Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

Agatha Christie is a worldwide bestseller. Her work has been translated into over 100 languages and adapted for theatre and film. Christie's writing career spanned from 1920 to the 1970s, and she didn't just write puzzles; she also authored plays, supernatural stories, thrillers, satires, and domestic noir. She also subtly but perceptively commented on the social and cultural changes of a turbulent century. Christie's work narrates the story of a changing Britain, but perhaps her greatest achievement is that her stories are both universal and specific, making them adaptable to almost any context.

This Very Short Introduction explores why the novels of a middle-class, middlebrow Englishwoman achieved such success and why they continue to appeal to a wide range of readers. Chapters examine the context of Christie's writing and the clue-puzzle detective fiction structure she excelled at, but also challenge the familiar assumptions surrounding her and what we believe we know about her work. Gill Plain explores Christie's ability to capture the spirit of her era and considers how her novels reveal anxieties about gender roles, family, war, justice, ethics, and nationhood. Her fascination with hypocrisy, power, abuse, deception, and despair still resonates with readers—and screenwriters—who respond to her light touch and dark imagination by reimagining her stories to reflect the fears and desires of their own time.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press offers hundreds of titles across nearly every subject area. These compact books are an excellent way to quickly get acquainted with a new subject. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspectives, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make complex and interesting topics accessible and engaging.

Pages: 160, Dimensions: 11.2x11.2cm