Kate's Blog

Latest Thoughts on all things Agatha

01 July 2025 👁 408
Chic Early 1900s Headwear for Bed, Boudoir, and Breakfast

Chic Early 1900s Headwear for Bed, Boudoir, and Breakfast

In a very odd coincidence, I found myself researching flapper hairstyles again, just as I did on this same week exactly two years ago. The last time, I talked about Irene Castle’s bobbed hair. Today, let’s look at what Irene probably wore over her trend-setting bob.

17 June 2025 👁 354
Still Pondering a Podcast – And Learning Something New

Still Pondering a Podcast – And Learning Something New

We’ve been discussing starting a podcast for some time, and while we have moved forward a bit, I’ve been dragging my feet. But then Don suggested something I had never considered.

03 June 2025 👁 468
Waking up to an English Breakfast in Christie's 1920 Novels

Waking up to an English Breakfast in Christie's 1920 Novels

Agatha Christie liked to eat well, so it’s no surprise that descriptions of food frequently appear in her writing. What may be surprising to American readers, however, is what her characters eat for breakfast.

27 May 2025 👁 452
Do You Like Picking Out a New Book While Drinking a Cold Beer?

Do You Like Picking Out a New Book While Drinking a Cold Beer?

Alas, my application arrived too late to be part of this event! But it sure looks like fun, so I thought I would share the information for this Boozy Book taking place at the end of June. 

20 May 2025 👁 309
Some Authors Use Many Tools, But Even I, Sluggard that I Am, Use Some

Some Authors Use Many Tools, But Even I, Sluggard that I Am, Use Some

I read a lot of blogs and emails by and for authors, and a list of favorite tools available to writers is a recurring topic. I don’t use a lot of tools, but I’m not tool-averse either because they, obviously, can be helpful. Here are a few I use frequently:

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What is Agatha Annotated?

This website is the home of the Agatha Christie database as annotated by Kate Gingold, hence the name Agatha Annotated.

It's a rich glossary of

  • nearly 1900 terms
  • over 200 illustrations
  • 347 French phrases

Kate found them while reading Agatha Christie novels, and wrote them, along with definitions curated from years of research, into this database.

Currently the first 11 Christie books, those she wrote in the 1920s, are annotated here. 

Anybody can be a member and gain access to this rich glossary. Visit the Community page to learn the details.

We took the 1920s terms and published a book, Agatha Annotated: Investigating the Books of the 1920s, now available on Amazon in Paperback or Kindle format.

Kate will be adding to the database and members get the new terms and definitions first before the second volume is printed, plus members can comment and ask questions about the terms and Kate and other members can reply.

We hope you enjoy. Click around the pages to learn more.

Become a Subscriber Now

Agatha Annotated: Glossary of Terms

Agatha Annotated glossary, books, data base, essays and all content on this website are property of Gnu Ventures Company; all rights reserved; no copying without express permission.

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Annotator Kate Gingold

Kate Gingold

... has been a huge fan of the works of Agatha Christie her entire adult life. Christie's vivid descriptions of picturesque English life in the early-to-mid twentieth century fascinated Kate, but many of the people and places were unfamiliar to her. A writer herself, as well as a researcher and historian with several local history books to her credit, Kate began a list of these strange words and set out to define them. Now, Christie fans like you and all those who come after will be able to fully enjoy the richness of Agatha Christie novels with their own copy of Agatha Annotated.

Learn more about Kate