Outsold only by the Bible and William Shakespeare, Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time, not to mention the penman of the world\u2019s longest-running play, The Mousetrap. Her characters Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and Colonel Race have become household names, and feature in many of Christie\u2019s tales.<\/p>\n
While some of the same characters may crop up, the books we\u2019ve suggested below can be read as standalone stories. We\u2019ve also recommended our favourite Miss Marple and Poirot tales, as well as the top audiobooks you can find on Amazon\u2019s Audible. Plus, with a free 30-day trial at Audible, you have plenty of time to get stuck into Christie\u2019s twisted world.<\/p>\n
Now, grab your magnifying glass, we have mysteries to solve!<\/p>\n
For top Audible deals<\/a> this month, be sure to read our guide.<\/strong><\/p>\n Jump to:<\/strong><\/p>\n This 1944 book represents some firsts for Christie as well as some peculiarities; Death Comes as the End is the only one of the author\u2019s novels not to be set in the 20th century \u2014 instead it\u2019s set in Thebes, Egypt, in 2000 BC \u2014 it\u2019s also the first full-length novel which combines historical fiction and the detective story, which would later become known as the historical whodunit. Death Comes as the End is only one of four Christie novels which has not been adapted in any way, which means reading it is the only way you can consume this twisted tale.<\/p>\n In Death Comes as the End, an Egyptian family\u2019s lives are disturbed when their father brings home a new wife, Nofret, who begins to plant seeds of doubt amongst them. When murders begin, the family suspects a curse upon the house, but is the killer close to home?<\/p>\n Buy Death Comes as the End from \u00a34.44 at Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n We\u2019ve watched enough mystery dramas \u2014 namely, Fool Me Once<\/a> on Netflix recently \u2014 to know that, to find the killer, you need to establish a motive. In Sparkling Cyanide, character Rosemary Barton collapses and dies at a dinner table in a Luxembourg restaurant; each of the guests around the table have a reason for wanting Barton dead. One year later, her husband George Barton dies at the same table; he, too, is poisoned and collapses.<\/p>\n Sparkling Cyanide features the recurring character Colonel Race, who also features in books such as The Man in the Brown Suit, and this book is his last appearance. If you\u2019ve read any of Christie\u2019s short stories, you might be thinking \u2018hang on, this sounds very similar to Yellow Iris\u2019, and you\u2019d be correct! Sparkling Cyanide expands the plot of 1937 short story Yellow Iris.<\/p>\n Buy Sparkling Cyanide for \u00a310.99 at Harper Collins<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Have you heard of the crooked man who bought a crooked cat which caught a crooked mouse and they all lived together in a little crooked house? Well, this book isn\u2019t based on that, but it does get its title from the nursery rhyme.<\/p>\n Crooked House is one of Christie\u2019s favourites of her own novels, along with books like Ordeal by Innocence. The plot is as follows: three generations of the Leonides family all live together under the wealthy patriarch, Aristide. After Aristide is poisoned by his own eye medicine, the family decide they won\u2019t rest until the killer is apprehended. All fingers point towards Aristide\u2019s second wife, Brenda, who is suspected of having an affair, but did she do it?<\/p>\n Buy Crooked House for \u00a310.99 at Harper Collins<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n With two ITV adaptations and one BBC adaptation under its belt, you\u2019ve probably stumbled across The Pale Horse on your silver screen. But, as we always say, the book is usually better than the film or TV show.<\/p>\n The Pale Horse begins with a perfect set-up: a dying woman, Mrs Davis, confesses a terrible secret and gives a list of implicated names to a Roman Catholic priest, but before he can take action, he\u2019s struck dead in a fog. The book\u2019s young hero begins to piece together evidence, and it sets him on an unprecedented path\u2026<\/p>\n\n
Best Agatha Christie books at a glance:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Best Agatha Christie standalone books to read this year<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Death Comes as the End<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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