In Remembrance: Agatha Christie

AFP/Getty Images from BBC America website

Novelist, bestselling author and most translated author ever in history, Agatha Christie was born on this date, September 15, 1890. People love to say: she outsold everything except the Bible. She’s being celebrated all over the world this month. I’m a new fan so I felt inspired to write a little about what I’ve read by her and it’s not much. I do understand her appeal and why her work continues to entertain readers and will continue to entertain readers for years to come. She was clearly the best in writing clever plots among other things.

Obviously, she enjoyed the craft. As a reader, you can tell when a writer loves what they are doing. Her characters are memorable. I still remember the humor provided by Ms. Lucy Eyelesbarrow from 4:50 From Paddington. However, Miss Marple is my absolute favorite sleuth. She’s the grandmotherly type whose nosy but clever. Most of the books I’ve read have featured her.

This time last year I wrote asking for recommendations and I’ve since went on to read a whopping three books from her backlist (don’t laugh too hard): Sleeping Murder (1976), The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) and And Then There Were None (1939). All of them were enjoyable. I continue to cherry pick her books and always enjoy reading what other readers love about her work. However, I do think it’s time to give her Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, a shot this year. So, watch this space.