The Secret Adversary by Dame Agatha Christie

HRevvdon@evpl — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:09:00 GMT

Agatha Christie’s young upper-class detectives Tommy and Tuppence are often overshadowed by her better known detectives Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Tommy and Tuppence are totally different than either. They are young and fun and out for adventure. The Secret Adversary (1922) is the book that introduces Tommy and Tuppence to Christie’s readers. The two are childhood friends that meet again at the end of World War I and decide to become adventurers. They are trying to recapture some of the sense of life from their wartime days. Soon they become involved in a complicated quest to retrieve secret diplomatic papers that first are “lost” at the sinking of the Lusitania. Now, post-war, the papers are sought by villains to undermine the current government. This quick and easy read is full of international intrigue, secret treaties, disguises, blackmail, amnesia, an American millionaire, and fun!

Tommy and Tuppence are both charming and innocent in their endeavors. During the course of their adventure, the two realize they are more than friends and in subsequent books marry. The Secret Adversary is Christie’s second book; it is a good strong representation of the wonderful style she develops to near perfection. I love the dedication in this book: "To all those who lead monotonous lives in the hope that they experience at second hand the delights and dangers of adventure."

You can also check out the dvds of Tommy and Tuppences adventures at EVPL: http://evans.evpl.org/search~S0?/achristie/achristie/1%2C44%2C352%2CB/frameset&FF=achristie+agatha+1890+1976&19%2C%2C267 and http://evans.evpl.org/search~S0?/achristie/achristie/1%2C44%2C352%2CB/frameset&FF=achristie+agatha+1890+1976&20%2C%2C267.

Books Blog : Tommy and Tuppence

The Secret Adversary by Dame Agatha Christie