Agatha Christie Under the Magnifying Glass: Close Readings of 12 Novels

Fifty years after her death, Agatha Christie remains one of the most popular writers worldwide, as adaptations and new appreciations have made her work a permanent part of literature and culture. Treating Christie's murder mysteries as serious examples of literary art, this book situates her work in the context of the twentieth century, showing how it still resonates today. As Christie's great detectives--Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, and Superintendent Battle--solve seemingly impossible puzzles, they also traverse vital details of setting, character, plot, and motivation. Studying the entire sweep of Christie's career from the 1920s to the 1970s, from early brain-twisters such as The Murder of Roger Ackroyd to the psychologically infused portraits of modern London in At Bertram's Hotel and Third Girl, this book reveals the ingenious construction of Christie's novels and the reasons why she remains such a treasured author. Read more