Profile of the Day: Agatha Christie

What’s your favorite Agatha Christie novel? On this day in 1890, the crime novelist was born in Torquay, England.

Image: Agatha Christie / Nationaal Archief, CC0

She was born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller to a wealthy upper-middle class family. From a young age, Christie was an avid reader with a vivid imagination. During World War I, Christie joined the war effort as a volunteer for the Voluntary Aid Detachment and worked as a nurse to tend wounded soldiers in the hospital.

In 1920, Christie published her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which introduced her most famous character, Detective Hercule Poirot. Her tales of murder and mystery proved to be greatly popular with readers. Some of her most well known books include Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and  The Mystery of the Blue Train.

Her books were not the only mysteries in her life. In 1926, Christie disappeared from her home after an argument with her husband, who had revealed his love for another woman and desire for a divorce. Her disappearance caused a public outcry and it was covered heavily in newspapers throughout the country. Several days later, she was found at the Sawn Hydropathic Hotel in Yorkshire registered under the name Mrs. Teresa Neele, the same surname as her husband’s mistress. Doctors diagnosed her with amnesia, but mystery still surrounds her disappearance.

Over the course of her career, Christie published over 90 books and 17 plays. Today, she is considered to be one of the best-selling novelists of all time with over 2 billion copies sold worldwide. Most recently, Christie’s novel, Hallowe’en Party, was adapted into the feature film A Haunting in Venice starring Kenneth Branagh as Detective Poirot.

How are you related to Agatha Christie? Explore her family tree on Geni and discover your connection to the beloved author.

View Agatha Christie’s Geni Profile