The Abc Murders---masterpiece edition

Alice Ascher, a shopkeeper in Andover, is bludgeoned to death at her place of work. Next to die is Miss Bernard in Bexhill, then Mr. Clarke in Churston. More disturbing than the alphabetic sequence of the killings or the ABC Railway guide that the killer leaves at the crime scenes are the taunting notes warning Hercule Poirot before each murder. Challenging, referenced in other cases as a basis for the sleuth's professional fame.

The entire Bantam Agatha Christie Mystery Collection, including Mary Westmacott pseudonym, has a gold hat silhouette front imprint and side title on blackest navy background, with undulating browns and blues endpapers custom designed by Peggy Skycraft (pictured here as first of the series), hardcovers textured like "leatherette".

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles', written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in 44 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott and saw her work translated into more languages than Shakespeare. Her enduring success, enhanced by many film and TV adaptations, is a tribute to the timeless appeal of her characters and the unequalled ingenuity of the plots.

“There is no more cunning player of the murder game than Agatha Christie.” Sunday Times

“A masterwork of carefully concealed artifice… most stunningly original.” Julian Symons

“An Agatha Christie triumph.” Morning Post

”The best thing she has ever written, compact, witty and horribly exciting.” Sunday Referee

“An entirely original idea.” Daily Telegraph

“Mrs Christie has invented an entirely new plot for a detective story – a difficult thing in these days; she is to be congratulated on the perfection of her invention.” The Times

“Her best yet. Where does she get hold of these brilliant notions?” Bristol Evening Post

“Vive Hercule Poirot! He is back again … and I, for one, am thrilled to the marrow bones … the most amazing finale for sheer ingenuity that I have ever come across … Mrs Christie has pulled it off yet again.” The Bystander