The Seven Dials area retains its original 17th-century street-plan, and many of the original Stuart houses remain, mostly re-faced in the late-18th and early-19th centuries. In late 1926, Agatha's husband, Archie, revealed that he was in love with another woman, Nancy Neele, and wanted a divorce. On 8 December 1926 the couple quarreled, and Archie Christie left their house, Styles, in Sunningdale, Berkshire, to spend the weekend with his mistress at Godalming, Surrey. That same evening Agatha disappeared from her home, leaving behind a letter for her secretary saying that she was going to Yorkshire. Her disappearance caused an outcry from the public, many of whom were admirers of her novels. Despite a massive manhunt, she was not found for eleven days. As the cute "Bundle" Brent tries to figure out what's going on, Dame Agatha adds still more layers of mystery to the puzzle, and what started out as almost a day trip to the Fun House becomes a terrifying excursion into the unknown. Bundle: "I say Jimmy, shall we go sculling with 37 of our closest friends?" --------- Jimmy: "I daresay Bundle, I'd rather be drawn into some international intrigue for the weekend, at our country house."

Whether you’re looking for a bite to eat before catching a show, hoping to indulge in a long lunch or an even longer dinner, there are many great restaurants in Seven Dials – these are our favourites. Hawksmoor Christie often stayed at Abney Hall in Cheshire, which was owned by her brother-in-law, James Watts. She based at least two of her stories on the hall: the short story The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, and the novel After the Funeral. Abney Hall became Agatha's greatest inspiration for country-house life, with all the servants and grandeur which have been woven into her plots. Kenneth Branagh as Poirot in the 2017 film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express. Photograph: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy

The seven streets at Seven Dials originally had quite different names from what they have now. They were Great Earl Street, Little Earl Street, Great White Lion Street, Little White Lion Street, Great St Andrew's Street, Little St Andrew's Street and Queen Street. [11] In the 1930s, their names were changed: Great and Little Earl Streets became Earlham Street, Great and Little White Lion Streets became part of an extended Mercer Street, Great and Little St Andrew's Streets became Monmouth Street, and Queen Street became Shorts Gardens. Shaftesbury—History". www.shaftesbury.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010 . Retrieved 5 August 2010.

The Secret of Chimneys - The Seven Dials Mystery - Cards on the Table - Murder is Easy - Towards Zero A secret formula, an enigmatic society, and a murder steer the plot in this TV movie, based on Christie's whodunit novel, set in the English countryside during the 1920s. At Letherbury, Jimmy looks through Sir Oswald's study in the dead of night, is almost caught by Rupert Bateman but manages to talk his way out of the situation. The next day Loraine and Bundle arrive, their car having "broken down" a short distance away, and Jimmy is able to tell them that he has found no evidence that Sir Oswald is Number Seven. The next day Bundle tells Jimmy of the meeting. They suspect Bauer of murdering Gerry and Jimmy tells Bundle that Eberhard has invented a formula which could make wire as strong as steel, revolutionising airplane manufacturing. The German government turned the invention down and the meeting at Wyvern Abbey is for a possible sale to the British, represented by Sir Stanley Digby, the Air Minister.

Val Dermid, in her introduction to the electronic edition calls The Seven Dials a brilliant subversion of the Richard Hannay/Bulldog Drummond school of suspense. One by one the characteristic tropes of the genre are introduced and then turned inside out; the sinister secret society turns out to be on the side of truth, justice and European peace. The Mata Hari-like foreign countess is in fact nothing of the kind and worst of all the appealing young hero and his spunky love interest turn out to be deep dyed villains. No wonder contemporary reviewers were disappointed and dismayed! Historic England. "York Column(Grade II) (1030168)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 29 August 2021. The Seven Dials Mystery" for the most part follows two characters throughout. Lady Eileen Brent (otherwise known as Bundle) and Jimmy Thesinger. Jimmy was staying at Chimneys when Gerry died, and many think it was an accidental overdose. However, when Bundle comes across another man who was staying at Chimneys who was shot to death, she and Jimmy team up to figure out what connection there is between these deaths and a place called Seven Dials.