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After all, she is the Queen of Mystery for a reason.Â
Over the years as I’ve read her books, Agatha Christie has become one of my favourite authors. I find myself reaching for her works quite often, whether I’m craving a good mystery read or simply searching for some writing inspiration. I recently finished reading Death on the Nile, which inspired me to do a twist on my typical book reviews. This article is what I call a love letter to Agatha Christie’s art, and shows exactly why she deserves the Queen of Mystery title while weaving in mini-reviews of her books that I have read, from Murder on The Orient Express to And Then There Were None (with no spoilers included).Â
1) She knows how to create compelling characters
The premise of most of Agatha Christie’s books is that she brings in one of her two detective characters, whether it be Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot, to solve the mystery at the centre of the story. For example, in Murder on the Orient Express, Poirot was tasked with solving the murder of a man named Samuel Ratchett. I adore Hercule Poirot for his no-nonsense attitude and quirky one-liners, but it’s his laser-sharp focus and his ability to process conflicting information that make him a great detective. While Hercule is one of Agatha Christie’s most beloved characters, she introduces us to new characters in every book that are so remarkably complex, as the reader comes to learn reading their interrogations as suspects of the crime. Even if they did not actually commit the crime, they each have their own motivations for why they might have done it. In Death on the Nile, I thought for sure that Mr. Pennington had something to do with the murder because of how much he would have benefited from having Linnet out of the way; needless to say, it threw me for a loop when it turned out he had nothing to do with her death.Â
2) she has mastered the art of attention to detail
Every time I read one of Agatha Christie’s books, I am always astounded by her ability to tuck in sweet little Easter eggs into the crevices of dialogue or action. I truly believe this is what makes a mystery novel so good; even when the author gives you clues to follow along to the supposed culprit, you only find out who did it at the very end. What I loved about Murder on the Orient Express is that there were so many of these little Easter eggs that I did not notice at first, until I got to the very end. It is truly so satisfying once you see how everything comes together, drawing a neat line right to the killer(s).Â
3) she turns a story into a waltz
Agatha Christie writes in a way that makes you feel like you’ve been transported onto the page, dancing around the characters amidst all the action. From her compelling characters to the attention to detail, you can’t help but allow yourself to get reeled in emotionally. I found that I developed an attachment to some of the characters; I could empathize with some, while others drove me crazy. Even when I put the book down, I was still mentally in that world. I would comb through details in my head, trying to figure out who did it on my own, as if I was Hercule Poirot’s personal sidekick and the entire investigation rested on my shoulders.Â
If this article succeeded in convincing you to read any one of Agatha Christie’s books, Murder on the Orient Express is a perfect introduction to her writing. It is also my personal favorite out of the three books I’ve read.Â
Next on my list: A Haunting in Venice