Agatha Christie was rightly known as the ‘Queen of Crime’ and was renowned for her captivating mystery stories and whodunits. She was a household name for her detective characters such as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot and proves to be relevant even today. One of the most important metrics for an author is their book count. Let’s explore the work of Agatha Christie and how many books she wrote in her lifetime.
Who Was Agatha Christie?
Agatha Christie (nee Miller) was born on September 15th 1890 in Torquay, England. She was born in a moderately wealthy but highly educated family and it was clear from a young age that she had a natural gift for writing. When Agatha was eleven, she wrote a short story called “The Amethyst Box” – and that’s how her passion for writing started.
After her marriage in 1914, Agatha stayed at home where she wrote her first published novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, introducing the character of Hercule Poirot, who would later become an iconic detective in the world of books.
Agatha Christie’s works are some of the best-selling novels ever published, selling up to a staggering 2 billion copies which makes her the world’s best-selling author of all time.
Agatha Christie wrote numerous plays and novels throughout her career before passing away in 1976.
How Many Books Did Agatha Christie Write?
Agatha Christie wrote a total of 66 detective novels featuring her…
The Poirot Series
The Poirot series starring the world famous “affable Belgian” detective, Hercule Poirot, is the longest running series of books of all Agatha Christie’s work. Agatha wrote 33 Poirot novels, 2 collections of Poirot short stories and a number of standalone novels.
The Miss Marple Series
Agatha Christie wrote 13 novels and 20 short stories surrounding her beloved character Miss Marple, the elderly spinster who uses her wit and insight to solve puzzling cases.
Standalone Novels
Agatha Christie’s standalone novels are some of her most popular works. She wrote 11 standalone novels, such as the widely popular Murder on the Orient Express and her more philosophical works such as And Then There Were None.
Sunningdale Stories
Agatha Christie wrote 1 collection of short stories named “The Sunningdale Stories”, which actually served as the inspiration for the Miss Marple character.
Works Under Pseudonym
Agatha Christie also wrote 6 books under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott. Agatha used this alias to explore a more emotional side of her writing, which was different than her crime and mystery stories.
Other Books
Agatha wrote a children’s book in 1933 named “The Mystery of the Blue Train” and a travelogue of her experience in the Middle East in British Archaeological Expedition to Palestine in 1935. In total, Agatha Christie wrote 66 detective novels and novellas, 20 non-fiction books and 6 novels under the Mary Westmacott pen name.
Agatha Christie is the world’s best-selling author of all time and is known for her suspenseful, gripping stories bringing viewers to the edge of their seat. Despite her having passed away in 1976, Agatha Christie’s work and books are still being revered today. In her lifetime, she wrote 66 detective novels and novellas, 20 non-fiction books and 6 novels under the Mary Westmacott pen name; now that’s prolific!
