Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is one of the foremost figures in the genre of Mystery fiction. She has published over eighty-five novels and has been translated in over one hundred languages.

 She is clearly one of the most prolific writers of our time. Often considered a master of the intellectual puzzle, Christie has consistently mixed challenging storylines with sympathetic characters. Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple, her two recurring detectives, have become an institution for many enthusiasts, and have been the subject of book-length profiles.

In addition to detective novels, Christie has published poetry, plays, short stories, and a posthumously released autobiography. Though she has been maligned in some circles for her formulaic method of writing, her influence as a high-profile, female mystery writer will not soon fade.

As Robert Barnard states in the preface to his Critical study on Christie, she is "a writer who has probably given more sheer pleasure than any other in this century."