12/14/1926 Agatha Christie's real life mystery ends

December 14, 1926.  Agatha Christie was already a bestselling author in 1926 when she disappeared, leaving her daughter at home, and her car beside a lake.  The exact nature of her problem is still debated, but it appears to have been a nervous breakdown brought on by stress.  Her husband had recently asked for a divorce and that day, after an argument, had gone off to spend the weekend with his mistress.

Christie was found on December 14 in a hotel in Yorkshire, checked in under the last name of her husband's mistress.  In her autobiography, she skipped the entire event.  So the mystery ended, but you can't exactly say it was solved.  

9/15/1890 Dame Agatha arrives

September 15, 1890.  The bestselling novelist of all time was born on this date 125 years ago, in Torquay, England.  What can I say about Agatha Christie that you don't already know?


How about this?  In her early books there were some anti-Semetic references.  Then, in the 1930s, she met an actual Nazi.  And that settled that for her.  Trust her to recognize a villain.

9/7/1976 Miss Marple's last case appears

September 7, 1976.  This day saw the American publication of Sleeping Murder, which Agatha Christie wrote during the second World War and tucked away to be a posthumous curtain call for herself and Jane Marple, the beloved spinster from St Mary Mead. 

A newlywed has an apparent deja-vu memory of a murder.  Is it ESP, or something more sinsiter.

Kirkus Review sasy "This is Miss Marple at her noticing, unobtrusive, kindly best--a perfect envoi."

7/18/1917 Agatha Christie's first murder

July 18, 1917.  On this date a woman is murdered at Styles, beginning Agatha Christie's long killing spree.  The Mysterious Affair at Styles, published in 1920, is the first of her 66 mystery novels.  Her books are estimated to have sold 4 billion copies.