The Secret Adversary is the second published detective fiction novel by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in January 1922 in the United Kingdom by The Bodley Head and in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company later in that same year. The UK edition retailed at seven shillings and sixpence, and the US edition at $1.75.
The book introduces the characters of Tommy and Tuppence who feature in three other Christie novels and one collection of short stories; the five Tommy and Tuppence books span Agatha Christie's writing career. The novel begins with The Great War over and jobs are scarce. Childhood friends Tommy Beresford and Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley meet and agree to start their own business as The Young Adventurers. They are hired for a job that leads them both into many dangerous situations, meeting allies as well, including an American millionaire in search of his cousin.
Reviews were generally positive on this adventure, which manages to keep the identity of the arch-criminal secret to the very end.
Being only her second published novel, one might expect this story to lack certain qualities we have come to know by one of the greatest mystery writers of all time; however, if you think about it, how did Christie become one of the greatest mystery writers of all time if her beginning novels were not as well-written and entertaining as her more popular Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple novels? The story introduces Christie's “Tommy and Tuppence” character duo with luster and panache. So even though we don't get Poirot and the humor and interest of all of his idiosyncrasies, or the sweetness and shrewdness of everyone's favorite crime-solving grandmother-type with Miss Marple, this novel presents all the spine-tingling mix of mystery, international intrigue, and spy thriller-ness we are accustomed to from this talented and brilliant author.
No comments:
Post a Comment