Every Agatha Christie Mystery Novel Ever Written
Ask anyone to name any classic detective novel that they like to read, and the odds are fairly good that even the most casual reader will mention at least one novel by Agatha Christie. Known as the “Queen of Crime,” Christie made a permanent mark on crime fiction starting in the 1920s, introducing readers to sleuths such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and inviting readers to consider all the many ways that someone could commit a seemingly impossible murder and (almost) get away with it. She is also credited for having introduced the tradition of the detective gathering all the suspects in a room at the very end, “where all will be revealed.”
Christie’s works have been adapted numerous times for the stage, radio, film, television, and even computer games and video games.
This list encompasses the full-length mystery novels of Agatha Christie, rather than the short story collections and anthologies, or the romance novels she wrote under the pen name of Mary Westmacott.
Hercule Poirot
One of Christie’s most famous creations, the little Belgian detective with the distinctive mustache solves crimes through careful use of the “little grey cells.” Poirot appeared in fifty short stories and thirty-three full-length novels. His many associates and confidants include former army officer Captain Arthur Hastings; Inspector James Japp of Scotland Yard; Felicity Lemon the secretary; George the valet; the novelist Ariadne Oliver; Colonel Race; and Superintendent Battle (of whom the last two appeared in separate novels of their own).
Miss Marple
Jane Marple is an elderly lady who makes her home in the little village of St. Mary Mead in Kent (a village, incidentally, that had been first mentioned as the home of Katherine Grey in THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN). Her acumen at solving crimes is such that the local police often consult her for help during a particularly baffling case. Her associates include Florence the housekeeper, companion Cherry Baker, retired police commissioner Henry Clithering, and her long-suffering nephew Raymond West.
Miss Marple has appeared in thirteen novels and seven short story collections.
Tommy and Tuppence
Meet Thomas Beresford and Prudence Cowley Beresford, aka Tommy and Tuppence: a married couple who embark on a life of daring adventures in detection. Their series starts with them as a young couple trying to adjust to life after World War I and follows them through married life (and many escapades in detection) over the next several decades.
Colonel Race
Colonel Race appeared as Poirot’s associate in two novels: Cards on the Table and Death on the Nile. Besides these two Poirot novels, Race has starred in two novels separate from the Poirot series.
Superintendent Battle
A senior-ranking Scotland Yard official and a family man, Superintendent Battle first appeared in The Secret of Chimneys, and later appeared alongside Hercule Poirot in Cards on the Table.
Standalone Novels
Besides the novels featuring Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and other named sleuths and series regulars, Christie wrote several standalone novels with completely new cast members.
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Erin Roll is a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader. Her favorite genres to read are mystery, science fiction, and fantasy, and her TBR pile is likely to be visible on Google Maps. Before becoming an editor, Erin worked as a journalist and photographer, and she has won far too many awards from the New Jersey Press Association. Erin lives at the top floor of a haunted house in Montclair, NJ. She enjoys reading (of course), writing, hiking, kayaking, music, and video games