By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968) by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie Limited promotes reading (or re-reading) Christie books through their Read Christie campaigns.  Each month a different novel is selected that will be a focus of their online book club. The choice for August 2026 was By the Pricking of My Thumbs. At Collecting Christie, I've been writing in-depth articles about single titles that provide readers with insights into the publishing history and collectibility of that title. To see the full list of completed in-depth articles, go to: link.

By the Pricking of My Thumbs.

This is the fourth novel featuring Tommy and Tuppence and was first published in 1968.  Consistent with their prior full-length novels, this is more of a thriller than a pure detective story.  Tommy and Tuppence have aged appropriately as Christie continues to align their ages with the years that have passed since N or M?  Albert, their assistant and servant, is also present in this book as he has been in all the others. 

The story begins when Tommy and Tuppence visit an elderly relative in a nursing home. There, an old woman hints that she once witnessed a child murder. Intrigued, Tuppence investigates further after the woman suddenly disappears. As she follows a trail of clues from the past, she uncovers dark secrets, hidden identities, and a long-forgotten crime. The novel combines suspense, mystery, and psychological tension, exploring how crimes from the past can continue to affect the present. The book is known for its eerie atmosphere and themes of memory and deception.

Dedication.

It should be noted that Christie dedicated this novel to all her readers who keep asking her what has happened to Tommy and Tuppence.  It is unclear how many such inquiries Christie really received and there is debate as to whether writing these books was a bit of whimsy or a chore – but for fans of these partners in crime this book was likely well received though some critics were less gracious.

A Christie for Christmas.

As the advertisements show below, the book was published in time for Christmas both in Britain and the States!

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First Editions.

First Edition: The first edition was printed in Britain on November 12, 1968, by Collins’ The Crime Club imprint. The dust wrapper was created by Kenneth Farnhill who had already created the jackets for Third Girl, 13 for Luck!, and Endless Night. His bright yellow cover lacked artwork and focused on both name recognition and the attention grabbing colour to drive sales.  The dust wrapper was priced 21s net on the front flap and stated it was a ‘Crime Club Choice’ on the cover.

As a brief digression, it is worth noting that long before the 1960s, the Italian publisher Mondadori had discovered that a strong yellow cover created a recognizable "Crime" identity. Once readers learned that a yellow book meant mystery or suspense, the color became their branding tool. The series became so influential that Italians eventually began using the word giallo ("yellow") to mean a detective or crime story. By the 1960s, the association was firmly established in Italian popular culture.

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First US Edition: While Dodd, Mead & Co. stated that their edition was available for sale as of December 2, 1968, copies had made it onto library bookshelves by late November. Thus, the true publication date is likely circa mid-November, 1968.  The book was priced $4.95 on the upper front flap. The book’s boards were black with approximately a once inch band of red that also covers the spine. The book’s title is impressed into the spine in gold foil. The cover artist was Salem Tamer who designed many Christie covers for Dodd Mead & Co. in the 1960s and 1970s. These include The Mirror Crack’d, Third Girl, Endless Night, Passenger to Frankfurt and The Golden Ball. His cover was primarily black with a small art piece depicting the house on the canal.

First Magazine or Newspaper Appearance:

No newspaper or magazine is known to have preceded either of these book editions. The first alternate format appearance was in the Toronto newspaper Star Weekly where it was serialised over two instalments published on February 1 & 8, 1969. The artwork was rather odd with somewhat distorted head sizes!

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In the same month, the novel was serialised across three instalments in Australian Woman’s Weekly magazine (February 12, 19 & 26, 1969). Each was illustrated, though the first was full page and in colour. The other two images were less than a quarter of the page.

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Several months later, it was abridged and published in the July 1969 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine in the USA. There does not appear to have been a British magazine or newspaper publication of this title.

Book Club Editions:

Both the British and American editions appear to have had only one printing before been published as Book Club Editions (BCE). In Britain, the BCE was published by Foyles who had started their book club in the 1940s. During the 1950s and 1960s, many new Christie titles received a Foyles book club edition. A new cover was designed, and the book was shod in blue cloth. However, the text block appears the same aside from the title page which uses Foyle's address. There is also no notation made that it was a second impression or later edition.

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The American BCE has the same jacket design. However, the jacket is not priced and just states Book Club Edition on the lower front flap. It is also worth noting that the BCE book is only shod in black (no red spine).

Paperbacks:

The first paperback appeared in the States, published by Pocket Books in New York in August 1969 as Series No. 75419. The cover design focused on the title’s source material – Macbeth – not the book itself.

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The first Fontana paperback was published in 1970, probably February, for English readers in Europe. This ‘Continental Edition’ was Series No. 2268. The artwork, a simple cover with large letters and childish art, was consistent with other Fontana Continental editions from this period.

The first British paperback was published by Fontana in 1971, probably July though it is not noted, as Series No. 2682. This first British printing had artwork by Tom Adams on the cover. On the rear, Fontana reused the colour photograph of Agatha Christie that was used on Endless Night in 1970 to celebrate her 80th birthday.

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This correct first British paperback edition does incorrectly state ‘First time in paperback’ on the cover since Fontana published it in 1970 for the continent. Collectors should note that this first British cover used a mirrored image of Tom Adams’ painting. The original painting has the doll’s head facing to the reader’s right when looking at the cover. However, this first state has the doll’s head facing to the reader’s left.  For the second printing, the cover was changed to reflect the actual painting, with the doll’s head facing to the reader’s right.  Whether this was an error by the printer, or a stylistic choice by Fontana’s art director, John Constable, remains unknown.  But for collectors of Adams’ covers, both versions should be sought.

Collectors and fans of Christie and Adams should know that the original artwork for this cover was stolen in the early 1980s.  The painting was in fact the second cover he created as the first was rejected by Constable. To learn more about that version go to this link.

Other Paperback of Note: In the early 1970s, Tom Adams created 26 wrap-around paperback covers for Pocket Books in the US. While Pocket Books had published this title in 1969, they did hire Tom Adams to create a new cover for this title (image above). It was first published in April 1972, as Series No. 77582. Details on the full series can be found at this link.

Values:

Hardback Values: The condition of the jacket is of utmost importance in determining a fair price for either of these books. Collectors should patiently strive to find ones with complete jackets that are neither damaged nor price clipped. While the British first edition is ubiquitous, the yellow jacket spine easily faded. Thus, seek out an unfaded spine as this significantly enhances its value and long-term collectability. The first Collins (UK) edition in ‘very good’ condition, unclipped and unfaded is valued at £50 ($65).

For the American printings, the BCEs outnumber the first editions by a margin of almost ten to one. Thus, ensure the book has the red spine, and the jacket has the price on it. The US first edition in ‘Very Good’ complete condition is worth £50 ($65).

The British BCE has some collectability given its unique jacket but is still only worth £15 ($20). The American BCE has no collectible value and trades as a used book.

Paperback Values. All paperbacks can be obtained for £15 ($20) or less.  The Fontana Continental edition is starting to get harder to find, but of all of the paperbacks, I find the first Tom Adams Fontana printing to be highly appealing as it is an error printing with its reversed image, which will also command value over time. Quality supplies of both Fontana versions are starting to dry up. The American Adams cover is also highly appealing for its wrap-around design.

The Collecting Christie Shop!

My online shop provides you with details on the recently produced new "Collector's Edition" of the oldest known Agatha Christie film adaptation - The Secret Adversary (1929). Now with a complete English translation for the first time ever, along with a dynamic classical music score, plus bonus material after the film. If you've been considering supporting the my work on this website, then treating yourself to a copy of this film is one way to do it.

Also in the 'shop' is a link to my eBay store where I will periodically list excess stock from my personal library, including Agatha Christie, other Golden-age authors and newer mystery fiction. Though I need to get cracking and add some more items!

Shop Link: Click Here or go to the top of the screen and click 'Shop'. All purchases are greatly appreciated as it helps support the costs of maintaining the website and subscriptions to newspaper archives, etc.

New Book! - Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery.

I am also pleased to share that I contributed two essays to the upcoming book 'Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery' to accompany the British Library exhibit opening later this year. Preorders are now available on Amazon at: Link.

Closing Thoughts.

Lastly, I look forward to seeing many of you in Torquay next month at the International Agatha Christie Festival.

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 Happy Collecting!