Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen

Agatha Christie is known for her macabre imagination. But how much of her real life was in her work? Historian Lucy Worsley investigates the complex factors that shaped the dark imagination of this refined Devonshire lady, discovering family secrets and a childhood haunted by a sinister figure. She unearths the surprising inspiration for some of Christie’s greatest creations.

In December 1926, Agatha Christie left her home in Berkshire. The next morning, her car was found abandoned, balanced precariously on the edge of a quarry. Ten days later, Agatha was discovered in a hotel in Harrogate, claiming to have lost her memory. Lucy Worsley delves into this traumatic watershed moment in Agatha's life and uncovers new evidence about her mental health.

In 1930, recovering from a personal crisis, Agatha Christie fell in love with, and married, Max Mallowan. This relationship, and the security it brought, saw her enter the most prolific and successful chapter of her career, when she penned some of her most famous bestsellers, including Murder on the Orient Express. Lucy Worsley follows in Agatha’s footsteps to discover the roots of these works.