While some people prefer a cozy fall night for snuggling up with creepy crime novel, the summer air always gives me a hankering for the works of my absolute favorite mystery writer: Agatha Christie. The undisputed Queen of Crime hailed from the English seaside resort town of Torquay—where lapping waves meet royal flower gardens—and some of her best books feature similar coastal crime scenes, making them the perfect summer read! In many others, the gardens of English country villages brighten up a murderer’s crime spree, bringing a sense of warm, friendly calm to the otherwise thrilling stories.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of being stumped by an Agatha book or you’re a superfan who can’t get enough of the tricky ways of Dame Christie, the Free Library has everything you need to indulge in the Queen of Crime this summer.

To get you started…

Peril at End House: Featuring the untouchable Hercule Poirot (and his renowned mustache), this novel centers on The Majestic, a grand resort modeled after Torquay’s own Imperial Hotel.

And Then There Were None: Christie’s bestselling novel (and the world’s bestselling mystery book!) features a creepy old mansion, a nearly deserted island, and a fast-dying cast of characters.

A Caribbean Mystery: Christie's elderly-but-spry-minded Miss Marple encounters odd hotel clerks, mysterious guests, and murder, all in a sunny, holiday locale!

The Mousetrap and Other Plays: Christie’s landmark work for the theater is also the longest continually running play in the world – read our copy before jetting to the West End to see it in person!

An Autobiography: Essential reading for any Christie fan, this work paints a wonderful picture of England’s coasts and gardens, while giving readers insight to the author’s own mysterious life.

The Bedside, Bathtub and Armchair Companion to Agatha Christie: Christie wrote some 80 detective stories during her career, and this robust guide will help devotees keep track of their Marples, Poirots, and Tommy & Tuppences—and everything in between!

And don't forget, the Free Library has lots of film and television adaptations, audiobooks, and e-book versions of Christie's work!