THE Crediton Bookshop is delighted to announce that this year it will be the official bookseller at the International Agatha Christie Festival at Torre Abbey tomorrow, Thursday, September 12 to Sunday, September 15, with events happening at various venues across Torbay.

Agatha Christie was born and grew up in Torquay and returned to the town and South Devon throughout her life.

During the First World War she trained and worked as a nurse in the temporary soldiers’ hospital housed at Torquay Town Hall.

Her first book was completed in 1916 at the Moorlands Hotel near Haytor on the edge of Dartmoor.

In 1938 she and her husband Max Mallowan bought the beautiful estate of Greenway overlooking the river Dart near Kingswear. This house was her family retreat for the rest of her life.

Large numbers of tourists visit this area of South Devon to see and experience the place where Agatha Christie wrote so much of her extensive catalogue of novels and they and she are an important part of the area’s modern economy.

With both a year-round programme of artist and writer residencies, commissions and collaborative projects, including working with health, cultural tourism and education partners, as well as its now annual September festival event, International Agatha Christie Festival works to nurture creativity, cultural excellence and diversity through artistic programmes in Torbay, across the UK and internationally.

Events this year include performances of "The Mouse Trap", readings, walking tours of the area, exhibitions and lectures and the full programme for the festival can be found at: https://www.iacf-uk.org/festival/ .

The Crediton Bookshop, which will be selling books for the duration of the festival at Torre Abbey, was purchased using a mortgage from Triodos Bank and a grant from community business champions Power To Change, and is an not for profit community owned enterprise.

Practical and financial support for the renovation of the shop came from donors and grants from Devon County Council and the Coastal Recycling Community Fund, architectural services from New British Design. The shop works closely with all aspects of the local community to encourage reading and the love of books.