This work investigates the creative process and structural evolution of Agatha Christie's mystery novels through an exhaustive analysis of her private working notebooks. John R. Curran, a scholar and expert on Christie's archives, utilizes these previously unpublished documents to trace how the author developed her plots, characters, and signature misdirection. The book provides a systematic examination of the transition from initial concepts to final published manuscripts, revealing the meticulous planning behind her most famous cases.

The text serves as a definitive resource for scholars and enthusiasts interested in the mechanics of detective fiction construction. It provides a rigorous, evidence-based look at the creative habits of one of the genre's most influential figures.