Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
An incredible read, an old fashioned (I know it was written and printed in the 1920's) adventure very similar to the John Buchan Hanney novels.
Adventure takes the main characters across England to solve a crime that keeps getting darker and more complex and all the time trying to stay one step ahead of Mr Brown!
Kept me guessing and just when I thought I'd figured it out there was another twist!
Definitely in my top 5 Agatha Christie books!
Adventure takes the main characters across England to solve a crime that keeps getting darker and more complex and all the time trying to stay one step ahead of Mr Brown!
Kept me guessing and just when I thought I'd figured it out there was another twist!
Definitely in my top 5 Agatha Christie books!
everyone in this is so delightful and, predictably, I like tuppence best, but I also love tommy with his 'pleasantly ugly' face quite a lot, and I'm fond of Julius with his offering to buy a ship just to pretend to sink it because 'that's how rich Americans do it'... ("Oh, Julius -- what will the chauffeur think?""At the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any independent thinking") & with his least (most?) romantic proposals, though, of course, someone certainly beats him at the latter at least
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
A fun romp, full of melodrama. The misdirect was so good that, when I was vindicated in my slinking suspicion, I was still convinced that the obvious suspect was also guilty.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-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
I almost applauded out loud when I finished this phenomenal page turner. It has been a while since I last read a Christie, but her books just never disappoint. I absolutely loved the action-packed plot, intricate characters and beautiful writing in general as well.
This is a departure from the usual mysteries I read where there's always some genius sleuth who was so professional and experienced. Tommy and Tuppence are just two young people who happened to start an "Adventure" company when they couldn't find jobs after WWI and encountered a brilliant crime case. It's a completely different perspective because as a reader I'm learning along the detectives the ins and outs of everything. I could expect mistakes made and unintentional keen judgement because everything was new to the detectives. Therefore it made me all the more sympathetic with the main characters when they were in peril.
I can't emphasize how impressed I was by all the twist and turns in the seemingly hopeless journey to find the truth. It really keeps you on edge all the time. Christie's masterful language and clever details also completely misleads you thinking that you know how the story is going to play out.
The historical backdrop of everything was also very fitting, and a little cliche given all the adventure stories that concern "national significance". But nonetheless it just seems like there's more at stake when the party at stake is the government and not some petty personal vendetta between people.
Lastly I would also like to mention that the dynamics between the characters were so on point. There were hints and detailed evidence laid out at the beginning that foreshadow the eventual fate and motive of the character. Everything was so meticulously planned. Also for once the interpersonal relationships between the detective and others aren't cold and impartial, because Tommy and Tuppence were energetic young people who were enthusiastic about life and not just so fixated in solving crimes. The element of emotion, in my opinion, really brought everything together and was the integral piece that will make this one of the most memorable stories I've read.
This is a departure from the usual mysteries I read where there's always some genius sleuth who was so professional and experienced. Tommy and Tuppence are just two young people who happened to start an "Adventure" company when they couldn't find jobs after WWI and encountered a brilliant crime case. It's a completely different perspective because as a reader I'm learning along the detectives the ins and outs of everything. I could expect mistakes made and unintentional keen judgement because everything was new to the detectives. Therefore it made me all the more sympathetic with the main characters when they were in peril.
I can't emphasize how impressed I was by all the twist and turns in the seemingly hopeless journey to find the truth. It really keeps you on edge all the time. Christie's masterful language and clever details also completely misleads you thinking that you know how the story is going to play out.
The historical backdrop of everything was also very fitting, and a little cliche given all the adventure stories that concern "national significance". But nonetheless it just seems like there's more at stake when the party at stake is the government and not some petty personal vendetta between people.
Lastly I would also like to mention that the dynamics between the characters were so on point. There were hints and detailed evidence laid out at the beginning that foreshadow the eventual fate and motive of the character. Everything was so meticulously planned. Also for once the interpersonal relationships between the detective and others aren't cold and impartial, because Tommy and Tuppence were energetic young people who were enthusiastic about life and not just so fixated in solving crimes. The element of emotion, in my opinion, really brought everything together and was the integral piece that will make this one of the most memorable stories I've read.
*SPOILERS* Let me get this out of the way - I think Mr Brown should have been Julius and not Sir James. The writer, bless her, should not have tried for a last twist in the tale and should have stuck to Julius as the villain. I don't like it much when the super villain as in here, is revealed to be an unimportant character on whom the spotlight is never shined for an adequate time.
However I gave this book four stars because despite its faults it delivers a quality pacing rhythm. It's a shame Agatha Christie neglected her less popular characters, instead being bent on milking Poirot dry. These adventuresome spy novels of hers are a delight to read. I had no problem with Tommy and Tuppence, they were fine too. I remember quite a few Christie novels to which I gave 5 stars and they weren't perfect, so I'm sticking to my guns.
However I gave this book four stars because despite its faults it delivers a quality pacing rhythm. It's a shame Agatha Christie neglected her less popular characters, instead being bent on milking Poirot dry. These adventuresome spy novels of hers are a delight to read. I had no problem with Tommy and Tuppence, they were fine too. I remember quite a few Christie novels to which I gave 5 stars and they weren't perfect, so I'm sticking to my guns.