Today we’ll celebrate three icons of the written word in Reading and Writing Around the Web.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, originally published 1944. This edition by Pocket Books 1977, 50th printing.

First up, Agatha Christie fans will be excited to know that Lifetime is partnering with BBC One on a miniseries adaptation of the best-selling crime novelist’s And Then There Were None. The cast includes Douglas Booth, Charles Dance, Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson. Coincidentally, the book is one of 10 Agatha Christie books every mystery lover must read, according to BookBub.com. 

By the way, if you want a leg up on readers trying to figure out whodunnit in Christie’s books, some scientists conducted an analysis of her best-selling books and shared their findings.

Speaking of Christie, did you know she once disappeared for eleven days and her husband was even thought to be a suspect in her disappearance? Theories abound why she went missing only to return and never speak of the occurrence, including one claim that it was a publicity stunt. Hmm? Gone Girl, anyone?

With another Dr. Seuss book out this week, it’s only natural that we learn more about the man and The Washington Post steps up with Who was Dr. Seuss? How a rebellious frat boy reinvented children’s literature.

Here are 7 lessons learned from Dr. Seuss books.

And lastly, Seattle true crime writer Ann Rule has died at age 84. One cannot browse the true crime section at your local bookstore without seeing one of her 30 books staring back at you. Oddly, I love crime fiction but I’ve always stayed away from true crime novels. I figure I can get enough of that from my local news. But there’s no question that Rule set the bar when it came to writing about the real crimes that have gripped our times.

For those of you interested in writing about true crime, either as an author or as a journalist, here are Ann Rule’s 9 tips for studying courtroom trials. I have personally covered a number of criminal and civil trials in my former role as a reporter or overseen coverage as an editor for several Middle Tennessee newspapers. The trials can oftentimes be tedious affairs with hours of testimony covering what seems like the most basic, rudimentary aspects of an investigation, but they can also be highly charged, highly emotional affairs when hearing the testimony of victims and witnesses. It takes a certain skill to capture the emotions of the trial while also being fair and balanced in reporting pending a verdict. And, as the saying goes, the truth is often stranger than fiction.

And, as a bonus read, here’s an interview from Crimespree Magazine with J.T. Ellison about her new book, What Lies Behind.

Seen any good reads about reading or writing on the web? Share them in the comments section and I may include them in an upcoming roundup.