Agatha Christie

Considering how central Christie remains in the mystery genre it always seemed odd to me that of the many books and articles written about her so few have bothered to try to delve beyond myth, rumour, and gossip. Refreshingly, Worsley's sparkling biography does. As importantly, she explores Christie's life and career choices in their social and political contexts, which creates a wonderfully layered narrative. Among the highlights is Worsley's sensitive and sober unfolding of the much-sensationalised disappearance, in which she lays bare the actions and evasions of those with a stake in preserving their own reputations at the cost of damaging a victim's credibility.

I do feel the second half of the biography loses steam ; it also falls into the common habit of painting a subject's older age in a tone of melancholic decline. Also, while racist elements and negative portrayals of Jews do get mentioned, it seemed to me in a scattered fashion. I would have liked to see a section devoted to an investigation of the longevity of some of these attitudes in and outside her work, especially as in so many ways Christie appears to have fashioned herself into, and relished being, a modern woman.