Mysteries Solved

By Julie Duffin
September 2024 View more Books

Agatha Christie’s tales stand the test of time. Nearly 50 years after her death, the Queen of Crime remains one of the top-selling authors. Ever. (Outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare.) And while her popularity hasn’t waned much, some of the now-100-year-old references in her stories have grown more obscure.

Enter Naperville author and Agatha Christie enthusiast Kate Gingold. “I reread her books a lot because they are fun and comfortable,” Gingold says. But some references in the stories remained mysteries themselves, so a few years ago Gingold began researching some of the obscure terms and historical allusions she had previously skipped over. As her appreciation for Christie’s humor and understanding of 1920s pop culture grew, she realized other fans may be interested as well. “I thought there must be people like me who want to learn more, but don’t have the time to do the research. So, I decided to do it.”

In her book, Agatha Annotated: Investigating the Books of the 1920s, Gingold has complied a glossary to better understand and appreciate Christie’s early works. “You can use it as a research guide, but it’s also fascinating to just page through and learn the meaning of her references,” she explains.

And her theory that others would be interested in this information proved correct. Gingold is presenting at the International Agatha Christie Festival on September 13 in Torquay, England (Christie’s birthplace).

Photos: Kate Gingold