Love Agatha Christie? 9 Gripping Historical Mysteries Inspired by the Queen of Crime
Full of cozy decadence and danger, these novels about the legendary writer will whisk you away!
If you enjoy reading excellent mysteries with a sprinkle of vintage glamour, there’s nothing quite like getting lost in an Agatha Christie whodunit. The masterful crime writer penned more than 50 iconic novels—including And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express—set in the 20s, 30s and 40s, and she remains one of the bestselling authors of all time. Christie is even credited as a foundational figure in crime writing—especially the classic and beloved “whodunit” setups featuring detectives like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. But if you’ve already read through Christie’s catalog and are in the mood for more, you’re in the right place! In recent years, bestselling authors have started writing novels about Christie—who led an intriguing life of her own and even famously went missing for 11 days in 1926. Here, we rounded up the best historical fiction books inspired by the Queen of Crime herself!
From manor house murders to puzzling train car plots, these page-turners are mostly fictionalized stories starring Christie or about Christie, like The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. But in some of these stories Christie shows up as a side character, as in Rhys Bowen’s The Proof of the Pudding, or the story is peppered with references to the legendary author, as in Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (which has a character named Matthew Pritchard—who is Christie’s real-life grandson).
All in all, each book on our list is chock full of intrigue, sinister suspense, clever twists and sleuthing characters. Keep reading to uncover each of our Agatha-esque must-reads!
‘Magpie Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz
Fans of Christie’s ‘mystery within a mystery’ style will adore Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. This story, the first installment in the Susan Ryeland series, follows beloved crime writer Alan Conway and his editor Susan Ryeland. Susan is very familiar with Conway’s detective character, Atticus Pünd, who cracks cases in English villages. Alan is famous for paying homage to famous British crime writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. As Susan digs into Alan’s latest manuscript, she starts to piece something together: He’s hiding real clues within the pages. And soon, these clues will lead to a shocking murder.
What readers are saying: “This is a superb and intelligent homage to the Golden Age of Crime and draws on the work of writers like Agatha Christie. It is structured to contain a novel within a novel. This means there is more than one mystery at play. This is a stunning novel from Anthony Horowitz. Those who adore the Golden Age of classic crime novels will love this.”
‘The Proof of the Pudding’ by Rhys Bowen
Lady Georgiana “Georgie” Rannoch is eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby, but first, she’s hosting a lavish celebration in honor of her newly hired chef, Pierre. The event is a success—at least initially. But soon after the elegant banquet wraps up, several guests fall ill…and one dies. The cause? Poisonous berries, apparently plucked from the garden. With suspicion quickly turning toward Pierre, Georgie must act fast to clear his name, protect her household’s reputation and catch the real killer before it’s too late.
What readers are saying: “In this installment, Georgie is expecting her first child, so they are confined around their estate for the summer. With a famous author a few miles down the road, they are invited to a banquet—where something sinister happens. Now Georgie finds herself trying to solve the case so her new French chef doesn’t get the blame. I liked that Agatha Christie is a character in this book, it made things more interesting. I adore these characters and I’ve said it before, but they are like old friends you can’t wait to catch up with.”
‘A Talent for Murder’ by Andrew Wilson
Agatha Christie famously—and mysteriously—went missing in 1926. This is the premise that inspired Andrew Wilson’s compelling novel, A Talent For Murder. Based on real-life events, Wilson weaves a convincing story that pieces together what might have actually happened to Christie during this time. The story begins as Agatha Christie boards a train in London. She’s on the way to see her literary agent, but she’s devastated over the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. Then, she comes face to face with a menacing blackmailer and a terrifying series of events unfolds.
What readers are saying: Agatha Christie wrote some tantalizing crime thrillers back in her day, and here Andrew Wilson makes her a victim to a plot not unlike one of her own. It’s all about the mystery, and it really drives the story forward. Agatha is ambushed by a strange man at the train station; she is given a proposition that confuses her and secretly intrigues her. Indeed, for this man wants her to commit a murder. This is highly recommended for fans of Christie or for those who just enjoy a good crime novel.”
‘The Queens of Crime’ by Marie Benedict
Set against the backdrop of 1930s London and drawn from real-life events, this gripping novel follows five trailblazing women of crime fiction—including Agatha Christie and her fierce literary competitor, Dorothy Sayers—who band together in secret. Their mission? To push back against the dismissive treatment they continually face in the male-dominated field. But when a real murder—the killing of May Daniels—falls into their laps, the group vows to crack the case themselves. Just as the truth begins to unfold, the murderer turns their sights on Sayers, threatening to reveal a scandalous secret of her own.
What readers are saying: “The Queens of Crime offers a delightful twist on the classic mystery novel. The story brings together five iconic female mystery writers—Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh—who band together to form a group aptly named The Queens of Crime. With engaging characters and a clever plot, this novel is a must-read for mystery lovers and fans of these legendary authors.”
‘Murder at Mallowan Hall’ by Colleen Cambridge
Set at the home of Agatha Christie? Check! Full of mystery, murder and a protagonist you can’t help but root for? Check, check, check! Phyllida Bright is no stranger to the housekeeping world, but there’s something different about Mallowan Hall. Maybe it’s because it’s home to Max Mallowan and his famous wife, author Agatha Christie. And if that weren’t enough, a dead body appears on the library floor. Now, Phyllida knows she’s the only person who can crack this case.
What readers are saying: “The mystery that drives the plot is also a twisty, crafty treat! Very reminiscent of Agatha Christie, the whodunit of this story isn’t solvable and will keep you guessing and turning pages.”
‘A Trace of Poison’ by Colleen Cambridge
A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge—the second installment in the bestselling Phyllida Bright series—brings readers back to Mallowan Hall again. When several world-renowned writers head to Mallowan Hall, home to Agatha Christie and her husband, Max, to help Agatha decide which upcoming writer will win a publishing contract, something terrible happens. There is yet another dead body at the hall, and this time it hits close to home for Phyllida. Now, once again she must crack the case, even if it means betraying the people closest to her and trusting people she never thought she would.
What readers are saying: “I love this writer’s work. She truly must respect Agatha Christie to use her as a character friend in her books. I agree with Agatha…you need more characters to weave a better mystery. I highly recommend this series by Colleen Cambridge. Excellent and I am for my fifth book of hers to read. Love them all.”
‘The Mystery of Mrs. Christie’ by Marie Benedict
In this fictionalization of the real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie, bestselling author Marie Benedict imagines what may have happened, weaving together Christie’s tumultuous marriage, her husband’s affair and the public scandal that followed. Was it her husband’s infidelity? Research for a book? No one knows except for Agatha herself. This novel is perfect for fans of historical mysteries and those who love gossip-worthy scandals, twisty what-ifs and stories of strong women.
What readers are saying: “Last year, I stumbled upon the infamy of Agatha Christie’s 11-day disappearance and was so intrigued how a seemingly stable woman on the cusp of fame somehow disappeared, only to resurface later at a hotel under an alias, without knowledge of how she got there. This set my mind to entertaining wild theories on what happened to her, but I must say, this rendition by Benedict is the most plausible imagining I’ve ever run across.”
‘The Christie Affair’ by Nina de Gramont
Another book inspired by the true story of Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance, this sparkling novel by Nina de Gramont follows Nan O’Dea, who is determined to capture the heart of Christie’s husband, Archie. But as the two begin to grow closer, Agatha mysteriously goes missing for 11 days. Before long, secrets begin to emerge and what was once an innocent friendship turns deadly. What follows is a mysterious game of cat and mouse filled with twists and an ending no one will see coming.
What readers are saying: “I absolutely loved this book. It was beautifully written and honestly surprising! I, like nearly everyone else, know very little about the time during which Agatha Christie went missing. So anything related to that storyline I just eat up. Weaving fact with fiction can be a tall task, and de Gramont did it with ease. I found her version to be utterly believable. And the characters. Wow! What an artful job she did with each of them.”
‘The Four Queens’ of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli
This debut mystery features the four “queens of crime:” Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, who are hosting a gala to help raise money for the Women’s Voluntary Service. But when someone at the gala winds up dead and Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson are called to figure out what happened, the beloved authors soon find themselves living through crimes they thought only happened in the pages of their books. A fun, fast-paced mystery filled with memorable characters!
What readers are saying: “The fact that the entire length of the story takes place within a few days is quite addicting. Readers are locked in immediately and may need to take notes as well. Luckily, Limoncelli provides readers with a list of the characters in the front of the book so if you forget who someone is you have it there. This is a series to watch!”
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