Agatha Christie

A Mysterious Life

By: Laura Thompson

Narrated by: Pearl Hewitt

2019 Edgar Award Finalist for Best Critical/Biographical work

The author of the New York Times bestselling The Six now turns her formidable biographical skills to the greatest crime writer in the world, Agatha Christie.

It has been one hundred years since Agatha Christie wrote her first novel and created the formidable Hercule Poirot. A brilliant and award-winning biographer, Laura Thompson now turns her sharp eye to Agatha Christie. Arguably the greatest crime writer in the world, Christie’s books still sell over four million copies each year - more than thirty years after her death - and it shows no signs of slowing.

But who was the woman behind these mystifying, yet eternally pleasing, puzzlers? Thompson reveals the Edwardian world in which Christie grew up, explores her relationships, including those with her two husbands and daughter, and investigates the many mysteries still surrounding Christie’s life, most notably, her eleven-day disappearance in 1926.

Agatha Christie is as mysterious as the stories she penned, and writing about her is a detection job in itself. With unprecedented access to all of Christie’s letters, papers, and notebooks, as well as fresh and insightful interviews with her grandson, daughter, son-in-law and their living relations, Thompson is able to unravel not only the detailed workings of Christie’s detective fiction, but the truth behind this mysterious woman.

©2018 Laura Thompson (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Pearl Hewitt's sweet, crisp English voice adds extra pleasure to her fine narration of this recent biography of the famous English mystery writer Agatha Christie.... Her clear, musical timbre sounds just right for Christie's era and class, and her attentive pacing keep one attuned to Thompson's interesting analyses. A win for Christie's biggest fans." (AudioFile)

Really Enjoyed

Really enjoyed this fine book about a favorite author. Well written and I learned a lot about her life. Highly recommended!

Whatva great intro to who Agatha was...

...and now I am goimg to listen to ebery Agatha Christie book Audible has, and read the ones I found at my local used book store

Masterful blend of history, biography, true crime

Midway through this title and in previous week have lost considerable hours to Laura Thompson’s other books on the Lord Lucan case & the Edith Thompson/Freddie Bywaters executions. The audiobook versions make these compelling and hard to put down, but if Thompson’s ability to weave these stories together—using primary sources, news media coverage, and an especially incisive sociological approach—was not so skilled the audio would expose it. These are phenomenal books, all three of them, and I listen to scads of this stuff weekly (am BBC Radio addict, too). Incomparably recounted tales of the perils women have endured.

Brilliant Biography

So uniquely structured with extensive quotes from her work and letters a very loving, literate, narrative and examination of the written work of Agatha Christie. Be patient. By the time you have finished the book you will have a much deeper understanding of Christie and her work than you might have imagined. Well worth the long listen and beautifully read with a perfect French Poirot in addition to other beautifully characterized letters and quotes. A work of art.

Awesome

This was an amazing and awesome inside look at her life and all her work!

What a Story

I learned so much about Agatha Christie from this book! Excellent performance, in depth research, and very engaging. A real winner!

Christine

So enjoyed learning all about an author I absolutely adore! I highly recommend this book!

Honest Look at Human Genius

Very readable and informative, an exposition into how ones mind is represented by ones writing. Also a good primer for Agatha Christie Fans. If you love mysteries you have to read this book. Also the reader has a wonderful voice. Spot on to read AC.

Never knew she was this fascinating!

A bit all over the place with timeline and sometimes hard to tell when narrator was quoting a passage from an AC book or just reading her lines, but overall a deliciously long, educational, soothing and fascinating listen. AC was quite a woman, quite a writer and a bit of an enigma! Really enjoyed!

Suspicious at first, but was drawn in

I’m not typically a biography reader and I can’t quite tell you how this one crossed my path or why in chose 16 hours of Agatha Christie’s life. But I’m glad I did. I love her books but knew nothing of the author. Reading this has rounded out and given her books additional depth. Plus, the narrator is wonderful to listen to.