The Royal Magazine

The Royal Magazine was a monthly British literary magazine that was published between 1898 and 1939. Its founder and publisher was Sir Arthur Pearson.

The Royal Magazine's first edition was published in November 1898. According to this issue, one million copies of the first edition of the magazine were ordered. Editors of the magazine included Percy Everett (1901–1911).

Throughout the 1930s, as the magazine struggled to regain its relevance, it changed names a number of times. With the December 1930 issue, the magazine re-christened itself The New Royal Magazine. Beginning in June 1932, it became The Royal Pictorial. Beginning in January 1935, it was The Royal Screen Pictorial, and in June 1935, the word "Royal" was dropped entirely as it became The Screen Pictorial. The magazine's final issue was in September 1939, the month in which the Second World War began in Europe. In total, 491 issues were published.

The magazine was the initial publisher of a number of the works of fiction by Agatha Christie. "The Tuesday Night Club", which appeared in the December 1927 issue, was the first published appearance of Christie's character Miss Marple.

Publications of Agatha Christie stories
In chronological order of publication.


 * Issue 324, October 1925 - Within a Wall.
 * Issue 329, March 1926 - Magnolia Blossom.
 * Issue 333, July 1926 - The Lonely God, possibly under the title The Little Lonely God.
 * Issue 350, December 1927 - The Tuesday Night Club. Illustrated by Gilbert Wilkinson. This was the first published appearance of Miss Jane Marple.
 * Issue 351, January 1928 - The Idol House of Astarte. Illustrated by Gilbert Wilkinson.
 * Issue 352, February 1928 - Ingots of Gold. Illustrated by Gilbert Wilkinson.
 * Issue 353, March 1928 - The Blood-Stained Pavement. Illustrated by Gilbert Wilkinson.
 * Issue 354, April 1928 - Motive v. Opportunity. Illustrated by Gilbert Wilkinson.
 * Issue 355, May 1928 - The Thumb Mark of St. Peter. Illustrated by Gilbert Wilkinson.