Event: Agatha Christie: An Exhibition of Mystery

When: Aug 15 - Oct 15

Where: Zikawei Library

Agatha Christie: An Exhibition of Mystery is running through Oct 15 at Zikawei Library in Shanghai, featuring a rare 1959 typescript of Cat Among the Pigeons.

The exhibition introduces Christie's major works and their stage and screen adaptations. It also traces the origin and development of detective fiction, explores other writers of its Golden Age, and examines the genre's introduction and evolution in China.

The exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of Christie's death and the 130th anniversary of detective fiction's arrival in China. Books serve as the central thread, complemented by manuscripts and recreations of scenes from classic mysteries.

Pale purple, Christie's favorite color, dominates the exhibition space.

A key exhibit is a 1959 typescript of Cat Among the Pigeons used by the publisher in final preparations for printing. It contains handwritten notes from several editors on wording, layout, and other production details.

Curator Han Dong said Christie manuscripts rarely appear on the collectors' market. Only two manuscripts of her full-length novels are known to have changed hands over the past five decades, including the copy on display, he added.

Three immersive settings have been re-created in the gallery: the facade of Sherlock Holmes' home at 221B Baker Street, Christie's study, and the dining car from Murder on the Orient Express, where the characters discuss the case.

Visitors can also take part in an interactive mystery game that involves solving number, image, crossword, and audio puzzles to find a hidden letter, with clues embedded in exhibition panels and object descriptions.

Fang Yunfang, director of the Zikawei Library, said the game was designed to encourage close reading and transform a quick visit into a more thoughtful and participatory experience.

The Christie show is the latest in a series of literary exhibitions opening in Shanghai this summer, including a Fyodor Dostoevsky exhibition at the Museum of China Press and Publication and an exhibition on Western manuscripts, printing, and bookbinding at Shanghai Library East, both of which opened in June.

The free exhibition is being held in the library's third-floor gallery at No 158 North Caoxi Road, Xuhui district. It is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed on Mondays. Opening arrangements for national public holidays will be announced separately.

Sources: Jiefang Daily, Xujiahui subdistrict