IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD? LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! Agatha Christie- Part 1- Intro By: Kimberly Thorn

No not that Queen! But the Queen of Mystery, Agatha Christie! What self-respecting mystery writer (or reader) doesn’t acknowledge the Queen of Mystery? No one! She did many great things during her prolific life. For example, she is the third bestselling author of all time, with the Bible and Shakespeare earning the first two spots! That, in and of itself, is a major accomplishment, especially considering she was a woman. Another Christie accomplishment is that she is the most popular playwright! She has had more of her plays performed than anyone else! Although, you may be surprised to know that she contributed so much more than just her writing to the world! And that her contributions are still being enjoyed by the current generation and will be around for future ones.          

First things, first though. There is an elephant in the room that I’d like to address.

 

I am sure that some have heard the big debate that has happened over the last few months involving Christie and her works. There are some that think that Christie’s work is out of date and that it contains offensive language. That her stories need to be “softened.” They also have called her true character and purpose into question. Others vehemently disagree, saying that her original works should be left alone. That she wrote what she wrote on purpose. That her works showed ALL areas of life honestly: it was the good, the bad, and she even represented the ugly. That it tells of another time, but that it CAN still be relevant today, if we are careful.

No matter which side you are on, this debate has caused Christie fans not only to be in an uproar but it also has caused much damage within the Christie community itself. What was once a very diverse set of people, from literally all over the world, who were only first unified by their love for Christie’s contributions has resulted in a major division. Some fans have left groups because of this division.  As a huge Christie fan, this is my first and foremost reason for delving more into Christie, right now. I had intended to wait and reveal another author, but I feel too strongly about this matter to wait any longer. While I enjoy a healthy debate, I am heartbroken at the anger and discord that this debate has caused within an otherwise once loving and acceptable community of her fans.  Although Christie cannot defend herself nor can she answer our questions, I am learning about her to find out the answers to our questions. Or at the very least, to seek answers to ease the tension and create a healthy debate. Do we fellow Christie fans not owe it to her, as well as ourselves, to find the truth (or at least attempt to find the truth)? Personally, I think Christie would want more from us as fans. Let’s face it, Poirot and Miss Marple would seek to find the truth and not wrongly accuse someone of anything without those facts.  I hope you will join me on this Christie adventure!   

Some of the questions I will seek answers to in the following weeks are as follows:

 

How much do we actually know about her: specifically, her life and her writing?

What motivated her to write? Especially what she wrote?

Did she write what she wrote from experience, prejudices, etc?

How did she influence the mystery genre?

Why is she considered the “Queen of Mystery”?

How did she help change the roles of women in the early 19^th century?

Is it true that poison was her favorite means of murder and if so, why?

What are the “Christie clues”?

Do you think you know the answers to these questions? Or, do you have your own questions that you just absolutely HAVE to have the answer to? Did I miss asking a major question in this debate? Drop me a comment and let me know. If I can answer your question, I certainly will!  

What I did this Summer by Teresa Inge

Summer is my favorite season hands-down. As a kid, I always looked forward to summer break, and this year was no different.  

Summer Kick-off

My favorite season started with a poolside cookout with my husband, daughters, and dogs Cool Hand Luke, a Shepherd Lab mix, and Lena, a Shepherd Husky mix. After the cookout, most of our dinners were spent by the pool this summer.

Summer Happenings

With this being my favorite time, my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary since we were married the day after the first day of summer. We then moved my just retired brother and his wife to Danville, Virginia during the heatwave and later cleaned out the messy room over my garage. Oh my! A fun time was back while winning a trophy for my 1955 Thunderbird at a car show and cruising the Elizabeth River in my daughter’s boat.

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR MYSTERY, BLACK OR WITH CREAM AND SUGAR? by Yvonne Saxon

 

Choosing a mystery to read is like going into a coffee house and starting at the big board of coffee drinks: there are a lot of choices! Which one do you choose? What do those names even mean? Because mysteries are as varied as coffee drinks, why not choose you next mystery like you’d choose a coffee? How? By looking at the “menu” and the “ingredients”!

Let’s start with the basics. To make a good cup of black coffee, you need the right ratio of boiling water to high quality beans. Whether dripped, poured over, or pressed through, the right amount of water to beans will produce a satisfying cup. The right ratio of crime to be solved and interesting characters to solve it will produce a satisfying mystery.