Customer Reviews

The Secret Adversary (Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a devoted fan of Agatha Christie and usually rate all her books "5-stars". In this case however, I would give it "4-stars" because while the characters of Tommy and Tuppence are really well drawn and it's great fun to read about them, the book is more shakily plotted than many of Dame Agatha's other books. I spotted the master criminal almost immediately and normally never do that. Also the basic plot line was thin at best and never really hung together in any coherent way. I got the feeling that Christie enjoyed creating and writing about Tommy and Tuppence so much that the mystery became almost secondary in this case. But the characters are so entertaining to read about that it's impossible to not enjoy the book! If ypu enjoy reading about post-WW1 England and the struggles of young people who find themselves suddenly at a loss to get by, all done in a most light-hearted, fun manner, then you need look no further!

A mystery thriller and full of intrigue...Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley go through such adventures as being kidnapped, false messages, An anonymous fugitive, murder,international terrorism and all because of a long lost girl carrying a vital draft treaty to the United States after World War One. First, Tommy follows a strange man and ends up being kidnapped! Tuppence, thinking Tommy was dead was asked to work as a house maid for a suspicious woman. After struggles, Tommy escapes just in time to find Tuppences' boss dead! Murdered! They eventually find the girl (working as a house maid for Tuppence's boss too) and the papers only to find that the person that they had confided in the most was Mr. Brown! The Criminal Mastermind behing international affairs! The book never lets you down, you may never be able to put the book down! I gave it 4 stars. So I highly recommend this book.

In her second novel, Agatha Christie introduced Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley and Tommy Beresford, old friends who are both newly discharged from the service at the end of World War I. By chance, they meet in London one day and to fight their boredom launch a detective firm together. Their first case involves tracing a young girl, Jane Finn, who disappeared during the war with a folder of important government papers. This is also Mrs. Christie's first of many novels to use the "master criminal" plot, a device she will use many more times in her writing career. The suspense is thrilling as is the enthusiasm of Tommy and Tuppence, two characters who will return in "Partners in Crime," "N or M?" "By The Pricking of My Thumbs," and "Postern of Fate." But it is in this first novel that the two are most endearing, especially when Tommy asks Tuppence to become his wife.

Adding to the mystery are Mr. Whittington, who by attempting to hire Tuppence to impersonate Jane sets the couple off on their adventure; Mr. Carter, a mysterious government official; Julius Hersheimmer, Jane's American cousin; and Albert, a young boy who will remain with Tommy and Tuppence and become their life-long friend.

In the end, the British government is saved, Tommy and Tuppence realize they are in love, and Young Adventurers, Ltd. is a thriving business. A most satifying read.

"The Secret Adversary" is the very first adventure of Tommy and Tuppence, Agatha Christie's pair of amateur sleuths, and what an adventure they have. Tommy Beresford and Prudence 'Tuppence' Cowley manage to solve a threatening international crisis, by luck and intuition it would seem, rather than more ordinary methods of detection. As an introduction to the pair, who would have further adventures after their marriage, "The Secret Adversary" is fast-paced and intriguing.

Having met each other once again by chance, Tommy and Tuppence, old childhood friends, decide to advertise themselves as "Young Adventurers" who will take any charge that's well paid, no matter the danger. But before they can even post their ad, they are drawn into a mysterious web of intrigue regarding a missing draft of a peace treaty and a young girl named Jane Finn. By what seems like sheer coincidence and luck, Tommy and Tuppence, together or apart, are able to come across clues as to where Jane Finn may be, and what knowledge she has about the missing treaty. As they uncover clues, they also uncover danger that threatens their lives and friends who may just turn out to be the very adversary they are searching for.

As usual with an Agatha Christie mystery, just when you think you've figured out the final twist, she throws even more at you. "The Secret Adversary" is a smart, well-plotted thriller, a testament to Christie's brillance, as this was only her second published novel. While the book may seem dated in language and certain expressions, it is only at a surface level due to the very real nature of the modern intrigue that moves the plot.

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie is our introduction to Tommy and Tuppence. After not seeing each other for several years, they run into each other and since both are almost broke, they decide to form a company called The Young Adventurers, Ltd. Quite by accident, they stumble upon a situation involving the government. Hired to work the case, they are joined by a rich American, looking for his cousin who is involved in the case Tommy and Tuppence are working on. Their goal, to save the government from ruin and track down the elusive Mr. Brown. Christie keeps you guessing to the very end as to who the mysterious Mr. Brown is, and I will admit, I pegged the wrong character.

Agatha Christie's THE SECRET ADVERSARY is her first full blown attempt at the 'thriller' novel, which was an extremely popular format in the year it was published (1922). In those days, writers like Sapper and Edgar Wallace were creating best-sellers for an ever-appreciating public. Therefore, it is not surprising that Christie would try her hand at the format as well. The results of this book are slightly mixed, but only if you take it too seriously. For after all, Christie was a brilliant woman and knew EXACTLY what she was doing. What THE SECRET ADVERSARY is is a parody of the thrillers that were currently so popular. Does this mean that we should not take it seriously? No. But it may help you enjoy the book more to realize that some of the elements of the book were added to tweak those other elements that were taken so very seriously in other thrillers.

For example, how many coincidences can this book have? All Tommy and Tuppence (the extremely engaging heroes of the story) have to do is mention a name and they are immediately plunged in the enemy's lair. Even Tuppence cannot refrain from mentioning how 'amazing" it all is! Definitely this is Christie with tongue-in-cheek. Additionally, it is amazing that the villians (who are playing a very serious game indeed) do not dispatch with our heroes the moment they are detected. Again, this is done with a slight jab to other thrillers where the heroes are typcially caught by the bad guys once or twice and they NEVER, EVER kill the heroes off. They always give them multiple chances to escape. Christie knew how silly this all could be, but included anyway to play the game that she so obviously enjoyed.

You might think, by all I have said, that this is not a book for you. You also might wonder why I am giving it five stars. First of all, it is Christie after all, and her style is breezy and extremely readable. Also, Tommy and Tuppence are delightful characters and their banter is worth the rest of the book. Plus, there are some very effective moments in the book, which only a master like Christie could manage. The discovery of the poisoned body is very well written and actually created a chill that shot down my spine. Yes, it is not Christie's greatest work by a long shot, and yes, there are some incredible implausibilities in the story. But I believe that they were there for a purpose. Besides, if all you are looking for is a diverting couple of hours, you could do a lot worse than this book. It's a lark, and that is exactly what Christie intended it to be from the first.

Tommy and Tuppence were sparkling creations by Agatha Christie (and their ability to transfer deliciously to the small screen is also a proven fact.) But sadly they were never given as strong mystery material as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot were and have, therefore, languished on the literary sidelines to a great extent. Their first appearance, in the Secret Adversary, is a good example of this problem. Christie is weakest when politics are involved and the story is hopelessly naive with the fate of the world being controlled by one man, Mr. Brown, who ultimately is rather easily bested by those two crazy kids of the flapper Twenties, Tommy and Tuppence. The author never, ever, succeeded in achieving anything remotely approaching a spy thriller. Still, this book will hold interest for anyone wanting an early glimpse of the crazy duo who are always a pleasure to spend some time with.

This is the first of the Tommy and Tuppence series, which begins with the two becoming reacquainted and, being both bored with life, deciding to become adventurers. The two soon become involved in solving a complex plot to destroy the English government, and the key to solving it is finding the mysterious Jane Finn, for whom everyone else seems to be searching. The criminal mastermind behind the revolutionary plot turns out to be someone both Tuppence and Tommy considered an ally. It's a fast-paced thriller that's a delight to read and attempt to figure out before all is revealed. I had some suspicions, and I deduced the culprit just as the duo did! Agatha Christie's books are a stimulating, joyous read.

As the famous Lusitania sinks during an afternoon in 1917, a young American girl is surreptitiously entrusted with an oilskin packet containing important government papers. She is to take them to the Ambassador at once as soon as she is on land. Her name is Jane Finn, and her ordeal is just beginning. It'll be five full years until her life is safe from danger - and the mystery is solved - by one of the most famous pair of sleuths of all time: Tommy Beresford and Prudence - Tuppence - Cowley.

The pair run into each other while at their tethers' end and scrounge into one of London's tea-rooms. The war has made things tough, and none of them has a job. It all changes when Tommy hears the name `Jane Finn' by chance up in the air, in reference to a girl who seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Just for the fun of it, they decide to place an ad in the local paper searching for information. Responses do not take long to arrive and, faster than one can say "conspiracy" The Young Adventurers, Ltd. is in business. The job is dangerous and the adventures many, but that would not deterred neither unimaginative Tommy, nor intuitive Tuppence. Under the hidden commission of the UK government - all expenses paid - they take up rooms at the Ritz and start on Jane Finn's toes. All the while, UK's most wanted master criminal, "Mr. Brown" is on their own toes. First is Tommy who gets kidnapped, then Tuppence, until finally, and after many misapprehensions, "...Mr. Brown is in this room..." and he's got both Tuppence and Jane! Or has he?

This is more a story of espionage rather than a mystery an it has a superbly intricate plot. It is very interesting that Christie chose for her second novel a total departure from her first and most famous creation, the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot; and chose to create two totally different characters. The strong plotting and the eagerness of the story might almost suggest she would have taken upon writing many more Tommy and Tuppence novels than she actually wrote, with the very possible exception that when the Cold War was over, their destinies were sealed.

This is a novel where all the pieces are scattered at the beginning and, coming to an end, they all get put together dutifully using that great Christie wrap-up style. It is also possibly one of her most candid books.

Although best known for her tightly plotted murder mysteries, Agatha Christie occasionally turned her hand to the purely outrageous adventure--and in this area THE SECRET ADVERSARY, a tale of two amateurs pitted against a master criminal--is one of her most successful works.

Much of the book's charm arises from its period feel. Written in the 1920s, it effectively captures the "anything goes" quality of the era through both its outlandish story and its leading characters: Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley, two "bright young things" who find themselves without jobs in the wake of World War I and who casually advertise their services as "young adventurers." The absurdity of the story, which concerns a kidnapped American survivor of the ill-fated Lusitania in possession of important dipolmatic papers, combines with the lighthearted personalities of Tommy and Tuppence in a very enjoyable way, and although some may dismiss it as too lightweight an effort to rank among Christie's finest, most will find it very amusing and extremely charming in an purely escapist way.

On a purely personal note, THE SECRET ADVERSARY was the first Christie novel I ever read. As I recall, I was about twelve years old, I thought it was tremendous good fun, and even these many years later I still occasionally return to it for the innocent charm of its witty characters as they romp through 1920s London on their ridiculous, funny, and extremely entertaining spree. It is nonsense of course, but no less enjoyable for it. Lots of fun!