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Writer's pictureDavid Morris

The 2024 Agatha Christie Holiday Gift Guide.

Last year, I provided a range of ideas for Christie fans which many enjoyed so I thought I'd do another one! Something for you to share with your family and friends to give them a bit of inspiration. As with everything on my website, nothing is sponsored or promoted and I receive no compensation from anyone. I should also say whenever possible, please support your local independent stores - whether book shops (new or used) or gift shops. I would also encourage Christie fans to avoid buying poorly printed 'off-copyright' books which are now being sold in various parts of the world outside the UK. They do not support the Christie estate nor the publishers who have brought her books to us for years, nor do they foster investment in thoughtful new cover art.


Lastly, most of the items below would be considered affordable, but I have not provided prices as readers are across the globe. So, check costs for your part of the world, but generally all items below are going to be well under £35 ($50 US) unless otherwise noted.


For the Bibliophile:


New Christie Printings: Throughout the world, Agatha Christie's publishers continue to update the covers and designs for the books they print. The options do vary by market so those interested in giving a newer printing should visit their local bookshop or review options online. For example, in the US, there are newly designed covers for many of the Poirot novels with appealing cover art by Stephen Millership. This artwork is also used in the 2025 Poirot Calendar (available globally and discussed further down the article). Shown below are four of the new covers - all of which I think are highly attractive.

In addition, there are also new printings of the Tommy & Tuppence books. While these designs do not yet appear to be available in the UK, creative online shoppers may be able to order from a US distributer for overseas shipping.


A New Christie-related Book: Near the top of many wish-lists for this Christmas this year is likely the new book from Dr. Mark Aldridge. His 'Marple: Expert on Wickedness' is a wonderful book and a companion to his 'Poirot: The World's Greatest Detective' published a few years ago. The new 'Marple' book provides fascinating insights into the world of Miss Marple - from short stories, to novels, to film and television.

There are hundreds of images to enjoy that really enhance the overall enjoyment of the book. I can't imagine any Christie fan not being thrilled to receive this.


An Older Christie-related Book: At the 2024 International Agatha Christie Festival, I had the chance to listen to Andrew Eames talk about his travel-logue book 'The 8:55 to Baghdad'. While it was originally released in 2005, I hadn't previously read it. Well I have read it now, and it is a wonderful book. In it, Eames retraces the route that Agatha Christie took on her own in 1928 from Sunningdale, outside of London, via train to Baghdad, where she met archaeologist Max Mallowan. It is a wonderful book for both Christie fans and those who enjoy travel writing.


A Vintage Paperback or Hardback Edition: While it takes a little more effort than buying a new book from the major online retailers, giving a vintage paperback, hardback or first edition is really quite easy to do and will often be a more cherished item that a new printing. Vintage paperbacks are generally always affordable, but to be creative consider a Christmas-themed bundle of "The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and Other Stories" and "Hercule Poirot's Christmas". While many paperback publishers have printed these titles, I generally prefer those with cover art such as vintage Fontana paperbacks (below left two images).

For affordable first editions focus on UK books from 1960 onwards or US printings from the mid-1950s onwards. Look for a book that has a nice, complete dust jacket and is described as either 'very good', 'near fine' or 'fine' by the seller. Try to find a jacket that still has the price present on the flap (i.e. not priced clipped). Check with your local used book store first. Otherwise online resale sites such as AbeBooks, Biblio and alibris are likely your best sources. Look for an established seller that provides a clear description and photographs. Some books from this period will be above the £50 ($70 US) price range, but any fan of Christie will cherish a first edition. For example, a very good first edition of the Collins 'The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding' likely will cost closer to £100 ($130 US). If a hardback is wanted that is more affordable, then both this title and 'Hercule Poirot's Christmas' were printed as facsimile editions in the early 2000s (same design / artwork as the first edition) by HarperCollins more recently and can be found for the same price as a new hardback.


For the Puzzle and Games Fan:

In prior years I've thoroughly enjoyed piecing together 'The World of Agatha Christie' and 'The World of Hercule Poirot' jigsaw puzzles by Laurence King, both with wonderful artwork by Ilya Milstein. Fortunately there is a trio of new items this year from the same team, including a new puzzle. The three new offerings from Laurence King's Agatha Christie Collection are as follows:


The World of Miss Marple Jigsaw Puzzle.  This 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle comes with a fold-out poster that provides insights into all the clues and the Miss Marple books.


The Official Agatha Christie Puzzle Book. This paperback features over 300 pages of puzzles in various forms for Christie fans to enjoy.


Agatha Christie Trivia. The decorative box features over 300 trivia questions all about Agatha Christie, her stories and her characters.  Ranging across three levels of difficulty, all questions were written by the team at Agatha Christie Limited. The box is decorated in gold-foil and resembles a twentieth-century train carriage with various Christie characters waiving from the window.

They can be found globally at many games shops, bookstores or online.


Other Christie Themed Gifts:

The Hercule Poirot Calendar - 2025.

As discussed earlier, there are new covers for many of the Poirot books being sold in the USA that were created by the graphic artist Stephen Millership. Thirteen of these covers have been used for this wonderful 2025 calendar. Throughout the calendar, important milestones related to Agatha Christie's life and works are also referenced. This calendar is definitely available in both the UK & USA, and thus likely throughout much of the world.



Arts & Crafts: There are many creative people who sell their items on Etsy. Searching on that website for Christie themed items may reveal some great ideas while supporting independent artists and craftspeople. However, try to avoid those who are using copyrighted material without permission. For example, in a recent discussion with Martin Baker, the cover artist for Fontana paperbacks in the early 1980s, he is frustrated by the amount of unauthorized use of his images which is essential theft of the artist's work.


Some examples of creative gifts on Etsy include the pseudo-vintage British Rail poster for 'St Mary Mead' by ArdentDesignUK, the Poirot & Hastings Detective Agency coffee mug by VillainBrands, or the quote-inspired bookmarks by DoReMiDesignsCo.



For Those Who Enjoy Experiences:

The following are some ideas for experiences that any Agatha Christie fan would enjoy.


a) Tickets to the International Agatha Christie Festival in 2025. While tickets are not yet available, general details about the annual festival can be found here (link). You could easily give a home made voucher that converts to event tickets once they become available.


b) Tickets to visit Greenway, Agatha Christie's home in Devon. For more details click here (link) and see further below for another idea.


c) Theatre tickets - plus this has the added benefit that you may be invited to go with! If you are based in London, there is always The Mousetrap or Witness for the Prosecution. If you are elsewhere in the UK or the world, do some searching - there's a high likelihood a Christie stage play will be performed somewhere near you in the year ahead.


The pricier list...

Tom Adams Authentic Prints: Many readers have expressed over time how much they would love to own an original Tom Adams painting. Since they rarely ever show for sale, would be very costly and none are currently known to be available, this will likely remain a wish list item. However, you can buy authentically produced Tom Adams prints, including signed ones, from his estate.

These official prints are available from Tom Adams' family, through their sole distributer in the UK, Art Reserve. There are lots of images still to choose from including many favourites. Some are available as 'Collector's Edition Prints' (embossed) while a few signed prints of some images are still available. For full details and pricing (which I think is very reasonable), including shipping and framing, go to this link.


Pricey Book Inspired Travel:

Five Little Pigs & Dead Mans Folly: Many readers may not know that you can actual rent lodging at Greenway. This would provide a very unique experience to live in Christie's house.

The self-contained apartment houses up to 8 guests and prices range from ~£800 to £1,450 per night. For a cheaper option, up to two guests can stay in 'The Lodge' (gate-house) on the estate for ~£350 to £750 per night. Dates book well in advance so plan ahead, but to learn more click here.


And Then There Were None & Evil Under the Sun: Another idea would be to gift a stay at the Burgh Island Hotel for one of their Murder Mystery weekends. During 2025, they already have eight weekends set aside for these events.


While I've only stayed there for a traditional weekend when I dressed up for cocktails and dinner, and enjoyed live music, I have no doubt these murder mystery weekends are great fun. Full details at this link.


Other Reader Suggestions.

I received lots of other ideas from readers, a few of which are listed below. If you have other ideas that you think are great, do let me know as I can update this article or share the ideas on my Social Media platforms.


a) The new 'And Then There Were None' Ultimate Mystery Edition from HarperCollins with the final solution sealed in an envelope in the back of the book.

b) A signed copy of the book 'Poirot and Me' by David Suchet.

c) Any of the Folio Society printings of Agatha Christie's novels (link).

d) The book 'Agatha Christie Annotated' by Kate Gingold (link).

e) The 'silver swan' walking stick as used by David Suchet in the Poirot series (link).


Summary. Hopefully this has given some fresh ideas for you to either add to your wish list or to find that special something for the Christie fan in your life. I know I've missed lots of items out there... which just affirms how much there is for this wonderful world of Christie we all love so much.

Wishing all of our readers a very happy holiday season.  


Closing Comments. If you are not yet a subscriber to my website, please consider subscribing. This will ensure you receive an email each time I publish a new article. To enroll please click this link and provide your email. In addition, consider following me on 'X' (formerly Twitter) (@collectchristie) and on Facebook (collectchristie). Slightly different content is offered in those locations.





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jjcook654
Nov 29

Is it wrong if this inspired me to buy gifts mostly for myself?

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