She was known to millions as the "Queen of Crime" or the "Duchess (女公爵)of Death". But surprisingly, she hated violence and blood, and knew nothing about the weapons most often used in murder. "I don't think I dare look at a really horrible and damaged body," Agatha Christie once said.
But her pen dared to travel where her eyes would not. In her 50-year writing profession, Christie's murder stories made her the world's best-known mystery (神秘)writer. Only the Bible and Shakespeare's works have sold more copies than her.
Her novels have been turned into films and TV scenes. This month, British TV announced they will remake eight Christie films. Her work has continuing appeal for viewers," said director Laura Mackie. "There is always a desire for a really good detective novel."
Born in 1890 in England, Christie was educated at home and began her writing career while working as a nurse during World War I. She went on to produce 79 novels and lots of short stories, dying at the age of 86. With her knowledge of murder, Christie could have been a teacher at police academies.
Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, introduced Hercule Poirot, a retired Belgian police officer who starred in 30 of her works. Among the most popular are Murder on the Orient Express(1934) and Death on the Nile (1937).
Poirot is a tidy little man with a funny-looking moustache, an egg-shaped head and a high opinion of himself. He draws conclusions from observing the behaviour of those around him, always managing to spot patterns that others cannot see. Poirot has become so famous that someone has even written his biography, The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot.
