People News Roundup: 'Queen of Crime' Christie's first detective novel; Egyptian artist crafts pictures with salt and more

The book was published in America in October and the following year in Britain. Rocker Eddie Van Halen dies at 65, son Wolfgang says on Twitter Eddie Van Halen, considered one of rock music's greatest guitar players and a founding member of the hugely successful rock band named after him and his drummer brother, died of cancer on Tuesday, his son said on Twitter.

Following is a summary of current people news briefs.

'Queen of Crime' Christie's first detective novel marks centenary

It was partly thanks to a bet with her sister that Agatha Christie wrote her first detective novel, and 100 years since it was published she is as popular as ever. Christie was 30 when in February 1920 "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" was serialised in a British newspaper. The book was published in America in October and the following year in Britain.

Egyptian artist crafts pictures with salt

Egyptian artist Hany Genedy focuses as he carefully pours white salt onto a black surface to create an image of actor Al Pacino. Genedy experimented with materials such as leaves and money before settling on a substance he says is versatile and cheap - salt.

Rocker Eddie Van Halen dies at 65, son Wolfgang says on Twitter

Eddie Van Halen, considered one of rock music's greatest guitar players and a founding member of the hugely successful rock band named after him and his drummer brother, died of cancer on Tuesday, his son said on Twitter. He was 65. "I can't believe I'm having to write this but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning," Wolfgang Van Halen, a bass player who played with his father in the band, said in the tweet.