Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Lucy Worsley
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Agatha Christie
Buy Now for £13.00
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Summary
'Nobody in the world was more inadequate to act the heroine than I was.'
Why did Agatha Christie spend her career pretending that she was 'just' an ordinary housewife, when clearly she wasn't? As Lucy Worsley says, 'She was thrillingly, scintillatingly modern'. She went surfing in Hawaii, she loved fast cars, and she was intrigued by the new science of psychology, which helped her through devastating mental illness.
So why - despite all the evidence to the contrary - did Agatha present herself as a retiring Edwardian lady of leisure?
She was born in 1890 into a world which had its own rules about what women could and couldn't do. Lucy Worsley's biography is not just of an internationally renowned bestselling writer. It's also the story of a person who, despite the obstacles of class and gender, became an astonishingly successful working woman.
With access to personal letters and papers that have rarely been seen, Lucy Worsley's biography is both authoritative and entertaining and makes us realise what an extraordinary pioneer Agatha Christie was - truly a woman who wrote the twentieth century.
Critic reviews
'Paint(s) an intriguing picture of Christie.' - Guardian
'Ms Worsley herself writes engagingly... She combines an almost militant support for her subject with a considered analysis of her books and plays.' - Economist
'Admirably scrupulous' - New York Times
More from the same
What listeners say about Agatha Christie
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lindy Zubairy
- 22-09-22
Authoritative and accessible
I love Lucy because of her wry humour, lovely style and genuine academic credentials - a winning mix. Fascinated by Agatha Christie too, so it doesn't get much better than this.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Book Lover
- 19-02-23
Loved this
This is the only biography of Agatha I have listened to. I liked it but felt a lot of questions were not answered. This is not a criticism of the writing, but more of an observation.
I would recommend, but I prefer books which leave me with less questions. I would have liked more of Lucy’s opinions.
It’s great work by Lucy. it feels like it has been written with a lot of love and I really enjoyed listening to this.
I would recommend, however if you know lots about Agatha (which I don’t) then you may feel this book is slightly light. Again not a criticism, just an observation on the style.
I feel like Lucy makes things accessible for people who read her books who do not have a great amount of knowledge. (me), however for people who know lots of background info already They may be disappointed.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rebecca Budgen
- 15-11-22
Fabuloso!
Narrated by my favourite historian whose written about my all time favourite author! A fascinating read. I wonder what AC would have thought about it!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs. K. P. Gibson
- 17-01-23
Excellent
I loved this clever, thoughtful and entertaining book. Agatha suitably remembered by Lucy Worsely, another great author, who shows us the greatness of Agatha’s writing and the wonderful and interesting life she lived, leaving the world with a huge gift of plays and books to keep us entertained!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- D G Fretwell
- 07-09-23
Loved it!
I am so glad I purchased this Audiobook! Have never been a huge fan of Agatha Christie stories, but Lucy gave me a completely fresh perspective on her life and motivation. I really appreciated Lucy’s broad based analysis of family correspondence, but also - particularly- her analysis of what the critics were saying about her work. Very interesting that it was the demands of Agatha’s reading public who kept her in print rather than the publishers and editors at the time! It’s no wonder that so many folk who love writing for its own sake are turning towards self-publication these days.
Agatha’s world was changing fast, as is ours and Lucy is a great analyst of what is happening now. Great book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 09-09-23
Excellent!
A thoroughly enjoyable listen, more like a conversation than a reading. Though I'm not an Agatha Christie fan, I found this biography entertaining, performed with ease and passion by the wonderful Lucy.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kristyna O'Farrell
- 07-01-24
Enjoyable and interesting
I very much enjoyed the story and also Lucy's narration. Just a pleasure to listen to and get a view into Agatha Christie's life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- HDo
- 18-10-22
Fascinating and fun
An intelligent, well written and well read joy. It places Christie in the historical context of the twentieth century with love, respect and humour. Spoiler alert: if you haven't read most Christie novels there are understandably some plot revelations.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- AD
- 27-09-22
Gripping, charming, knowledgeable: three cheers for Worsley
I spent the last hour of every day in the author’s company for days on end. Her soothing voice, reassuring opinions and a viewpoint on history rooted in what Christie herself would have described as “women’s lib” is fresh, in more ways than one. I enjoyed this sufragette take on the crime writer’s life and legacy. Undervalued by men, finally praised by a woman. I’m toasting the completion of this audio book with a half of pint of fresh cream, just like Agatha would.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vreader
- 19-01-23
The mystery of Agatha Christie!
I was surprised that Agatha Christie was quite a different person to that generally thought. I listened as I’m a fan of Lucy Worsely but now feel inclined to read some Christie!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!