One of the most popular, best-selling authors and a name known to almost every mystery or crime fiction fanatic, Agatha Christie has blessed humankind with a wide range of interesting novels that take you through a thrilling journey of mysteries, crimes and detective stories.
Known as the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie’s curation often revolves around the famous central figure in her novels, Detective Hercule Poirot, who has won the hearts of several crime-fic enthusiasts. With an iconic mustache, this man uses his “little grey cells” to solve the most confusing cases and has been the focal point of some of the best works by Christie. As an ardent fan of her pieces myself, here are some of the best picks out of the range of crime novels she has written:
- And Then There Were None
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Poirot, not being the protagonist of this piece, may act as a turnoff for some readers, but the moment you start reading it, you will realise this was one of the best articulated and well-plotted novels by Christie. Like many other narratives by Christie, the ending for this one is unexpected. Decades have passed, but it is still one of the best works by Agatha Christie and is the best pick for newbies in the thriller genre. It’s a story of ten individuals on a stranded island who find out that someone is murdering them one by one; the plot summary sounds intriguing enough to push people to pick this up. Since this is a very easy-to-read and fast-paced novel, one can binge-read it anytime!
- Murder on the Orient Express
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Another masterpiece by Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express, is a classic crime novel with Poirot solving the murder mystery at the center of the story. The ending of this one is completely out of the box and the author doesn’t even hint at the perpetrator till the very end of the narrative. It’s fun to read how he collects evidence for the case from every single character in the story. Because of the intricate detailing and lucidity provided by Christie, this read makes you live through the moments and the scenes vividly. The novel is an absolute roller coaster ride as you end up suspecting every single character at least once in the novel. The crime scene set-up is also built so well that it’s difficult to figure out the loopholes to find the killer.
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
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This one is set in a village where a murder takes place and Poirot is called to take up the case. The best part about this book is the convenience with which one can read her writing, enabling readers to read page after page continuously without even realizing it. This work of fiction is an engaging experience with a lot of plot twists, which makes it hard to figure out the murderer and keeps you engaged till the very end.
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles
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It’s unfair to not have the first of Christie’s work on this list when it’s one of the best ones as well. This novel introduced the world to her best-crafted character, Detective Hercule Poirot. This story was written during the world war and revolves around the death of a person named Emily Inglethorp. Though this piece lacks the sharpness with which Christie has written her later novels, it is certainly a great read which reveals the early version of Christie’s writing style and creativity.
- The Murder at the Vicarage
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Another of Christie’s firsts, this novel is the first one which introduces another famous character, Miss Marple. Following this, Christie wrote several Miss Marple stories as well, but this piece of literature remains the best of all. Interestingly, the book also offers good humor showcasing Christie’s wit. The best part of her work is that her cases are multifaceted and multilayered rather than simple murder cases with some forensic investigation. Her novels like this one keep unveiling new secrets with every chapter, answering all the questions in the end. Unlike Poirot, who’s a sophisticated detective using his grey cells, Miss Marple is a seemingly sweet but very gutsy neighbor who uses her keen eye for detail and experience with people to solve cases.
- By the Pricking of My Thumbs
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Tommy and Tuppence were a new pair of protagonists introduced by Agatha Christie and this was the fourth of those novels. This detective fiction remains one of the most intricately woven and dark-themed novels that thrill you inside out. With this read, Christie brings out some creepiness which is executed absolutely well here. This narrative’s atmosphere makes it a must-read, as it also stands differently from Christie’s regular works.
And that’s it! This list only has six recommendations, for it’s just so hard to select out of an entire pool of Christie’s masterpieces. Crime fiction lovers thus extend their gratitude to Christie for coming up with some of the most ‘marple-lous’ works in the thriller genre. If you’re a newbie, we suggest you start using your “little grey cells” and try reading any of these. We guarantee they will definitely not disappoint!