Agatha Christie is known as the “Queen of Mystery” for good reason. She’s the best-selling novelist of all time, and her books have been translated into over 100 languages, captivating readers all over the world.
Her riveting mysteries have captivated generations of film audiences as well, with over 44 film adaptations of her novels.
If you’re a mystery or thriller fan, Christie’s works are essential. In this post, we’ve rounded up her 10 most thrilling reads that will keep you hooked until the very last word.
10 Best Agatha Christie Books
Below are the 10 best Agatha Christie books, according to Goodreads ratings.
1. And Then There Were None
Ten strangers, each with their own secrets and fears, are invited to an isolated mansion on an island. When they arrive, they realize their mysterious host is nowhere to be found, and they’re completely cut off from the rest of the world. As the guests share their darkest secrets, they begin to turn up dead, one by one. Will the dwindling guests find the killer among them?
Published in 1939, Christie has said this was the most difficult book to write. It has been adapted for radio, television, film, and stage productions.
2. Murder on the Orient Express
Another murderer-among-us mystery thriller, Murder on the Orient Express joins And Then There Were None among the most widely read Agatha Christie books.
In this classic which has spurred two film adaptations, 13 passengers aboard the famous Orient Express find themselves suspects in a violent murder, and Detective Hercule Poirot is set on finding the killer.
3. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Roger Ackroyd knew that his fiancée poisoned her brutal first husband, and when she’s found dead from a suspected suicide, he suspects that someone had been blackmailing her. Then, while reading the evening post, Roger discovered one last fatal piece of information, but before he could finish reading, someone stabbed him to death, in a murder that forces Poirot out of retirement.
The British Crime Writers’ Association voted this the best crime novel ever, and its twist ending is credited with significantly impacting the crime genre.
4. Death on the Nile
Linnet Ridgeway was young, stylish, and beautiful. She appeared to have everything, until someone shot her through the head on an Egyptian river cruise.
In this mysterious web of love, jealousy, and betrayal, Detective Poirot must weed out the killer on board.
5. The A.B.C. Murders
A serial killer is working his way through the alphabet, plunging all of England into a state of panic.
With every murder, the killer appears to grow more confident, even leaving a trail of deliberate clues to taunt Detective Poirot—but that might just prove to be the killer’s first, and fatal, mistake.
6. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
In Christie’s debut novel, we’re introduced to Detective Hercule Poirot, her famously eccentric protagonist. As a Belgian refugee of WWI, Poirot settles in England, but when his wealthy benefactress is found dead, he must put his skills to the test.
So whodunnit: the victim’s much younger husband, her resentful stepsons, her longtime hired companion, a family friend working as a nurse, or the London poison specialist who happens to be in town?
7. A Murder Is Announced
The local gazette announces: “A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.”
Naturally, all the villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are more than a little curious. It must be a practical joke or some kind of hoax… but when the curious locals arrive on time at Little Paddocks, the lights suddenly go out and a gun is fired. Only Miss Marple can unravel it the gruesome crime they discover when the lights come back on.
8. 4:50 from Paddington
In the small instant that two trains run side by side, passenger Elspeth McGillicuddy witnessed a murder.
But with no other witnesses, no suspects, and no case, only Elspeth’s friend, Jane Marple, takes her claims seriously.
To crack the case, Miss Marple asks her friend Lucy Eyelesbarrow to infiltrate the Crackenthorpe family, who appear to be at the heart of the mystery.
9. Five Little Pigs
Caroline Crale was convicted of murdering her cheating husband, but there were five other “little pigs” who could have been the culprit: Philip Blake , who went to market; Meredith Blake (who stayed at home; Elsa Greer, who had her roast beef; Cecilia Williams, who had none; and Angela Warren, who cried all the way home.
Sixteen years after the crime, Caroline’s daughter discovers her mother’s posthumous letter that proves her innocence, and asks Hercule Poirot to reopen the case.
10. Evil Under the Sun
Just when Poirot thought he could take a vacation, he arrives at a beach in Devon—only to find a murdered woman among the sunbathers.
Poirot had sensed sexual tension in the air ever since Arlena Stuart arrived, but he suspects that this crime of passion conceals something much more sinister.
What Is Agatha’s Best Selling Novel?
Agatha Christie’s best selling novel to date (and the world’s best-selling mystery ever) is And Then There Were None, with over 100 million sales.
Collectively, her works have sold approximately 2 billion copies, making her the best-selling novelist of all time, with her sales second only to Shakespeare and the Bible.
If you’re interested in discovering more about Christie and other highly talented mystery and thriller writers, check out our list of the best thriller authors.
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