Christie, Agatha (1934) ‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans’, UK first edition with a fascinating original signed Christie letter

Agatha Christie (1934) ‘Why Disn’t They Ask Evans?‘, UK first edition, first printing, published by W. Collins Sons for The Crime Club Ltd. Together with an original typed Agatha Christie letter signed by the author as Agatha Mallowan.

Condition of the book: good with no previous owner’s names, no bookplates and no stamps. The spine is – as usual – faded, along with a 3cm strip along the spine on rear board as shown. The prelims show moderate amount of foxing and internally some pages display a few foxing spots as shown. The original dust jacket is NOT present.

The letter: original typed letter on Christie’s stationary with the Winterbrook House header. Signed by Agatha Christie with her married name Agatha Mallowan. Dated 12th January 1972, addressed to John Higgins. Christie agrees to be the judge for a detective story competition of The Times Saturday Review. She warns Higgins that the worst judges of writers are fellow writers themselves and recalls how, when she started her career, she was harshly judged that “better tell this girl that there is no likelihood of her ever succeeding in what she is attempting to do. It is kinder than letting her go on trying.”. It is quite telling that Christie recalls this sentence verbatim and with pride mentions it to Higgnis. Christe became the world’s most read and most tranlslated author. A great letter with nice content.

‘Why Disn’t They Ask Evans?’ is Christies 18th novel, published in the same year as the landmark ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.