Top 20 Greatest Agatha Christie Mystery Novels

#20: “Lord Edgware Dies” (1933)

Kicking off our list is a masterclass in the “impossible alibi.” While many mysteries rely on hidden clues, this one relies on sheer audacity. The plot revolves around the murder of a wealthy Baron, with his estranged wife, actress Jane Wilkinson, as the prime suspect. The problem? She was seen at a dinner party at the exact time of the murder, granting her an iron clad alibi. It features Captain Hastings at his most charmingly oblivious, but the real draw is the puzzle itself. Christie explores the idea that the most obvious suspect is often the right one - if you can just figure out how they manipulated time and space to do it.

#19: “The Hollow” (1946)

If you prefer your murder mysteries with a heavy dose of psychological drama, “The Hollow” is the book for you. In fact, Christie famously felt that the arrival of Hercule Poirot actually ruined the book, believing the complex relationships of the Angkatell family were interesting enough on their own. The detective arrives at a country estate to find a man bleeding into the swimming pool and his wife standing over him with a gun - a scene so theatrical, Poirot assumes it’s a prank. Celebrated for its deep character study and tragic tone, this novel proves Christie was just as skilled at writing human heartbreak as she was at crafting puzzles.

#18: “After the Funeral” (1953)

It’s the quintessential Christie setup: a wealthy patriarch dies, a dysfunctional family gathers for the will reading, and someone says the thing you should never say. When the victim’s sister, Cora, makes a curious remark about a potential murder, she seals her own fate and is brutally killed with a hatchet the next day. This book perfectly executes the “spooky old house” trope, and it was famously adapted into the 1963 film “Murder at the Gallop,” swapping Hercule Poirot for Miss Marple. With a terrifyingly bold killer and a plot hinging on misdirection, “After the Funeral” reminds us that family reunions can be deadlier than poison.

#17: “The Body in the Library” (1942)

For years, “The Body in the Library” was an actual joke, a cliché phrase used to mock detective fiction. So, naturally, Agatha Christie decided to write a book with that exact title just to prove she could do it. The story begins when the respectable Bantry household wakes up to find the corpse of a glamorous platinum-blonde stranger on their library hearthrug. To clear her husband’s name, Mrs. Bantry calls in her old friend, Miss Marple. “The Body in the Library” highlights the contrast between the quiet, boring village life of St. Mary Mead and the sordid, violent realities of the outside world, and yes, it is also Miss Marple at her absolute sharpest.

#16: “Cards on the Table” (1936)

Usually, a locked room mystery involves a sealed door. In this ingenious novel, the room is wide open; it’s the psychological walls that are closing in. Mr. Shaitana, a flamboyant host, invites four detectives, including Poirot, and four suspected murderers to a dinner party. They play Bridge at different tables in the same room, and by the end of the night, their host is dead. Poirot solves this case not by hunting for cigarette ash or footprints, but by analyzing the Bridge scorecards to determine the risk tolerance of the players. It’s a brilliant intellectual exercise pitting four sleuths against four killers, resulting in one of the most unique structures in the Christie canon.

#15: “4.50 From Paddington” (1957)

A woman on a train looks out her window and, for one fleeting second, witnesses a man strangling a woman in a passing carriage. Talk about a cinematic opening! When no body is found, the police dismiss the woman’s claims, leaving it to Miss Marple to find the truth. Because Marple is too old to go digging around crime scenes herself, she hires the “super-maid” Lucy Eyelesbarrow to infiltrate the suspect’s family home undercover. This fast-paced thriller leans heavily into the “armchair detective” dynamic. It’s suspenseful, action packed, and features one of Christie’s most unforgettable one-off heroines in the indomitable Lucy.

#14: “Endless Night” (1967)

Published late in Christie’s career, this standalone novel proved that even in her 70s, the Queen of Crime could still bring the goods and pull the rugs. Trading cozy tea rooms for psychological dread, “Endless Night” is an atmospheric horror story about a working class chauffeur who builds a dream house on “cursed” land. Critics at the time were floored by the dark tone and modern feel of the narrative, and Christie herself was known to love it, considering it one of her finest books. We won’t spoil the ending, but suffice it to say, it features one of the coldest and most chilling reveals in literary history. It’s a haunting tragedy that sticks with you long after the final page.

#13: “The Murder at the Vicarage” (1930)

This is where the legend truly began. While she had appeared in short stories before, this novel marked the first full length appearance of the legendary Jane Marple. It established the geography of St. Mary Mead and introduced the world to the idea that a “nasty old gossip” might actually be the smartest person in the room. The plot concerns the murder of Colonel Protheroe, a man so universally hated that even the Vicar jokes that killing him would be a service to the world. It’s a foundational text for the genre, establishing the rules of the “village mystery” that authors have been copying for nearly a century.

#12: “Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case” (1975)

Written during the Blitz of World War II but locked in a vault for thirty years, “Curtain” is the final chapter in the life of Hercule Poirot. The aged detective summons his old friend Hastings back to Styles Court (the setting of their very first adventure) to stop a killer one last time. How poetic. The tone is darker and more melancholy than almost any other Christie novel, dealing with themes of mortality and justice. Upon its publication in 1975, the reaction was so immense that The New York Times ran a front page obituary for Hercule Poirot - the only fictional character to ever receive such an honor. It is a heartbreaking and perfect goodbye.

#11: “Crooked House” (1949)

This is another one of Christie’s personal favorites. A standalone mystery without Marple or Poirot, it focuses on the Leonides family, who live together in a sprawling mansion under the thumb of a tycoon grandfather. When he is poisoned, suspicion falls on everyone in the titular “crooked house.” The publishers originally begged Christie to change the ending, finding it too shocking for the time, but she refused. And thank goodness she did. With a fun nursery rhyme motif and a conclusion that rivals “The Sixth Sense” in shock value, this is a dark masterpiece that demands to be read.

#10: “The A.B.C. Murders” (1936)

Agatha Christie’s famous detective, Hercule Poirot, hunts for a serial killer who murders people with the same first initial in their first and last names. He was too late to save Alice Ascher, Betty Barnard and Carmichael Clarke. This is not only one of Agatha Christie’s best stories, but it is also one of the first ever serial killer novels. Something else that makes this novel unique is Christie’s use of both first and third person narratives. The arrogant killer leaves a trail of clues for Poirot to follow, which just might be his downfall.

#9: “Five Little Pigs” (1942)

The original title of this mystery was “Murder in Retrospect”, but, given its premise, “Five Little Pigs” is probably a more fitting name. Hercule Poirot is back again to investigate the five suspects of a sixteen year old murder case. Each of the possible killers tells Poirot their version of what happened, giving this novel a sort of Rashomon style of storytelling. To add some novelty to the mystery, each of the suspects’ alibis mirrors a line from the childhood song, Five Little Pigs. With so many different perspectives on the same tragic event, Poirot has his work cut out for him.

#8: “Peril at End House” (1932)

Nothing puts a damper on a vacation like discovering that there’s an attempted murderer on the loose. After witnessing an attempt on the life of Magdala "Nick" Buckley, Poirot puts her under his protection, hoping to prevent her murder. But who would want her dead? As he investigates, the plot thickens tenfold. The New York Times Book Review praised the novel as “diabolically clever”. Like many of Christie’s works, this book has been adapted into all different types of media including a graphic novel and even a computer game.

#7: “Evil Under the Sun” (1941)

This one is yet another tale of Christie’s famous, world class sleuth, Hercule Poirot. As in “Peril at End House”, Poirot attempts to go on holiday. But there is just no rest for this detective. Shortly after his arrival to a seaside resort, amid a social powder keg of animosity and tension, a young woman, Arlena Stuart, is murdered. Christie’s clever use of red herrings and misdirection keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire read. Just try to keep up with Poirot as he narrows down the suspects and solves the mystery.

#6: “A Murder is Announced” (1950)

Step aside Hercule Periot. Christie’s 50th published book stars another one of her recurring detectives, Miss Marple. Taking place in post WWII Britain, the story sees someone anonymously posting an ad in the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette that promises an upcoming murder. With time running out for her to prevent the crime, Miss Marple must be at her very best. And this novel is in fact considered by many to be the best out of all of Miss Marple’s adventures. It’s also considered to be a classic in the crime fiction genre. Rumor has it, Christie tried out some of the schemes and misdirections used in this book on her neighbors.

#5: “Death on the Nile” (1937)

Agatha Christie is famous for the “trapped with the killer” type of story, and this is one of her best. This novel takes place…you guessed it, along the Nile River in Egypt. While on a cruise, Poirot discovers that there’s a murderer hiding among the other passengers. Though Poirot must unravel many twists and turns along the way, he’s dogged in his pursuit of the truth. Reviewers praised this Christie work not just for its adventurous story, but also for its well developed characters. And, of course, for its climactic ending.

#4: “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” (1920)

This novel is a particularly special one in Christie’s collection. It’s her first published novel ever, and on top of that, it’s also Hercule Poirot’s very first appearance. Plus, it serves as the introduction to some of Christie’s other recurring characters, Aurthur Hastings and Inspector Japp. When an acquaintance whom Hastings is staying with is poisoned, it’s up to Poirot to find her killer. Apparently, this first novel spawned from a dare propositioned by Christie’s sister. How awesome is that?! Christie may have never become the Queen of Mystery if not for this dare.

#3: “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” (1926)

Just when he thought he was out, an unexpected murder pulls him back in. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is brought out of a well-earned retirement when a friend is murdered. This is one of Christie's most well known and widely celebrated novels. By the nature of Christie’s whodunnit style of storytelling, pretty much all of her works have shocking reveals or twist endings. But this one stands out among the rest as, arguably, Christie’s best ever. In fact in 2013 it was voted as the best crime novel ever by the British Crime Writers’ Association. This is also Christie’s first book to ever be adapted; it was turned into a stage play called Alibi, and a movie a few years later.

#2: “Murder on the Orient Express” (1934)

Hercule Poirot finds himself trapped on a train stranded by snow with a killer among the passengers. Everyone seems to have something to hide, and the more clues he finds, the more they point him every which way. This novel was inspired by the tragic real life Lindbergh kidnapping and murder in 1932, as well as Christie’s personal adoration for the real Orient Express. It inspired many fans to ride the Orient Express themselves to confirm all of the minute details in the book. This one will keep you guessing all the way until the end.

#1: “And Then There Were None” (1939)

This is probably Christie’s most famous “there’s a killer among us” whodunnit. You might not even realize that you’ve probably seen a version of this story referenced in pop culture before. The TV shows Family Guy and Boy Meets World have entire episodes paying homage. The book is not only the best selling mystery novel in the world, it is one of the best selling books of all time. After strangers are lured to a mansion on an island, they realize that a murderer is hunting them down one by one. The growing tension between the guests as they’re methodically narrowed down jumps right off the page.

Which iconic books did we forget? Let us know in the comments below!