Agatha Christie meets Mr Men in new children's books

In a first for Agatha Christie, four of the crime novelist's famous mysteries are being adapted for children – with the help of the Mr Men and Little Misses.

The illustrated books, aimed at pre-school and primary age children, will feature Christie detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple working alongside Roger Hargreaves's much-loved children's characters.

Two of the books will be published on Thursday - Little Miss Marple: Muddle at the Vicarage and Mr Poirot: Mischief on the Nile – with two more to follow in February.

James Prichard, Agatha Christie's great grandson, said it was a "dream collaboration".

Prichard, who is also the chair and CEO of Agatha Christie's estate, added: "These clever and very funny re-imaginings of my great grandmother's stories, which include some of my favourite characters (in rather suspicious circumstances!), are bound to delight fans of both authors."

Little Miss Marple: Muddle at the Vicarage will see the super-sleuth get involved when Reverend Muddle suspects there's been a theft at the vicarage.

The amateur detective is determined to uncover the truth with the help of Inspector Nonsense and Constable Silly.

In Mr. Poirot: Mischief on the Nile, the Belgian investigator meets Colonel Rush while cruising on the Nile. The pair soon find themselves uncovering a mischievous mystery with the help of Mr Tickle and his extraordinarily long arms.

The two stories are loosely inspired by Christie's Death on the Nile and Murder at the Vicarage, but with a charming and humorous twist for younger mystery fans (and thankfully, not a murder in sight).

Adam Hargreaves, whose father created the Mr Men in 1971, and who has written and illustrated for the series himself since 1998, said: "It has been a real pleasure and an intriguing challenge to bring together the timeless mysteries of Agatha Christie with the playful world of the Mr Men and Little Miss.

"Agatha Christie's iconic stories now have a new twist that neither she nor my father might have imagined!"

The partnership will form part of Agatha Christie Limited's anniversary programme next year, which will mark 50 years since the celebrated author's death, 100 years since the publication of Poirot novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and 50 years since the release of Sleeping Murder.

Although not the last book she wrote, the latter was the final novel to be published by Christie, posthumously in 1976, and featured Miss Marple.