Take a photo of a barcode or cover
mascha_blue's review against another edition
4.0
Anthony Cade is a young man who makes a living as well as he can while seeking out his next great adventure. An old friend offers him a simple task to do for a nice amount of money, and Anthony agrees. The task is to deliver to a publisher the memoirs written by a statesman of Herzoslovakia, a fictional country where monarchists are battling populists. Anthony's effort becomes complicated by these competing groups who are ready to kill to advance their side's ambitions.
Anthony teams up with a scrappy Englishwoman and together they head off to Chimneys, one of those Edwardian manor houses where politics were negotiated in 1925, the year this book was published. Murder ensues, and nobody seems to be who they claim they are, including Anthony Cade.
Anthony teams up with a scrappy Englishwoman and together they head off to Chimneys, one of those Edwardian manor houses where politics were negotiated in 1925, the year this book was published. Murder ensues, and nobody seems to be who they claim they are, including Anthony Cade.
textiles4you's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Song: Smooth Operator by Sade
leirbriseadh's review against another edition
2.0
I keep trying her books hoping for something but so far most have just not been good.
angrim712's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It was an interesting mystery and I liked the POV that it was written in. I like stories where you realize the narrator is also keeping secrets from the reader. I thought the story was interesting and classic to Agatha's style. It was missing something for me to truly grab my attention, but I can't place what.
gail_naomi's review against another edition
5.0
Another really fun thrill ride. Seven Dials Mystery is sort of a sequel to this, but I read that one first (it really doesn't matter which order you read them in). Bundle only plays a supporting role here; it's Anthony Cade and Virginia Revel who take center stage, along with stolid old Superintendent Battle, always sharper than he appears. Again, there's a Thin Man quality to this mystery--an attractive (and attracted) couple try to figure out what's going on. There are madcap drives to London and stolen identities. I was pretty sure the thief had to be one of two characters--and boy, was I wrong! The ending is outrageous but totally plausible. This is probably heresy, but I'm finding I like these non-Poirot, non-Marple novels best. I love going along for the ride and not pretending I'm trying to solve the mystery. Those Poirot novels where fans claim Christie is "playing fair"? News flash: she's not playing fair. Let's be honest about it and move on. Much more fun when I don't think I can solve it!
laulauum's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
kim_2804's review against another edition
5.0
*For context: I don't try to figure out the mystery in Agatha Christie's books while I read them; I'm just along for the ride. If I figure something out along the way, that's great, but it's not something I'm actively trying to do.*
I think this is the first Agatha Christie book I've rated 5 stars in the past four years. It was so good! It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but once the background information had been communicated, things started to happen and it was hectic. Anthony Cade's perspective was a really fun way to tell the story, and the way he interacted with all the characters was also entertaining. The pacing slowed down a little bit towards the middle of the story, but enough was happening that I didn't lose interest, and then the end was absolutely crazy. My jaw was on the floor for the last few chapters. There were a few things I'd guessed but the majority of the plot twists surprised me. I couldn't put it down, and had such a good time with it. I'm hoping to reread this one day soon to see everything unfold while knowing the ending.
I think this is the first Agatha Christie book I've rated 5 stars in the past four years. It was so good! It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but once the background information had been communicated, things started to happen and it was hectic. Anthony Cade's perspective was a really fun way to tell the story, and the way he interacted with all the characters was also entertaining. The pacing slowed down a little bit towards the middle of the story, but enough was happening that I didn't lose interest, and then the end was absolutely crazy. My jaw was on the floor for the last few chapters. There were a few things I'd guessed but the majority of the plot twists surprised me. I couldn't put it down, and had such a good time with it. I'm hoping to reread this one day soon to see everything unfold while knowing the ending.
karen_unabridged's review against another edition
3.0
This early work by Christie doesn’t hold up as well as some of her other things. The plot is ridiculous, the characters over the top, and the stakes are never very high. But it’s good fun to read (if you can ignore the equally dated views on race and class).
Update 2022: re-read. Still can't get over the casual racism / slurs / dismissive attitude toward "foreigners." Christie writes this as more of an espionage book than a mystery and it's just not great. Battle is good. Anthony is a good character. Virginia and Bundle are intriguing...so the raw materials of good Christie stories are here but it doesn't gel into a compelling story.
Update 2022: re-read. Still can't get over the casual racism / slurs / dismissive attitude toward "foreigners." Christie writes this as more of an espionage book than a mystery and it's just not great. Battle is good. Anthony is a good character. Virginia and Bundle are intriguing...so the raw materials of good Christie stories are here but it doesn't gel into a compelling story.
eiderweek's review against another edition
4.0
Some of the most entertaining end moments in any Christie book