Agatha Christie and the mystery of the missing swearwords | Letters

I’d written a crime short story under one of my pen names for a collection to be published by Macmillan (Writers tell couple who remove ‘filth’ from books where to stick their app, 28 March). The late Lord (George) Hardinge of Penshurst was in charge of their crime fiction at the time and he rang me one day pre-publication to say in his magnificently polite voice that he might be able to persuade Agatha Christie to contribute a story. He knew her from when he worked at Collins. He said it would be good for sales, and therefore good for all of us, if she agreed. I said this would be great. But he added that Agatha hated bad language and that there was some of this in my story. He said he didn’t like to think of her coming into her drawing room and picking up the book with this tainted story in it alongside hers. I asked what we’d better do. He said I should take out the offending words. I asked which. He said all of them, “from piss to fuck”. I went silent. He must have gathered I was shocked. He said that if Agatha didn’t come up with the story I could put all the words back in at the proofs stage. I was young in the trade and weakly consented. She did provide a tale. I saw no surge in sales.James TuckerSully, Vale of Glamorgan• Your article about the Clean Reader app reminds me of WH Smith’s dirty books cupboard, which I inherited when I took over responsibility for the company’s book buying in 1974. It was in the days of moral rearmament and a paternalist attitude that... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agatha Christie and the mystery of the missing swearwords | Letters

I’d written a crime short story under one of my pen names for a collection to be published by Macmillan (Writers tell couple who remove ‘filth’ from books where to stick their app, 28 March). The late Lord (George) Hardinge of Penshurst was in charge of their crime fiction at the time and he... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #biggest bookseller


Miss Marple is Agatha Christie’s best character. A new book reminds us why.

In “Marple,” contemporary writers such as Val McDermid, Elly Griffith, Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware contribute new stories starring St. Mary Mead’s favorite resident Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-09-01 12:00:31 UTC ]
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How I Wrote a New Agatha Christie Mystery

Sophie Hannah, author of the new Hercule Poirot mystery "The Monogram Murders," shares how she channeled one of literature's greats, and one of literature's great characters. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agatha Christie Books On Sale Today for $2!

Agatha Christie is the bestselling novelist of all time, and many of her ebooks are on sale today for $2-3, including her most popular titles! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-04 16:44:37 UTC ]
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What happened to Agatha Christie in 1926? A new novel explores her curious disappearance.

What happened to Agatha Christie in 1926? A new novel explores her curious disappearance. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-02-02 13:00:38 UTC ]
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Why is Agatha Christie the Best-Selling Author of All Time?

Agatha Christie, the Queen of Mystery, is the best-selling novelist of all time. What makes her work so timeless? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-12-06 11:40:00 UTC ]
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Where did Agatha Christie go when she disappeared in 1926? Here’s one theory.

Marie Benedict’s “The Mystery of Mrs. Christie” is an intriguing novel with a plausible explanation. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-12-29 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Agatha Christie fans, take note: Anthony Horowitz has a clever new twist on the classic whodunit

With “Moonflower Murders,” Horowitz adds layers of mystery to a richly plotted tale. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-11-11 14:00:00 UTC ]
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Ruth Ware’s ingenious ‘One by One’ pays homage to Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’

Over the past five years, Ware has produced five suspense novels, almost all of them weighing in from really good to spectacular. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-07 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Ottessa Moshfegh’s ‘Death in Her Hands’ kicks off like a murder mystery. But the missing dead body is beside the point.

“Death in Her Hands” is not so much about solving a death as it is about conjuring a life. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-06-23 14:05:17 UTC ]
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Letter: I miss the smell of the books mixed with coffee

Bookselling has been my passion for so long, I miss the smell of the books mixed with coffee. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-27 08:29:19 UTC ]
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Looking at Agatha Christie and Feminism

This week, Claire Jarvis reviews a biography of Virginia Woolf by Gillian Gill. In 1990, John Mortimer wrote for the Book Review about “Agatha Christie: The Woman and Her Mysteries,” Gill’s biography of Christie. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-01-10 10:00:03 UTC ]
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HarperCollins signs Agatha Christie global deal until 2030

HarperCollins Publishers has signed a new global deal with Agatha Christie Ltd to continue its exclusive English language publishing relationship until 2030.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Westwick axed from Agatha Christie drama after abuse allegations

English actor Ed Westwick has been axed from the BBC's Agatha Christie drama after being accused of sexual assault. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Christie's 'secret' letters to HarperCollins set to be revealed

The secret history between Agatha Christie and her long-standing publisher, HarperCollins, are being revealed as part of a new exhibition celebrating the company’s 200th anniversary. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agatha Christie's paperback artist Tom Adams to appear at CrimeFest

The artist behind Agatha Christie’s iconic book jackets in the 1960s and 70s, Tom Adams, will appear as part of CrimeFest’s ninth line-up. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A hundred years on from Agatha Christie’s first novel, crime fiction is going cosy again

Hercule Poirot and Miss Marples are among golden age sleuths giving new inspiration to a genre tired of alcoholic divorcees and goth hackersForget domestic noir and put down all those books with “Girl” in the title. Crime fiction is turning back the clock to its golden age with a host of books... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC to adapt seven more Agatha Christie works

The BBC has signed a deal to adapt seven more of the late Agatha Christie's works. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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