Christiana

Christiana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae.

Christianna Brand (2 n's) was an author of fair-play mystery novels from the 1940s to 50s, and then again around the 1970s. She was not very prolific in the genre of mystery, writing only about 10 mysteries in her initial run right after WWII, but those she wrote are notable for their ability to mix detection and characterization, creating suspects who are likable, relatable, or empathetic, whom the reader comes to care about in such a way that they don't want any of the suspects to be the culprit, which usually gives the solution an emotional punch when it comes around. Her most famous detective is Inspector Cockrill, who appeared in six novels from 1941 to 1955, the most famous of which is "Green for Danger" which included realistic descriptions of domestic army hospitals in England during the blitz, and the feelings of paranoia and fear during then. The novel was successful enough to be turned into a classic film starring Alistair Sim as the detective. Brand is less well known for, but very good at, the sub-genre of "impossible crimes" such as locked-room mysteries. Two of her Inspector Cockrill mysteries, "Suddenly at His Residence" and "Death of Jezebel", contain a no-footprints impossibility and a watched/guarded room impossibility, respectively. After the mid-50s Brand retired from writing mysteries to focus on romance novels, short story collections, and her other most famous output, the Nurse Matilda books for children which were recently adapted into the Nanny McPhee movies. In the late 1970s Brand returned briefly to writing mysteries, including the rare "The Rose in Darkness" featuring her inaugural detective Inspector Charlesworth. She died in 1988.

Christiana (1723-1724) was the daughter of King Frederik IV of Denmark and his third wife Anna.

Christiana is the name of Ophelia’s “enemy” in Lisa Klein’s novel “Ophelia”.

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(Granted, I don’t like it that much since it makes me think of her. –shudder- Otherwise, it’s, at least, a much prettier alternative to the over-popular Christina.)

Christiana is the name of Christian's wife in John Bunyan's book, "Pilgrim's Progress." She becomes a pilgrim herself and makes her way to the heavenly city of Zion.

Christiana Anbri played the longest running Little Cosette/Little Eponine in the musical Les Miserables.

This was the middle name of English poet Alice Meynell.