When people think about detective novels, there are a few authors that most people think about immediately. Of all of the well-known detective writers, Agatha Christie is one of principal importance. In addition to being a preeminent author in one genre, Agatha Christie is one of the most important authors of any genre in the modern era. She was responsible for the formation of the modern detective novel and contributed immensely to the breaking of norms and deception now expected in the genre; the most notorious example being the controversy resulting after the publishing of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Davis). Not only is Agatha Christie a well renowned and respected author, she is known to be the most read author of all time, showing her…show more content… She provided readers with a sort of escapism (Atkins 212) and characters that were relatable and interesting (Acocella). She enlightens readers with a multitude of clues in order to guide them gently to finding their own solution (Atkins 205). Of all Agatha Christie’s characters, two of her detectives are the most noteworthy: Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple (Acocella). Despite them both being very popular with readers, the two detectives had seemingly opposite characters: Poirot was well-dressed, self-absorbed; in contrast, Miss Marple seemed a “sweetly bewildered old lady” (Acocella). Despite the drastic differences of the two detectives, they both garnered immense popularity and were seen in countless Agatha Christie novels throughout her writing career (Acocella). Agatha Christie populates her worlds with characters who are either likable, laughable, or despicable; allowing for a somewhat large and engaging world without making it too large and confusing (Atkins 205). Readers find a sort of engagement in Christie’s works that is not present in the works of many other detective writers. Christie’s impact was not only on her readers but also on other writers of her time; she inspired many other writers to adopt her styles and ideas of writing (Atkins 212). Her perfected “whodunit” became a staple of the genre and writers no longer had to…show more content… She brought about new styles of writing and inspired many to do the same, bringing interesting and relatable characters into engaging and engrossing settings. She was not against breaking the so-called rules of the genre as she wanted to follow her own style to entertain and engage her reader. Agatha Christie overcame much in her life, dealing with a cheating husband and the simultaneous death of her mother, but these experiences shaped her writing as she went on to become the most read author of all time. Agatha tried new things with her writing instead of sticking with the form as many other writers of the time did, so she brought forth these interesting experiments and styles never before seen. Agatha Christie is one of the most important writers of human history, and her writing will continue to shape the writing of our future as it serves as an example that there are no rules of writing and anyone can write in his/her own
