Interview with Jan Carson at the Belfast Book Festival

Interview with Jan Carson at the Belfast Book Festival

Author: The Swinging Christies August 3, 2025 Duration: 55:20

Gray and Mark head to beautiful Belfast to chat to novelist and Agatha Christie fan Jan Carson. Jan has been tackling the Troubles in her work for some time, and we want to discuss with her Christie’s Troubles references in Passenger to Frankfurt, as well as Irish characters and references in other Swinging books - all the way from The Pale Horse to By the Pricking of My Thumbs!

You can find us on Instagram ⁠@Christie_Time⁠. We are also on Bluesky at ⁠christietime.bsky.social⁠. Our YouTube account is @TheSwingingChristies. 

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The Swinging Christies is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown.

Next episode: we’re going global… again…!

00:00:00 - Opening titles

00:00:47 - Introductory chat in Belfast

00:02:46 - Interview with Jan Carson and discussion of Ireland in the Swinging Christies

00:37:58 - The Troubles

00:52:46 - Next episode, how to get in touch

00:54:03 - Closing titles

00:54:31 - Coda


Solutions revealed! - The Pale Horse, At Bertram’s Hotel, Endless Night, Passenger to Frankfurt

TW: Racist and xenophobic language quoted


The Swinging Christies: Agatha Christie in the 1960s might seem like a contradiction, but that’s the fascinating territory this podcast explores. Hosted by Dr Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown, it’s a deep and often surprising look at how the Queen of Crime’s later work intersected with a decade of radical change. Forget the stereotypical image of a cosy, unchanging writer; here, we examine how Christie’s stories from that era engaged with shifting attitudes towards youth culture, morality, and social upheaval. Each episode digs into a specific novel or theme, unpacking the subtle-and sometimes not so subtle-ways her writing reflected or reacted to the world of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a rad journey through time that treats her work with serious scholarly insight while embracing the vibrant spirit of the period. You’ll come away from this podcast with a completely refreshed perspective on one of history’s most prolific authors, hearing her familiar plots through a new, decidedly swinging lens.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 38

The Swinging Christies: Agatha Christie in the 1960s
Podcast Episodes
Agatha Christie and Muriel Spark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:42
A talented British author, a story about machinations in a girls’ school… How much do Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark have in common? Mark and Gray investigate…F…
Revivalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:48
Mark and Gray ring in the New Year with a discussion of the 1960s trend for… actually not being very 1960s at all! But just how much of Christie’s 1960s writing harks back to the Edwardian and Victorian eras? Did they ev…
Christmas 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:58
There’s always Christie at Christmas! Join Mark and Gray making the yuletide gay with a discussion about Christie’s festive writings from the 1960s. Come swing around the Christmas tree!You can read our special article f…
From the Archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:01
In a very special episode, join Mark and Gray as they delve deep into Agatha Christie’s family archive and uncover some seldom-seen 1960s gems…You can find us on Instagram (as well as X) @Christie_Time. We are on Bluesky…
Hallowe'en 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:39
Gray and Mark go trick-or-treating and uncover the truth about Hallowe’en parties in the 1960s, via Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie! They even risk their lives - and fingers - by playing a fiery game of Snapdragon!Yo…
Reflections [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:17
You catch Mark and Gray in a reflective mood, as they reunite for a retrospective on the series so far - everything they have learned and anything they missed along the way, with the help of some lovely listener feedback…
9. Fame [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:52
Mark and Gray dodge the paparazzi and marvel at Christie’s fame, including her success in the theatre, on screen, and around the world. But surely it’s not the podcast’s curtain call..? Find out what’s happening next for…
8. Armageddon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:07
The clock is ticking for Mark and Gray, as The Swinging Christies examines Agatha Christie's references to the advancement of technology in the 1960s and the Cold War! You can find us on Instagram (as well as X) @Christi…
7. Empire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:16
This episode of The Swinging Christies explores globaliastion, the US-UK cultural exchange, the decline of the British Empire and the rise of the Civil Rights movement - all topics that were swirling whilst Agatha Christ…