Agatha Christie Festival celebrates queen of crime

Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie, the world's bestselling and most translated novelist and the most successful woman playwright to date Credit: The Christie Archive.

Hundreds of events lined up in Torquay to honour the life, literature and legacy of Britain’s much-loved writer.

Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie is the world’s bestselling and most translated novelist and the most successful woman playwright to date Credit: The Christie Archive.

Agatha Christie has beguiled crime fiction readers with her much-loved whodunnits for 100 years, making her books among the most read in the world.

To celebrate the 125th anniversary of her birth in the Torquay on 15 September 1890 the town will host an international festival celebrating the Queen of Crime’s life, literature and legacy, packing in more than 100 fascinating events.

The International Agatha Christie Festival runs from 11 to 20 September at historic Torre Abbey, Torquay in Devon, along with other host venues including The Grand Hotel, where Agatha Christie honeymooned; The Imperial Hotel, where the author often took tea; Oddicombe Beach, the Little Theatre, and Greenway, near Brixham, where Agatha Christie spent nearly every summer from 1938 until her death in 1976.

Greenway House was Agatha Christie's holiday home in Devon from 1938 until her death Credit: National Trust.
Greenway House was Agatha Christie’s holiday home in Devon from 1938 until her death Credit: National Trust

Among the wealth of events celebrating the queen of crime writing are: Agatha, Archie and The Grand Hotel on Sunday 13 September, drawing newly found information about the man who gave Miss Agatha Miller of Torquay the surname by which she became world famous; and, Anne Martinetti’s cookery event at Greenway, Crèmes and Châtiments, where visitors will be able to taste food by the top French food writer based on dishes mentioned in Christie stories in Agatha’s very own well-preserved kitchen.

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