By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott.

‘The most macabre and eerie Christie I have read for a long time.’Sunday Express‘All beautifully plotted in the way that Mrs Christie is famous for. The title is from Macbeth: “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” Wicked indeed!’Best Sellers‘Ladies disappearing from homes of rest, sinister empty houses, hints of gang-leaders mixed with black magic – mystery at the usual high Christie level.’Evening Standard‘Devised with fiendish ingenuity in the classic Christie cast.’Illustrated London News