Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was an English novelist and playwright widely regarded as one of the most influential writers in the history of detective fiction. Over a career spanning more than five decades, she authored sixty-six detective novels, numerous short stories, and the world's longest-running play, The Mousetrap.Christie created two of crime literature's most enduring figures: the meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and the perceptive village sleuth Miss Marple. Her fiction is distinguished by tightly constructed plots, ingenious misdirection, and a deep understanding of human motive. Blending intellectual puzzle with social observation, her novels helped define the Golden Age of British detective fiction.One of the best-selling authors of all time, Christie's works have been translated into more than one hundred languages and continue to shape popular conceptions of the classic mystery novel.
