The Year of Agatha 2017 Gift Guide!

One of the questions we get asked the most is: “which Agatha Christie book should I start reading?”

Our answer is usually a mix of "oh these are some generally good ones" or "oh these are our favorites!" But we’ve come to realize that sometimes our favorites are not necessarily the books everyone should start with. We created a few Buzzfeed quizzes (see here and here!) to help guide Agatha newcomers to some fun reads, however, with the holiday season upon us, we thought it would be fun to put together an Agatha Christie Gift Guide complete with specially curated recommendations for all the special people in your life!

For your mom: Murder at the Vicarage

It’s classic, straightforward, got some stuff about church in there. A fun and funny Miss Marple romp with a classic Christie plot twist.

For your dad: The Murder on the Links

Dads are generally into golf, right? Well even though Poirot isn’t, this book has a lot of caper-y fun and some great golf banter to boot! We feel that Poirot books that include Hastings are often the best version of Poirot, and this is a Hastings tour de force #HastingsLovesLadies.

For your cousin who loved Serial: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead

Oh boy. Who among us didn’t love Serial?! Mrs. McGinty’s Dead also follows the trials and tribulations of a potentially wrongly convincted man...

For your crush: The Secret Adversary

It's a love story, baby, just say yes. This one is lots of fun and very caper-y, plus it has an adorable side plot about falling in love with an old friend. What's more romantic that kidnapping and international spies??

For your uncle who watches horror movies exclusively: And Then There Were None

Honestly, this one can be a good gift for basically anyone, because it is absolutely brilliant and was a total revelation for the way stories are told, but it's particularly good for those in your life whose entertainment preferences lean towards the group-in-a-house-trapped-with-a-killer #UltimateLockedRoomMystery.

For your maiden aunt who hates children: Crooked House

Per our recent blog post, we are a bit over-the-moon for the new Crooked House film adaptation, so why not pick up a copy for that aunt or cousin who is looking for a reinforcement for their dislike of bratty children, since this book is basically about an entire family of bratty children?

For your dog-loving bff: Dumb Witness
Bob the dog is basically the star of the show in this classic Poirot who-dunnit. Agatha dedicated this book to her dog bestie, Peter, who she called "the most faithful of friends and dearest of companions, a dog in a thousand." THAT'S ADORABLE.

For your office gift exchange-ee: Cat Among the Pigeons

This book practically screams BE NICE TO YOUR CO-WORKERS, so send a message and give a gift at the same time!

For your history buff grandfather: Death Comes as the End

In case you forgot, Agatha tried her hand at historical fiction once upon a time and set this particular mystery in ancient Egypt. It has everything the history buff in your life will love: facts and dates, complicated family trees, and, of course, MURDER.

For your nemesis: Nemesis

Enough said.

For your mother-in-law who does crosswords: The Thirteen Problems

This short story collection is a delightful introduction to Miss Jane Marple. While not as intricate as Agatha's full-length novels, this reads almost like a chocolate box of fun puzzles!

And, finally, a safe bet for anyone else you may have left on your list: The Body in the Library

Agatha wrote in her foreword to this book that she had always wanted to take a stab at this cliche-sounding mystery setup. The Body in the Library isn't too long, isn't too short, has a tantalizing mystery from the start, offers several good laughs, and ends with a very satisfying conclusion - overall, a perfect Agatha gift!