Agatha Christie, the acclaimed author of mystery novels and plays, passed away on January 12, 1976 at the age of 85. Widely known as the queen of crime, she created two of the most successful fictional characters of all time – Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller in 1890 in Torquay, Devonshire, England, Christie was the daughter of an American father and English mother. After attending college for a short time, she developed an interest in writing and began writing short stories and novels. By the 1920s, she had established herself as a masterful mystery writer. She went on to write over a hundred books, significantly increase the popularity of the mystery genre, and become the best-selling novelist of all time, with sales of her books tallied to exceed four billion. Christie won numerous awards and honors, including being awarded the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, and in 1971, she was awarded a damehood for her contributions to the world of literature. A lifelong devotee of the theatre, Christie wrote several highly successful plays, most notably the play "The Mousetrap" which premiered in 1952 and remains the longest running play in the world. Perhaps apart from her writing achievements, Christie will be most remembered as an extraordinary woman who overcame a trying and turbulent personal life to be remembered by many as an accomplished and prolific writer who left an indelible mark on the world of crime fiction.