Agatha Christie | First Editions
1890 - 1976
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English crime novelist, short story writer and playwright. She also wrote six romances under the name Mary Westmacott; however, Christie is best known for the 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections that she wrote under her own name, most of which revolve around the investigative work of such characters as Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple, Parker Pyne, Ariadne Oliver, Harley Quin/Mr Satterthwaite and Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. Christie also wrote the world's longest-running play, a murder mystery entitled The Mousetrap. In 1971, she was made a Dame for her immense contribution to literature.
Christie was initially unsuccessful in getting her work published, but in 1920 The Bodley Head press published her novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring the character of Hercule Poirot. This launched her literary career. Today, the Guinness Book of World Records lists Christie as the best-selling novelist of all time. Her novels have sold roughly 2 billion copies worldwide, and her estate claims that her works come third in the rankings of the world's most-widely published books (behind Shakespeare's works and the Bible). Christie remains the world's most-translated individual author – having been translated into at least 103 languages. And Then There Were None is Christie's best-selling novel, with 100 million sales to date, making it the world's best-selling mystery ever. Nearly all of Christie's books and short stories have been adapted for television, radio, video games and comics, and more than thirty feature films have been based on her work.
See below our stock of Agatha Christie First Editions, fine bindings, sets, and signed copies.
Agatha Christie
![Witness for the Prosecution [in] Summer Pie Magazine. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](/pictures/thumb/51041.jpg?v=1530718970)
Witness for the Prosecution [in] Summer Pie Magazine.
London: Odhams Press, 1939. [Short Stories]. EARLY MAGAZINE APPEARANCE. A4 magazine (29 x 22cm), pp.100. Illustrated throughout in photogravure, with illustrations for the Christie story by Jack Faulks. Publisher's colour-illustrated paper covers, stapled to spine. Light browning to edges. Staples oxidising; some rubbing to edges and spine. Very good. First... More
4.50 From Paddington.
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1957. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket. Some offset toning to first and last leaves. Price-clipped jacket sunned to spine, small chip to foot of front panel. A crisp... More
4.50 From Paddington.
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1957. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket. Neat gift inscription, toned to edges, slightly short price-clipped jacket with a few chips and tears, spine a little faded. Very good... More
The ABC Murders.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1936. [Murder mystery] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.[x]; 306; [4], blank. Publisher's lemon yellow blue cloth blocked in dark green, top edge yellow, fore-edge untrimmed, illustrated dust-wrapper. A fine copy of the book in a near fine price-clipped jacket, with... More
Akhnaton.
London: Collins, 1973. [Play] PROOF COPY. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.157; [1]. Publisher's mottled red paper wraps, pictorial dust-jacket designed by Andrew Vargo priced at £1.80 net. A scarce proof copy sent out in advance of the first edition. Dust-jacket very slightly creased and rubbed to top and bottom edges. Fine. More
Appointment with Death.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1938. [Murder mystery] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.[vi]; 301; [5], blank. Publisher's bright orange cloth blocked in black, fore-edge untrimmed, top edge red, illustrated dust-wrapper priced at $2.00. Some very light toning/browning to reverse side and some exquisite light repair;... More
At Bertram's Hotel.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1965. [Detective novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and pattern to boards, dust-jacket designed by Brian Russell. A fine copy of the book in lightly soiled, near fine wrapper. A nice example. "It is... More
The Boomerang Clue.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1935. [Murder mystery] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.[viii]; 290; [1], adverts; [5], blank. Publisher's light grey cloth blocked in red, top edge bright red, fore-edge untrimmed, 'red badge detective' design endpapers, illustrated dust-wrapper priced at $2.00. A lovely fine copy... More
A Caribbean Mystery.
London, Collins, The Crime Club. 1964. Advance Copy. 8vo. Publisher's blue marbled paper wraps, near fine save for a small triangle of loss to lower rear panel. Clean and fresh. Internally clean. Not to be confused with a proof copy which Collins issued for this title in red card wraps... More
Cat Among the Pigeons.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1959. [Detective novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.255; [1] blank. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine, in typographic dust-jacket priced at 12/6. Some dustiness/spotting to edges of text block, tear to rear joint, clean jacket has a few nicks and... More
The Clocks.
London: Collins, The Crime Club, 1963. [Detective novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth in dust-wrapper designed by Michael Harvey, priced at 16s. Neat ownership to flyleaf. Edges a little dusty/spotted, jacket with some creases, nicks and tears. Very good indeed. The son of Superintendent Battle... More
Dead Man's Folly (A Hercule Poirot mystery).
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1956. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Elegantly bound in red half calf, gilt-lettered with twin navy morocco title labels, spine in six compartments with raised bands, cloth sides. Light spotting to first and final leaves else a fine copy in... More
Death Comes as The End.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1945. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. Publisher's orange cloth, black titles to spine, pictorial dust-jacket priced at 7/6. Neat ownership inscription to flyleaf. Some light spotting and toning to edges. Cloth slightly rubbed to extremities, endcaps slightly rolled. Dust-jacket shows... More
Death Comes as The End.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1945. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. Publisher's orange cloth, black titles to spine, pictorial dust-jacket priced at 7/6. Discreet dated initials to pastedown, edgeworn jacket has a few small chips, one longer closed tear to rear panel, some dustiness. Very... More
Death Comes as The End.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1945. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. Publisher's orange cloth, black titles to spine, pictorial dust-jacket priced at 7/6. Discreet name beneath flap, cloth dusty/handled, some wear to crown, one small chip to rear panel, some edgewear and toning; shows well... More
Death in the Clouds.
London: Published for The Crime Club by Collins, 1935. [Mystery novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Hand-bound in half mid-green calf, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, matching green cloth sides. Contents clean, minor toning to edges of textblock, binding as new. A scarce... More
Death in the Clouds.
London: Published for The Crime Club by Collins, 1935. [Mystery novel] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Publisher's orange cloth lettered in black to spine. With presentation note to flyleaf; 'From Agatha Christie'. Contents lightly foxed and toned, vintage black and white image of the Christie... More
Destination Unknown.
London: The Crime Club, by Collins, 1954. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Publisher's cloth binding in dust-wrapper. An unpriced example for export with some trivial edgewear; a lovely fine copy. Secret Service thriller from the Queen of Crime; When a number of leading scientists disappear without... More
Destination Unknown.
London: The Crime Club, by Collins, 1954. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Publisher's cloth binding in dust-wrapper priced at 10/6. Edges spotted, no inscriptions, some general wear and tear, spine toned, jacket partially split along rear flap fold, but no other major defects; a very good... More
Easy to Kill.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1939. [Detective Fiction] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.[vi]; 248; [2], blank. Publisher's light blue cloth blocked in navy, fore-edge untrimmed, 'red badge detective' design endpapers, illustrated dust-wrapper by Cob, priced at $2.00. A lovely fine copy of the book in... More
Endless Night.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1967. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13), pp.224. Elegantly hand-bound in half black calf over matching cloth sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands. A few minor marks to fore-edge otherwise a fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding. A.... More
The Hollow (A Hercule Poirot mystery).
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1946. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's orange cloth with black titles to spine, typographic dust-wrapper. Some edge-spotting, cloth clean and fresh, jacket lightly rubbed with a touch of sunning to spine, some toning/spotting to rear panel. Unclipped (export copy... More
The Hound of Death. And Other Stories.
London: Odhams Press Limited, 1933. [Strange Tales] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.247; [5] blank. Publisher's plum-coloured cloth with titles in gilt to spine, in suitably macabre wrapper. Some edge spotting, fugitive pigment of cloth with inevitable sunning to extremities, gilt dulled, jacket with some accomplished restoration, chiefly to... More
A Memorial Service: Agatha Christie Mallowan 1890-1976.
Thursday 13th May 1976. ORIGINAL ORDER OF SERVICE. Octavo pamphlet (22 x 14cm), two leaves in paper covers, with two staples. A fine copy. More
The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side.
London: Published for the Crime Club by Collins, 1962. [Crime novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the lime green dust-jacket with red, white and black titles to front cover and spine. Publisher's advert for 'The Pale Horse' to rear;... More