Wrote in English · 1890–1976
Agatha Christie
5 books in the original English, with a translation beside each.
Agatha Christie was an English writer born in 1890 in Torquay and died in 1976 in Winterbrook. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time, particularly in the mystery genre, and is known as the 'Queen of Crime'. Christie wrote 66 detective novels and 14 short-story collections, featuring fictional detectives such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her works have sold more than two billion copies, making her the best-selling novelist of all time. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, The Mousetrap, and six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. Christie's writing is characterized by intricate plots and clever deductions, often set in the 'Golden Age of Detective Fiction'. Her stories frequently involve poison and archaeological settings, reflecting her personal experiences. She remains the most-translated individual author according to UNESCO. Her legacy includes numerous adaptations for television, film, and radio, cementing her status as a master of the crime genre.
Reading Agatha Christie in translation
On Paralelo, you read Agatha Christie in the original English with a German translation aligned phrase by phrase. Christie’s prose is clear and accessible, typical of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, with a focus on dialogue and logical deduction rather than dense description. This style makes her vocabulary and sentence structures relatively easy to follow for an English speaker learning German. You can use your existing English knowledge as an anchor to grasp the German text. The only book in our catalogue is The Secret of Chimneys, which takes about 338 minutes to read. It is an excellent starting point because it allows you to engage with Christie’s signature mystery style without the complexity of longer novels. The straightforward narrative will help you build confidence in reading German while enjoying a classic whodunit.
Profile written with AI from Wikipedia and Wikidata · Biography: Wikipedia · Portrait: Wikimedia Commons
- Born
- 1890Torquay
- Died
- 1976Winterbrook
- Wrote in
- English
- On Paralelo
- 5 titles
- Shortest read
- 239 minPoirot Investigates
Where to start with Agatha Christie
Shortest first- 01
Poirot Investigates
"Poirot Investigates" by Agatha Christie is a short story collection first published in 1924. The eleven tales follow the eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as he unravels mysteries driven by…
Read a passage free →EN · PASSAGE“Yes, he usually took his little rook rifle with him, and I heard one or two shots in the distance.”
DE„Ja, er nahm gewöhnlich sein kleines Amsengewehr mit, und ich hörte ein oder zwei Schüsse in der Ferne.“
- 02
The Murder on the Links
"The Murder on the Links" by Agatha Christie is a detective novel published in 1923. Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings travel to northern France to meet a client, only to discover he's been…
Read a passage free →EN · PASSAGE“One was very tall, and had a long black beard, the other was short and stout.
DE„Der eine war sehr groß und hatte einen langen schwarzen Bart, der andere war klein und stämmig.
- 03
The murder of Roger Ackroyd
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie is a detective novel published in 1926. When wealthy Roger Ackroyd is found stabbed in his study, the recently retired Hercule Poirot is called to…
Read a passage free →EN · PASSAGE“No, thanks. I’ll do my own inquiring.
DE„Nein, danke. Ich werde selbst nachforschen.
- 04
The Secret of Chimneys
"The Secret of Chimneys" by Agatha Christie is a suspenseful detective novel written in the early 20th century.
Read a passage free →EN · PASSAGEHe left the room obediently enough.
DEEr verließ das Zimmer gehorsam genug.
- 05
The Man in the Brown Suit
"The Man in the Brown Suit" by Agatha Christie is a detective novel published in 1924. When Anne Beddingfeld witnesses a man's death at a London tube station, she picks up a mysterious note that…
Read a passage free →EN · PASSAGEIt is most undignified for a heroine to be sea-sick.
DEEs ist höchst unanständig für eine Heldin, seekrank zu sein.
Reading Agatha Christie in English
Which Agatha Christie book should I read first?
Poirot Investigates. At about 239 minutes it is the shortest of the 5 titles on Paralelo, so it is the quickest way in.
Can I read Agatha Christie in English with a translation beside it for free?
Yes. A passage from every title is free to read without an account, and a free account opens the whole book, with a translation aligned to the original phrase by phrase.
Are the books by Agatha Christie in the public domain?
Yes. Agatha Christie died in 1976, and the texts on Paralelo come from Project Gutenberg’s public-domain editions.