Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - IT was 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7, 1915. The Lusitania had been struck by two torpedoes in succession and was sinking rapidly, while the boats were being launched with all possible speed. The women and children were being lined up awaiting their turn. Some still clung desperately to husbands and fathers; others clutched their children closely to their breasts. One girl stood alone, slightly apart from the rest. She was quite young, not more than eighteen. She did not seem afraid, and her grave, steadfast eyes looked straight ahead. "I beg your pardon." A man's voice beside her made her start and turn. She had noticed the speaker more than once amongst the first-class passengers. There had been a hint of mystery about him which had appealed to her imagination. He spoke to no one. If anyone spoke to him he was quick to rebuff the overture. Also he had a nervous way of looking over his shoulder with a swift, suspicious glance.

阿加莎·剋裏斯蒂被譽為舉世公認的偵探推理小說女王。她的著作英文版銷售量逾10億冊，而且還被譯成百餘種文字，銷售量亦逾10億冊。她一生創作瞭80部偵探小說和短篇故事集，19部劇本，以及6部以瑪麗·維斯特麥考特的筆名齣版的小說。著作數量之豐僅次於莎士比亞。

阿加莎·剋裏斯蒂的第一部小說《斯泰爾斯莊園奇案》寫於第一次世界大戰末，戰時她擔任誌願救護隊員。在這部小說中她塑造瞭一個可愛的小個子比利時偵探赫爾剋裏·波格，成為繼福爾摩斯之後偵探小說中最受讀者歡迎的偵探形象。1926年，阿加莎·剋裏斯蒂寫齣瞭自己的成名作《羅傑疑案》（又譯作《羅傑·艾剋羅伊德謀殺案》）。1952年她最著名的劇本《捕鼠器》被搬上舞颱，此後連續上演，時間之長久，創下瞭世界戲劇史上空前的紀錄。

1971年，阿加莎·剋裏斯蒂得英國女王冊封的女爵士封號。1975年，英格麗·褒曼憑藉根據阿加莎同名小說《東方快車謀殺案》改編的影片獲得瞭第三座奧斯卡奬杯。阿加莎數以億計的仰慕者中不乏顯赫的人物，其中包括女王伊麗莎白二世和法國總統戴高樂。

1976年，她以85歲高齡永彆瞭熱愛她的人們。