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The Secret Adversary Hardcover – August 18, 2008

by Agatha Christie (Author)

4.2 11,789 ratings

Book 1 of 5: Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries

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This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ BiblioLife (August 18, 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0554358972
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0554358970
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.23 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.14 x 0.63 x 9.21 inches

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Laura's Reviews

Fun Adventure!

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024

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Title: The Secret Adversary
Author: Agatha Christie
Narrated by: Emma Fenney
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Length: Approximately 8 hours and 33 minutes
Source: Checked out with Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library. Thank-you!

Do you have any favorite spy novels, shows, or movies? I always enjoy watching the James Bond movies.

I read The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie in February for #ReadChristie2024. #ReadChristie2024 has a theme this year of through the decades. January – March are books written by Agatha Christie in the 1920’s. The Secret Adversary was Agatha Christie’s second novel published in 1922 and the first novel featuring the detective solving pair, Tommy and Tuppence. Christie wrote a novel or short story collection about this crime solving duo each decade of her writing career and they aged along with her. I have read their first two books and I can’t wait to read the rest of their adventures!

The Secret Adversary is set right after the first world war or “The Great War.” Friends Tommy Beresford and Prudence “Tuppence” Cowley run into each other in London in 1920. They discover they are both searching for a job. They start the “young adventurers” to solve cases. A man overhearing them talk asks for their help in in finding the missing Jane Finn who disappeared when the Luisitana sank about five years before and may have had secret government documents with her. They are off on an adventure that includes foreign agents, the mysterious Mr. Brown, amnesia, kidnapping, proposals, and more. Will they find Jane and the missing documents?

I really like Tommy and Tuppence and their capers. This was a fun adventure with witty banter, evil villians, and a lot of action. It was a lot of fun to me, but it isn’t like her “typical” Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple novels. I really like the Agatha Christie wrote such different types of mysteries. I also liked the romance between Tommy and Tuppence. She wants to marry a rich man and I enjoyed how they both realized their feelings for each other and that they didn’t want her to marry rich when given the chance. This wasn’t my favorite mystery of Christie’s, but I did really like the fun and adventure.

I really liked the opening line of this novel, “It was 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7, 1915. The Lusitania had been struck by two torpedoes in succession and was sinking rapidly, while the boats were being launched with all possible speed.” I thought it was interesting that this book used an event that had happened not too long before it was published. I was also intrigued to learn that Tommy served in the military and Tuppence was a nurse during the Great War.

I listened to The Secret Adversary on audiobook and Emma Fenney was a great narrator!

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takingadayoff

The Debut of Tommy & Tuppence

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2010

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It was a real treat to come across this Kindle edition of the first Tommy & Tuppence adventure. They're so young in this story -- "Their united ages certainly would not have totaled forty-five." But their experiences in World War I had made them more mature than average twenty-two year olds.

I've read a lot of Agatha Christie's works, most of it back when I was about twelve or thirteen. For a summer when Nancy Drew suddenly seemed too childish, but I wasn't ready for adult books yet, Agatha Christie came to the rescue. At a rate of nearly a book a day, I went through all the Agatha Christie the public library and used bookstores had to offer. I liked the Miss Marple stories, maybe because Marple stayed in the background for the most part. Hercule Poirot seemed silly and cartoonish to me even then. I loved Tommy and Tuppence, but there weren't many stories that featured them.

The Secret Adversary is a spy story rather than a murder mystery. It's not bad, twisting back and forth, but I particularly enjoyed the glimpse at the young Tommy and Tuppence, before they were a couple, and for the authentic descriptions of post World War I London. I thought I knew Central London fairly well, but I was stumped when Tuppence left the Dover Street Tube Station and walked toward Piccadilly. I found out that used to be the name of what is now the Green Park Station.

One thing that stands out is how independent Tuppence is. She seems to have little trouble finding work (even as Tommy is having a hard time finding a job even a year after the War) and even turns down a proposal from a rich American, much to her own surprise.

Recommended!

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Kathleen C.

The Secret Adversary earns 5/5 Amateur Sleuths...A True Classic!

Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2020

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Have you ever actually read one of Agatha Christie’s books? Now that I think about it...no. I am a dedicated fan of all the big and little screen productions and the iconic actors who portray Christie’s various detectives (Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford), but I’ve not read the original stories. I recently enjoyed a 2015 adaptation of Christie’s second novel “The Secret Adversary,” which introduced Tommy and Tuppence Beresford; the mini movie was set in post WW-Two, and the couple are married with a ten-year-old son. I was intrigued to contrast the mini movie to the original novel (published in 1922). The book opens in 1915 on the sinking Lusitania, well before WW-Two, and her soon-to-be detective couple aren’t even engaged. So, let’s see what Agatha originally had in mind for the reunited friends Tommy Beresford and Prudence “Tuppence” Cowley.

The Original: It’s 1919, post WW-One and many are out of work; our two friends, recently reunited, are desperate to obtain financial support, but they don’t have any relatives to leave it to them and neither want to marry for it, so they’ll have to make it themselves: “Tommy, let’s be adventurers.” Their joint venture with The Young Adventurers, Ltd. would be “Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good. No reasonable offer refused.” But, nowhere in their business statement does it mention all the trouble in which they will find themselves entangled: an odd proposition, a mysterious Jane Finn, British intelligence, and missing documents.

Comparison: Well, one post-war era is much like another, except the enemy might have a different name and the tools to rely on are less sophisticated, but the characters are in their twenties, much younger than portrayed in the adaptations. However, I enjoyed the youthfulness and somewhat overzealous manner that precipitated extra trouble. The original tale was very enjoyable.

Classic Writing: Christie’s work was written for readers in the 1920s, yet it translates well for any era. Her writing is filled with purely British references, typical British spellings, and slang that seemed easily defined through context. Although her second book, it is still an example of what made Christie an icon in literature: descriptions not too flowery offer a picture, but not overpowering the drama, and dialogue adds to the tone, illustrating well the era and personalities. This pair of detectives is unique in her writing in that she ages them throughout the four novels and countless shorts. From their twenties to middle age to senior citizens, I think I just might try another story...I’m hooked on the originals.

4 people found this helpful

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saranellm

Not a good copy

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2024

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The book is fine. The copy of this book is not recommended. No paragraph indents and tiny, tiny print I can't read. Not worth the money.

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Cliente Amazon

A typical good Agatha Cristie's book.

Reviewed in Brazil on January 1, 2024

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A typical good Agatha Cristie's book. Easy to read and to enjoy. An interesting story, made of clever and bright ideas.

Lindee

Still my favorite author

Reviewed in Canada on September 19, 2022

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I am rereading her books and this is one of her best. Agatha Christie wrote stories ahead of her time. Simply the best.

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Sujit Dalal

A great masterpiece

Reviewed in India on October 1, 2023

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Out of all the detective novels and thrillers that I have read, the best so far. It feels fresh, no cliches and perfectly down to earth. No presence of a great deduced or detective or observer to solve the crime. Just a couple of very simple day to day commoners who rely on their wits and common sense to solve one of the greatest mysteries. I found it thoroughly entertaining . Awesome read.