The Secret of Chimneys

by Agatha Christie

Overview

International intrigue leads to murder at an English manor house in this classic mystery introducing the detection skills of Superintendent Battle.

Never do favors—that’s the lesson it would’ve behooved Anthony Cade to learn before getting himself wrapped up in a case of conspiracy and murder. Politician George Lomax has persuaded Lord Caterham to host a weekend party at Chimneys, his country estate. Lomax hopes to cement plans to reinstate the monarchy in Herzegovina. But when the prince of Herzegovina turns up dead, Cade has a lot of explaining to do. After all, his footprints were found on the grounds . . . though not inside the house.

As one criminal conspiracy leads to another, both Scotland Yard and the French Sûreté are on the scene to set things right. Soon, thanks to the detective work of Superintendent Battle, everyone’s secrets—and the secret of Chimneys itself—will be on display.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504066358
Publisher:	MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Publication date:	01/05/2021
Series:	The Superintendent Battle Mysteries , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	318
Sales rank:	5,776
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Agatha Christie (1890–1976) is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the bestselling novelist of all time. The first recipient of the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award, she published eighty mystery novels and many short story collections and created such iconic fictional detectives as Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, and Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. She is known around the world as the Queen of Crime.

Date of Birth:

September 15, 1890

Date of Death:

January 12, 1976

Place of Birth:

Torquay, Devon, England

Education:

Home schooling

Website:

http://www.agathachristie.com

Table of Contents

Anthony Cade Signs On

A Lady in Distress

Anxiety in High Places

Introducing a Very Charming Lady

First Night in London

The Gentle Art of Blackmail

Mr Mcgrath Refuses an Invitation

A Dead Man

Anthony Disposes of a Body

Chimneys

Superintendent Battle Arrives

Anthony Tells His Story

The American Visitor

Mainly Political and Financial

The French Stranger

Tea in the Schoolroom

A Midnight Adventure

Second Midnight Adventure

Secret History

Battle and Anthony Confer

Mr Isaacstein’s Suitcase

The Red Signal

Encounter in the Rose Garden

The House at Dover

Tuesday Night at Chimneys

The 13th of October

The 13th of October (Continued)

King Victor

Further Explanations

Anthony Signs on for a New Job

Sundry Details

What People are Saying About This

Kate Mosse

“Agatha Christie was a revolutionary writer, one of the first to make the detective story accessible, with clean, easy prose.”

Editorial Reviews

The Secret of Chimneys (1925), Christie's third novel, comes from the period when romance was almost as important to her as crime. Each of the guests at Chimneys, a country estate, is suspected of the murder of a foreign nobleman. Two of the accused, a young widowed aristocrat and a young man of seemingly dubious background, find themselves falling in love as they join forces to solve the case. Blackmail, a politician's memoirs, and a notorious thief, are mixed expertly into the highly entertaining plot. A French detective and a no-nonsense English cop seem to be prototypes for Hercule Poirot and Inspector Japp, who look into the puzzling death of Hercule's dentist in One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, from 1940. Hercule must solve the crime while preventing further deaths, with prominent financier Alistair Blunt a much-threatened target. As wonderful as Hugh Fraser is as Captain Hastings in the television adaptations of the Poirot tales, he is even better as the reader of both novels. Highly recommended for popular collections.-Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Agatha Christie was a revolutionary writer, one of the first to make the detective story accessible, with clean, easy prose.

Kate Mosse

Will keep the reader guessing until the very end.

Literary Review

Hugh Fraser, known to aficionados of PBS's "Mystery" as Poirot's sidekick, Captain Hastings, is the narrator of this delightful story in which the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Surete can do no better than run in circles--until the final murder at Chimneys. Readers might think they’ve picked up a multivoiced performance when they meet Anthony Cade, the witty, and chivalrous hero who never loses his cool in sticky situations; the zealous politician George Lomax, hilarious in his pomposity; Herzoslovakian Baron Lolopretjzyl ,who does strange and amusing things to English word order; Prince Michael's gothic valet; the intelligent and sensible Superintendent Battle; Lady Eileen ("Bundle") Brent, who uncovers the "secret" of the title; and Virginia, who sounds so delicate but actually enjoys being blackmailed for the sake of the experience. Listen to this audiobook once for the mystery and parody and again for the wealth of Fraser’s smooth, cultured character presentations. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

OCT/NOV 04 - AudioFile

Hugh Fraser, known to aficionados of PBS's "Mystery" as Poirot's sidekick, Captain Hastings, is the narrator of this delightful story in which the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Surete can do no better than run in circles--until the final murder at Chimneys. Readers might think they’ve picked up a multivoiced performance when they meet Anthony Cade, the witty, and chivalrous hero who never loses his cool in sticky situations; the zealous politician George Lomax, hilarious in his pomposity; Herzoslovakian Baron Lolopretjzyl ,who does strange and amusing things to English word order; Prince Michael's gothic valet; the intelligent and sensible Superintendent Battle; Lady Eileen ("Bundle") Brent, who uncovers the "secret" of the title; and Virginia, who sounds so delicate but actually enjoys being blackmailed for the sake of the experience. Listen to this audiobook once for the mystery and parody and again for the wealth of Fraser’s smooth, cultured character presentations. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

OCT/ NOV 04 - AudioFile