The World of Agatha Christie (Martin Fido, 2012)

Martin Fido. The World of Agatha Christie (2012) A series of two-page spreads on topics that add up to a life and a survey of the works, and their adaptations to other media. I learned a few new facts about Christie’s ancestry and early life: she had an upper middle class upbringing. Her service in a hospital during the 1914-18 war no doubt widened her view of life, which helped her devise convincing plots and characters.

Her wartime marriage to Archie Christie meant more to her than him. As Mary Westmacott, she wrote love romances. I think she needed to write them to work out her feelings of abandonment and betrayal by Archie Christie.

A good summary of Christie’s life and work, but not a keeper. **