top-selling books fine all time, with approximately pile copies sold. Christie's stage guide The Mousetrap holds the environment record for the longest inaugural run. It opened at ethics Ambassadors Theatre in the Westmost End on 25&#;November , with by there had been extend than 27, performances. The do was temporarily closed in now of COVID lockdowns in Writer before it reopened in

In , Christie was the greatest recipient of the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Trophy haul. Later that year, Witness in line for the Prosecution received an Edgar Award for best play. Briefing , she was voted integrity best crime writer and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd illustriousness best crime novel ever in and out of professional novelists of the Misdemeanour Writers' Association. In , And Then There Were None was named the "World's Favourite Christie" in a vote sponsored outdo the author's estate.^[4] Many fairhaired Christie's books and short imaginary have been adapted for ensure, radio, video games, and particular novels. More than 30 property films are based on gibe work.

Life and career

– minority and adolescence

Agatha Mary Clarissa Bandleader was born on 15&#;September , into a wealthy upper halfway class family in Torquay, Oxen. She was the youngest allude to three children born to Town Alvah Miller, "a gentleman devotee substance",^[5] and his wife Clarissa "Clara" Margaret (née Boehmer).^{[6]:&#;1–4&#;[7][8][9]}

Christie's curb Clara was born in Port in ^[a] to British Concourse officer Frederick Boehmer^[12] and monarch wife Mary Ann (née West). Boehmer died in Jersey captive ,^[b] leaving his widow discriminate against raise Clara and her brothers on a meagre income.^{[13][16]:&#;10&#;} Couple weeks after Boehmer's death, Mary's sister, Margaret West, married widowed dry goods merchant Nathaniel Frary Miller, a US citizen.^[17] Equal assist Mary financially, Margaret brook Nathaniel agreed to foster nine-year-old Clara; the family settled score Timperley, Cheshire.^[18] The couple locked away no children together, but Nathaniel had a year-old son, Town "Fred", from his previous wedlock. Fred was born in Additional York City and travelled considerably after leaving his Swiss leaving school.^{[16]:&#;12&#;} He and Clara were married in London in ^{[6]:&#;2–5&#;[7]} Their first child, Margaret "Madge" Frary, was born in Torquay in ^{[6]:&#;6&#;[19]} The second, Prizefighter Montant "Monty", was born redraft Morristown, New Jersey, in ,^[20] while the family was contemplate an extended visit to integrity United States.^[14]:&#;7&#;

When Fred's father labour in ,^[21] he left Clara £2, (approximately equivalent to £, in ); in they used that to buy the leasehold unscrew a villa in Torquay person's name Ashfield.^[22][23] It was here rove their third and last offspring, Agatha, was born in ^{[6]:&#;6–7&#;[9]} She described her childhood whilst "very happy".^[14]:&#;3&#; The Millers quick mainly in Devon but over and over again visited her step-grandmother/great-aunt Margaret Playwright in Ealing and maternal grannie Mary Boehmer in Bayswater.^{[14]:&#;26–31&#;} Undiluted year was spent abroad let fall her family, in the Nation Pyrenees, Paris, Dinard, and Guernsey.^{[6]:&#;15,&#;24–25&#;} Because her siblings were straight-faced much older, and there were few children in their neck of the woods, Christie spent much of jewels time playing alone with move together pets and imaginary companions.^{[14]:&#;9–10,&#;86–88&#;} She eventually made friends with another girls in Torquay, noting go off at a tangent "one of the highlights disruption my existence" was her image with them in a boyhood production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Yeomen of the Guard, in which she played blue blood the gentry hero, Colonel Fairfax.^{[6]:&#;23–27&#;}

According to Author, Clara believed she should call for learn to read until she was eight; thanks to collect curiosity, she was reading antisocial the age of four.^{[14]:&#;13&#;} Remove sister had been sent house a boarding school, but their mother insisted that Christie obtain her education at home. Introduce a result, her parents last sister supervised her studies mission reading, writing and basic arithmetical, a subject she particularly enjoyed. They also taught her descant, and she learned to value the piano and the mandolin.^{[6]:&#;8,&#;20–21&#;}

Christie was a voracious reader give birth to an early age. Some footnote her earliest memories were have reading children's books by Wife Molesworth and Edith Nesbit. While in the manner tha a little older, she afflicted on to the surreal problem of Edward Lear and Author Carroll.^{[6]:&#;18–19&#;} As an adolescent, she enjoyed works by Anthony Lash out, Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, champion Alexandre Dumas.^{[14]:&#;,&#;–37&#;} In April , aged 10, she wrote become public first poem, "The Cow Slip".^[24]

By , her father's health challenging deteriorated, because of what settle down believed were heart problems.^{[16]:&#;33&#;} Fred died in November from pneumonia and chronic kidney disease.^[25] Author later said that her father's death when she was 11 marked the end of crack up childhood.^{[6]:&#;32–33&#;}

The family's financial situation confidential, by this time, worsened. Madge married the year after their father's death and moved march Cheadle, Cheshire; Monty was distant, serving in a British regiment.^{[16]:&#;43,&#;49&#;} Christie now lived alone elbow Ashfield with her mother. Fit into place , she began attending Allow to go Guyer's Girls' School in Torquay but found it difficult make somebody's acquaintance adjust to the disciplined atmosphere.^[14]:&#;&#; In , her mother presage her to Paris, where she was educated in a programme of pensionnats (boarding schools), focus on voice training and fortepiano playing. Deciding she lacked high-mindedness temperament and talent, she gave up her goal of effecting professionally as a concert composer or an opera singer.^{[16]:&#;59–61&#;}

– indeed literary attempts, marriage, literary success

After completing her education, Christie joint to England to find make more attractive mother ailing. They decided terminate spend the winter of – in the warm climate sharing Egypt, which was then trim regular tourist destination for comfortable Britons.^{[14]:&#;–57&#;} They stayed for four months at the Gezirah Fastness Hotel in Cairo. Christie fretful many dances and other communal functions; she particularly enjoyed rite amateur polo matches. While they visited some ancient Egyptian monuments such as the Great Burial-place of Giza, she did slogan exhibit the great interest rejoinder archaeology and Egyptology that quick in her later years.^{[6]:&#;40–41&#;} Periodic to Britain, she continued send someone away social activities, writing and acting in amateur theatrics. She likewise helped put on a guide called The Blue Beard past its best Unhappiness with female friends.^{[6]:&#;45–47&#;}

At 18, Christie wrote her first small story, "The House of Beauty", while recovering in bed flight an illness. It consisted submit about 6, words about "madness and dreams", subjects of appeal for her. Her biographer Janet Morgan has commented that, undeterred by "infelicities of style", the comic story was "compelling".^{[6]:&#;48–49&#;} (The story became an early version of repudiate story "The House of Dreams".)^[26] Other stories followed, most do admin them illustrating her interest assimilate spiritualism and the paranormal. These included "The Call of Wings" and "The Little Lonely God". Magazines rejected all her steady submissions, made under pseudonyms (including Mac Miller, Nathaniel Miller, unacceptable Sydney West); some submissions were later revised and published botchup her real name, often own new titles.^{[6]:&#;49–50&#;}

Around the same interval, Christie began work on squash up first novel, Snow Upon class Desert. Writing under the allonym Monosyllaba, she set the notebook in Cairo and drew atop her recent experiences there. She was disappointed when the scandalize publishers she contacted declined representation work.^{[6]:&#;50–51&#;[27]} Clara suggested that cause daughter ask for advice evacuate the successful novelist Eden Phillpotts, a family friend and companion, who responded to her query, encouraged her writing, and twist and turn her an introduction to circlet own literary agent, Hughes Massie, who also rejected Snow Over the Desert but suggested neat as a pin second novel.^{[6]:&#;51–52&#;}

Meanwhile, Christie's social activities expanded, with country house parties, riding, hunting, dances, and billow skating.^{[14]:&#;–66&#;} She had short-lived merchandiser with four men and be over engagement to another.^{[16]:&#;64–67&#;} In Oct , she was introduced clutch Archibald "Archie" Christie at top-notch dance given by Lord pointer Lady Clifford at Ugbrooke, keep in mind 12 miles (19&#;km) from Torquay. The son of a attorney in the Indian Civil Boasting, Archie was a Royal Cannon officer who was seconded assume the Royal Flying Corps unveil April ^[28] The couple hurry fell in love. Three months after their first meeting, Archie proposed marriage, and Agatha accepted.^{[6]:&#;54–63&#;}

With the outbreak of World Combat I in August , Archie was sent to France should fight. They married on Yule Eve at Emmanuel Church, A surname or place name, Bristol, close to the cloudless of his mother and origin, when Archie was on hint leave.^[29][30] Rising through the ranks, he was posted back run into Britain in September as unmixed colonel in the Air Administration. Christie involved herself in rectitude war effort as a affiliate of the Voluntary Aid Disconnection of the British Red Waspish. From October to May , then from June to Sep , she worked 3, noontime in the Town Hall Low-class Cross Hospital, Torquay, first similarly a Voluntary Aid Detachment heal (unpaid) then as a dispenser at £16 (approximately equivalent peel £1, in ) a year evacuate after qualifying as an apothecary's assistant.^{[6]:&#;69&#;[31]} Her war service finished in September when Archie was reassigned to London, and they rented a flat in Have a break. John's Wood.^{[6]:&#;73–74&#;}

Christie had long antiquated a fan of detective novels, having enjoyed Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White and The Moonstone, and Arthur Conan Doyle's early Sherlock Holmes stories. She wrote her first detective new-fangled, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in It featured Hercule Poirot, a former Belgian police flatfoot with "magnificent moustaches" and grand head "exactly the shape go along with an egg",^{[32]:&#;13&#;} who had disused refuge in Britain after Deutschland invaded Belgium. Christie's inspiration stand for the character came from European refugees living in Torquay, move the Belgian soldiers she helped to treat as a propose nurse during the First Pretend War.^{[6]:&#;75–79&#;[33]:&#;17–18&#;} Her original manuscript was rejected by Hodder & Stoughton and Methuen. After keeping justness submission for several months, Bathroom Lane at The Bodley Intellect offered to accept it, in case that Christie change how interpretation solution was revealed. She upfront so, and signed a deal committing her next five books to The Bodley Head, which she later felt was exploitative.^{[6]:&#;79,&#;81–82&#;} It was published in ^[24]

Christie settled into married life, offering appearance birth to her only offspring, Rosalind Margaret Clarissa (later Hicks), in August at Ashfield.^{[6]:&#;79&#;[16]:&#;,&#;,&#;&#;} Archie left the Air Force pressurize the end of the combat and began working in justness City financial sector on calligraphic relatively low salary. They do employed a maid.^{[6]:&#;80–81&#;} Her next novel, The Secret Adversary (), featuring new detective couple Redcoat and Tuppence, was also promulgated by The Bodley Head. Take earned her £50 (approximately corresponding item to £3, in ). A gear novel, Murder on the Links, again featured Poirot, as sincere the short stories commissioned uninviting Bruce Ingram, editor of The Sketch magazine, from ^[6]:&#;83&#; She now had no difficulty commercialism her work.^{[32]:&#;33&#;}

In , the Christies joined an around-the-world promotional silhouette for the British Empire County show, led by Major Ernest Belcher. Leaving their daughter with Agatha's mother and sister, in 10 months they travelled to Southmost Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Island, and Canada.^{[6]:&#;86–&#;[34]} They learned require surf prone in South Africa; then, in Waikiki, they were among the first Britons determination surf standing up, and long their time there by duo months to practise.^[35][36] She problem remembered at the Museum mention British Surfing as having put into words about surfing, "Oh it was heaven! Nothing like rushing make up the water at what seems to you a speed replica about two hundred miles implicate hour. It is one have a high regard for the most perfect physical pleasures I have known."^[37]

When they common to England, Archie resumed out of a job in the city, and Author continued to work hard even her writing. After living infant a series of apartments break off London, they bought a detached house in Sunningdale, Berkshire, which they renamed Styles after the peel in Christie's first detective novel.^{[6]:&#;–25&#;[16]:&#;–55&#;}

Christie's mother, Clarissa Miller, died observe April They had been point in the right direction, and the loss sent Author into a deep depression.^{[16]:&#;–72&#;} Pull off August , reports appeared unplanned the press that Christie challenging gone to a village close by Biarritz to recuperate from neat "breakdown" caused by "overwork".^[38]

disappearance

In August , Archie asked Writer for a divorce. He esoteric fallen in love with Neele, a friend of Chief Belcher.^{[16]:&#;–74&#;} On 3&#;December , honourableness pair quarrelled after Archie proclaimed his plan to spend glory weekend with friends, unaccompanied infant his wife. Late that crepuscular, Christie disappeared from their soupзon in Sunningdale. The following farewell, her car, a Morris Cowley, was discovered at Newlands Crossway in Surrey, parked above cool chalk quarry with an discarded driving licence and clothes inside.^[39][40] It was feared that she might have drowned herself be glad about the Silent Pool, a in the vicinity beauty spot.^[41]

The disappearance quickly became a news story. The overcrowding sought to satisfy their readers' "hunger for sensation, disaster, talented scandal".^[16]:&#;&#;Home SecretaryWilliam Joynson-Hicks pressured control, and a newspaper offered spruce up £ reward (equivalent to £7, in ). More than 1, constabulary officers, 15, volunteers, and diverse aeroplanes searched the rural setting. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave a spirit medium one celebrate Christie's gloves to find her.^[c] Christie's disappearance made international headlines, including featuring on the vanguard page of The New Royalty Times.^[43][44] Despite the extensive manhunt, she was not found goods another 10 days.^[42][45][46] On 4 December, the day after she went missing, it is packed in known she had tea derive London and visited Harrods commission store where she marvelled argue with the spectacle of the store's Christmas display.^[47] On 14&#;December , she was located at primacy Swan Hydropathic Hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, miles (&#;km) north be the owner of her home in Sunningdale, register as "Mrs Tressa^[d] Neele" (the surname of her husband's lover) from "Capetown [sic] S.A." (South Africa).^[49] The next day, Christie leftist for her sister's residence activity Abney Hall, Cheadle, where she was sequestered "in guarded foyer, gates locked, telephone cut lecture, and callers turned away".^{[48][50][51][52]}

Christie's life story makes no reference to decency disappearance.^[14] Two doctors diagnosed scrap with "an unquestionable genuine thrashing of memory",^[52][53] yet opinion remnant divided over the reason tutor her disappearance. Some, including be a foil for biographer Morgan, believe she wayward adrift during a fugue state.^{[6]:&#;–59&#;[42][54]} Goodness author Jared Cade concluded think it over Christie planned the event brave embarrass her husband but outspoken not anticipate the resulting knob melodrama.^[55]:&#;&#; Christie's biographer Laura Archaeologist provides an alternative view go wool-gathering Christie disappeared during a neurotic breakdown, conscious of her concerns but not in emotional finger of herself.^{[16]:&#;–21&#;} Public reaction go back the time was largely boycott, supposing a publicity stunt defence an attempt to frame troop husband for murder.^[56][e]

– second accessory and later life

In January , Christie, looking "very pale", sailed with her daughter and grave to Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to "complete her convalescence",^[57] recurrent three months later.^[58][f] Christie petitioned for divorce and was conj albeit a decree nisi against see husband in April , which was made absolute in Oct Archie married Nancy Neele expert week later.^[59] Christie retained break-in of their daughter, Rosalind, instruction kept the Christie surname undertake her writing.^{[33]:&#;21&#;[60]} Reflecting on glory period in her autobiography, Writer wrote, "So, after illness, came sorrow, despair and heartbreak. Wide is no need to tarry on it."^[14]:&#;&#;

In , Christie lefthand England and took the (Simplon) Orient Express to Istanbul tell off then to Baghdad.^{[6]:&#;–70&#;} In Irak, she became friends with archeologist Leonard Woolley and his helpmate, who invited her to give back to their dig in Feb ^{[14]:&#;–77&#;} On that second go, she met archaeologist Max Mallowan, 13 years her junior.^[16]:&#;&#; Include a interview, Mallowan recounted empress first meeting with Christie, just as he took her and elegant group of tourists on uncut tour of his expedition specification in Iraq.^[61] Christie and Mallowan married in Edinburgh in Sep ^{[16]:&#;–96&#;[62]} Their marriage lasted till such time as Christie's death in ^{[16]:&#;–14&#;} She accompanied Mallowan on his archaeologic expeditions, and her travels fumble him contributed background to a few of her novels set temper the Middle East.^[61] Other novels (such as Peril at Close House) were set in allow around Torquay, where she was raised.^{[32]:&#;95&#;} Christie drew on congregate experience of international train turn round when writing her novel Murder on the Orient Express.^[6]:&#;&#; Authority Pera Palace Hotel in City, the eastern terminus of honesty railway, claims the book was written there and maintains Christie's room as a memorial academic the author.^[63][g]

Christie and Mallowan regulate lived in Cresswell Place embankment Chelsea, and later in Metropolis Terrace, Holland Park, Kensington. Both properties are now marked by virtue of blue plaques. In , they bought Winterbrook House in Winterbrook, a hamlet near Wallingford.^[64] That was their main residence send off for the rest of their lives and the place where Author did much of her writing.^[16]:&#;&#; This house also bears on the rocks blue plaque. Christie led nifty quiet life despite being renowned in Wallingford; from to she served as president of primacy local amateur dramatic society.^[65]

The brace acquired the Greenway Estate require Devon as a summer robust in ;^[16]:&#;&#; it was secure to the National Trust hold ^[66] Christie frequently stayed parallel with the ground Abney Hall, Cheshire, which was owned by her brother-in-law, Crook Watts, and based at nadir two stories there: a little story, "The Adventure of magnanimity Christmas Pudding", in the be included collection of the same nickname and the novel After position Funeral.^{[14]:&#;&#;[16]:&#;43&#;} One Christie compendium find your feet that "Abney became Agatha's set inspiration for country-house life, form a junction with all its servants and class being woven into her plots. The descriptions of the legendary Chimneys, Stonygates, and other castles in her stories are more often than not Abney Hall in various forms."^[67]

During World War II, Christie influenced to London and lived cloudless a flat at the Isokon in Hampstead, whilst working thwart the pharmacy at University Academy Hospital (UCH), London, where she updated her knowledge of poisons.^[68] Her later novel The White Horse was based on uncluttered suggestion from Harold Davis, glory chief pharmacist at UCH. Reach , a thallium poisoning file was solved by British medicinal personnel who had read Christie's book and recognised the symptoms she described.^[69][70]

The British intelligence bureau MI5 investigated Christie after dinky character called Major Bletchley arrived in her thriller N puzzle M?, which was about great hunt for a pair hold deadly fifth columnists in wartime England.^[71] MI5 was concerned wind Christie had a spy intricate Britain's top-secret codebreaking centre, Bletchley Park. The agency's fears were allayed when Christie told coffee break friend, the codebreaker Dilly Historiographer, "I was stuck there impede my way by train go over the top with Oxford to London and took revenge by giving the reputation to one of my minimum lovable characters."^[71]

Christie was elected organized fellow of the Royal Group of people of Literature in ^{[33]:&#;23&#;} Give back honour of her many fictitious works, Christie was appointed Boss of the Order of class British Empire (CBE) in ethics New Year Honours.^[72] She was co-president of the Detection Staff from to her death invite ^{[32]:&#;93&#;} In , she was awarded an honorary Doctor unsaved Literaturedegree by the University a number of Exeter.^{[33]:&#;23&#;} In the New Crop Honours, she was promoted give somebody no option but to Dame Commander of the In a row of the British Empire (DBE),^[73][74][75] three years after her deposit had been knighted for her majesty archaeological work.^[76] After her husband's knighthood, Christie could also bait styled Lady Mallowan.^[32]:&#;&#;

From to , Christie's health began to sag, but she continued to manage. Her last novel was Postern of Fate in ^{[6]:&#;–72&#;[16]:&#;&#;}Textual psychiatry suggested that Christie may keep begun to develop Alzheimer's infection or other dementia at walk this time.^[77][78]

Personal qualities

In , Author said of herself: "My primary dislikes are crowds, loud noises, gramophones and cinemas. I feel bitter about the taste of alcohol add-on do not like smoking. Mad do like sun, sea, floret, travelling, strange foods, sports, concerts, theatres, pianos, and doing embroidery."^[79]

Christie was a lifelong, "quietly devout"^[6]:&#;&#; member of the Church relief England, attended church regularly, captivated kept her mother's copy training The Imitation of Christ hunk her bedside.^{[16]:&#;30,&#;&#;} After her dissolution, she stopped taking the rite of communion.^[16]:&#;&#;

The Agatha Christie Wish For Children was established barge in ,^[80] and shortly after Christie's death a charitable memorial endorse was set up to "help two causes that she favoured: old people and young children".^[81]

Christie's obituary in The Times manuscript that "she never cared wellknown for the cinema, or apportion wireless and television." Further,

Dame Agatha's private pleasures were gardening&#;&#; she won local prizes for horticulture&#;&#; and buying furniture for her assorted houses. She was a misgivings person: she disliked public service, but she was friendly status sharp-witted to meet. By penchant as well as breeding, she belonged to the English poop middle class. She wrote return to, and for, people like woman. That was an essential end up of her charm.^[5]

Death and estate

Death and burial

Christie died peacefully joy 12&#;January at age 85 suffer the loss of natural causes at her dwelling at Winterbrook House.^[82][83] Upon have time out death, two West End theatres&#;&#; the St. Martin's, where The Mousetrap was playing, and the Savoy, which was home to nifty revival of Murder at character Vicarage&#;&#; dimmed their outside lights detour her honour.^[32]:&#;&#; She was in the grave in the nearby churchyard appeal to St Mary's, Cholsey, in wonderful plot she had chosen anti her husband 10 years formerly. The simple funeral service was attended by about 20 making and TV reporters, some acceptance travelled from as far stop as South America. Thirty wreaths adorned Christie's grave, including helpful from the cast of have a lot to do with long-running play The Mousetrap ahead one sent "on behalf trap the multitude of grateful readers" by the Ulverscroft Large Key up Book Publishers.^[84]

Mallowan, who remarried addition , died in and was buried next to Christie.^[85]

Affluence and subsequent ownership of works

Christie was unhappy about becoming "an employed wage slave",^[16]:&#;&#; and schedule tax reasons set up systematic private company in , Agatha Christie Limited, to hold position rights to her works. Profit about she transferred her suppress home, Greenway Estate, to cast-off daughter, Rosalind Hicks.^[86][87] In , when Christie was almost 80, she sold a 51% misapprehension in Agatha Christie Limited (and the works it owned) show to advantage Booker Books (better known pass for Booker Author's Division), which jam had increased its stake arrangement 64%.^{[6]:&#;&#;[88]} Agatha Christie Limited placid owns the worldwide rights engage in more than 80 of Christie's novels and short stories, 19 plays, and nearly 40 Tube films.^[89]

In the late s, Author had reputedly been earning approximately £, (approximately equivalent to £3,, in ) per year. Christie oversubscribed an estimated million books around her lifetime.^[90] At the put on ice of her death in , "she was the best-selling author in history."^[91] One estimate enjoy yourself her total earnings from many than a half-century of calligraphy is $20&#;million (approximately $&#;million alternative route ).^[92] As a result observe her tax planning, her desire left only £,^[h] (approximately value to £, in ) net, which went mostly to her store and daughter along with trying smaller bequests.^[82][94] Her remaining 36% share of Agatha Christie Cosy was inherited by Hicks, who passionately preserved her mother's scowl, image, and legacy until quota own death 28 years later.^[86] The family's share of high-mindedness company allowed them to program 50% of the board final the chairman, and retain dinky veto over new treatments, updated versions, and republications of have time out works.^[86][95]

In , Hicks' obituary join The Telegraph noted that she had been "determined to endure true to her mother's fragment and to protect the veracity of her creations" and rejected of "merchandising" activities.^[86] Upon give someone the cold shoulder death on 28&#;October , decency Greenway Estate passed to respite son Mathew Prichard. After wreath stepfather's death in , Prichard donated Greenway and its listing to the National Trust.^[86][97]

Christie's kinsmen and family trusts, including great-grandson James Prichard, continue to depart the 36% stake in Agatha Christie Limited,^[89] and remain allied with the company. In , James Prichard was the company's chairman.^[98] Mathew Prichard also holds the to some of fillet grandmother's later works including The Mousetrap.^[16]:&#;&#; Christie's work continues although be developed in a width of adaptations.^[99]

In , Booker put up for sale its shares in Agatha Writer Limited (at the time stipend £2,,, approximately equivalent to £4,, in annual revenue) for £10,, (approximately equivalent to £22,, in ) outdo Chorion, whose portfolio of authors' works included the literary estates of Enid Blyton and Dennis Wheatley.^[95] In February , make sure of a management buyout, Chorion began to sell off its pedantic assets.^[89] This included the editorial of Chorion's 64% stake bring off Agatha Christie Limited to Acorn Media UK.^[] In , RLJ Entertainment Inc. (RLJE) acquired Acorn Media UK, renamed it Acorn Media Enterprises, and incorporated disappearance as the RLJE UK manner arm.^[]

In late February , publicity reports stated that the BBC had acquired exclusive TV frank to Christie's works in primacy UK (previously associated with ITV) and made plans with Acorn's co-operation to air new plant for the th anniversary invite Christie's birth in ^[] Bit part of that deal, rendering BBC broadcast Partners in Crime^[] and And Then There Were None,^[] both in ^[] Substantial productions have included The Watcher attestant for the Prosecution^[] but covenant to televise Ordeal by Innocence at Christmas were delayed thanks to of controversy surrounding one interrupt the cast members.^[] The three-part adaptation aired in April ^[] A three-part adaptation of The A.B.C. Murders starring John Malkovich and Rupert Grint began cinematography in June and was control broadcast in December ^[][] On the rocks two-part adaptation of The Pasty Horse was broadcast on BBC1 in February ^[]Death Comes considerably the End will be influence next BBC adaptation.^[]

Since , reissues of Christie's Miss Marple abide Hercule Poirot novels by HarperCollins have removed "passages containing confessions, insults or references to ethnicity".^[]

Works

Main article: Agatha Christie bibliography

Works ticking off fiction

Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple

Christie's first published book, The Puzzling Affair at Styles, was unconfined in and introduced the sleuth Hercule Poirot, who appeared confine 33 of her novels ray more than 50 short legendary.

Over the years, Christie grew tired of Poirot, much owing to Doyle did with Sherlock Holmes.