"Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book"
— Stephan Mallarme
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 Clocks.
London: Collins, 1963. [Detective Novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black lettering to spine, typographic dust-wrapper designed by Michael Harvey, priced at 16s. No inscriptions, edges of text block spotted. A used copy in a worn jacket with sizeable chips and tears..... More
Contributes 'Crooked House' to 'John Bull Magazine' magazine, April 16, 23, 1949.
London: Odhams Press, 1949. [Literary magazine] FIRST APPEARANCE, also FIRST ILLUSTRATED APPEARANCE. Two issues. Newspaper format magazines (34 x 26cm). In publisher's colour illustrated softcovers, each priced threepence. Minor handling, staples rusted else exceptionally well preserved. The first two parts of the serial printing of this famous Agatha Christie mystery..... More
Crooked House.
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1949. [Detective Mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.192 [4]. Publisher's orange cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 8/6 (crossed out/obscured). Contents and edges clean, neat gift inscription to free endpaper, jacket chipped to head..... More
Crooked House.
London: Published for the Crime Club by Collins, 1949. [Detective Mystery] LEATHER-BOUND FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[2] 192 [4]. Handsomely bound in green half calf, with raised bands, gilt titles to red labels on spine, marbled paper-covered boards, with the original cloth spine bound in at..... More
Crooked House.
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1949. [Detective mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192 [4]. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 8/6. A large black ink ownership inscription of Princess Mary Wolkonsky (1866-1964) to front fly-leaf; otherwise internally..... More
Crooked House.
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1949. [Detective mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192 [4]. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket, priced at 8/6. Contents clean and fresh, some spotting to edges and rear endpaper, cloth is fresh, jacket lightly..... More
Curtain. Poirot's Last Case.
London: Collins, 1975. [Murder Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.221 [3]. Publisher's black cloth lettered in gilt to spine, typographic dust-wrapper priced at £2.95. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some light wear to jacket extremities. Bright overall. Poirot's final mystery, published September 1975. This was actually written during the..... More
![Item #76077 Dead Man's Folly. [A Hercule Poirot mystery]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/76077.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1787588822)
Dead Man's Folly. [A Hercule Poirot mystery].
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1956. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the green typographic dust-jacket, priced at 12/6. No ink names. A few spots to top edge else contents and text block are clean..... More
Death Comes as The End.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1945. [Mystery] LEATHER-BOUND FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. Elegantly hand-bound in half mid-blue calf over cloth boards, lettered in gilt to the spine, five raised bands ruled in blind, original cloth covers preserved at rear. A few light reading..... More
Death Comes as The End.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1945. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.160. Publisher's orange cloth, black titles to spine, pictorial dust-jacket priced at 7/6. Contents and edges are very clean, no inscriptions. Jacket is fresh and bright with one tiny chip at foot and..... More
Death Comes as The End.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1945. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Clipped 'Agatha Christie' signature laid to title page by a previous owner, likely cut from a letter or taken from an autograph book; upon close inspection it appears consistent with other examples. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.160..... More
Death in the Clouds.
London: Published for The Crime Club by Collins, 1935. [Mystery novel] LEATHER-BOUND FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Elegantly hand-bound in half navy blue calf, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, matching cloth sides, edges trimmed. Bound without adverts or half-title. Some reading..... More
Death in the Clouds.
London: Published for The Crime Club by Collins, 1935. [Mystery novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Publisher's orange cloth, lettered to spine in black. Some spotting and reading marks within, endpapers tanned, covers are dusty and rubbed, backstrip toned. With a complimentary facsimile wrapper..... More
Destination Unknown.
London: The Crime Club, by Collins, 1954. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Elegantly hand-bound in half navy blue calf, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, cloth sides, publisher's original cloth spine bound in at rear. A few very light marks to fore-edge, exterior unmarked..... More
Destination Unknown.
London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2014. [Spy novel] FACSIMILE EDITION, first thus. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.205 [3]. Publisher's red paper over boards, with black titles to spine and upper. With the green typographic dust-jacket, priced at 10/6. A large brown stain to rear jacket flap, otherwise a crisp, near fine copy. Secret..... More
Destination Unknown.
London: The Crime Club, by Collins, 1954. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the green typographic dust-jacket, priced at 10/6. No ink names, contents clean, edges toned, jacket lightly worn at extremities lightly soiled to rear..... More
Destination Unknown.
London: The Crime Club, by Collins, 1954. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Elegantly hand-bound in half red crushed oasis morocco, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, matching cloth sides, publisher's original cloth spine bound in at rear. Contents clean and fresh, edges of text..... More
Destination Unknown.
London: The Crime Club, by Collins, 1954. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.192. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the green typographic dust-jacket, priced at 10/6. Contents clean, discreet ink name to endpaper, jacket is used showing soft folds, some rubs and..... More
![Item #67906 Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/67906.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1712852829)
Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot].
London: Special Edition for the Book Club, no date [circa 1937]. [Crime Fiction] SPECIAL EDITION, for The Book Club (as stated), being the FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[4] 316 [2]. With four black and white photographic plates. Recently re-bound in red half calf, with raised bands, gilt..... More
![Item #71996 Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/71996.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1747412733)
Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot].
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1937. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.316; [4], advertisements. Publisher's red orange with black titles to spine. Contents clean, no ink names, edges of text block a little dusty/spotted, some previous titles on half-title are ticked or crossed off in ink..... More
![Item #72035 Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/72035.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1747671853)
Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot].
London: Special Edition for the Book Club, no date [circa 1937]. [Crime Fiction] SPECIAL EDITION, for The Book Club (as stated), being the FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[4] 316 [2]. With four black and white photographic plates. Publisher's orange cloth over cream leather-effect boards. Discreet ink name..... More
![Item #76133 Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/76133.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1788453151)
Dumb Witness [Hercule Poirot].
London: Collins for the Crime Club, 1937. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.316; [4], advertisements. Publisher's red orange with black titles to spine. Trivial spotting/toning else contents clean, no ink names, covers lightly marked, sunned to spine ands extremities. A Hercule Poirot detective mystery, published in America..... More
Endless Night.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1967. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.224. Publisher's patterned red cloth with gilt titles to spine, in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Kenneth Farnhill priced 18s. Contents and edges clean, no inscriptions. Jacket with a couple of small nicks to rear..... More
Endless Night.
London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2012. [Modern Literature] FACSIMILE EDITION, first thus. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.203 [3]. Publisher's red paper over boards, with black titles to spine and upper. With the red typographic dust-jacket, priced at 18s. Top edge toned, otherwise a crisp, fine copy. 'Endless Night' is a macabre romance about..... More
Evil Under The Sun.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1941. [Detective novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.252 [4]. With an illustrated map of 'Leathercombe Bay', the scene of the crime. Publisher's orange cloth lettered in black. With the illustrated dust-jacket. No inscriptions, contents clean, page edges slightly dusty/spotted, price..... More