Police in northern Iran say a woman accused of murdering at least six people has told them she used the ideas of the British crime writer, Agatha Christie.

The prosecutor says the 32-year-old woman, described as Iran's first female serial killer, has confessed to the carefully planned murders.

Apparently the suspect told police that she had taken her ideas from the novels of Agatha Christie.

Just like Agatha Christie's villains she made careful plans to conceal her crimes.

The woman targeted middle aged or elderly women at shrines where they were praying.

After offering them lifts she gave them fruit juice spiked with anaesthetic, then strangled the victims and sold their jewellery and other possessions.

The bodies were dumped at secluded spots.

The woman told police she had committed the crimes over a four month period in order to pay off debts of around $25,000.

- BBC