20 best books by Agatha Christie, ranked

Agatha Christie is one of the biggest titans of mystery and detective fiction, and Agatha Christie’s best books combine her talent for weaving complex stories with multi-faceted, realistic characters. Christie was born in 1890 and died in 1976. in her 85 years, she wrote 66 detective novels and 14 collections of short stories and became a central figure in the “golden age of detective fiction.”. Her stories are sometimes unique, set in separate universes, and often feature her now world-famous detective characters, Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple.

Listed by Guinness World Records as the best-selling author of all time, there are dozens of television and film adaptations of Agatha Christie’s books, including Kenneth Branagh’s. Murder on the Orient Express. Christie has served as an inspiration for many modern mysteries, mysteries, and murder mysteries. Only Sir Arthur Conan Doyle can be said to have contributed more to the genre, and he is not as prolific as Christie. Her stories, like puzzle boxes, offer clues and hints that require attention to the narrative. Agatha Christie’s best books reward close reading before the ending is revealed.

20

Sleeping Murder (1976)

Miss Marple’s Last Mystery

Sleeping Murder was Miss Marple’s last mystery case. It was published after Agatha Christie’s death in 1976 and more than 30 years after she wrote the novel, which was during World War II. The story follows Gwenda, a newlywed who moves into a new home before her husband. When she gets there, she suddenly has a strange feeling that something is wrong. She then turns to Miss Marple to find out if the house is haunted.

Although it resembles a horror novel, it is a true detective novel in which Miss Marple uncovers a secret from Gwenda’s past that she has been hiding. Although she wrote the novel decades ago and chose not to publish it, critics felt it was a great mystery and a fitting ending for the iconic Miss Marples. It was also released as a BBC film in 1987.

19

Murder in the Links (1923)

Poirot is sent to France on a murder case

Released 1923 Murder by links was the second Hercule Poirot mystery from Agatha Christie. The story sends Poirot to northern France after receiving a disturbing letter for help from South American millionaire Monsieur Renault. However, When Poirot arrived, he found the man stabbed to death and thrown into an open grave on the golf course.explaining the title of the book. The man’s wife was found bound and gagged in her room.

There are many suspects, which is always important in detective novels, including a wife, an embittered son and a mistress. Poirot also clashes with the local police when he disagrees with who they have arrested for murder. An early novel by Agatha Christie, critics compared her to Arthur Conan Doyle, which received very high praise. The novel is also notable for the fact that Hastings fell in love and got married.

18

Body in the Library (1942)

Miss Marple solves a double murder

Body in murder is a mystery novel about Miss Marple published by Agatha Christie in 1942. The case concerns the murder of two teenage girls which are similar in appearance. One was an 18-year-old dancer and the other was a 16-year-old with acting ambitions. The mystery largely takes place at a seaside resort hotel, where Marple uncovers dark secrets that shock the entire community.

Critics praised the novel for showing how Miss Marple could compare to anything Hercule Poirot had done before her (this was Miss Marple’s third detective novel). The novel was an early example of female detectives in genre fiction and the idea that older women could solve crimes as well as the brightest young male detectives. Miss Marple had a wonderful long career ahead of her and this was a wonderful example of her legacy.

17

The Pale Horse (1961)

Detective novel not related to Marple and Poirot

Although she is not talked about as much as her Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot mysteries, Agatha Christie has a solid list of novels that have nothing in common with cult detective stories.. In 1961, Christie wrote a detective novel. Pale Horseand the main character is a historian named Mark Easterbrook. This fact makes it even more rare for Christie, since her protagonist is not a detective, but an ordinary person.

The novel also has a supernatural undertone, which was not unheard of for Christie, but was not something she emphasized in most of her books. A woman makes her final confession to a Roman Catholic priest, who then dies after she tells him a terrible secret. Mark goes to investigate the deaths and discovers terrible secrets that put his life in danger. Critics praised Pale Horse and said that Christie’s mysteries work no matter who the main character is.

16

Emptiness (1946)

The book’s location was inspired by the home of actor Francis L. Sullivan.

Emptiness is country house detective novel starring Hercule Poirot as detective. This was interesting to Christie as she had gone four years between Poirot mysteries, so it was a welcome return for fans of the Belgian detective. However, interestingly, he did not appear in the novel until the very end, and Christie said in her autobiography that his appearance was the only thing she did not like about the book.

Mystery surrounds Lady Angkatell, who, thanks to her scheming in the criminal mind, invites Hercule Poirot to her estate. However, when he arrives, a woman with a gun is standing over her dead husband, lying in a pool of blood. After receiving good reviews, the book was adapted into a British television film in 2004 as part of Agatha Christie’s Poirot.

15

4.50 From Paddington (1957)

In the US it was published as What Mrs McGillicuddy Saw.

4.50 from Paddington is the story of Miss Marple, in which Elspeth McGillicuddy goes to visit her friend, a famous amateur detective. Along the way, Elspeth’s train passes another and she witnesses a murder taking place on the other train. This is a fascinating and intricate story that tells Miss Marple used her own housekeeper as an undercover agent to search for evidence in the suspect’s home.

However, 4.50 From Paddington is not as logical as many of her other stories, and some of Miss Marple’s “discoveries” seem more like coincidence than merit. The book received positive reviews, but critics felt that Miss Marple had no direct involvement, while others did the heavy lifting.. It continued to be a success and was made into a film in 1961 called She said murder. This was also part both BBC Miss Marple 1987 series and ITV Marple TV series 2004.

14

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1921)

Christy ended up naming her house after Stiles

Hercule Poirot is perhaps Agatha Christie’s greatest invention: a Belgian detective with a stiff mustache, punctual, prim and single-handedly able to solve even the most complicated crimes. One of the seminal characters of the detective genre, Hercule Poirot has been played over the years by numerous actors who have strived to portray the recognizable, hyper-intelligent detective. Poirot’s first appearance occurs in Mysterious Case in Styleswhich is also Christie’s first novel..

This is a simple murder mystery in a country house. quirky by the later standards of Christie’s novels, but it contains many elements that would become staples of the modern detective genre. including a remote, scenic setting. This book launched Christie’s career and helped create one of the greatest literary detectives this side of Sherlock Holmes.

The annotation to the first edition of the book states:

This novel was originally written as a bet that an author who had never written a book before could not write a detective novel in which the reader could not “discover” the murderer, despite having access to the same evidence as the detective. The author clearly won the bet…

13

Murder at the Vicarage (1930)

Miss Marple appeared in Christie’s stories before this novel was published.

Murder at the Rectory features the first new appearance of amateur detective Miss Jane Marple.. Miss Marple is shrewd, cunning, and prone to picking up on comments in conversation that inevitably lead her to solving a crime. In this story, Miss Marple solves the case of a murdered churchwarden. Side stories and characters weigh the book down, but the main plot is intriguing and surprisingly modern.

The self-confident and witty Miss Marple was played by several famous actresses. She is characterized as a gossip Murder at the Rectorybut in later stories her character softens. Christie herself was not entirely captivated by the first Mass Marple mystery. “Reading Murder at the Vicarage now, I am not as pleased with it as I was then.“, she wrote in Agatha Christie: An Autobiography. “I think it has too many characters and too many subplots. But anyway the basic plot is correct“

12

Danger at End House (1932)

It was adapted into a graphic novel in 2008.

IN Danger at End HouseHercule Poirot and two of Christie’s other mainstays, Arthur Hastings and Chief Inspector Japp, gather at a country house in Cornwall, where Magdala “Nick” Buckley insists they protect her from an impending assassination attempt. Christy uses simple tricks and diversions to hide the killer in plain sight. the twist at the end is as brilliant as anything she’s created. The melodrama between Nick and the other resort members can be tiresome, but the main plot and clues are some of Christie’s best written.

Critics praised the novel when it was released, praising the plot and twists. Danger at End House was an immediate success and was turned into a West London play just eight years after its publication. It was also adapted for television as part of Agatha Christie’s Poirot in 1990 and was actually adapted into a graphic novel in 2008.

11

Crooked House (1949)

It was not first adapted until 2008 for BBC Radio 4.

crooked house follows several generations of the Leonidas family as they all live together under the leadership of the wealthy patriarch Aristides. After Aristide is found dead of poisoning, each of his family members is considered a suspect. The fiancé of one of the grandsons, Charles Hayward, serves as the main character and narrator.

This is a suspenseful and exciting story with many red herrings to keep readers guessing. The ending is a wildly unexpected and sadly bleak ending. that no one will solve the case. Instead, the real killer is revealed, but not before the Leonides family is completely fractured. Critics praised the novel as it was an improvement on the previous edition (Filmed during the Flood) and brought a new twist to the finish that was fresh and unique. In 2017, a film adaptation was released starring Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson, Max Irons and others.

10

Endless Night (1967)

The title is taken from a poem by William Blake.

Christie wrote almost exclusively mysteries and mysteries, but Endless night she arguably pushed the genre’s conventions the furthest. Bye Endless night still primarily a mystery, elements of romance and gothic horror create a unique tone. A young working-class man, Michael Rogers, dreams of a home and a loving wife. When he meets a rich woman named Greta, who is tired of her rich lifestyle, they commit crimes that ultimately end in Michael’s imprisonment.

Endless night is a sinister and dark novel that takes unexpected turns even after the story seems to have run its course. The ending will force the reader to reconsider the entire plot. The novel received almost universally positive reviews, with Christie being praised for changing her style and still creating a stunning mystery thriller. Endless night was adapted into a film in 1972 starring Hayley Mills.

9

Murder Announced (1950)

It has been adapted for television in the US, UK, France, South Korea and Japan.

Most Agatha Christie novels introduce the characters and setting before moving on to the inevitable murder mystery. Murder announced instead introduces the conflict of the story in the very first pages, how an advertisement is placed in a newspaper indicating the time and place where a murder will soon take place. This is a very concise and detailed read that presents all the clues clearly without revealing too much.

Miss Marple takes up this issue once again in this post-war story, where food stamps and slow government action actually play a role in the plot, which is unusual for Christie, whose stories are not often set in a precise time period. This is one of the most popular Miss Marple stories and one of the best critically reviewed. It has been adapted into almost every Miss Marple series, even versions in France, South Korea and Japan.

8

Evil Under the Sun (1941)

It was made into a film in 1982.

Poirot goes on holiday to Devon, hoping to spend time in peace and relaxation. V Evil under the sun. However, the beautiful and unloved resident of his resort, Arlena, was soon found dead. This crime involves a famous detective who will help solve the case and understand the reasons for the murder.

For Christy, this is an unusual place, away from the countryside and dinner parties. Mystery in Evil under the sun is a cleverly written and challenging puzzle that shows Christie at her most brilliant.. Every detail is important, and she manages to lure the reader in with one suspicion before completely subverting expectations. This is Hercule at his best: the detective leads suspects and readers until he reveals the culprit at the end. In 1982, the novel was made into a film starring Peter Ustinov as Poirot.

7

Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (1975)

It was adapted as the series finale of Agatha Christie’s Poirot.

Christie’s last published novel before her death. Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case it is also the last appearance of her indelible detective.. Poirot and Hastings return to the same house from Mysterious Affairs in Stiles over 30 years later, and the story follows the same style of one-room murder mystery that made Christie famous. Together, Poirot and Hastings solve the murders of five different people in a fresh and original novel, one of the best of her recent career.

It is a fitting and touching farewell to Poirot, whose last words in literature are:Goodbye dear friendInterestingly, this was not a later Christie novel, as she wrote it in the 1940s and waited until she knew she was coming to the end of her career to ensure that Poirot would receive a proper send-off at the very end. one of the best-selling books of 1976, ending her career on a high.

6

ABC Murders (1936)

It was adapted into a manga by Yasushi Hoshino in 2015.

Poirot, Hastings and Chief Inspector Japp reunite to uncover the identity of the ABC killer. ABC Murders. Serial killer chooses his victims by namechoosing those whose alliterative names begin with AA. There are various false leads and false suspects, but Christie weaves all of her different storylines into one complete and coherent narrative.

This is one of her most difficult stories to unravel.but once the ending is revealed, it becomes clear how well she placed the clues and hints before the story’s conclusion. Critics of the time praised the novel for its inventiveness and creativity in its mystery and plot. It was adapted into a 1965 film starring Tony Randall as Hercule Poirot and then again into a 2012 Malayalam film titled Grandmaster. There was also a 2018 BBC TV miniseries called ABC Murders.

5

Five Little Pigs (1942)

It was also published under the title Murder in Hindsight.

Five little pigs we’re talking about a murder that takes place ten years before the start of the story. Caroline Crail was found guilty of murdering her husband and died in prison. However, her daughter Carla Lemarchand insists to Hercule Poirot that her mother is innocent and the culprit is one of the five people also present at the time of the murder, whom he calls “The Five Little Pigs”.

The crime is told from five different perspectives, and it’s a testament to Christie’s creativity that she manages to make each retelling fresh and interesting. The satisfactory resolution to the murder is also thrilling as Carla realizes that knowing the truth will not set her mother free and the true culprit will not be apprehended. When the novel was released, it was praised, with critics noting how Christie manages to maintain the mystery and the satisfaction when she finally reveals the truth.

4

Death on the Nile (1937)

It has had adaptations for stage, television, film, radio, graphic novels and computer games.

Death on the Nile follows Hercule Poirot on vacation as he takes a steamboat cruise on the Nile River in Africa. Poirot discovers that one of his shipmates is a murderer, and he must quickly find out who it is before more passengers are killed. In addition to a twisted story that ends with a thrilling and unexpected ending, Death on the Nile features some of Christie’s strongest characters..

With a large cast brought together, Christie manages to portray each character as a separate and unique individual that stands out in its own right. Reviews at the time were positive, with critics praising Christie’s plotting and her ability to keep a secret hidden until she decided to reveal it. The book was also made into two successful films: one in 1978 with Peter Ustinov, and the second in 2022 with Kenneth Branagh.

3

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)

This story was originally published in the London Evening News.

Dr. James Sheppard says Murder of Roger AckroydPoirot’s novel, which is considered one of Christie’s greatest books. The story follows the murder of the eponymous Roger Ackroyd, who is killed by his own dagger. Poirot uncovers a plot to kill Mr Ackroyd, and twists and turns leading up to the final reveal are carefully inserted throughout the novel. Each character seems to have their own motives and secrets, but The revelation of the real killer is a massive twist that completely changes the trajectory of the story. in a way that has never been done before in detective novels.

The Association of British Crime Writers voted Murder of Roger Ackroyd best crime novel ever written (by using Independent). The novel also has a shocking ending that ties the mystery together at this controversial moment. It was adapted in 1931 as a film Alibi, The first sound film based on an Agatha Christie story.

2

Murder on the Orient Express (1934)

In addition to the film adaptation, the story has also been adapted into a board game, a computer game, and a video game.

Murder on the Orient Express finds Poirot traveling from Istanbul to London on a regular train. A passenger on board, Samuel Ratchett, was killed after receiving death threats. Every second passenger on Orient Express is a suspect, and Poirot discovers that the web of conspiracy is much wider than he could have imagined. With the train stopped midway due to a snowstorm, there is no turning back, creating the perfect setting for Hercule Poirot to solve one of his greatest mysteries.

It’s a story that other detective stories are compared to, and the improbable ending doesn’t seem unbelievable thanks to how succinctly the plot and characters are written. One of Christie’s most famous novels., Murder on the Orient Express has been adapted in many artistic mediums. It was made into a film in 1974, starring Sidney Lumet as director and Albert Finney as Poirot, and again in 2017 with Kenneth Branagh taking on both directing duties and starring as Poirot.

1

And Then They Were Gone (1939)

It is the most adapted of Christie’s novels in the world.

The best-selling crime novel of all time, with over 100 million copies sold (via Guardian), And then they weren’t there (named in the US as Ten Little Indians) is Christie’s best and most famous book.. An unknown owner invites a group of eight strangers to the island, and once there, someone kills them one by one. This book is not a murder mystery about Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, but that is because it is a very different case that will ultimately have no survivors.

Endlessly parodied and tributed, And then they weren’t there is the definitive story of the mysterious camera. Agatha Christie The magnum opus is tightly written, brilliantly written, creepy, and contains clues and pitfalls that feel earned. It is full of shocks and surprises from the very beginning, and many detective and crime thrillers owe a debt to this iconic story. “I wrote the book after careful planning and was pleased with how it turned out.“Christie wrote in her autobiography.”It was clear, straightforward, confusing, but had a completely reasonable explanation.“