Agatha Christie: a very elusive woman

English author, Agatha Christie 1890-1976, was one of the best known crime novelists in the twentieth century. She wrote 66 books of detective and thriller fiction, 14 books of short stories, six novels using the pen name, Mary Westmacott, a number of plays plus several non-fiction books. Many of her novels have been made into films and television plays. Two of the best known characters in her books are Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. The play, The Mousetrap has been in production since 1952.

Yet the story of her life has also created much interest, particularly the eleven days when she disappeared in 1926. Throughout her works there are many references to places that Agatha visited, buildings she lived in and life experiences that she encountered. In the book, Agatha Christie: a most elusive woman, Lucy Worsley endeavours to explore the life and work of Agatha Christie and attempts to explain some of the mysteries regarding the author's life.

Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller's early childhood was in Torquay, Devon, where the family led a relatively comfortable life until the death of her father in 1901. Financial difficulties necessitated altering their lifestyle. In the early twentieth century it was considered not only important for a woman to marry, but to marry well. Agatha's mother took her daughter to Egypt in the hope that a suitable husband might be found. This was the beginning of Agatha's love of travelling and exploring different countries.

1914 saw the outbreak of the First World War and Agatha volunteered to work as a VAD in a hospital and later in the hospital pharmacy. She had met Archibald Christie who joined the airforce and Archibald became her first husband. Agatha and Archie had a daughter, Rosalind. After the war problems developed in their relationship and they divorced in 1928. Meanwhile Agatha had begun her writing career and was beginning to earn a living from writing books, particularly detective fiction.

Agatha started travelling again and became interested in exploring areas where significant archaeological finds were being made. She met and in 1930 eventually married Max Mallowan. Although Max was fourteen years younger than Agatha it was a successful relationship.

Lucy Worsley provides an account of Agatha's life and the many challenges that she faced in having a successful career. The book provides information about the changes in lifestyle and challenges faced by women during the twentieth century - a period of two major wars and the depression. Although Agatha became a successful author there were financial challenges to be resolved, especially regarding the sale of her books in the USA. Lucy Worsley also examines what might have happened when Agatha 'disappeared' for eleven days during 1926 and the reaction, particularly by the media, to the disappearance.

The book is a detailed study of the life and work of Agatha Christie and her role in the Golden Age of Crime Fiction.

There are detailed notes for each chapter plus lists of sources, an index and photographs.