Agatha Christie needs no introduction. I know it is a cliched expression, still I couldn’t help it. She has enthralled millions of readers with her thriller stories.  Her creations of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple have stayed on in the minds of many people. The best way to describe her autobiography would be an insightful read with many interesting anecdotes whether its her journey of writing, or working as a war maid in a world war and her two marriages.

One of the most engaging portions in the book is regarding her journey as a detective writer. She explains why she made her detective a Belgian in detail. Following are a few lines from the novel that shed light on her thought process.

“Why not make my detective a Belgian? There were all types of refugees. How about a refugee police officer? A retired police officer. He should have been an inspector, so that he would have  a certain knowledge of crime. He would be meticulous, very tidy, I thought to myself, as I cleared away a good many untidy odds and ends in my own bedroom.”

One of the other impactful portions in the book is her narration of working as a war maid. She brings alive the horrors of that time. Regarding her two marriages I enjoyed the part she wrote about her second husband Max Mallowan who is an archeologist. Her archeological expeditions with him make for a good read.