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
The Mysterious Affair At Styles.
New York: The National Book Co. Publishers, 1920. [Crime fiction] U.S. Second edition, prior to the British edition. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.296; [4], blank, being the John Lane first edition sheets with National's own title page (which is a cancel). Publisher's pale blue cloth decoratively blocked in blue. No..... More
The Mysterious Mr. Quin.
London: W.Collins Sons and Co. Ltd. 1930. [Mystery novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.287; [1], imprint. Finely bound by the Baker Bindery, Anniston, Alabama in green full morocco, with gilt titles and decoration to spine, green patterned paste-paper endpapers, generous turn-ins ruled in gilt, with gilt motifs of dagger, pistol, moustache..... More
The Mysterious Mr. Quin.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1930. [Mystery novel] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.[8] 290 [2]. Publisher's pink cloth with black titles to spine and upper, and decorated endpapers. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at $2.00. Trivial rubbing to the top of the spine, which is..... More
N or M?
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1951. [Modern Literature] VINTAGE HARDCOVER REPRINT. Octavo (19 x 12cm), pp.192. Publisher's blue cloth lettered in gilt to spine, typographic dust-jacket with printed price of 2/- to spine. Tearing to rear pastedown away from board causing some shakiness, spotting to preliminaries, toning and spotting to..... More
N or M?
London: Published for the Crime Club by Collins, 1941. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Publisher's orange cloth with black titles to spine. With the dust-jacket designed by Thompson, not priced (an export copy). A small notation of 'First Edition' in black ink inside front cover, hidden..... More
N or M?
London: Published for the Crime Club by Collins, 1941. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Hand-bound in deep red half calf over cloth sides, spine ruled in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gilt. Contents clean, exterior as new. A fine copy in an attractive recent..... More
Nemesis. [A Miss Jane Marple Story].
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1971. [Murder mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's orange cloth in silver-grey typographic dust-jacket priced £1.50. No inscriptions. One tiny mark to top edge, jacket a touch rubbed to rear joint and extremities. Near fine. Unusually for Christie, a...... More
Nemesis. [A Miss Jane Marple Story].
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1971. [Murder mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's orange cloth in silver-grey typographic dust-jacket priced £1.50. No inscriptions. A lovely clean copy of the book in a crisp, near fine wrapper with some light rubbing to extremities. Unusually for..... More
Ordeal By Innocence.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1958. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth, titled in black, with typographical dust-wrapper, priced clipped. Discreet ownership hidden beneath flap. A few light spots/marks to rear but essentially a crisp, fine copy with particularly strong colours. Most..... More
Ordeal By Innocence.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1958. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth, titled in black. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 12/6. Jacket lightly spotted to rear with one neat tear to same, and a little light general wear. Near fine. A...... More
The Pale Horse.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1961. [Crime fiction] FINELY BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Finely bound by the Baker Bindery, Anniston, Alabama in green full morocco, with gilt titles and decoration to spine, green patterned paste-paper endpapers, generous turn-ins ruled in gilt, with gilt motifs of..... More
The Pale Horse.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1961. [Crime Mystery] FIRST EDITION, First Impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the distinctive dust-jacket, priced at 15s. Contents clean, edges a little toned, no inscriptions, bright jacket lightly worn with some gentle spotting to..... More
Parker Pyne Investigates.
London: Collins, 1934. [Crime fiction] FINELY BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.248; [6 of advertisements]. Finely bound by the Baker Bindery, Anniston, Alabama in green full morocco, with gilt titles and decoration to spine, green patterned paste-paper endpapers, generous turn-ins ruled in gilt, with gilt motifs of dagger..... More
Parker Pyne Investigates.
London: W. Collins & Son / The Crime Club / Harper Collins, 2013. [Crime Mystery] FACSIMILE EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.175; [1], blank. Publisher's red cloth with black titles and trim. With the illustrated facsimile dust-jacket, priced at 7/6 to backstrip. Some minor spotting; near fine. A collection of..... More
Partners in Crime.
London: Collins, 1929. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Publisher's black cloth with titles in red to spine and upper, ruled in red. With pictorial facsimile dust-jacket, produced by Facsimile Dust Jackets LLC. Foxing to fore-edge. Cloth is fresh with no wear to spine ends..... More
Passenger to Frankfurt.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1970. [Crime fiction] FINELY BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Finely bound by the Baker Bindery, Anniston, Alabama in green full morocco, with gilt titles and decoration to spine, green patterned paste-paper endpapers, generous turn-ins ruled in gilt, with gilt motifs of dagger..... More
Passenger to Frankfurt.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1970. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth lettered in gilt to spine. With the typographic dust-jacket, printed price of £1.25p to front flap. Internally bright and clean. Some light sunning to dust-jacket backstrip (much less than usual). Near fine..... More
Passenger to Frankfurt.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1970. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth lettered in gilt to spine. With the typographic dust-jacket, printed price of £1.25p to front flap. Internally bright and clean. Some sunning to dust-jacket backstrip although red lettering has not..... More
Passenger to Frankfurt.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1970. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth lettered in gilt to spine. With the typographic dust-jacket, printed price of £1.25p to front flap. Internally bright and clean, a few brown spots to fore-edge, jacket spine lettering faded..... More
Peril at End House.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1932. [Murder Mystery] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.[x]; 270. Publisher's tan cloth blocked in red, fore-edge untrimmed, cream endpapers. Illustrated dust-wrapper by Beth Krebb Morris, priced at $2.00. Contents clean. An exceptionally fine, fresh copy in a lovely dust jacket..... More
A Pocket Full of Rye. [A Miss Marple story].
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1953. [Crime fiction] FINELY BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.191; [1]. Finely bound by the Baker Bindery, Anniston, Alabama in green full morocco, with gilt titles and decoration to spine, green patterned paste-paper endpapers, generous turn-ins ruled in gilt, with gilt motifs..... More
A Pocket Full of Rye. [A Miss Marple story].
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1953. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.191; [1]. Publisher's orange cloth with black titles to spine. With the red and black illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 10s 6d. No inscriptions, contents clean, crease to rear cover, bookseller's discreet ticket to..... More
A Pocket Full of Rye. [A Miss Marple story].
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1953. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.191 [1]. Publisher's orange cloth with black titles to spine. With the red and black illustrated dust-jacket priced at 10/6. Contents clean, no inscriptions, edges spotted/toned, jacket chipped to head and tail of spine, with..... More
Poems.
New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1973. [Poetry] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.124; [4]. Publisher's burgundy cloth, white ruling and titles to upper and spine. Interior crisp and bright. A fine copy in pristine condition. Containing two separate volumes, the first originally published as 'The Road of..... More
Poirot and the Regatta Mystery.
London: Vallancey Press Limited, no date [1945]. [Detective Mystery] FIRST SEPARATE EDITION. Slim octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.16. Illustrated stiff card covers designed by 'Jeffrey', original price 6d. A little dustiness and handling, lightly rubbed; near fine. The first stand-alone printing of this famous short story which had only previously..... More