A bronze bust of Agatha Christie resides outside the Pavilion theatre in her hometown of Torquay, where her first husband, Archie Christie, proposed to her after attending a Wagner concert. Carol Van Den Boom-Cairns created the bust in 1990 as part of the anniversary celebrations of the famous English author. Her daughter, Rosalind Hicks, unveiled it. The bust is a stop on the Agatha Christie Mile – a self-guided walking tour along Torquay seafront. It features various landmarks significant to Christie’s life and works, such as Princess Pier, where she roller-skated, the strand that appears in many of her books, Torre Abbey Garden, which inspired many of the poisons in her novels, numerous memorial plaques, and the Agatha Christie Gallery at Torquay Museum. Soon to join the Agatha Christie Mile is a full-size statue of Christie made by artist Elisabeth Hadley. Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is one of the best-sellers authors of all time and became known as the Queen of Mystery for her many detective novels. She was born in Torquay, England, into a middle-class family. Being homeschooled, she taught herself to read at the age of five, and by the age of ten, she wrote her first poem and has never stopped writing since. After many years of getting rejected by publishers, she published her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920, introducing the world to her most beloved character – Hercule Poirot. She became known as a distinguished author who wrote 74 novels, 14 short story collections, and 19 plays; her books were translated into over 100 languages and adapted into dozens of films, TV series, and stage plays. Inspired by her own experiences, many of her stories occurred in places she visited, including her hometown of Torquay, archeological sites in the Middle East, and a memorable ride on the Orient Express. At the time of her death, 85 years old Christie held the record of the best-selling novelist of all time. A 30-minute drive south will take you to Greenway house and garden, the summer house of Christie and her family. Nowadays is a museum that provides a glimpse into her life in her home and the surroundings she loved. Read more...

The Agatha Christie Gallery at Torquay Museum, located in the hometown of the prominent novelist, hosts the only permanent exhibition in the UK dedicated solely to the Queen of Mystery. Since 1990, the museum had various changing exhibitions commemorating Christie’s life and work; over time, the collection expanded to contain more than 700 items, and the exhibit became permanent. The exhibit follows her life narrative, from her childhood in Torquay to her later years in Winterbrook. It includes information panels, photographs, and personal artifacts, such as clothes, handwritten notes, and first editions of her novels. The gallery also preserves memorabilia from the TV show Agatha Christie’s Poirot, donated by ITV Studios, Acorn Productions Ltd, HarperCollins Ltd, and David Suchet, who played the mustached detective. This part of the exhibition includes furniture, pictures, books, the fireplace from Poirot’s apartment, and his signature swan cane. As part of the annual International Agatha Christie Festival, the gallery offers various events, such as talks and film screenings. This gallery is one of the stops on the Agatha Christie Mile, a self-guided walking tour of Torquay that explores many of Christie’s landmarks. It includes her statue, the honeymoon site at the Grand Hotel, her roller-skating spot at Princess Pier, the strand from many of her novels, and the Agatha Christie bust on Palk Street. A 30-minute drive south will take you to Greenway house and garden, the summer house of Christie and her family. Nowadays is a museum that provides a glimpse into her life in her home and the surroundings she loved. Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was born in Torquay, England. At five, she self-learned to read, and five years later, she wrote her first poem. As a young female author, her works got rejected by publishers. Only in 1920 did she publish her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. It was the first appearance of her most famous character, Hercule Poirot, who later appeared in 25 more books and numerous short stories. Her experiences and world travel influenced Her writing. During her life, she published 74 novels (66 of them are thrillers), 14 short-stories collections, and 19 plays. Her books were translated into over 100 languages, and many of them got adapted into films, TV series, and stage plays. Read more...