Agatha Christie Week takes place from 9-11 September 2016.
Agatha Christie was born in Torquay on 15 September 1890 and this year the twelfth Agatha Christie week coincides with the author’s 126th birthday.
Agatha Christie has been referred to by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best selling writer of books of all time. The Bible is the only book known to have outsold Christie’s collected sales of around four billion copies of novels. Her books have been translated into over 50 languages and she is the most translated author in history. Christie’s most famous characters are the Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot and the elderly spinster and amateur detective, Miss Marple.
Hercule Poirot appeared in 33 of Agatha Christie’s novels and 54 short stories. In comparison, Miss Marple featured in only 12 novels.
Agatha Christie Week which is coordinated by Torbay Cultural Partnership gives fans from all over the world an opportunity to celebrate the work of this renowned British author.
There are absolutely loads of events taking place for all of you Christie addicts out there. For starters you could familiarise yourself with a walk along the Agatha Christie mile. The walk starts outside the Tourist Information Centre in Torquay, where you can pick up a leaflet to ensure you don’t miss anything. It also takes in ten landmarks associated with this great British author. And it isn’t too strenuous so it should be suitable for most people to be able to participate in.
Why not visit the Babbacombe Model Village and see if you can find the miniature ‘Murder Mystery’ scenes hidden throughout the gardens.
Or you might want to get aboard a genuine 1940’s bus for a trip to Greenway House and Gardens. Greenway was Agatha Christie’s holiday home, which is now owned by the National Trust. The house was acquired by The National Trust in 1999. The rooms are set in the 1950’s and contain many of the family’s collections. Christie often used familiar places in her books and the house features in a number of her books, for example ‘Five Little Pigs’ and ‘Dead Man’s Folly’.
Another place frequented by the author was The Grand Hotel, Torquay. It was here that Agatha spent her honeymoon after marrying her first husband, Archibald Christie on Christmas Eve, 1914.
For more information about the themed events and event listings taking place during the week visit the Agatha Christie Week website for all the information you need to take part.
And … if you are unable to get to the events taking place on the English riveria you could just curl up with one of Agatha Christie’s novels.