"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
— Groucho Marx
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
Ordeal By Innocence.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1958. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION with PROOF JACKET. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth, titled in black, with typographical dust-wrapper priced at 10/6. Jacket very lightly nicked; a near fine copy of what appears to be a trial jacket - this..... More
Ordeal By Innocence.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1959. [Crime Mystery] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.[8] 247 [1]. Publisher's red cloth with white titles to spine and a white 'Red Badge Detective' device stamped to upper. With the illustrated dust-jacket priced at $2.95. Toning to edges, and a...... 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
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.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1962. [Crime Mystery] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.[12] 242 [2]. Publisher's red paper over boards with white titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket. Small ownership label to front pastedown. Light toning and spotting to edges, otherwise a crisp, clean..... More
The Pale Horse.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1961. [Crime Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine, illustrated dust-jacket priced at 15s. No inscriptions. A fine copy in a near fine jacket. A masterful 'strange tale' in which 'The Pale Horse' is the..... 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
Partners in Crime.
London: Collins, 1929. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Elegantly bound in full green crushed morocco by the Baker Bindery, with raised bands to gilt-panelled spine, green patterned paste-paper endleaves, generous turn-ins with gilt 'moustache' and 'knitting' corner-piece decorations to front, and 'dagger' and 'pistol'..... 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. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.256. Elegantly bound in half red oasis morocco 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 leather binding. A...... More
Passenger to Frankfurt.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1970. [Mystery Thriller] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xvi; 272. Publisher's purple quarter cloth, with silver titles to spine and pink paper over boards. Top edge and endpapers purple. With the purple dust-jacket illustrated by Salem Tamer. Crisp and clean internally..... More
Passenger to Frankfurt.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1970. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's patterned red cloth with gilt titles to spine, in pictorial dust-jacket priced at £1.25. A very good copy in similar jacket with the inevitable sunning of the spine. A late Christie airport drama which develops..... More
Peril at End House.
London: Published for The Crime Club Ltd., 1932. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.252; [4], advertisements. Elegantly bound in full green crushed morocco by the Baker Bindery, with raised bands to gilt-panelled spine, green patterned paste-paper endleaves, generous turn-ins with gilt 'moustache' and 'knitting' corner-piece decorations, and all edges gilt..... More
![A Pocket Full of Rye. [A Miss Marple story]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](/pictures/thumb/60804.jpg?v=1635002404)
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]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](/pictures/thumb/62295.jpg?v=1656084485)
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 10s 6d. No inscriptions, contents clean, crease to rear cover, bookseller's discreet ticket to pastedown. Jacket..... More
Poems.
London: Collins, 1973. [Poetry] FIRST THUS. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.124 [4]. Publisher's maroon cloth with white titles to spine and upper. Light spotting and toning to edges. Some sunning and a few marks to spine. Lacking the original clear plastic jacket. Very good. Containing two separate volumes, the first..... More
Poirot and the Regatta Mystery.
London: Vallancey Press Limted, 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
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, toned at spine with a few marks to covers; very good indeed. The first stand-alone..... More
Poirot's Early Cases.
London: Collins, 1974. [Crime fiction] FINELY BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.254. 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 and..... More
Postern of Fate.
London: The Crime Club, 1973. [Crime fiction] FINELY BOUND FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.254. 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..... More
Postern of Fate.
London: The Crime Club, 1973. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.254 [2]. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the green dust-jacket. A near fine copy, slightly rubbed to extremities. Price clipped. The final original novel to be published during the author's lifetime, 'Postern of..... More
Postern of Fate.
New York, NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1973. [Crime Mystery] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.x; 310. Publisher's red quarter cloth, with silver titles to spine, and red patterned paper over boards. Top edge red, and black endpapers. With the red dust-jacket designed by J. Caroff, priced at..... More
The Problem at Pollensa Bay
London: Harper Collins, 1991. [Crime fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.[viii]; 227; [1], blank. Elegantly bound in half burgundy oasis morocco over cloth sides, spine ruled in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gilt, original cloth spine and illustrated dust-wrapper bound in at rear. Minor toning to..... More
The Secret Adversary.
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1922. [Mystery novel]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.312; [4], 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, pistol, moustache..... More
The Secret of Chimneys.
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1925. [Mystery novel]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.[xii]; 306; [2], 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, pistol..... More