The Secret of Chimneys (Mass Market Paperback)

by Agatha Christie (Author)
Key Phrases: Lord Caterham, Superintendent Battle, King Victor (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'One of the best of Agatha Christie's early thrillers.' Charles Osborne 'A thick fog of mystery, cross purposes, and romance, which leads up to a most unexpected and highly satisfactory ending.' Times Literary Supplement 'Here's another capital detective story by Miss Christie, which will keep the reader guessing until the very end, not only as to the identity of the arch villain -- the murderer -- but also that of the hero, Anthony Cade.' Literary Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
A bit of adventure and quick cash is all that good-natured drifter Anthony Cade is looking for when he accepts a messenger job from an old friend. It sounds so simple: deliver the provocative memoirs of a recently deceased European count to a London publisher. But the parcel holds ore than scandalous royal secrets. It contains a stash of letters that suggest blackmail--and lead to the murder of a stranger who's been shadowing Anthony's every move. Discovering the dead man's identity means retracing his steps--to the rambling estate of Chimneys where darker secrets, and deadlier threats, await anyone who dares to enter.


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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (October 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312979746
• ISBN-13: 978-0312979744
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #503,508 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Improbable Plot But A Fun Read, September 29, 2002

By	Antoinette Klein (Hoover, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Chimneys is the palatial home of the Marquis of Caterham and his charming daughter Eileen, better known as Bundle. His good friend, George Lomax, a high-ranking official in the Foreign Office, arranges a hunting party to be held at Chimneys. The party is actually a cover for diplomatic intrigue. Before the party is too far along, Christie serves up murder, blackmail, romance, mysterious strangers, and a case of mistaken identity. There is also a bit of political information about a fictitious country called Herzoslovakia. This book is often confusing, definitely improbable, but always fun.

I think that anyone who starts with this as their first Agatha Christie will not get a true picture of her work nor will they really see the depth of her genius. However, it is very enjoyable for confirmed Christie lovers.

This book is notable for the introduction of Superintendent Battle of Scotland Yard, a man who will appear in several other Christie books including one of her very best, "Towards Zero."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What FUN!, March 12, 2002

By	A reader (Reading, PA USA) - See all my reviews

Let's be clear: this book is a NOVEL....The Ingram review isn't much better: yes, there's a beautiful woman and a stolen diamond in the story, but she has nothing to do with the theft.

In some ways, this is classic Christie, complete with nefarious goings-on in the grand country home, swarthy-looking foreigners, a beautiful heroine, a manly hero, the mysterious dead body, etc., etc. What raises it above the rest (and makes it one of my favorite Christie books) is that there is an unusual amount of HUMOR in the book, and more than a dollop of romance. And it's clever, altho' the "who-dun-it" is a bit obvious by the end. However, this is one book worth reading for what happens BETWEEN the crime and the revelation of the crook.

For budding Christie fans, you should know that "Chimneys" features some of the same characters found in "The Seven Dials Mystery," including the young Lady Eileen Brent (aka, "Bundle"), her long-suffering father Lord Caterham, the over-earnest George Lomax, and Bill Eversleigh - who marries Bundle at the end of "Seven Dials" but is infatuated elsewhere in this volume. Crime-solving is by the impassive Inspector Battle, another one of Christie's recurring characters.

A delicious read for a rainy week-end or a day at the beach.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A. Christie + P. G. Wodehouse=delightful mystery farce, January 26, 2004

By	Jeanne Tassotto (Trapped in the Midwest) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This 1925 novel begins in Africa with the chance meeting of two old friends, young men out to see the world. As they catch up with each other they discover that one is working at a job he hates and the other wants to be in two places at once. Since they resemble each other at least superficially one decides to impersonate the other.

When the imposter, Anthony Cade, arrives in England he has two errands to complete for his friend, Jimmy McGrath, the first to deliver a manuscript and the other to return a package of indiscrete letters to a lady. Cade is soon swept up in a tangle of intrigue that leads him to one of England most famous 'Stately Homes' - Chimneys.

At Chimneys all the various threads come together involving state secrets, murder, secret passages, secret societies and romance. All is well in the end setting the stage for the return of Chimneys and its delightful resident family in the SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY.

This is a comic mystery story with many of the characters and much of the plot sounding as much P. G. Wodehouse as Agatha Christie. For those looking for a serious mystery look else where. There is no Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple (although Superintendant Battle makes his first appearance) here but instead a delightful departure from Christie's usual style