

The only war story Christie published during World War II which examines the period, this third outing for the Beresford’s is a truly engaging read. There are plenty of cases across the short story collection, ranging from stolen pearls to missing loved ones, counterfeit bank notes to outlandish murders.ĭid you know? Each of these short stories contain subtle parodies of a contemporary crime writer from the Golden Age of detective stories. Luckily for them, Mr Carter needs someone to keep an eye on a detective agency! The couple are to look out for a cryptic message underneath a stamp, but they are at liberty to do some crime-solving whilst they wait. It is six years into the couple’s married life, and Tuppence is craving a bit of adventure. Running separate surveillance roles to get to the bottom of the mysterious Jane Finn, and the even more elusive Mr Brown, Tommy and Tuppence must join forces with some unlikely allies and risk the dangers of deceiving others. Before long, they are on the case of some missing papers, at the bequest of British Intelligence. Determined to make some money, they settle on the idea of a detective agency, with little idea of what is in store for them.

This pair are unique for Christie, as they are her only detectives that age in real time and are characters she took real pleasure in writing.Ī chance London encounter reunites Tommy and Tuppence, two childhood friends, who are both down on their luck after World War I. These are adventure stories, featuring criminal gangs, undercover intelligence, espionage, and jeopardy, with plenty of danger thrown in too. They are a brilliant double-act, with Tuppence’s curiosity and daring matched by Tommy’s caution and common sense. The detective duo, Tommy and Tuppence, were introduced to the world in 1922 with the novel The Secret Adversary.
