I love Agatha Christie. If you have visited this blog before, you’ve probably gathered that. Her sharp wit and intriguing plots called to me when I delved deeper into the world of mysteries. I knew of her, as many people know of Arthur Conan Doyle and Shakespeare. Just the main facts and a bit of knowledge about the stories that made them famous. As I lived with a Sherlock Holmes lover for many years, I knew a fair amount about his creator. But I didn’t get into Agatha’s world until later in my reading career.

Agatha Christie lived an extraordinary life, and had a writing career that many writers would dream of. Overtime she wrote 66 detective novels, 14 short stories, plays, and romance novels. How the woman managed to create and solve that many mysteries still baffles me. She is an inspiration to me both as a writer, and as a woman. She traveled all over the world and wrote these locations into her novels. She even disappeared when she was younger and evaded the police for eleven days before reappearing. What an awesome lady! In some ways, I hope to be like her when I grow up.

This year marks the 100th anniversary for the release of her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The first time the world met the eccentric but lovable Hercule Poirot. The man whose sharp wit still attracts readers today. I didn’t have the chance to read this Poirot story until very recently, when I was able to listen to an Audible version. It certainly started him off with a bang! In honor of this anniversary, I have revisited a goal that I jokingly made one November evening. I had just finished The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which I threw across my dorm room because of my frustration with Agatha. Not at her lack of plot or writing style, far from it. I was livid that she was so good! I couldn’t figure out how she managed to put her red herrings in the perfect spots. I imagined her laughing to herself, thinking about how I, around 90 years later, would suspect the correct culprit. But I would be thrown off by a tiny nugged she planted, and ignore the other signs until the final shoe dropped. After that evening, I set a goal for myself. Before I die, I want to read all of her work.

This goal is not a crazy one. There are people the same age as me, or younger, who have already completed this goal. But the vast world of books is large, and so is her catalogue. Still, I want to go on this reading quest. At first, I foolishly believed I could read all of these works by my 26th birthday next March. Seeing as I have only read 8 of her books and plays so far, that was a dumb idea. Instead, I decided to push the date to a slightly more feasible time. Before I turn thirty, around five years from now, I want to finish these books. Five years seems like a long time to finish 70-something books, especially when I try to read 40 books a year. But, like many readers, I have books I want to read every year. And many of her novels feel at home in the crisp autumn air more than the balming heat of summer. This means many of the mystery novels I read aren’t opened again until the first of September. Despite all of this, I am determined to read all of these stories. I can do it! And you can too!

Have you read all of Agatha’s stories? If so, which ones were your favorite? This list is a bit overwhelming, so a few suggestions would be a great jumping off point! If you’ve never read an Agatha Christie, I highly recommend checking them out. Especially if you love mysteries with a good plot twist. You might even decide to join me on this quest to read them all. Trust me, I have a feeling it will be worth it. Happy reading everyone!