The literary world is filled with authors who’ve continuously pushed the boundaries of detective stories. Still, none get close to the kind of influence that Agatha Christie has had on the mystery genre. Christie’s literary works have enjoyed decades of cinematic and television reinvention. Yet, despite the sheer number of her adaptations already brought to life, some of her novels remain untouched by film and television.
To say that the author has enjoyed a fruitful career would be an understatement of epic proportions. Christie has written over 66 novels and 14 short stories, making her the best-selling novelist of all time. Out of all her published work, over 40 have been adapted at least once for film or TV. The movie and television landscape isn’t the only medium that Christie has dominated, however. Some of her detective stories have been turned into graphic novels and have also served as inspiration for several video games.
Despite Christie’s success, not all of her novels have been a smash hit with critics and readers alike. While the author’s literary works, like Murder on the Orient Express and A Haunting in Venice are still popular, others, like Halloween Party, are practically unheard of. Even with the kind of pull that Christie’s name has, there are stories in her body of work, from mysteries to spy thrillers, that are yet to see the light of day.
Death Comes As The End (1944)
Compared to Christie’s novels that have yet to be brought to the small or big screen, Death Comes as the End was actually popular, which makes it even more surprising that it’s been left out. Published in 1944, the novel abandons the familiar English countryside that defined many of Christie’s stories, transporting readers instead to Ancient Egypt around 2000 BCE. The novel centers around a prosperous Egyptian family led by Imhotep.
When Imhotep returns from a trip with Nofret, the dynamic in his house changes as she is disliked by the people in her new home due to her beauty and the hold she has on her romantic partner. The story takes a darker turn when Nofret is found dead in what initially appears to be an accident. However, suspicion quickly spreads, and it becomes clear that her death may have been murder.
Unlike many of Christie’s novels, which feature a central detective figure such as Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, Death Comes as the End unfolds without a traditional investigator. The lack of a familiar figure might account for why the novel has yet to be adapted into a movie or TV show. Audiences and readers already know who Poirot and Miss Marple are. As such, they might be more inclined to tune in to a series or film that has them as central characters. Additionally, Death Comes as the End is set in Egypt, which would make it expensive to produce.
Ultimately, the cost of the adaptation and the unfamiliar characters have worked against it. In 2019, the BBC did attempt to bring it to life as a miniseries, but nothing came of it (via RadioTimes). Death Comes as the End has enough potential to be a hit movie or show, more so because it paints Christie in a new light, proving that her writing skills aren’t restricted to settings and protagonists that readers of her books are used to.
Destination Unknown (1954)
In Destination Unknown, Christie trades the worlds of Poirot and Miss Marple for a thrilling spy adventure. The novel centers around Hilary Craven, a woman struggling after a personal tragedy, who is recruited by British intelligence to impersonate the missing scientist Thomas Betterton’s wife to investigate where the vanished researchers have gone. Her mission leads her to a secret hidden facility where scientists from around the world are being gathered for an unknown purpose.
Although Destination Unknown is a departure from Christie’s usual work, it’s still a captivating novel that entertains as well as teaches. Spy thrillers, particularly in today’s world, are really popular. However, Christie’s Destination Unknown lacked the pull that made stories like those involving Poirot and Miss Marple beloved. The novel isn’t as mystery-focused as the author’s past books, but it does involve its characters trying to figure out what happened to the scientists, which adds a level of tension that could thrive in the TV or film medium.
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Agatha Christie Novels Which Haven’t Been Adapted For Film Or TV |
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|---|---|
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Novel |
Publish Date |
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Death Comes as the End |
1944 |
|
Destination Unknown |
1954 |
|
Passenger to Frankfurt |
1970 |
|
Postern of Fate |
1973 |
For now, it’s unclear if there is any network or streaming platform that can give Destination Unknown a chance. It’s been 72 years since the novel hit bookstores, and no one, at least as far as we know, has attempted to adapt it into a movie or series. It still isn’t too late for the novel to be brought to life. The novel’s spy adventure blended with mental health themes is perfect for modern TV and film.
Passenger To Frankfurt (1970)
Passenger to Frankfurt is the last spy novel Christie published before her death. Similar to Destination Unknown, the book is more of a conspiracy thriller as opposed to a mystery. The story follows Sir Stafford Nye, a British diplomat who becomes involved in a mysterious international plot after encountering a woman at an airport who asks for his help. What begins as a strange personal encounter leads him into a dangerous investigation.
Although it is one of her more controversial and unusual works, Passenger to Frankfurt stands out as an ambitious attempt by Christie to tackle other genres. While her work was commendable, Passenger to Frankfurt wasn’t as well received as Destination Unknown. With the kind of reputation that the book has, it’s understandable that it is only available as a literary work.
Of the two spy novels by Christie that have yet to be adapted for film or TV, Destination Unknown has a much better chance of making it to either the small or big screen. Passenger to Frankfurt is an okay story, but it doesn’t have anything that makes it special. With the kind of expectations that modern audiences have when it comes to their viewing experiences, Passenger to Frankfurt just isn’t compelling enough as it is. However, with a few tweaks to the source material, the spy thriller can be a wildly entertaining TV show.
Postern Of Fate (1973)
Postern of Fate is the last published novel by Agatha Christie and the last mystery featuring her husband-and-wife detective team Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. The novel begins when Tommy and Tuppence, now elderly and retired, purchase an old house called Laurel Cottage in an English village. While exploring their new home, Tuppence discovers an old book that once belonged to a child. Inside the book is a strange message that hints at a forgotten crime: “Mary Jordan did not die naturally. She was murdered.” This mysterious note immediately captures Tuppence’s curiosity and sends the couple searching for answers.
Postern of Fate is not Christie’s best mystery thriller novel. It drags and can be somewhat boring. A novel that wasn’t beloved by readers or critics isn’t really going to catch the eye of filmmakers or showrunners, as these are often the people who help determine the kind of reception that a film or TV show will have. Agatha Christie’s unadapted novels are not the author at her best. That might initially seem like a bad thing, but it actually has a huge advantage, as screenwriters can make the material into something better. A weak novel like Postern of Fate could be a strong movie or TV adaptation.
Source: RadioTimes