Reviews

I’ve read several Christie books, but never Superintendent Battle. The book is excellent. What an incredible author she was. She produced twists and turns that kept me eager to turn pages. It was a delightful tale! England with its old world charm, intrigue, stolen jewelry, murder and a delightful cast of characters.
I was first introduced to Agatha Christie through her most famous sleuths, Hercule Poirot. It's only in recent years that I've delved into her standalone fiction, and now The Secret of Chimneys has rocketed to the top of my favorites list. It's a dizzyingly fast-paced read, chock-full of enough of Christie's trademark plot twists and turns to give the reader whiplash. The political intrigue-saturated storyline is reminiscent of a Hitchcock film, but it's the characters that set this little gem apart. Anthony Cade is an absolutely delightful hero - self-assured, intelligent, snarky, and humorously irreverent, Christie had me in stitches with his every scene. The country house setting provides a nicely isolated setting for Christie to examine a microcosmic slice of early twentieth-century English stereotypes - the devilishly smart amateur investigator, the glittering socialite, the unflappable inspector, and the long-suffering, eccentric British nobleman - all are forced to confront secrets, lies, and threats within the walls of Chimneys.
The Secret of Chimneys requires a healthy suspension of disbelief as the royal intrigue aspect of the storyline is a bit more far-fetched than some of Christie's other country house-set mysteries. However, the red herrings and dizzying plot twists, combined with intelligent, appealing leads, a well-drawn, humorous supporting cast of characters, and sparkling dialogue make Chimneys one of Christie's most delightful, entertaining standalone mysteries.

kimananda's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

hannahdrew's review

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

mg_in_md_'s review against another edition

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3.0

I was unfamiliar with the Superintendent Battle series prior to seeing this title offered on the Book Club Girl Facebook group but decided to give it a try since you can't go wrong with an Agatha Christie mystery. Originally published in 1925, some of the characters use phrases and have notions that are less than politically correct. While it was jarring, I can appreciate the decision to stick to the author's original text. The mystery was quite complex, involving multiple murders, false identities, and international intrigue. It felt a bit campier than some of the other works I've read by Christie. For example, one of the characters seemed positively giddy over the fact that she was in the midst of a murder investigation (ooh! how delightful!). The opening chapters seemed a bit disjointed to me, so it took a little time to get into the story. However, this eventually smoothed out and I enjoyed seeing how everything came together in the end. All in all, an enjoyable romp and a welcome bit of escapism. I'm glad I got a chance to read one of Christie's earlier works since it gives me an even greater appreciation for how she evolved as a writer and masterful storyteller over her long, brilliant career.

This review is based on the NetGalley ebook I received courtesy of William Morrow. Many thanks to both William Morrow and Book Club Girl for making this a free Friday pick!

theartoflanguage's review

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Not one of my favourite Agathas, but I liked it better than The Man in the Brown Suit. Anthony Cade is quite likeable (for the most part), as is the main heroine, Virginia.

But the mystery isn't her strongest, and I do agree that once you've read enough Christie, especially close together, it becomes easier to figure out where things are going even if some of the specifics might be elusive. Oddly enough, I was less successful with guessing this one, but I got some parts of it, and the solution to the murder portion of the case felt like a little bit of a cheat... So I don't feel quite as awed as with her best.

myladydisdain's review

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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