Agatha Christie’s detective novels are known all over the world. Her works have been translated into more than 100 languages and sold more than two billion copies. While you are probably familiar with her books, here are some facts you probably didn’t know about.
Christie Was Home Schooled
While growing up, Christie didn’t receive early formal education and was instead home-schooled. She first went to school as a 12-year-old and later attended a series of boarding schools.
Christie Struggled as a Writer Early On
When she initially started her writing career, Christie didn’t find much success. As a matter of fact, her first novel was rejected by six publishers and one literary agent. Her second novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the first one to feature Hercule Poirot, was also rejected by several publishers before being picked up.
Christie Wrote Romance Novels Under Pseudonym Mary Westmacott
Wanting to explore other genres aside from detective works that made her famous, Christie published romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. These novels were well regarded among critics, although they never came close to matching the success of her Hercule Poirot books. Her pseudonym was detected after four novels, but she would go on to write two more under the same name.
Christie Once Disappeared for 11 Days
In 1926, Christie disappeared from her home with her car found abandoned a few miles away. A massive manhunt ensued, but the author was nowhere to be found. Eleven days after her disappearance, Christie was spotted in a spa hotel. At the time, she claimed she had no recollection of events that happened between her disappearance and that moment.