Fun but intelligent romp

Regular readers will know that Agatha Christie is one of my all-time favourite authors. She regularly comes out as one of my most read, if not the most read, author in my year of reading reviews (read them here: 2021, 2022, 2023). She was such a prolific writer that I doubt she’ll be unseated from the top spot any time soon. My favourite of her characters is Miss Marple, but as I was making swift and steady progress through her stories, I thought the time had come to give another character a chance.

Hence picking up (digitally!) a copy of The Secret Adversary. This is only Christie’s second published novel, following The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I read Styles back in 2022, and that it at times a little dry (scroll down on this post for more of my thoughts on this first Poirot book). It really felt like something published in the 1920s, and not in a good way. The Secret Adversary in contrast feels 1920s in a good way. It follows Tuppence and Tommy, as they become embroiled in a plot to bring down the government, and fall for each other en route. The book is definitely a bit of a romp, with a strong comedic element paired with quick pacing and a not especially complicated but still satisfying plot. The characters have the kind of jocular banter that one might associate with P. G. Wodehouse, but are still well-rounded enough to feel realistic.

The novel’s date also comes across in its choice of villain – such an anti-union plot would be fairly unforgiveable in this day and age. But considering it’s context and Christie’s background, it could have been worse!

My residing impression of this novel is of a fun read with enough intelligence to keep you engaged, and a rather sweet and funny pair of protagonists. It feels like the kind of light read many modern authors are aiming for – a prototype for the sort of easy, fun book that does so well in the current reading charts. Tuppence and Tommy are set up to be recurring characters, with their detective agency ‘The Young Adventurers’. Despite this, they only feature in three novels and some short stories. So it won’t take me long to work through them! I’m surprised that this novel doesn’t seem to have been adapted for the screen very often, as I think it would work well. Hopefully it might be picked up again – I could imagine Hugh Laurie making a good go of it, in the vein of his ‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?’

Overall, a fun read which I’d recommend to both Christie fans and those wanting some light-hearted crime with a touch of romance.

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