" It is a man's duty to have books. A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessaries of life. "
— Henry Ward Beecher
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 Listerdale Mystery. And Other Stories.
London: Collins, 1934. [Crime fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.251; [5 of advertisements]. Primary binding of mauve cloth with titles in silver to spine. Punched blind/perforated stamp 'American Paris Library' to title else no other shelf markings/stamps. Contents and edges clean, no ink inscriptions, minor scuff..... More
Lord Edgware Dies.
London: For the Crime Club by Collins, 1933. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Crown octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Publisher's orange cloth, titled in black to upper and backstrip. With complimentary facsimile jacket (supplied by previous owner). A few reading marks within, edges toned, no inscriptions, covers..... More
Lord Edgware Dies.
London: For the Crime Club by Collins, 1933. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Crown octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.252; [4], advertisements. Publisher's orange cloth, titled in black to upper and backstrip, pictorial dust-wrapper. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Spine tips lightly worn. The scarce original jacket benefits from some expert..... More
Lord Edgware Dies.
London: BCA by arrangement with HarperCollinsPublishers, 2007. [Detective fiction] FACSIMILE EDITION, book club issue, reprinted. Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.179 [13]. Publisher's black cloth over boards with gilt titles to spine. With the striking dust-jacket, priced 7/6 to spine. A clean, fine copy. A facsimile of the original 1933 edition..... More
The Man in the Brown Suit.
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1924. [Mystery novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[vi]; 310; [2], advertisements. Publisher's light brown cloth, titled and decorated in dark brown. Contents clean. Spine tips and corners with trivial wear, a scuff on the front panel, else a very good..... More
The Man in the Brown Suit.
New York: Dodd, Mead, 1924. [Mystery novel] FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.275; [5]. Publisher's mid-brown cloth binding lettered in dark brown, blind-stamped device to upper, fore-edge untrimmed. No inscriptions, contents clean, rear paper joint starting, covers gently rubbed at extremities. Near fine. The fourth of Christie's sixty-six..... More
The Man in the Brown Suit.
London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1924. [Mystery novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[vi]; 310; [2], advertisements. Publisher's light brown cloth, titled and decorated in dark brown. Ink name within, contents clean, top edge dusty, others toned, lacks free endpaper, covers a little rubbed, area of..... More
The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1962. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket priced at 15s. Light spotting to edges, endpapers and title page, otherwise internally clean. Jacket a little toned to spine..... More
The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1962. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket. Contents clean and fresh, discreet ink note hidden beneath flap, minor dustiness to edges, p/c jacket is bright and fresh..... More
The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side.
London: The Crime Club, Collins, 1962. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine. With the illustrated dust-jacket priced at 15s. Internally bright and clean, faint marking to textblock edges. Ownership inscription in black ink to front flyleaf. Light..... More
The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1962. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Handsomely bound in half scarlet calf over contrasting black cloth-covered boards, raised bands and gilt titles to spine, hand-sewn red and green endbands. Contents clean and fresh, some light creases to free endpaper, exterior..... More
![Item #62340 Moord in de Pastorie. [Murder at the Vicarage]. Agatha CHRISTIE, Dame](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/62340.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1656172437)
Moord in de Pastorie. [Murder at the Vicarage].
Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1964. [Crime Mystery] DUTCH FILM TIE-IN. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.181 [4]. Publisher's grey cloth with red titles to spine. With the dust-jacket showing still of Margaret Rutherford playing Miss Marple, not priced. Heavily browned to low-quality paper. Light handling only, with the jacket showing some toning..... More
The Moving Finger.
London: For the Crime Club by Collins, 1943. [Murder mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.160. Elegantly hand-bound in black half calf, gilt titles, raised bands, matching buckram-covered sides, original cloth covers bound in at rear. Contents clean, exterior unmarked. A fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding..... More
The Moving Finger.
London: For the Crime Club by Collins, 1943. [Murder mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 15cm) pp.160. Publisher's orange cloth blocked in black, striking 'spider web' illustrated dust-wrapper priced at 7/6. A clean, fresh copy with no spotting or inscriptions, jacket is very bright with some faint tidemarks only visible..... More
Mrs McGinty's Dead.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1952. [Detective novel] LEATHER-BOUND FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.188 [4]. Recently re-bound in red half calf, with raised bands, gilt titles to twin black labels on spine, and black cloth over boards. Toned throughout, otherwise a clean copy, presented in..... More
Mrs. McGinty's Dead / Murder Most Foul (First Edition hardback and Press book for the film).
London: The Crime Club by Collins, M.G.M. 1952, 1964. [Detective novel] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.188; [4], advertisements. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine, in pictorial dust-wrapper by Kenneth Farnhill, priced at 9/6. Together with 'Murder Most Foul' Press Book for the 1964 film..... More
Mrs. McGinty's Dead.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1952. [Detective novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.188; [4], advertisements. Publisher's red cloth with black titles to spine, in pictorial dust-wrapper by Kenneth Farnhill, priced at 9/6. Contents clean, some spotting/toning to edges and endpapers, no inscriptions, jacket is used, with some..... More
The Murder at the Vicarage.
London: Published for the Crime Club by Collins, 1930. [Crime fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[4]; 254; [8]. Bound in publisher's orange cloth, titled and trimmed in black. Contents clean, neat and somewhat charming inscription to pastedown 'House / Dunmow Vicarage / Essex', bookseller ticket 'H.M...... More
![Item #70257 Murder For Christmas [Hercule Poirot's Christmas] in Collier's...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/70257.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1732814329)
Murder For Christmas [Hercule Poirot's Christmas] in Collier's International Weekly.
USA, November 1938 to January 1939. [Literary Magazine] First appearance. Ten magazine issues in their original colour-illustrated paper covers, priced at 5c. Octavo (34 x 28cm). Illustrated throughout, some in colour. Each issue stapled twice. Very good copies with some expected wear to fragile covers, subscriber label to corner of..... More
Murder In Mesopotamia (A Hercule Poirot novel).
London: For the Crime Club by Collins, 1936. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.284 [4]. Publisher's orange cloth, lettered to spine in black. Contents are clean. Minor toning/dustiness to edges of text block, discreet owner name 'Kit Martin' to endpaper, cloth is sun bleached, more..... More
Murder In The Mews. 4 Poirot Stories.
London: Odhams Press Ltd, no date (1938). [Detective mysteries] Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.280. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine, code 'C338' to copyright page denoting 1928 as date printed, illustrated dust-wrapper. No inscriptions, some light foxing within, covers near fine. In a very good jacket with some..... More
Murder In The Mews. 4 Poirot Stories.
London: For The Crime Club by Collins, 1937. [Detective mysteries] TRUE FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.[ii]; 280; [4], advertisements; [2], blank. Secondary (Times or W.H.Smith style) binding of red cloth titled in black. No ink names, edges dusty/fowed, some spotting within, no losses or tears, cloth is clean..... More
A Murder Is Announced (Facsimile edition with decorative sash).
London: William Collins, 2005. [Crime Mystery] FACSIMILE EDITION reprint. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth blocked in silver. With the illustrated dust-jacket, and the wraparound band advertising 'The Miss Marple Facsimile Series' priced at £12.99. A clean, fine copy. Not to be confused with the Christie Book Collection..... More
A Murder is Announced.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1950. [Detective mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth lettered in black, illustrated dust-jacket priced at 8s 6d to front flap. Contents clean, no inscriptions, edges uniformly toned, bookstore stamp to free endpaper (The English Bookstore, Athens), covers..... More
A Murder is Announced.
London: The Crime Club by Collins, 1950. [Detective mystery] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth lettered in black, illustrated dust-jacket priced at 8s 6d to front flap. Contents clean, ink name and date to endpaper, jacket rather used; chips and tears to extremities, some..... More