Agatha Christie is not just a famous mystery writer, she’s the best selling novelist of all time with over two billion copies sold and a massive fandom that continues long after her death. But if you decide you’d like to see what Christie has to offer, with over 60 novels and 14 short story collections, getting started can be a daunting task. We’ve compiled some basic information about her writing, the best Agatha Christie books, which ones to dip your toe in with, and what to read (and in what order) when you want to dive deeper.
Agatha Christie wrote from the 1920s through the 1970s. Her books are almost entirely set among the British upper classes, and are commonly termed British cozy mysteries. This isn’t where to go for a diverse group of characters. Christie writes very simple, straightforward prose with a focus on plot and dialogue. They are not procedurals exactly, since they rarely focus on a professional police officer or detective. (Even Poirot is a former detective.) Instead the clues are compiled from conversations and plot twists.She has two major series and another lesser-known series. Each follows the cases of a specific detective or team of detectives. These don’t necessarily have to be read in order, though it may be helpful to start with the first one to get yourself properly introduced to the main character(s). Many of her books and stories have been adapted for television and movies.
If you’re only going to dabble in Christie’s work, the best Agatha Christie books to try are the most popular ones with the most lasting cultural impact. They’re full of ingenious plots and endings so memorable that they’ve become part of the literary canon.
This book is my personal favorite. Only the third Poirot novel, it’s a masterful use of narration and sleight of hand. The British Crime Writers’ Association voted it the best crime novel ever. Go into it spoiler free if at all possible.
In addition to its classic plot, this book has an exotic, quintessential setting on a luxury train. Poirot is traveling back to London and encounters a passenger who believes his life is in danger and tries to hire Poirot to protect him, but Poirot refuses. Sure enough, the man turns up dead and Poirot has to figure out which of the passengers in the first class car is responsible.
This Agatha Christie book is known for its story where characters on an island are picked off one by one. You may have seen alternate editions with different titles; more than one exists but more than one are also horribly racially insensitive. Those titles come from the central poem that’s an important plot device, and you may find either “Indian” or “Soldier,” depending on which version you read.