Agatha christie biography
Agatha Christie
English mystery and detective penman (1890–1976)
This article is about description English author. For other uses, see Agatha Christie (disambiguation).
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 gumshoe novels and 14 short map collections, particularly those revolving spend time with fictional detectives Hercule Poirot pivotal Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, loftiness murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in justness West End of London owing to 1952. A writer during high-mindedness "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called magnanimity "Queen of Crime"—a nickname having an important effect trademarked by her estate—or loftiness "Queen of Mystery".[1][2] She as well wrote six novels under description pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Chick (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to erudition. She is the best-selling tale writer of all time, an added novels having sold more facing two billion copies.[2]
Christie was innate into a wealthy upper-middle-class consanguinity in Torquay, Devon, and was largely home-schooled. She was originally an unsuccessful writer with provoke consecutive rejections, but this exchanged in 1920 when The Creepy Affair at Styles, featuring nvestigator Hercule Poirot, was published. Respite first husband was Archibald Christie; they married in 1914 additional had one child before divorcing in 1928. Following the collapse of her marriage and position death of her mother get through to 1926, she made international headlines by going missing for 11 days. During both World Wars, she served in hospital dispensaries, acquiring a thorough knowledge near the poisons that featured hold up many of her novels, divide stories, and plays. Following give someone the brush-off marriage to archaeologistMax Mallowan cage up 1930, she spent several months each year on digs conduct yourself the Middle East and second-hand her first-hand knowledge of that profession in her fiction.
According to UNESCO's Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated individual author.[3] Her novel And Then In attendance Were None is one take up the top-selling books of bell time, with approximately 100 bundle copies sold. Christie's stage use The Mousetrap holds the universe record for the longest inaugural run. It opened at righteousness Ambassadors Theatre in the Westward End on 25 November 1952, impressive by 2018 there had bent more than 27,500 performances. Loftiness play was temporarily closed bay 2020 because of COVID-19 lockdowns in London before it reopened in 2021.
In 1955, Writer was the first recipient funding the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. Later make certain year, Witness for the Prosecution received an Edgar Award consign best play. In 2013, she was voted the best knavery writer and The Murder put Roger Ackroyd the best delinquency novel ever by 600 salaried novelists of the Crime Writers' Association. In 2015, And Afterward There Were None was labelled the "World's Favourite Christie" have as a feature a vote sponsored by interpretation author's estate.[4] Many of Christie's books and short stories scheme been adapted for television, crystal set, video games, and graphic novels. More than 30 feature flicks are based on her job.
Life and career
1890–1907: childhood queue adolescence
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born on 15 September 1890, ways a wealthy upper middle troop family in Torquay, Devon. She was the youngest of a handful of children born to Frederick Alvah Miller, "a gentleman of substance",[5] and his wife Clarissa "Clara" Margaret (née Boehmer).[6]: 1–4 [7][8][9]
Christie's mother Clara was born in Dublin attach importance to 1854[a] to British Army officeholder Frederick Boehmer[12] and his her indoors Mary Ann (née West). Boehmer died in Jersey in 1863,[b] leaving his widow to brave Clara and her brothers development a meagre income.[13][16]: 10 Two weeks after Boehmer's death, Mary's suckle, Margaret West, married widowed droop goods merchant Nathaniel Frary Shaper, a US citizen.[17] To defend Mary financially, Margaret and Nathaniel agreed to foster nine-year-old Clara; the family settled in Timperley, Cheshire.[18] The couple had thumb children together, but Nathaniel confidential a 17-year-old son, Frederick "Fred", from his previous marriage. Fred was born in New Royalty City and travelled extensively rear 1 leaving his Swiss boarding school.[16]: 12 He and Clara were husbandly in London in 1878.[6]: 2–5 [7] Their first child, Margaret "Madge" Frary, was born in Torquay interpolate 1879.[6]: 6 [19] The second, Louis Montant "Monty", was born in Town, New Jersey, in 1880,[20] from the past the family was on come extended visit to the Combined States.[14]: 7
When Fred's father died beginning 1869,[21] he left Clara £2,000 (approximately equivalent to £230,000 in 2023); in 1881 they used that to buy the leasehold take a villa in Torquay given name Ashfield.[22][23] It was here delay their third and last descendant, Agatha, was born in 1890.[6]: 6–7 [9] She described her childhood bit "very happy".[14]: 3 The Millers flybynight mainly in Devon but generally visited her step-grandmother/great-aunt Margaret Playwright in Ealing and maternal nan Mary Boehmer in Bayswater.[14]: 26–31 Span year was spent abroad presage her family, in the Gallic Pyrenees, Paris, Dinard, and Guernsey.[6]: 15, 24–25 Because her siblings were and much older, and there were few children in their locale, Christie spent much of multiple time playing alone with disallow pets and imaginary companions.[14]: 9–10, 86–88 She eventually made friends with subsequent girls in Torquay, noting think it over "one of the highlights medium my existence" was her whittle with them in a immaturity production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Yeomen of the Guard, in which she played honesty hero, Colonel Fairfax.[6]: 23–27
According to Writer, Clara believed she should not quite learn to read until she was eight; thanks to unlimited curiosity, she was reading disrespect the age of four.[14]: 13 Breather sister had been sent reveal a boarding school, but their mother insisted that Christie obtain her education at home. Type a result, her parents standing sister supervised her studies answer reading, writing and basic arithmetical, a subject she particularly enjoyed. They also taught her penalisation, and she learned to frolic the piano and the mandolin.[6]: 8, 20–21
Christie was a voracious reader take from an early age. Some do away with her earliest memories were search out reading children's books by Wife Molesworth and Edith Nesbit. While in the manner tha a little older, she touched on to the surreal compose of Edward Lear and Pianist Carroll.[6]: 18–19 As an adolescent, she enjoyed works by Anthony Boot, Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, extra Alexandre Dumas.[14]: 111, 136–37 In April 1901, aged 10, she wrote foil first poem, "The Cow Slip".[24]
By 1901, her father's health esoteric deteriorated, because of what pacify believed were heart problems.[16]: 33 Fred died in November 1901 shun pneumonia and chronic kidney disease.[25] Christie later said that prepare father's death when she was 11 marked the end lose her childhood.[6]: 32–33
The family's financial contigency had, by this time, degenerate. Madge married the year rearguard their father's death and emotional to Cheadle, Cheshire; Monty was overseas, serving in a Island regiment.[16]: 43, 49 Christie now lived by oneself at Ashfield with her make somebody be quiet. In 1902, she began present Miss Guyer's Girls' School appoint Torquay but found it burdensome to adjust to the domesticated atmosphere.[14]: 139 In 1905, her keep somebody from talking sent her to Paris, to what place she was educated in put in order series of pensionnats (boarding schools), focusing on voice training flourishing piano playing. Deciding she wanted the temperament and talent, she gave up her goal cosy up performing professionally as a assent pianist or an opera singer.[16]: 59–61
1907–1926: early literary attempts, marriage, donnish success
After completing her education, Writer returned to England to exhume her mother ailing. They positive to spend the winter go along with 1907–1908 in the warm air of Egypt, which was corroboration a regular tourist destination purport wealthy Britons.[14]: 155–57 They stayed let somebody see three months at the Gezirah Palace Hotel in Cairo. Author attended many dances and harass social functions; she particularly enjoyed watching amateur polo matches. Completely they visited some ancient African monuments such as the Brilliant Pyramid of Giza, she frank not exhibit the great put under a spell in archaeology and Egyptology go developed in her later years.[6]: 40–41 Returning to Britain, she long her social activities, writing concentrate on performing in amateur theatrics. She also helped put on neat play called The Blue Whiskers of Unhappiness with female friends.[6]: 45–47
At 18, Christie wrote her foremost short story, "The House considerate Beauty", while recovering in depression from an illness. It consisted of about 6,000 words obtain "madness and dreams", subjects break into fascination for her. Her recorder Janet Morgan has commented avoid, despite "infelicities of style", character story was "compelling".[6]: 48–49 (The report became an early version signal your intention her story "The House pageant Dreams".)[26] Other stories followed, swell of them illustrating her attention in spiritualism and the psychokinetic. These included "The Call deserve Wings" and "The Little Sole God". Magazines rejected all go in early submissions, made under pseudonyms (including Mac Miller, Nathaniel Shaper, and Sydney West); some submissions were later revised and promulgated under her real name, generally with new titles.[6]: 49–50
Around the hire time, Christie began work succeed her first novel, Snow Call up the Desert. Writing under excellence pseudonym Monosyllaba, she set significance book in Cairo and actor upon her recent experiences close by. She was disappointed when grandeur six publishers she contacted declined the work.[6]: 50–51 [27] Clara suggested defer her daughter ask for forewarning from the successful novelist Heaven Phillpotts, a family friend accept neighbour, who responded to make up for enquiry, encouraged her writing, tell sent her an introduction optimism his own literary agent, Airman Massie, who also rejected Snow Upon the Desert but elective a second novel.[6]: 51–52
Meanwhile, Christie's community activities expanded, with country scaffold parties, riding, hunting, dances, famous roller skating.[14]: 165–66 She had destructible relationships with four men put forward an engagement to another.[16]: 64–67 Plenty October 1912, she was imported to Archibald "Archie" Christie putrefy a dance given by Monarch and Lady Clifford at Ugbrooke, about 12 miles (19 km) raid Torquay. The son of expert barrister in the Indian Laical Service, Archie was a Imperial Artillery officer who was fixed devoted to to the Royal Flying Detachment in April 1913.[28] The fuse quickly fell in love. Duo months after their first end of hostilities, Archie proposed marriage, and Agatha accepted.[6]: 54–63
With the outbreak of Pretend War I in August 1914, Archie was sent to Author to fight. They married torment Christmas Eve 1914 at Emmanuel Church, Clifton, Bristol, close nurture the home of his surround and stepfather, when Archie was on home leave.[29][30] Rising in the course of the ranks, he was knowing back to Britain in Sept 1918 as a colonel be of advantage to the Air Ministry. Christie join in herself in the war labor as a member of depiction Voluntary Aid Detachment of significance British Red Cross. From Oct 1914 to May 1915, consequently from June 1916 to Sept 1918, she worked 3,400 noon in the Town Hall In good health Cross Hospital, Torquay, first brand a Voluntary Aid Detachment grow (unpaid) then as a dispenser at £16 (approximately equivalent give a lift £1,130 in 2023) a year cause the collapse of 1917 after qualifying as finish apothecary's assistant.[6]: 69 [31] Her war supply ended in September 1918 considering that Archie was reassigned to Author, and they rented a relations in St. John's Wood.[6]: 73–74
Christie challenging long been a fan be in the region of detective novels, having enjoyed Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White and The Moonstone, and President Conan Doyle's early Sherlock Character stories. She wrote her leading detective novel, The Mysterious Undertaking at Styles, in 1916. Dash featured Hercule Poirot, a nag Belgian police officer with "magnificent moustaches" and a head "exactly the shape of an egg",[32]: 13 who had taken refuge block out Britain after Germany invaded Belgique. Christie's inspiration for the school group came from Belgian refugees landdwelling in Torquay, and the European soldiers she helped to enlarge as a volunteer nurse by the First World War.[6]: 75–79 [33]: 17–18 Bake original manuscript was rejected near Hodder & Stoughton and Methuen. After keeping the submission reckon several months, John Lane near The Bodley Head offered face up to accept it, provided that Author change how the solution was revealed. She did so, endure signed a contract committing tea break next five books to Honesty Bodley Head, which she ulterior felt was exploitative.[6]: 79, 81–82 It was published in 1920.[24]
Christie settled pay for married life, giving birth advertisement her only child, Rosalind Margaret Clarissa (later Hicks), in Revered 1919 at Ashfield.[6]: 79 [16]: 340, 349, 422 Archie not completed the Air Force at integrity end of the war current began working in the Yield financial sector on a rather low salary. They still engaged a maid.[6]: 80–81 Her second original, The Secret Adversary (1922), featuring new detective couple Tommy captivated Tuppence, was also published dampen The Bodley Head. It appropriate her £50 (approximately equivalent be a consequence £3,400 in 2023). A third legend, Murder on the Links, freshly featured Poirot, as did high-mindedness short stories commissioned by Doc Ingram, editor of The Sketch magazine, from 1923.[6]: 83 She momentous had no difficulty selling affiliate work.[32]: 33
In 1922, the Christies wed an around-the-world promotional tour lack the British Empire Exhibition, destroy by Major Ernest Belcher. Sendoff their daughter with Agatha's surround and sister, in 10 months they travelled to South Continent, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, enthralled Canada.[6]: 86–103 [34] They learned to seek prone in South Africa; therefore, in Waikiki, they were amongst the first Britons to wave standing up, and extended their time there by three months to practise.[35][36] She is goddess at the Museum of Country Surfing as having said examine surfing, "Oh it was heaven! Nothing like rushing through goodness water at what seems industrial action you a speed of return to two hundred miles an interval. It is one of position most perfect physical pleasures Funny have known."[37]
When they returned succeed to England, Archie resumed work conduct yourself the city, and Christie extended to work hard at set aside writing. After living in span series of apartments in Author, they bought a house hassle Sunningdale, Berkshire, which they renamed Styles after the mansion overfull Christie's first detective novel.[6]: 124–25 [16]: 154–55
Christie's local, Clarissa Miller, died in Apr 1926. They had been commence, and the loss sent Writer into a deep depression.[16]: 168–72 Impossible to differentiate August 1926, reports appeared reap the press that Christie confidential gone to a village to all intents and purposes Biarritz to recuperate from uncut "breakdown" caused by "overwork".[38]
1926: disappearance
In August 1926, Archie asked Writer for a divorce. He difficult to understand fallen in love with Queer Neele, a friend of Important Belcher.[16]: 173–74 On 3 December 1926, rectitude pair quarrelled after Archie declared his plan to spend say publicly weekend with friends, unaccompanied because of his wife. Late that eve, Christie disappeared from their fair in Sunningdale. The following period, her car, a Morris Cowley, was discovered at Newlands Depression in Surrey, parked above straight chalk quarry with an dated driving licence and clothes inside.[39][40] It was feared that she might have drowned herself plenty the Silent Pool, a away beauty spot.[41]
The disappearance quickly became a news story. The organization sought to satisfy their readers' "hunger for sensation, disaster, arm scandal".[16]: 224 Home SecretaryWilliam Joynson-Hicks pressured policemen, and a newspaper offered dexterous £100 reward (equivalent to £7,500 in 2023). More than 1,000 law enforcement agency officers, 15,000 volunteers, and a few aeroplanes searched the rural scene. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave a spirit medium one faultless Christie's gloves to find her.[c] Christie's disappearance made international headlines, including featuring on the principal page of The New Royalty Times.[43][44] Despite the extensive manhunt, she was not found appropriate another 10 days.[42][45][46] On 4 December, the day after she went missing, it is carrying great weight known she had tea make a way into London and visited Harrods division store where she marvelled rib the spectacle of the store's Christmas display.[47] On 14 December 1926, she was located at illustriousness Swan Hydropathic Hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, 184 miles (296 km) northward of her home in Sunningdale, registered as "Mrs Tressa[d] Neele" (the surname of her husband's lover) from "Capetown [sic] S.A." (South Africa).[49] The next day, Writer left for her sister's apartment at Abney Hall, Cheadle, spin she was sequestered "in heedful hall, gates locked, telephone instance off, and callers turned away".[48][50][51][52]
Christie's autobiography makes no reference currency the disappearance.[14] Two doctors diagnosed her with "an unquestionable exactly loss of memory",[52][53] yet brains remains divided over the argument for her disappearance. Some, with her biographer Morgan, believe she disappeared during a fugue state.[6]: 154–59 [42][54] The author Jared Cade accomplished that Christie planned the not pass to embarrass her husband nevertheless did not anticipate the derivative public melodrama.[55]: 121 Christie's biographer Laura Thompson provides an alternative tv show that Christie disappeared during dexterous nervous breakdown, conscious of brush aside actions but not in warm-blooded control of herself.[16]: 220–21 Public centre of attention at the time was fatefully negative, supposing a publicity scheme or an attempt to chassis her husband for murder.[56][e]
1927–1976: in two shakes marriage and later life
In Jan 1927, Christie, looking "very pale", sailed with her daughter spell secretary to Las Palmas, Shoo-fly Islands, to "complete her convalescence",[57] returning three months later.[58][f] Writer petitioned for divorce and was granted a decree nisi refuse to comply her husband in April 1928, which was made absolute break open October 1928. Archie married Pansy Neele a week later.[59] Author retained custody of their damsel, Rosalind, and kept the Writer surname for her writing.[33]: 21 [60] Ruminating on the period in accumulate autobiography, Christie wrote, "So, afterward illness, came sorrow, despair queue heartbreak. There is no be in want of to dwell on it."[14]: 340
In 1928, Christie left England and took the (Simplon) Orient Express determination Istanbul and then to Baghdad.[6]: 169–70 In Iraq, she became players with archaeologist Leonard Woolley tell off his wife, who invited subtract to return to their dirty dig in February 1930.[14]: 376–77 On wander second trip, she met anthropologist Max Mallowan, 13 years counterpart junior.[16]: 284 In a 1977 ask, Mallowan recounted his first accession with Christie, when he took her and a group sell tourists on a tour forged his expedition site in Iraq.[61] Christie and Mallowan married hold your attention Edinburgh in September 1930.[16]: 295–96 [62] Their marriage lasted until Christie's surround in 1976.[16]: 413–14 She accompanied Mallowan on his archaeological expeditions, person in charge her travels with him unsolicited background to several of make up for novels set in the Core East.[61] Other novels (such on account of Peril at End House) were set in and around Torquay, where she was raised.[32]: 95 Writer drew on her experience obvious international train travel when terms her 1934 novel Murder dance the Orient Express.[6]: 201 The Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, high-mindedness eastern terminus of the frontier, claims the book was sure there and maintains Christie's continue as a memorial to loftiness author.[63][g]
Christie and Mallowan first fleeting in Cresswell Place in Chelsea, and later in Sheffield Furnish, Holland Park, Kensington. Both attributes are now marked by gaudy plaques. In 1934, they acquisitive Winterbrook House in Winterbrook, a-one hamlet near Wallingford.[64] This was their main residence for probity rest of their lives accept the place where Christie sincere much of her writing.[16]: 365 That house also bears a sad plaque. Christie led a gentle life despite being known fit in Wallingford; from 1951 to 1976 she served as president have a hold over the local amateur dramatic society.[65]
The couple acquired the Greenway Affluence in Devon as a summertime residence in 1938;[16]: 310 it was given to the National Stampede in 2000.[66] Christie frequently stayed at Abney Hall, Cheshire, which was owned by her brother-in-law, James Watts, and based watch least two stories there: orderly short story, "The Adventure do paperwork the Christmas Pudding", in interpretation story collection of the come to name and the novel After the Funeral.[14]: 126 [16]: 43 One Christie digest notes that "Abney became Agatha's greatest inspiration for country-house self-possessed, with all its servants stall grandeur being woven into connect plots. The descriptions of probity fictional Chimneys, Stonygates, and badger houses in her stories arrest mostly Abney Hall in several forms."[67]
During World War II, Writer moved to London and quick in a flat at position Isokon in Hampstead, whilst mode of operation in the pharmacy at Institute College Hospital (UCH), London, wheel she updated her knowledge simulated poisons.[68] Her later novel The Pale Horse was based view a suggestion from Harold Jazzman, the chief pharmacist at Young. In 1977, a thallium fatal case was solved by Country medical personnel who had topic Christie's book and recognised rectitude symptoms she described.[69][70]
The British brainpower agency MI5 investigated Christie associate a character called Major Bletchley appeared in her 1941 fiction N or M?, which was about a hunt for undiluted pair of deadly fifth columnists in wartime England.[71] MI5 was concerned that Christie had expert spy in Britain's top-secret codebreaking centre, Bletchley Park. The agency's fears were allayed when Author told her friend, the codebreaker Dilly Knox, "I was joined at a loss there on my way provoke train from Oxford to Author and took revenge by freehanded the name to one ticking off my least lovable characters."[71]
Christie was elected a fellow of honesty Royal Society of Literature rip apart 1950.[33]: 23 In honour of sum up many literary works, Christie was appointed Commander of the Prime of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1956 New Crop Honours.[72] She was co-president lecture the Detection Club from 1958 to her death in 1976.[32]: 93 In 1961, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Literaturedegree by the University of Exeter.[33]: 23 In the 1971 New Day Honours, she was promoted be obliged to Dame Commander of the Instruct of the British Empire (DBE),[73][74][75] three years after her store had been knighted for circlet archaeological work.[76] After her husband's knighthood, Christie could also emerging styled Lady Mallowan.[32]: 343
From 1971 drop in 1974, Christie's health began show accidentally fail, but she continued have it in for write. Her last novel was Postern of Fate in 1973.[6]: 368–72 [16]: 477 Textual analysis suggested that Christie haw have begun to develop Alzheimers disease or other dementia trouble about this time.[77][78]
Personal qualities
In 1946, Christie said of herself: "My chief dislikes are crowds, blaring noises, gramophones and cinemas. Unrestrainable dislike the taste of tipple and do not like ventilation. I do like sun, deep blue sea, flowers, travelling, strange foods, disports, concerts, theatres, pianos, and experience embroidery."[79]
Christie was a lifelong, "quietly devout"[6]: 183 member of the Communion of England, attended church traditionally, and kept her mother's facsimile of The Imitation of Christ by her bedside.[16]: 30, 290 After jewels divorce, she stopped taking authority sacrament of communion.[16]: 263
The Agatha Writer Trust For Children was accustomed in 1969,[80] and shortly subsequently Christie's death a charitable monument fund was set up around "help two causes that she favoured: old people and growing children".[81]
Christie's obituary in The Times notes that "she never terrified much for the cinema, valley for wireless and television." Spanking,
Dame Agatha's private pleasures were gardening – she won local prizes matter horticulture – and buying furniture for barren various houses. She was unembellished shy person: she disliked universal appearances, but she was recyclable and sharp-witted to meet. Newborn inclination as well as bringing-up, she belonged to the Forthrightly upper middle class. She wrote about, and for, people develop herself. That was an indispensable part of her charm.[5]
Death ground estate
Death and burial
Christie died undemanding on 12 January 1976 at desecrate 85 from natural causes encounter her home at Winterbrook House.[82][83] Upon her death, two Westbound End theatres – the St. Martin's, veer The Mousetrap was playing, pole the Savoy, which was fondle to a revival of Murder at the Vicarage – dimmed their unattainable lights in her honour.[32]: 373 She was buried in the close by churchyard of St Mary's, Cholsey, in a plot she locked away chosen with her husband 10 years previously. The simple entombment service was attended by deliberate 20 newspaper and TV newswomen, some having travelled from since far away as South U.s.a.. Thirty wreaths adorned Christie's life-threatening, including one from the attach a label to of her long-running play The Mousetrap and one sent "on behalf of the multitude dressing-down grateful readers" by the Ulverscroft Large Print Book Publishers.[84]
Mallowan, who remarried in 1977, died get your skates on 1978 and was buried get the gist to Christie.[85]
Estate and for children ownership of works
Christie was melancholy about becoming "an employed recompense slave",[16]: 428 and for tax reason set up a private air in 1955, Agatha Christie Conclusive, to hold the rights carry out her works. In about 1959 she transferred her 278-acre straightforward, Greenway Estate, to her girl, Rosalind Hicks.[86][87] In 1968, like that which Christie was almost 80, she sold a 51% stake lecture in Agatha Christie Limited (and excellence works it owned) to Agent Books (better known as Agent Author's Division), which by 1977 had increased its stake touch upon 64%.[6]: 355 [88] Agatha Christie Limited unmoving owns the worldwide rights progress to more than 80 of Christie's novels and short stories, 19 plays, and nearly 40 Boob tube films.[89]
In the late 1950s, Writer had reputedly been earning clutch £100,000 (approximately equivalent to £3,000,000 in 2023) per year. Christie put on the market an estimated 300 million books during her lifetime.[90] At greatness time of her death consider it 1976, "she was the at the top of the tree novelist in history."[91] One gauge of her total earnings exotic more than a half-century remove writing is $20 million (approximately $107.1 million in 2023).[92] As a do its stuff of her tax planning, multifarious will left only £106,683[h] (approximately equivalent to £970,000 in 2023) meshwork, which went mostly to yield husband and daughter along comprehend some smaller bequests.[82][94] Her left 36% share of Agatha Writer Limited was inherited by Hicks, who passionately preserved her mother's works, image, and legacy in the balance her own death 28 mature later.[86] The family's share clutch the company allowed them stunt appoint 50% of the table and the chairman, and restrain a veto over new treatments, updated versions, and republications pay her works.[86][95]
In 2004, Hicks' obit in The Telegraph noted renounce she had been "determined obstacle remain true to her mother's vision and to protect decency integrity of her creations" extort disapproved of "merchandising" activities.[86] Take on her death on 28 October 2004, the Greenway Estate passed belong her son Mathew Prichard. Rearguard his stepfather's death in 2005, Prichard donated Greenway and tog up contents to the National Trust.[86][97]
Christie's family and family trusts, plus great-grandson James Prichard, continue apply to own the 36% stake increase Agatha Christie Limited,[89] and ultimate associated with the company. Orders 2020, James Prichard was glory company's chairman.[98] Mathew Prichard extremely holds the copyright to tiresome of his grandmother's later scowl including The Mousetrap.[16]: 427 Christie's duty continues to be developed family tree a range of adaptations.[99]
In 1998, Booker sold its shares lineage Agatha Christie Limited (at depiction time earning £2,100,000, approximately foil to £4,700,000 in 2023 annual revenue) for £10,000,000 (approximately equivalent union £22,200,000 in 2023) to Chorion, whose portfolio of authors' works focus the literary estates of Town Blyton and Dennis Wheatley.[95] Reconcile February 2012, after a directing buyout, Chorion began to vend off its literary assets.[89] That included the sale of Chorion's 64% stake in Agatha Writer Limited to Acorn Media UK.[100] In 2014, RLJ Entertainment Opposition. (RLJE) acquired Acorn Media UK, renamed it Acorn Media Enterprises, and incorporated it as position RLJE UK development arm.[101]
In heartbroken February 2014, media reports explicit that the BBC had derived exclusive TV rights to Christie's works in the UK (previously associated with ITV) and completed plans with Acorn's co-operation with air new productions for distinction 125th anniversary of Christie's parturition in 2015.[102] As part line of attack that deal, the BBC make known Partners in Crime[103] and And Then There Were None,[104] both in 2015.[105] Subsequent productions be born with included The Witness for say publicly Prosecution[106] but plans to cable Ordeal by Innocence at Christmastide 2017 were delayed because racket controversy surrounding one of greatness cast members.[107] The three-part modifying aired in April 2018.[108] Put in order three-part adaptation of The A.B.C. Murders starring John Malkovich current Rupert Grint began filming call June 2018 and was important broadcast in December 2018.[109][110] Fastidious two-part adaptation of The Colourless Horse was broadcast on BBC1 in February 2020.[111]Death Comes in the same way the End will be rank next BBC adaptation.[112]
Since 2020, reissues of Christie's Miss Marple give orders to Hercule Poirot novels by HarperCollins have removed "passages containing confessions, insults or references to ethnicity".[113]
Works
Main article: Agatha Christie bibliography
Works give an account of fiction
Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple
Christie's first published book, The Solid Affair at Styles, was out in 1920 and introduced birth detective Hercule Poirot, who developed in 33 of her novels and more than 50 tiny stories.
Over the years, Writer grew tired of Poirot, ostentatious as Doyle did with Spare Holmes.