Christie News

Here you'll find updates from film sets, broadcast dates, publishing news and other announcements from the world of Agatha Christie ...

Login or Register to post a comment

From the desk of Agatha Christie Ltd

25 Jan 12 10:02AM

January 2012 Newsletter

Now that we've all had a chance to recover from the holidays (and the small task we set you kind folks who responded to our plea for help last month - thank you again), we thought it was time to bring you the latest round of Christie news from around the world. Enjoy (and please forgive the rather bad puns)!

A Spider's Web? What's hot online for Christie

Did you know that there are more than 900,000 Christie fans on facebook? If you haven't liked our page yet make sure you do and join in the great discussions. And if you fancy yourself as a Christie expert have you tried the forum games on Have your Say? Our current favourite is Guess the Christie Copper (policeman). If you win, you set the next conundrum ... And what about the Agatha Christie Quiz on Facebook? Take the quiz, then share with your friends to see who the ultimate Christie champion is!

Christie all a twitter ...

In celebration of the UK's National Libraries Day on February 4th we are working with The Reading Agency and Orkney Libary and Archives to tweet The body in the Library! So, immerse yourself in a classic Christie English mystery and subscribe here for free to receive tweets from Miss Marple, Dolly Bantry and other characters from the book. We're not going to give away the ending on twitter - you'll have to read the book for that - but we think it's going to be an interesting new way to experience a Christie novel - and for a very good cause.

Murder on the Nile now cruising around the UK

Beat the winter blues and transport yourself to Egypt with this beautiful production of a classic Christie play by The Agatha Christie Theatre Company. Kate O'Mara in particular is very funny as Miss ffoliot-ffoulkes (the whole cast is excellent) and there are sufficient differences with the novel Death on the Nile to keep even the most ardent fan of the book guessing .... Upcoming tour dates include Richmond, Bath and Brighton.

Agatha Christie Festival 2012

Planning a trip to the UK? Don't forget to book your accommodation for the event of the year. Forget the Olympics, the date for your diary is this year's Agatha Christie Festival from 9th-16th September. Each year, the English Riviera transforms itself into the murder mystery capital of the country, with ladies and gents in their period finery immersing themselves in tea parties, theatre, dinners on steam trains and vintage bus tours. The festival is a fabulous occasion for fans from all over the world to congregate and celebrate Dame Agatha Christie's life and times. Round every corner there is a murder mystery: on steam trains, in spooky country inns, and in rambling seaside pubs. You'll also find competitions, book launches, exclusive events and even a birthday fireworks display. And the official Agatha Christie Theatre Company perform Murder on the Nile at the Princess Theatre and Poirot is even on-hand should there be a case or two to solve.

Christie Competitions

Calling all UK, Ireland and Australian residents: win one of 5 copies of Sparkling Cyanide

Our friends at AudioGo have a new competition for us and are giving away five copies of Sparkling Cyanide, the new radio dramatisation which is being broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 11.30am on Mondays 30th Jan, 6th Feb and 13th Feb. Just email the correct answer to "Which short story bears a remarkable similarity to the plot of Sparkling Cyanide?" to christiecompetition@chorion.co.uk by Friday 3rd February. Five lucky winners will be drawn at random from the pool of correct entries. Happy emailing and good luck! Terms and conditions apply. And congratulations to Geoff Turner of West Yorkshire who won AudioGo's Complete Miss Marple box set from last month's competition.

Calling US residents: Agatha Christie Sweepstake

Now, a chance to win like this doesn't come along very often. Acorn Media debuted their Queen of Crime Sweepstakes on January 15. It's open to most residents of the United States (see terms and conditions) and is a celebration of all things Agatha Christie. The grand prize package includes:

• Trip for two to London including airfare, hotel, and ground transportation
• A visit to the set of a Poirot or Marple production
• Tour of Greenway, Christie's holiday home
• Tickets to see The Mousetrap, the world's longest-running play
• One-day rail trip to Paris on the Orient-Express
• DVD library of Agatha Christie mysteries

Wow! Let's make sure a real Agatha Christie fan wins this one. Visit www.AcornOnline.com/Christie to enter. And remember, you can enter once per day from now until April 30th!

Other news from the US

And as part of their Christie celebrations Acorn is releasing Agatha Christie's Poirot on DVD and Blu-ray in the original U.K. broadcast order, re-mastered and with subtitles. Indulge yourself and step back in time with that marvelously mustachioed Belgian detective from the hit PBS mystery. Played to perfection by David Suchet, Hercule Poirot uses his formidable "little grey cells" to outwit criminals and fellow sleuths alike. These remastered adaptations bring the splendor of Art Deco-era Europe to brilliant life. Also starring Hugh Fraser (Sharpe) as the genial Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson (Robin of Sherwood) as Chief Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon. Series 1, 2 and 3 are now available from all good retailers and from www.acornonline.com

Don't forget now you can also watch Agatha Christie at your leisure online! Series 2 of Agatha Christie's Marple will stream on Acorn TV from Dec 26 - Jan 29. And then stay tuned in for Agatha Christie's Poirot, Series 3 starting on Jan 30. Check it out at www.acornonline.com/TV We're hooked!

Hot off the press from HarperCollins Inc

Start the new year by telling friends and family about the great free e-book guide from her publisher HarperCollins. This fully authorized and comprehensive guide to the Queen of Mystery includes an introduction by award-winning Agatha Christie expert John Curran; an article highlighting the role poisons played in Christie's works; an A to Z of Agatha Christie; and three of her classic short stories: The Affair at the Victory Ball, Greenshaw's Folly, and A Fairy in the Flat. This introductory guide is perfect for those new to Christie and a good reference for those who know more. Get it now

Learn more about Agatha - in her own words!

For those who want to understand the real Agatha Christie, An Autobiography is a must read: back in print in an all-new hardback edition, this is an engaging and illuminating chronicle of the life of the "Queen of Mystery," complete with a bonus CD featuring commentary from the grande dame herself. And coming soon - a new edition of Come Tell Me How You Live, Christie's memorable autobiographical response to the question, what exactly do you do on an archaeological dig?

And if you fancy learning just what makes Christie so popular, read author Caroline Todd (one half of the Charles Todd writing team) and expert John Curran Q & A sessions about Agatha Christie's lost works, writing for male vs female characters, and much, much more! John and Caroline leave no stone unturned as they discuss writing and story-telling in the mystery world.

Read Part 1 of the Q&A here Read Part 2 of the Q&A here

Did You Get a New E-Reader for the Holidays? Love short stories? There are 25 of Christie's classic short stories available for your e-reader for just $0.99 each with more to be released in 2012! Fill your e-reader shelves with Christie!

Enjoyed this newsletter? Make sure you hear the official news first. Register and subscribe to get the UK or US newsletter delivered to your inbox every month.

• 3 comments

Comment on this story

Login or Register to post a comment

3 comments

Moderator2 02 Feb 12 at 9:42a.m.

@ nickg Hello I have personally sent you the US newsletter from last month and an email from my email account. If you don't get it please check your spam folder as the newsletters may be waiting for you there. (You are on the list of email addresses who are sent the newsletter so that's the only thing I can think is going on). Please let me know how you get on. thanks!

nickg 01 Feb 12 at 9:46p.m.

I am registered to get the us newsletter and have NOT gotten one isssue in my mail.

agatha2day 25 Jan 12 at 4:44p.m.

Well, I never! Miss Jane Marple is now on Twitter! That means I don't have to travel to St. Mary-Mead as I can get all the delicious news right on Twitter. One may have to take lessons on how Twitter works, though.  For where do all our twitters go? Now all I need is a good cuppa and a slice of Victoria's Sponge cake, and a side of clotted cream, and maybe some fish paste sandwiches....=)