We interrupt our regular program with this special announcement: 

Last December, in a reflective mood, I wrote about the year ahead and referred to something I called “The Christie Conundrum”:

“It’s no secret how much I love Agatha Christie, but the truth is that I’ve read her books many times, and I tend to fall back on her when I’m at a loss for where else to turn. This prevents me from tackling more “new” old stuff. Thus, you can expect less of an emphasis on Christie next year on the blog. I will say, however, that there are a few Christie-centered projects in the works about which I am really excited. More information will follow . . . 

Well, my friends, I honored my promise pretty well – only seven of the sixt-odd posts I’ve written so far this year had some connection to Christie – and now the time has come to announce that the embargo is lifted, and the “old me” is back, baby! In short, you are about to see a whole lotta Christie content on the blog. 

One week from today, I’m taking off for two weeks in Great Britain! After four days spent in London splurging on my own Bertram’s Hotel Experience, I’m hopping a train to Torquay to spend six glorious days on the (hopefully) sun-drenched British Riviera where I will be attending the 2024 Agatha Christie Festival.

Yes, friends, I get to hobnob with fellow Agath-ologists, like Dr. John Curran, Kemper “All About Agatha” Donovan, Dr. Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown (“The Swinging Christies”) and a host of other experts. I get to manhandle manuscripts with David Morris (Collecting Christie), filet films with Teresa Peschel (Agatha Christie, She Watched), cut up cadavers with Carla Valentine (well . . . maybe not so much . . . ) And for the fine little cherry on top, I get to provide a bit of expertise myself at the final event of the festival. My topic? “Hercule Poirot’s Favorite Case.” So if you’re around Torquay on Sunday, September 15 – Dame Agatha’s birthday, no less! – I hope you’ll come and watch me and say hi. Tickets seem to be selling like hotcakes!

Of course, I will also visit Greenway and walk the streets of Torquay, breathing in the air that Agatha breathed when she was growing up in Devon and talking to hundreds of people who feel just as I do about our favorite mystery author. Naturally, I will report to you everything that I saw and experienced upon my return. 

And then . . . I have a couple more Poirot-centered projects in the works. The first one is really exciting, and . . . I can’t say a word about it. Not yet, at least! But I am so thrilled about this Top Secret Event about which I can hardly bear nottelling you. Let’s just say that something I feared would never happen again is happening. We’ll leave it at that for now. 

The second project, aptly named The Poirot Project, came out of my creation in March of an Index to all my Christie-centered posts. I will tell you more about that on September 24, which happens to be the ninth anniversary of this blog.

Of course, we can’t leave Jane Marple out of the mix. Mark Aldridge’s new book, Agatha Christie’s Marple: Expert on Wickedness, is finally being released. While many of my British friends have been taunting me by sending pictures of themselves holding up their copy of the book, the U.S. release date isn’t until October 8. Nevertheless, you can bet I’ll be reading this one as quickly as I can (without losing any of the savor) and giving you my full report. 

It looks to be a busy autumn around Ah Sweet Mystery. Oh, and I’ll also be remodeling my kitchen. If things don’t go as promised in that department, you just may be hearing about my new self-published mystery novel, Death of a Contractor.

And now we return you to your original programming . . .