A free Agatha Christie exhibition will visit three Surrey libraries from the end of October, with Redhill hosting the first installation before the display moves to Staines and Guildford in early 2027.
Agatha Christie: World of Mystery is being presented through Surrey Libraries in partnership with the British Library and the Living Knowledge Network. The touring display marks 50 years since Christie’s death and is intended to introduce visitors to her life, writing and lasting influence on crime fiction.
Redhill launch and first dates
The tour will begin with a free launch event at Redhill Library on Thursday 29 October, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Visitors will be able to view the exhibition before it opens to the public the following day.
Kathryn Harkup, author of A is for Arsenic and V is for Venom, will speak at the launch about the influence of drugs, poisons and medicine on Christie’s crime novels. Free tickets can be booked for the event, with places also available to arrange through Redhill Library for people unable to book online.
The Redhill display will run from Friday 30 October until Saturday 12 December. It will then move to Staines Library from Wednesday 15 December until Saturday 6 February 2027. Guildford Library will host the final Surrey leg from Wednesday 10 February to Saturday 27 March 2027.
Characters, writing and a wider programme
The exhibition uses a series of panel displays to explore Christie’s writing process, major characters and contribution to the crime genre. Visitors will find material on Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, alongside an introduction to the stories behind Christie’s success and the ways her work continues to shape crime fiction.
The Surrey dates form part of a wider programme that will take displays and events to partner libraries around the UK. The programme is connected to a major British Library exhibition opening on 30 October, while local libraries will add their own talks, activities and material from their collections.
That approach gives the Surrey tour a different setting from the central exhibition while keeping the focus on the writer’s work. The library displays are designed to make the programme accessible in local venues, rather than requiring visitors to travel to a single national site.
Christie’s Surrey connection
Christie also has a historical connection with Surrey. During her disappearance in 1926, her abandoned car was found at Newlands Corner and the nearby Silent Pool became part of the search after a hoax message suggested that she had drowned there. She was found safe 11 days later, and the circumstances of the disappearance have remained a subject of public interest.
The local dates therefore combine a national literary programme with a place that features in one of the most discussed episodes of Christie’s life. The event is suitable for long-time readers as well as people encountering Poirot, Miss Marple and Christie’s other creations for the first time.
Additional Redhill talk
Redhill Library will also hold a separate talk on Thursday 12 November, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. Tina Hodgkinson, author of Agatha Christie’s London: A Historical Guide to the Queen of Crime’s Capital, will discuss Christie’s links to London and the continuing appeal of her work. The event is being held alongside the exhibition, with a suggested donation of £4 and a minimum donation of £1.
Visitors planning to attend should note that the library stops on different dates. The exhibition itself is free, while the launch and the November talk have separate booking arrangements.
