Commemorate the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death and the centenary of her mysterious 11-day disappearance, including guest talks with Christie experts Dr John Curran and Sophie Hannah
Discover the captivating Greenway, setting for Dead Man’s Folly and the beloved holiday retreat of the Christie family
Explore the atmospheric Dartmoor landscape, a source of inspiration for mystery writers, with visits connected to Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle
“Crime is terribly revealing. Try and vary your methods as you will, your tastes, your habits, your attitude of mind, and your soul is revealed by your actions”
– Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None
Our time in Torquay will be spent exploring the ‘Christie Mile’, making stops at a selection of locations directly connected to Christie’s life, including her birthplace at Ashfield; Torre Abbey, which celebrates her knowledge of Pharmacy; the Town Hall, where she acquired her understanding of poisons for The Mysterious Affair at Styles; and the Princess Gardens, featured in The ABC Murders. We will also visit Torquay Museum, which houses a gallery dedicated to Christie’s life and work.
“There was something magical about an island – the mere word suggested fantasy. You lost touch with the world – an island was a world of its own. A world, perhaps, from which you might never return”
– Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None
A particular highlight will be a visit to Greenway, the beloved holiday home of the Christie family. Stepping into the 1950s house, we will feel as though Christie herself might appear, relaxing by the river or reading her latest novel to guests. The Georgian house, a testament to the family's passion for collecting, is filled with an eclectic array of ceramics, Tunbridgeware, silver, books and first editions of her novels, alongside fascinating archaeological artefacts from the Middle East. Mirroring Poirot’s own approach in Dead Man’s Folly, we will arrive by boat at the iconic boathouse which sits at the foot of the house's exquisite sloping gardens. To reach this captivating estate, we will journey on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, soaking in the picturesque landscape that inspired Christie, evoking the intrigue of Murder on the Orient Express.
“If one has got to have a murder actually happening in one's house, one might as well enjoy it”
– Agatha Christie, The Body in the Library
To broaden our understanding of the literary landscape that inspired much of Christie's work, we will dedicate a day to the desolate beauty of the Dartmoor countryside. Stark granite rocks, persistent mist and echoes of local legends provide an ideal backdrop for the mystery and gothic fiction genres. At Buckfastleigh and Haytor, we will consider Arthur Conan Doyle’s enigmatic Sherlock Holmes, whose adventures delighted and inspired Christie. This is especially evident in The Sittaford Mystery, which echoes Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles' supernatural elements, immersed in bleak, sparsely populated moorland.
Caroline Hopkinson-Woolley
Caroline is a freelance writer who has published her fiction in anthologies and won several awards.
This tour will be led by Caroline Hopkinson-Woolley, BA. Caroline has lived and worked in Cambridge for many years. Caroline gained her degree in English Language & Literature from Merton College, Oxford, before training as a lawyer. She is a freelance writer who has published her fiction in anthologies and won several awards (including Country Life’s short story competition, judged by Alexander McCall Smith, in 2013), as well as contributing to the Times Literary Supplement, Spectator, Literary Review, The Oldie, Slightly Foxed, Oxford Today, The Lady, The Tablet and, most regularly, Country Life.
Special Guests
We are delighted to be including two special guest talks. Literary scholar and archivist Dr John Curran will join us on Tuesday 29 September and author Sophie Hannah will join us on Friday 2 October.
John Curran
Dr John Curran is a world expert on Agatha Christie and her work. For many years he edited the official Agatha Christie Newsletter and acted as a consultant to the National Trust during the restoration of Greenway House, Christie's Devon home, affording him unique access. John also worked with her grandson, Mathew Prichard, to establish the Agatha Christie Archive. He has written Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks and Agatha Christie’s Murder in the Making, as well as the official history of Collins’ Crime Club: The Hooded Gunman. His latest book is The Murder Game: Play, Puzzles and The Golden Age.
Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah is a No 1 bestselling crime writer whose books are published in 51 countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She won the UK National Book Awards Crime Novel of the Year prize in 2013, and the Dagger in the Library Award in 2023. She is the author of the new series of Hercule Poirot continuation novels, commissioned by Agatha Christie's family. She is also a bestselling poet who has been shortlisted for the TS Eliot Award, a self-help writer, creator and host of the podcast How To Hold A Grudge, and the founder of the Dream Author coaching programme for writers. She is an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College in Cambridge.
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£2295
AGAC-26
Tour is fully booked- please contact the office on 01223 841055 to be added to the waiting list.
Included: accommodation based on sharing a standard twin or double bedded room, six breakfasts, two lunches (one light), one murder mystery dinner, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, standard double room for single use supplement £325.
