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Agatha Christie’s Publishing Disputes Unveiled in Newly Released Letters
Correspondence spanning decades between celebrated crime novelist Agatha Christie and her publisher, Billy Collins, has been made public. These letters, now part of HarperCollins’ newly established archives in Glasgow, offer insights into their professional dynamic and occasional friction.
Clashes Over Covers and Titles
Despite their enduring professional bond, the letters reveal instances of disagreement, particularly concerning book titles and jacket designs. A missive dated February 1946 exemplifies this, with Collins attempting to convince Christie about the artwork for “The Hollow.”
In his letter, Collins wrote: “My Dear Agatha, I am so sorry that you do not like the jacket. We all think it is an excellent one and our salesmen are particularly keen on it. You will remember that you did not like Sparkling Cyanide at first, and this turned out to be one of the most popular. Won’t you have second thoughts?”
Christie’s response was unwavering. “Dear Billy, No. Absolutely no! No reconsideration,” she retorted. “And you are wrong about Sparkling Cyanide. I did like the jacket. It was the actual title that I found unsuitable for the book; a flippant title for a really rather serious book. But I do not like a naturalistic jacket.”
The specifics of the rejected cover design for “The Hollow” remain unknown. The novel was initially released with a simple red cover, later replaced by a more illustrative design featuring a blonde woman in a bikini holding a pistol over a man.
A Cordial Relationship Despite Creative Differences
Despite these occasional creative clashes, their rapport remained affectionate. Following her 80th birthday celebration in 1971, Christie penned a thank you note to Collins: “Dear Billy, I write to send you very many thanks for a lovely and most enjoyable 80th birthday party. It all went off so well and I do want to tell you that I enjoyed myself very much!!! I was delighted to have the photographs; a very good one of you looking most attractive! Your affectionate octogenarian, Agatha.”
Paul Smith, HarperCollins’ archivist, commented on the collection, highlighting the blend of friendship and professional disagreements evident in the letters. “Woven throughout the collection is evidence of the beautiful relationship that existed between author and publisher,” he stated.
Smith further elaborated, “Despite becoming chairman of the company in 1945, Billy continued to be the primary recipient of her queries, and his affection for her is clear in his responses which frequently open: ‘My Dear Agatha’. Agatha, however, did not allow their friendship to influence issues concerning her work, and she paid Billy few courtesies when she was unhappy with the handling of her novels.”
Political Tributes in the Archive
The newly accessible archives also contain accolades from prominent political figures. In a 1950 letter from Downing Street, then Prime Minister Clement Attlee lauded Christie’s literary talent. Attlee wrote: “Fifty books! Many of them have beguiled and made agreeable my leisure. I admire and delight in the ingenuity of Agatha Christie’s mind and in her capacity to keep a secret until she is ready to divulge it”.
Attlee continued his praise, adding, “I admire, also, another of her qualities, one that is not always possessed by those who produce detective stories: her ability, clearly and simply, to write the English language. I am looking forward to the next fifty books.”
Anthony Eden, who was then the Conservative Party deputy leader, also conveyed his admiration. “As each of her books is published, it seems that every plot in the field of crime must have been covered. But that is not so. Miss Christie weaves a fresh plot which does not fail to intrigue and interest us all. Long may she continue to enthral us.”