As well as my 52 for 52 blogging challenge, I’ve also got another challenge on the go… as part #ReadChristie2025, I’ve got 12 different novels to read in 2025, focused on the characters and professions in Agatha Christie’s many many books.

I’ve been collecting, reading, listening and watching Christie stories for as long as I can remember. I’ve got a shelf of old paperbacks, most of them bought from charity and second hand book shops over the years. Joan Hickson is my favourite on-screen Miss Marple. My favourite book is Why Didn’t They Ask Evans, although Murder on the Orient Express is probably the ultimate Christie who-dun-it.

The first prompt of the year was “artists” with Five Little Pigs chosen as the book to represent this theme – it starts with the death of a painter; his body discovered at his favourite paining spot in his garden. I read it early in January – I must have read it before, but the plot twists, as Hercule Poirot solved the case, had long since gone from my memory.

In February, it was the turn of Miss Marple to take on the detective role, with The Thirteen Problems, with the prompt being “authors” – Miss Marple’s nephew Raymond West thinks his career as a writer makes him better qualified than Miss Marple to solve each of the thirteen problems. Always love it when Miss Marple proves them wrong.

And then this month, we’re back to Poirot for Three Act Tragedy, with the prompt being “performers” – this is another classic who-dun-it with a death at a dinner party hosted by actor Sir Charles Cartwright. I can’t wait for Hercule to uncover the truth.

Agatha Christie books are like old friends, my literary comfort blanket. It’s good to spend time with old friends. I’ll let you know how it goes – July could be tricky as that’s not a book I’ve got on the shelf!

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52 for 52 in 2025 #9 – weekly blogs in 2025 inspired by the books I’m reading.