Agatha Christie

English mystery and detective writer

Famous Persons
Agatha Christie

Who was Agatha Christie?

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Mallowan, Lady Mallowan (née Miller, 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976), usually known by her first married name, Agatha Christie, was an English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short-story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot (with the novel debut being The Mysterious Affair at Styles in 1920), Tommy and Tuppence (with the novel debut being The Secret Adversary in 1922), and Miss Marple (with the novel debut being The Murder at the Vicarage in 1930). A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime"—a nickname now trademarked by her estate—or the "Queen of Mystery". She wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott.

In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature.

Portrait of Christie entitled Lost in Reverie, by Douglas John Connah, 1894
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Historical significance

She is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers, particularly in the mystery genre. Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Mallowan, Lady Mallowan, usually known by her first married name, Agatha Christie, was an English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short-story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot, Tommy and Tuppence, and Miss Marple.

Christie in the early 1900s
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Cite this page
MLA

“Agatha Christie.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/agatha-christie/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

APA

Agatha Christie. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/agatha-christie/

Chicago

“Agatha Christie.” thisDay. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/agatha-christie/.