Born in 1890, Christie began writing while serving as a nurse in World War I. After her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published in 1920, Christie had an illustrious career. With 84 books that include series, standalone novels, collections, and non-fiction, Christie is reportedly only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare to this day.
Christie’s novels are known for her clever pacing and carefully-crafted characters. With iconic detectives like Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, Christie bridged gaps between high society and the general population. Christie’s brand of detectives endures not only in literary characters, but also in TV characters like Murder, She Wrote’s Jessica Fletcher, and movie characters like Knives Out’s Benoit Blanc.
With Christie’s extensive body of work, knowing where to start is intimidating. Never fear—we’ve cracked the case with our reading order guide to Agatha Christie’s novels.
All Agatha Christie Books In Order
Hercule Poirot (Books and Collections)
You’ll want to begin with the bulk of Christie’s bibliography, her extensive series featuring the famous detective Hercule Poirot. We recommend starting here and working through Poirot’s adventures to catch references to previous cases!
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)
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To see both Christie’s and Hercule Poirot’s origins, begin with Christie’s first published novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
We meet the enigmatic Poirot along with other iconic characters, like Inspector Japp and Arthur Hastings, as they investigate the murder of a woman who invited refugees from the Great War into her home. After the death shocks Styles, Poirot and his team must discover the culprit before they claim another victim.
You can start your journey into Christie’s work when you pick up your copy of The Mysterious Affair at Styles here.
The Murder on the Links (1923)
Embark on an adventure that includes murder, blackmail, and forbidden love in Poirot’s second appearance, The Murder on the Links.
Poirot responds to an urgent message from a client in France, yet the detective arrives too late: the man who sent a desperate flee is found dead, stabbed in the back with a cryptic love letter on his person. Soon, strange events stack up, and Poirot must muddle through false leads and meddling local authorities to discover the truth.
And after The Murder on the Links, you’ll want to continue to Poirot’s next chronological appearance:
Poirot Investigates (1924) (Collection)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)
Following Poirot Investigates is a Christie classic, voted the Best Crime Novel of All Time by the British Crime Writers’ Association.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd sees Poirot come out of retirement to solve the murder of a man who knew too much: Roger Ackroyd. Ackroyd had forbidden knowledge of a murder his lover committed and the blackmail she suffered. Before he learned the last crucial detail of her apparent suicide, though, he was stabbed. Now, Poirot must find the assailant.
Be sure to pick up The Murder of Roger Ackroyd here.
The Big Four (1927)
Poirot encounters global intrigue and espionage in The Big Four, Christie’s 1927 novel that sees the famed detective set out to solve a case that spans continents.
After a dust-covered man appears in Poirot’s bedroom holding a sheet of paper with the number 4 scrawled again and again, Poirot risks his life to find the answer.
Full of red herrings and with a formidable enemy, The Big Four is a must-read. If you thought the excitement couldn’t get better after The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, check in after this novel.
Following, The Big Four, continue to Poirot’s next chronological appearances:
The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
Peril at the End House (1932)
Lord Edgware Dies (1933)
Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Perhaps you’ve seen the movie or read about another murder on a train, but if you haven’t already, go back to the trope’s origins with one of the most-read mysteries of all time, Murder on the Orient Express.
When the famous Orient Express comes to a halt at midnight thanks to heavy snowfall, nobody can predict that when morning comes, millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett will be found dead. The culprit has to be a fellow passenger. But who? And can Poirot find the killer before they strike again?
After Murder on the Orient Express, the next seven titles in the Poirot series are:
Three Act Tragedy (1935)
Death in the Clouds (1935)
The A.B.C. Murders (1936)
Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)
Cards on the Table (1936)
Murder in the Mews (1937) (Collection)
Dumb Witness (1937)
Death on the Nile (1937)
Plunge into a sweeping mystery set against a luxury cruise along the Nile—this searing mystery in Egypt will tease and taunt your mind from start to finish.
Poirot finds himself with a case to crack with the young and beautiful Linnet Ridgeway is found dead. He recalls a fellow passenger saying that they would love to put a gun to Linnet’s head and pull the trigger—but are they truly behind the shocking death?
With a memorable cast and a lush setting, mayhem ensues.
Next, continue to Christie’s 1947 collection, The Labours of Hercules. Short story lovers, this is the perfect title for you.
The collection features twelve dazzlingly clever short crime fiction stories featuring the eccentric Hercule Poirot. Set in the period leading up to retirement, Poirot is determined to accept twelve more cases—self-imposed “Labors,” of sorts, like the ancient Greek hero.
Poirot’s deductions and adventures are of mythic status in the literary canon, and The Labours of Hercule makes it clear just why that is.
To conclude your time with Hercule Poirot, be sure to check out the subsequent titles:
Taken at the Flood (1948)
Mrs. McGinty’s Dead (1952)
After the Funeral (1953)
Hickory Dickory Dock (1955)
Dead Man’s Folly (1956)
Cat Among the Pigeons (1959)
The Clocks (1963)
Third Girl (1966)
Hallowe’en Party (1969)
13 at Dinner (1969)
Elephants Can Remember (1972)
Poirot’s Early Cases (1974) (Collection)
Curtain (1975)
The Monogram Murders (2014)
Miss Marple (Books and Collections)
After concluding your time with Poirot, meet Christie’s other beloved investigator, the charming Miss Jane Marple. Like the Poirot novels, we recommend reading the books featuring Miss Marple to catch references to previous cases!
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930)
Meet Miss Marple as she investigates a body in a clergyman’s study. The homicide has shaken the otherwise quiet country village, exposing a dark underbelly of violence, guilt, and deception. Even though the man killed was despised by all, someone had a personal score to settle—and only Miss Marple can determine who.
In the morning’s early hours, the Bantrys discover a young woman in an evening gown in their library—and she’s dead. How did she get there? And is her death related to the later-discovered burnt remains in a quarry?
To get their answers, the Bantrys turn to Miss Marple.
Miss Marple’s third case brings us to Lymstock, a town with scandal abound. Even anonymous hate mail is nothing to write home about—until, of course, a recipient commits suicide.
Or so the town thinks.
Miss Marple isn’t so sure about the cause of death. And soon, nobody is all too sure about anything. As secrets stack up and become deadly, can Miss Marple catch the murderer before they strike again?
A devilish puzzle unfolds in A Murder is Announced, in which a small-town newspaper shakes up the norm with a mysterious advertisement. “A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m,” it says. The town is in a flurry.
And when a gruesome scene unfolds, Miss Marple must discover who was behind the ad.
Miss Marple encounters a mystery at a rehabilitation center in They Do It With Mirrors. When someone shoots at the administrator, he survives, but a visitor is not so lucky. He was shot dead in another room at the same time. Miss Marple doesn’t believe for a moment that it’s a coincidence, and now, she must use all her wit to solve the puzzle.
Journey to the sunny Caribbean in Miss Marple’s next adventure.
What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turns into solving an old puzzle. When she hears a soldier’s story about a murderer he’d known, her interest is piqued. But before the soldier can provide the final piece, he perishes. Now, Miss Marple must solve the case without the final piece of evidence.
Treat yourself to a delightful compilation of Miss Marple’s final cases. Miss Marple’s characteristically unobtrusive yet clever investigation method shines in these unpredictable and satisfying stories.
Christie showcases her masterful power of deception—you’ll never be able to guess how any of these tales end.
Meet Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley, two young friends who will stop at nothing to solve cases. In chronological order, here are their adventures.
The Secret Adversary (1922)
We first meet Tommy and Tuppence in The Secret Adversary. Both without money or jobs in the wake of the Great War, the two set out to solve mysteries and fulfill “any reasonable request” for steady employment. Soon, they’re hired to seek the elusive Jane Finn, who was given important papers as the Lusitania sank.
Tommy and Tuppence’s next adventure finds the duo taking over Blunt’s International Detective Agency. From recovering pearls to poisoned chocolates, there’s no case they can’t crack. But will they be able to stick to their promise of solving any case within twenty-four hours when something more complicated comes across their desk?
Conclude the Tommy and Tuppence series with the final three novels:
N or M? (1941)
By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968)
Postern of Fate (1973)
Superintendent Battle Series
To conclude Christie’s series, prepare to meet the sensible, stoic, and mustachioed Superintendent Battle, an imaginative police detective. In chronological order, the five titles featuring Superintendent Battle are:
The Secret of Chimneys (1925)
The Seven Dials Mystery (1929)
Cards on the Table (1936)
Murder is Easy (1939)
Towards Zero (1944)
Standalone Novels
Once you’re finished with Christie’s series, dive into her standalone novels in chronological order.
The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)
Giant’s Bread (1930)
The Sittaford Mystery (1931)
Unfinished Portrait (1934)
Considered by many to be semi-autobiographical, Unfinished Portrait follows a woman who has lost her mother, her husband, and her daughter. Yet on the verge of suicide, she meets Larraby, a successful portrait painter. Can he be her second chance?
Emotional and gentle, Unfinished Portrait showcases Christie’s incredible range.
One of Christie’s best later novels and a personal favorite of the author herself, Ordeal by Innocence follows an innocent man accused of murder who died behind bars. Can a doctor’s investigation find the real killer before he strikes again?
This classic mystery involves a murdered priest who might have been doomed the moment he received a deathbed confession, especially when the murder scene is ransacked as if the killer was searching for something. Mark Easterbrook and Ginger Corrigan are determined to find the truth, even if it means dealing with the supposed dark arts.
Delight in this critically acclaimed classic about a man who thinks he discovered a treasure trove in the form of a gorgeous house and elegant heiress—yet might have stumbled upon an ancient curse. With fatal “accident” after accident, can he root out the evil in paradise?
After finishing Christie’s full-length novel, satisfy your book hangover with her extensive collection of short stories, recommended in chronological order.
The Mysterious Mr. Quin (1930)
The Hound of Death (1933)
The Listerdale Mystery (1934)
Parker Pyne Investigates (1934)
The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939)
The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories (1948)
Three Blind Mice and Other Stories (1950)
The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951)
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1960)
Double Sin and Other Stories (1961)
Star Over Bethlehem and Other Stories (1965)
The Golden Ball and Other Stories (1974)
Problem at Pollensa Bay and Other Stories (1991)
The Harlequin Tea Set (1997)
While the Light Lasts and Other Stories (1997)
Nonfiction
Finally, once you have completed Christie’s fiction, pick up her two non-fiction titles for a more intimate glimpse into her life.
Agatha Christie is one of the world’s most famous mystery writers, as well as one of the best-selling novelists of all time.
How many books has Agatha Christie sold?
Christie’s works have sold over 100 million copies and have been translated into 100 languages.
What type of story is Agatha Christie most famous for?
Christie popularized the detective novel, in which an enigmatic and odd detective is embroiled in a suspenseful mystery that they alone can solve.
Did Agatha Christie go missing?
In 1926, Christie went missing for eleven days, and the police used her novels to track her down. She was eventually found in a spa hotel in Harrogate.
Which books did Agatha Christie write?
Agatha Christie wrote 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as several plays and romance novels under the pen name Mary Westmacott. Here is a list of her detective novels and short story collections, along with their respective publication years:
Detective Novels:
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920) – Hercule Poirot The Secret Adversary (1922) – Tommy and Tuppence The Murder on the Links (1923) – Hercule Poirot The Man in the Brown Suit (1924) – Colonel Race The Secret of Chimneys (1925) – Superintendent Battle The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) – Hercule Poirot The Big Four (1927) – Hercule Poirot The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) – Hercule Poirot The Seven Dials Mystery (1929) – Superintendent Battle The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) – Miss Marple The Sittaford Mystery (1931) – Standalone Peril at End House (1932) – Hercule Poirot Lord Edgware Dies (1933) – Hercule Poirot Murder on the Orient Express (1934) – Hercule Poirot Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (1934) – Standalone Three Act Tragedy (1935) – Hercule Poirot Death in the Clouds (1935) – Hercule Poirot The A.B.C. Murders (1936) – Hercule Poirot Murder in Mesopotamia (1936) – Hercule Poirot Cards on the Table (1936) – Hercule Poirot Dumb Witness (1937) – Hercule Poirot Death on the Nile (1937) – Hercule Poirot Appointment with Death (1938) – Hercule Poirot Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1938) – Hercule Poirot Murder is Easy (1939) – Superintendent Battle And Then There Were None (1939) – Standalone Sad Cypress (1940) – Hercule Poirot One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (1940) – Hercule Poirot Evil Under the Sun (1941) – Hercule Poirot N or M? (1941) – Tommy and Tuppence The Body in the Library (1942) – Miss Marple Five Little Pigs (1942) – Hercule Poirot The Moving Finger (1942) – Miss Marple Towards Zero (1944) – Superintendent Battle Death Comes as the End (1944) – Standalone Sparkling Cyanide (1945) – Colonel Race The Hollow (1946) – Hercule Poirot Taken at the Flood (1948) – Hercule Poirot Crooked House (1949) – Standalone A Murder is Announced (1950) – Miss Marple They Came to Baghdad (1951) – Standalone Mrs. McGinty’s Dead (1952) – Hercule Poirot They Do It with Mirrors (1952) – Miss Marple A Pocket Full of Rye (1953) – Miss Marple After the Funeral (1953) – Hercule Poirot Destination Unknown (1954) – Standalone Hickory Dickory Dock (1955) – Hercule Poirot Dead Man’s Folly (1956) – Hercule Poirot 4.50 from Paddington (1957) – Miss Marple Ordeal by Innocence (1958) – Standalone Cat Among the Pigeons (1959) – Hercule Poirot The Pale Horse (1961) – Standalone The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side (1962) – Miss Marple The Clocks (1963) – Hercule Poirot A Caribbean Mystery (1964) – Miss Marple At Bertram’s Hotel (1965) – Miss Marple Third Girl (1966) – Hercule Poirot Endless Night (1967) – Standalone By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968) – Tommy and Tuppence Hallowe’en Party (1969) – Hercule Poirot Passenger to Frankfurt (1970) – Standalone Nemesis (1971) – Miss Marple Elephants Can Remember (1972) – Hercule Poirot Postern of Fate (1973) – Tommy and Tuppence Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (1975) – Hercule Poirot Sleeping Murder (1976) – Miss Marple
Short Story Collections:
Poirot Investigates (1924) – Hercule Poirot The Tuesday Club Murders (1932) – Miss Marple (also known as The Thirteen Problems) The Hound of Death (1933) – Standalone The Listerdale Mystery (1934) – Standalone Parker Pyne Investigates (1934) – Parker Pyne Murder in the Mews (1937) – Hercule Poirot (also known as Dead Man’s Mirror) The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939) – Mixed The Labours of Hercules (1947) – Hercule Poirot The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories (1948) – Mixed Three Blind Mice and Other Stories (1950) – Mixed The Under Dog and Other Stories (1951) – Hercule Poirot The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1960) – Hercule Poirot (also known as The Christmas Adventure) Double Sin and Other Stories (1961) – Mixed The Golden Ball and Other Stories (1971) – Standalone Novel
Morgan Spraker is a writer and graduate of the University of Florida. A lifelong love for books, storytelling, and fantastical settings inspired her to pursue her BA in English and Sustainability Studies.
Her academic work focused on the linked portrayals of gender and the climate crisis in 2010s young adult science fiction. While she hasn't encountered the elusive Florida Man or wrestled an alligator, she's a lifelong Floridian with a love for the beach.
When Morgan isn't creating worlds of her own, she's usually exploring others—namely, Star Wars's galaxy far, far away—and playing Taylor Swift's discography on repeat.
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