The last two novels published in her lifetime were "Curtain" (chronicling Hercule Poirot`s last cast) and "Sleeping Murder" (the last Miss Marple novel). She wrote both books in the 1940s, and then locked them in a safe deposit box.

Although it was not the last novel she published in her lifetime, the last novel that Agatha Christie wrote was "Postern of Fate" (1973). It featured her re-occurring characters Tommy and Tuppence, and marks their final appearance in a novel.

Her novel "And Then There Were None" is also published as "Ten Little Indians" and is a Mystery`s #1 Bestseller

Her second husband, Max Mallowan, was an archaeologist, and she chronicled her travels with him in the Middle East in her 1946 book "Come, Tell Me How You Live."

According to her grandson Mathew Prichard, who runs the Agatha Christie estate, she was very keen on using new types of media to help reach fans in new ways. He said this in April 2004 when it was announced that five of her books would be turned into computer games.

Her work has been translated into more than a hundred languages.

Last published novel, Sleeping Murder (1976), featured her other world-famous sleuth, the shrewdly inquisitive Miss Jane Marple.

First novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920), was also the first to feature her eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.

With over two billion copies of her books in print, she is the best selling author of all time.

Over 1 billion copies of her books have been sold worldwide. Her book sales are surpassed only by The Bible and by William Shakespeare.

Her father was from the United States, and her mother was English.

She worked at a chemist`s shop between 1915 and 1918 in Torquay, south-west England.

On Saturday April 12th, 1958, her play "The Mousetrap", which opened in London on November 25, 1952, became the longest running production of any kind in the history of British Theatre, beating out the five-and-a-half years of Chu Chin Chow.

Interred at Cholsey Churchyard, Cholsey, Oxfordshire, England, UK.

Disappeared for several days in 1926. Disappearance remains unexplained.

Gave birth to a daughter, Rosalind, in 1919.

Wrote several romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott.

Created a Dame of the Order of the British Empire in 1971.

Her books have sold more than 100 million copies.

Spouse: Max E.L. Mallowan (11 September 1930 - 12 January 1976) (her death); Archibald Christie (24 December 1914 - April 1928) (divorced) 1 child

Born in Torquay, Devon, England, UK