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Queen of Crime gets another facelift

16.08.07 Anna Richardson

HarperCollins will relaunch Agatha Christie's classics once again this autumn, in response to market research and the author's enduring small screen popularity. It is the third new look across the whole Christie backlist since 1995.

The publisher will release the first 12 new "Masterpiece Editions" on 3rd September, with another 12 due in October, and a total of 83 by the end of 2008. The decision follows market research, which was conducted with Insight and included BookScan data; BML specially commissioned segmentation data; and HC unique reader panel research into crime and thrillers, which highlighted potential sales to non-traditional book buyers and young readers.

David Brawn, HC publishing director of estates, said: "What we found was that the recent spate of successful Agatha Christie television adaptations and the demand for good old-fashioned, decent storytelling have helped steer yet more readers to her books, and that we were attracting buyers who are not necessarily heavy fiction readers."

The new editions' look features the Christie brand signature, and "breaks the mould of previous series re-issues by striving for a different picture style for every cover", Brawn said. HC also recently published a range of facsimile first editions, as well as Christie comics to appeal to younger readers.

The reissues coincide with Agatha Christie Week from 10th to 16th September, which includes events such as a production of "The Unexpected Guest" at Torquay's Princess Theatre, and an Agatha Christie Exhibition at the Torquay Museum. Christie also appears as a character in the forthcoming series of "Doctor Who".

Media HarperCollins Anna Richardson agatha christie

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