This week I was delighted to learn that Agatha Christie’s Poirot has been nominated for the Mystery Writers of America’s prestigious Edgar Awards, in the critical/biographical category! The ceremony takes place in New York on 28 April. You can see the full list of nominated works here.

Also, it’s not long until the paperback of the book is published in the UK, on 3 February. I took delivery of my copies recently and they are reassuringly chunky!

Before Christmas I had a lovely time at the BBC’s Broadcasting House recording an episode of the World Service programme The Forum. This was a panel discussion designed for international audiences, and it was great to speak alongside James Prichard (CEO of Agatha Christie Ltd and great-grandson of Christie) and Dr Michelle Kazmer, brilliant scholar at Florida State University. It’s now been broadcast and is available online, via your browser and the BBC Sounds app. Hope you enjoy!

It was wonderful to spend some time at the Agatha Christie Festival Internacional in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, earlier this month. Everyone was so welcoming and I was thrilled to be part of several events, including a fun book club at the English Library. I hope to go back in 2023!

While I was away Channel 4 started to broadcast the new series Britain by Beach. I pop up in the first episode discussing Christie’s connections with Burgh Island. It was great to pay the hotel a visit.

Tomorrow is the first day of the Agatha Christie Festival Internacional in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. I’m really looking forward to flying out on Saturday, as I’ll be giving a couple of talks and taking part in a book club conversation. You can find more information here, and details of my first talk below – hope to see some Christie fans there!

Just a quick note to say that tickets for the International Agatha Christie Festival (taking place in Torquay during September) are now on sale and selling out quickly! I am speaking on Monday 13 Sept and will also be hosting talks with Brian Eastman (producer of the David Suchet Poirot series) and Guy Slater (producer of the Joan Hickson Miss Marple series) on the 11th and 18th.

Tickets available here – hope to see some of you there!

I’m looking forward to speaking at this conference among such great company! It was an honour to be asked. It takes place online on the weekend of 27-28 July. I’m speaking on the second day, and because the timing is between projects for me I am finally doing the talk about the process of writing about Agatha Christie (rather than the results) that I’ve nearly done for years but always chickened out of.

You can register (for free) here.

I’m really excited to say that I’ll be a part of not one but TWO Agatha Christie Festivals this year!

Firstly there is the brilliant International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay in September. I’ll be giving a talk about my Poirot research as well as interviewing ITV Poirot producer Brian Eastman and BBC Miss Marple producer Guy Slater. Can’t wait! See the website for full details of the events, running 11-18 September. There are loads of exciting things happening, and some amazing guests and speakers. I can’t wait to attend.

Then, in November, I’m excited to take part in Tenerife’s Agatha Christie Festival Internacional. They’ll be announcing full details soon, but other speakers include Andrew Wilson and John Curran, so it should be a lot of fun!

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My Poirot book has finally been published in hardback in the US and Canada this week and it is lovely to see reviews from Michael Dirda at the Washington Post and at Publishers Weekly.

You can buy or order the book from your usual bookstore or, if you prefer, from Amazon.com or Amazon.ca – I hope new readers enjoy it!

Ahead of the American and Canadian publication of my Poirot book next month, Mysteries Ahoy! has published a new review, which I hope will help to convince a few more people to pick it up! Thanks to them for the kind words.