THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS
UK publication: 1925 (John Lane, The Bodley Head)
US publication: 1925 (Dodd, Mead)
Detective: Superintendent Battle
Genre: Novel
Plot summary and comments: An early thriller, the plot concerned with events in the small Balkan country of Herzoslovakia. Except for the very beginning, the action takes place either in London (where Baron Lolopretjzyl, the Herzoslovakian representative, lives at Harridge's Hotel) or at Chimneys, the stately home of the Marquis of Caterham, the setting for many diplomatic events. Other characters who may or may not be heroic include Anthony Cade, an upperclass Englishman, and the young woman Virginia Revel. The intelligent and common-sensical policeman Superintendent Battle makes his first appearance here, although it is not he but Lady Eileen ("Bundle") Brent who uncovers the "secret" of the title. Battle will appear in four other novels and four characters, plus the house Chimneys itself, reappear in The Seven Dials Mystery.
Courtesey of: http://stout.physics.ucla.edu/%7eyoder/mystery/christie.html
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::READERS REVIEWS::
Ingenious
I've read and re-read "The Secret of Chimneys" several times, and I still consider it one of Agatha Christie's two best novels (along with "The Man in the Brown Suit"). This story has all the right elements of intrigue, mystery, interesting characters, and a little romance thrown in. What's more, it has that somewhat-indescribable flair that makes her novels from the Twenties so enjoyable. I like Poirot and Marple, but while others may disagree, I believe Christie is at her most entertaining in novels like "Chimneys," where the standard sleuths are absent. Oh, and while "The Seven Dials Mystery" is an interesting sequel of sorts to this novel, it is not quite as good. And, unlike a previous reviewer of "Chimneys," I don't think the characters were too numerous to keep track of. All in all, I highly recommend this book.
With its Ruritanian intrigue and bright young things, The Secret of Chimneys has more in common with the thriller-comedy-mysteries popular in the 1920's than with Christie's usual puzzlers. Although she is sometimes referred to as a writer of "country house mysteries", this is one of her few books that actually takes place in a country house -- meaning a stately home rather than, you know, just a house in the country. Christie handles this style well, but she does go a bit overboard. It's a bit like the 12 days of Christmas -- there are at least five people who aren't who they claim to be, four prowlers at midnight, three McGuffins, two sinister servants, and yes, a pistol in a beech tree. You probably won't have much trouble figuring out whodunnit and so forth, but that's not really the point here. It's a fun period piece that won't take you long to get through: I enjoyed reading it in the bathtub, but I'm not sure how well it would fare on dry land.
::YOUR OPINION::
