What Reading the Queen of Crime Taught Me About Life
One Christmas, Cathy Rentzenbrink finds herself drained by life’s upheavals. In need of comfort and escape, she turns to her first literary love: Agatha Christie.
As Cathy delves into Agatha’s novels and her mysterious disappearance in 1926, she discovers more than she expected. Beyond the hidden jewels, detectives and thrilling escapes on trains and automobiles, Cathy unearths an adventurer and innovator who hid – within the pages of her own books – the secrets of how she survived a personal crisis and started life again. With the Queen of Crime at her side, Cathy soon begins finding answers to questions she hadn’t even realised she was asking.
A literary detective story and a memoir of finding hope in reading, this journey into the heart of the most successful writer of the 20th century is the perfect tonic for anyone in search of life-affirming resilience, and proof that if ever you’re lonely, tired and in need of solace, getting in the bath with an Agatha Christie is always an excellent idea.
“A wonderfully warm, generous, wise and comforting book about getting through dark times and the mystery of life with a bit of help from Agatha Christie. Full of insights on Christie, on divorce, on parenting, on midlife, it’s just a gorgeous, immersive read” — SAMANTHA ELLIS
“One of those books that felt like an old friend, from the very first page. So honest, and funny and somehow . . . kind. It made me want to read a little Christie, it made me want to read all of Rentzenbrink. I’ll return to it again and again” — MEG MASON
“In this bold, brave and beautiful memoir, Cathy skillfully charts Agatha Christie’s timeline and with deft skill, weaves her own path of recovery from burnout and a loss of self” — MANNI COE
“What a wonderful book! So very human, full of brilliant writing that is honest and funny while not veering away from the hard stuff. A book for all readers, whether they consider themselves Christie aficionados or not. I loved it” — LOUISE HARE
“Cathy Rentzenbrink is the ideal guide to the queen of cosy crime. Agatha Christie emerges as a flawed and formidable heroine, whilst Cathy’s charming, convivial voice makes the darkness slip down like sparkling cyanide” — CLARE POLLARD
“A warm, funny, touchingly honest exploration of loss, grief and the damage we do when we get in a muddle. The book reaches back across a century to find light in the darkest times and reconnect with the redemptive power of love, hope and the imagination. I loved it” — CLARE CLARK
“Wise, brave and beautifully written, an education not just in Agatha, but in life” — DAVID WHITEHOUSE
“Tender, candid and deeply intelligent. I found myself rooting for both Agatha and Cathy throughout this remarkable book” — HANNAH LOWE
Cathy Rentzenbrink 