New Delhi: Agatha Christie, a famous British crime novelist, is well-known for her detective novels and plays. Her books have been translated into over 103 languages and have sold an estimated 2 billion copies, making her the third best-selling author of all time, behind only William Shakespeare and the Bible.
She was born on this day in 1890. On her birth anniversary, let us look at the lesser-known facts about the ‘Queen of Mystery’ or ‘Queen of Crime’.
7 unknown facts about Agatha Christie
Christie was born in 1890 in Torquay, a town in southwestern England. She received almost no formal education and was mostly tutored at home. She played with pets, imaginary friends, and her family’s servants. At 13, she began attending a local girls’ school twice weekly. Later, she studied music in Paris. As a writer, she taught herself.
Christie’s father, Frederick, didn’t work and lived off his inheritance. He spent his time playing cards and having extravagant dinners, but he faced financial difficulties before he died in 1901. Her mother, Clara, wrote poetry and explored different religions.
After working as a nurse during World War I, Christie became an apothecary’s assistant, which gave her access to various poisons. This experience influenced her choice to include poisons in her first published novel, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles.”
Christie’s interest in mysteries began when her sister challenged her to write a good one. Her first attempt, “The Mysterious Affair at Styles,” was eventually published, marking the start of her career as a successful crime writer.
Christie created two famous fictional detectives throughout her career: Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. Poirot appeared in 33 novels and over 50 short stories, while Marple appeared in 12 novels and 20 short stories.
During World War II, Christie’s novel “N or M” caught the attention of MI5, the British intelligence agency, because of a character named Major Bletchley. They thought it might refer to a real person at Bletchley Park. After an investigation, they dropped the case.
In 1926, Christie disappeared for 11 days after kissing her daughter goodnight. She was found in a hotel in Harrogate, England, without explaining her absence. She claimed to have suffered from amnesia during this time.
Agatha Christie is a well-known writer of detective stories. Her books are popular worldwide, especially in India. They have been translated into many languages and are enjoyed by people of all ages. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge