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P F COLLIER & SON, Hardcover
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Tommy & Tuppence are hired to track down wartime spies at a seaside resort... It is World War II, and while the RAF struggles to keep the Luftwaffe at bay, Britain faces an even more sinister threat from 'the enemy within' - Nazis posing as ordinary citizens. With pressure mounting, the Intelligence service appoints two unlikely spies, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. Their mission: to seek out a man and a woman from among the colourful guests at Sans Souci, a seaside hotel. But this assignment is no stroll along the promenade. After all, N and M have just murdered Britain's finest agent...
User reviews
LibraryThing member smik
It is 1940. England is at war. Blitzkrieg is about to begin. Tommy and Tuppence are being told they are too old for active war service. Their twin offspring Derek and Deborah are of course younger and are in the Air Force and nursing respectively.
A Mr Grant turns up at the Beresford flat to offer
Tuppence of course adroitly outwits these attempts to exclude her and joins Tommy in Leahampton where they both attempt to track down N and M, but at the same time both under assumed names and definitely not married. But neither are as clever as they think.
This is #3 in the Tommy and Tuppence stories (see below).
#1, THE SECRET ADVERSARY, was not published until 1922 but was set mainly in 1919, when World War I was fresh in readers' minds. As I said in my review I thought Christie was probably reflecting contemporary paranoia with Bolshevism and secret agents and conspiracies, and showed a political awareness that we don't often give Christie credit for. THE SECRET ADVERSARY was also Agatha Christie's second published novel and had many signs of an author still coming to terms with her craft.
#2 in the Tommy & Tuppence series, PARTNERS IN CRIME, published in 1929, was set mainly in 1925. Tommy now has a desk job with the British Secret Service, and Tuppence, much to her displeasure is at home, though when the Chief of British Intelligence asks them to take over the International Detective Agency, both jump at the chance of new adventures. The fifteen stories contain parodies of fictional detectives who were well-known to readers of the 1920s. In each story Tommy and Tuppence assume the mannerisms and methods of a different detective or detective team, including Sherlock Holmes. The stories are bound together with an overall theme of a rather vague Russian plot. Again Christie appears to be reflecting popular paranoia.
So World War II is the perfect opportunity for Christie to add to the Tommy & Tuppence series (and you may want to reflect whether they would have made another appearance without the war) but now Christie is a well established and successful novelist with 30 novels to her credit, so she doesn't wait for the war to end, but publishes N or M? while the issues it reflects are still topical.
Once you recognise that, you realise that Christie is reflecting a lot of contemporary thinking. It certainly must have made the average English reader look carefully at those around him. It is a very patriotic novel.
Christie introduces the idea of a "wooden horse", Fifth Columnists, people who are very attracted by Hitler's ideas, a network that has infiltrated English society and infrastructure.
N or M, you see, is a term we have heard before. It refers to two of the most important and trusted German agents. We have come across their activities in other countries and we know just a little about them. It is their mission to organise a Fifth Column in foreign countries and to act as liaison officer between the country in question and Germany. N, we know, is a man. M is a woman. All we know about them is that these two are Hitler’s most highly trusted agents.
‘But there are those for whom we’ve neither respect nor liking–and those are the traitors within our own ranks–the men who are willing to betray their country and accept office and promotion from the foreigner who has conquered it.’
‘We know The Day is fixed. We know, or think we know, roughly, where…(But we may be wrong there.) We’re as ready as we can be. But it’s the old story of the siege of Troy. They knew, as we know, all about the forces without. It’s the forces within we want to know about. The men in the Wooden Horse! For they are the men who can deliver up the keys of the fortress. A dozen men in high places, in command, in vital spots, by issuing conflicting orders, can throw the country into just that state of confusion necessary for the German plan to succeed. We’ve got to have inside information in time.’
Our Leader does not intend to conquer this country in the sense that you all think. He aims at creating a new Britain–a Britain strong in its own power–ruled over, not by Germans, but by Englishmen. And the best type of Englishmen–Englishmen with brains and breeding and courage. A brave new world, as Shakespeare puts it.
There are some interesting little cameos too. I was very taken with little Betty Sprot, not yet 3 years old, but exploring language and relationships in a very engaging way.
I think it is a very powerful novel in which Christie pins her own colours to the mast so to speak. If there is a weak part, it is the final roundup of information, where Christie ensures that no stone is left unturned for the reader.
A Mr Grant turns up at the Beresford flat to offer
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Tommy a clerical job in the wilds of Scotland. When Tuppence is called out to assist a friend Mr Grant tells Tommy that in fact what he is offering is a spy job hunting down some Fifth Columnist Nazi spies known as N and M. The previous agent on their trail is dead, run down by a lorry. Tuppence is to be kept in ignorance of this venture.Tuppence of course adroitly outwits these attempts to exclude her and joins Tommy in Leahampton where they both attempt to track down N and M, but at the same time both under assumed names and definitely not married. But neither are as clever as they think.
This is #3 in the Tommy and Tuppence stories (see below).
#1, THE SECRET ADVERSARY, was not published until 1922 but was set mainly in 1919, when World War I was fresh in readers' minds. As I said in my review I thought Christie was probably reflecting contemporary paranoia with Bolshevism and secret agents and conspiracies, and showed a political awareness that we don't often give Christie credit for. THE SECRET ADVERSARY was also Agatha Christie's second published novel and had many signs of an author still coming to terms with her craft.
#2 in the Tommy & Tuppence series, PARTNERS IN CRIME, published in 1929, was set mainly in 1925. Tommy now has a desk job with the British Secret Service, and Tuppence, much to her displeasure is at home, though when the Chief of British Intelligence asks them to take over the International Detective Agency, both jump at the chance of new adventures. The fifteen stories contain parodies of fictional detectives who were well-known to readers of the 1920s. In each story Tommy and Tuppence assume the mannerisms and methods of a different detective or detective team, including Sherlock Holmes. The stories are bound together with an overall theme of a rather vague Russian plot. Again Christie appears to be reflecting popular paranoia.
So World War II is the perfect opportunity for Christie to add to the Tommy & Tuppence series (and you may want to reflect whether they would have made another appearance without the war) but now Christie is a well established and successful novelist with 30 novels to her credit, so she doesn't wait for the war to end, but publishes N or M? while the issues it reflects are still topical.
Once you recognise that, you realise that Christie is reflecting a lot of contemporary thinking. It certainly must have made the average English reader look carefully at those around him. It is a very patriotic novel.
Christie introduces the idea of a "wooden horse", Fifth Columnists, people who are very attracted by Hitler's ideas, a network that has infiltrated English society and infrastructure.
N or M, you see, is a term we have heard before. It refers to two of the most important and trusted German agents. We have come across their activities in other countries and we know just a little about them. It is their mission to organise a Fifth Column in foreign countries and to act as liaison officer between the country in question and Germany. N, we know, is a man. M is a woman. All we know about them is that these two are Hitler’s most highly trusted agents.
‘But there are those for whom we’ve neither respect nor liking–and those are the traitors within our own ranks–the men who are willing to betray their country and accept office and promotion from the foreigner who has conquered it.’
‘We know The Day is fixed. We know, or think we know, roughly, where…(But we may be wrong there.) We’re as ready as we can be. But it’s the old story of the siege of Troy. They knew, as we know, all about the forces without. It’s the forces within we want to know about. The men in the Wooden Horse! For they are the men who can deliver up the keys of the fortress. A dozen men in high places, in command, in vital spots, by issuing conflicting orders, can throw the country into just that state of confusion necessary for the German plan to succeed. We’ve got to have inside information in time.’
Our Leader does not intend to conquer this country in the sense that you all think. He aims at creating a new Britain–a Britain strong in its own power–ruled over, not by Germans, but by Englishmen. And the best type of Englishmen–Englishmen with brains and breeding and courage. A brave new world, as Shakespeare puts it.
There are some interesting little cameos too. I was very taken with little Betty Sprot, not yet 3 years old, but exploring language and relationships in a very engaging way.
I think it is a very powerful novel in which Christie pins her own colours to the mast so to speak. If there is a weak part, it is the final roundup of information, where Christie ensures that no stone is left unturned for the reader.
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LibraryThing member veronicatabares
I adore Tommy and Tuppence! It is too bad Agatha Christie didn't write a few more mysteries featuring these two quirky souls.
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Tommy and Tuppence, whose not supposed to be there, travel to the seaside to catch German Spies during WWII. I just can't get into these characters as they are so annoying and just stumble on the truth rather than solving anything, even so its an interesting story.
LibraryThing member IrishHolger
A surprisingly predictable mystery by Agatha Christie. I kept saying to myself: "Surely, the solution is not *that* obvious. This must be a red herring." But no: The solution was *that* obvious. And so are all the other smaller "surprises" along the way.
It is nevertheless an entertaining read: With
It is nevertheless an entertaining read: With
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the (then) contemporary war time settings, this is the closest Christie ever wrote in terms of a propaganda style, support-our-troops, the-walls-have-ears, loose-lips-sink-ships story. Show Less
LibraryThing member jannief
Set in WWII, this features the lesser known heros of Agatha Christie novels - Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, a forty-something married couple that works on and off for the British government. In this one, they need to decipher a cryptic message: "N or M Song Susie". This leads them to a seaside
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resort where they change their identities in order to operate undercover. This was my first Agatha Christie book (I've seen a few of the movies that features either Poirot or Marple) and it wasn't bad. It did have some suspense (I did figure out one part but not the whole thing) but I found the resolution a bit confusing. Perhaps I missed something in the explanation at the end. But I did enjoy it. I had to chuckle over the fact that the Beresfords were considered quite over the hill and not very useful by their children and government - at the ripe old age of 46! So, I only have a few more years of usefulness apparently. LOL Show Less
LibraryThing member bolgai
The quaint seaside town is the hiding place for the two most dangerous spies the Germans have working on their side. The crux of the matter is that these spies are most likely English and the English officials on all levels of the government who are sympathetic to the Nazi cause make investigation
I laughed at the loving condescension of the middle-aged sleuths' children for their parents. They think they're so important in their jobs and don't even suspect that their parents do more than knit and play golf to occupy their time. I admired the wits and the guts of the two patriots ready to sacrifice themselves for their country. I marveled at the dedication they displayed to each other, the affection and the partnership in everything their relationship is based on. I suspected everyone and in the end the bad guys were those I didn't even think to suspect. Hope you do better :)
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impossible. Intelligence brings in two perfect outsiders, Tommy and Tuppence, and tasks them with discovering who these spies are while working undercover. They are former intelligence agents who are not quite ready to retire and behind their positively ordinary appearance they are the perfect people to take down England's main threat. I laughed at the loving condescension of the middle-aged sleuths' children for their parents. They think they're so important in their jobs and don't even suspect that their parents do more than knit and play golf to occupy their time. I admired the wits and the guts of the two patriots ready to sacrifice themselves for their country. I marveled at the dedication they displayed to each other, the affection and the partnership in everything their relationship is based on. I suspected everyone and in the end the bad guys were those I didn't even think to suspect. Hope you do better :)
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LibraryThing member TadAD
Tommy and Tuppence are not my favorite of Christie's characters so, while this passed an afternoon, I didn't warm to it all that much.
LibraryThing member EmmaBleu
Though Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple were Agatha Christie’s best-known detectives, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford were perhaps her most dynamic. The only pair of Christie’s detectives to hold equal standing, the two were well matched: While not the cleverest, Tommy kept a tenacious hold on the
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facts, and was complemented by the more intellectually nimble Tuppence. They are also the only of Christie’s characters to age and change over time--from fresh-faced and full of excitement in The Secret Adversary (1922) to elderly and doddering in Postern of Fate (1973). We’re offering all four novels and the collection of stories (Partners in Crime) that feature the charismatic couple. Show Less
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
With World War II underway, it's only natural that Tommy and Tuppence Beresford would recall their experiences during the previous war. They approached their dangerous assignments then with a sense of adventure. Their early venture into private detecting ended with the birth of their children. Now
I'm among the minority of Christie fans who count Tommy and Tuppence as their favorite detectives. They're a perfect team. I think it's the extra sense of danger and the espionage angle to the stories that appeals so much to me. Poirot and Miss Marple are rarely, if ever, in physical danger from the murderers they unmask. Danger is all in a day's work for Tommy and Tuppence. Although we've missed the Beresford children's youth between the last Tommy and Tuppence novel and this one, there's an adorable toddler staying with her mother at the hotel and she manages to charm both the Beresfords and the reader. She's just one more reason to love this book.
World War II is currently popular as a setting for historical mysteries, and many of the recently written books bear strong similarities to this Christie adventure. However, today's novelists have an advantage that Christie didn't have. They know how the war ended, and they know about operations that were secret during the war years. N or M? was published in 1941, long before the war ended. It's interesting that one of the characters in the novel is a Major Bletchley. I wonder if this caused a stir in intelligence circles when the novel was published? It's common knowledge now that Bletchley Park was the British headquarters for cryptographers during World War II, but it wasn't public knowledge at the time Christie wrote this novel.
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that the children are grown, Tommy and Tuppence wonder if there isn't some way that they can use their experience to serve their country. Tommy is pleasantly surprised to receive an assignment to pose as a guest at a seaside hotel in Leahampton. The intelligence service knows that an enemy agent – either N or M - is operating from the hotel. Is it one of the guests? Or possibly the mysterious proprietor? Imagine Tommy's surprise when he arrives to find that he's already very well acquainted with one of his fellow guests. Can Tommy and his partner spot the enemy agent before the agent spots them?I'm among the minority of Christie fans who count Tommy and Tuppence as their favorite detectives. They're a perfect team. I think it's the extra sense of danger and the espionage angle to the stories that appeals so much to me. Poirot and Miss Marple are rarely, if ever, in physical danger from the murderers they unmask. Danger is all in a day's work for Tommy and Tuppence. Although we've missed the Beresford children's youth between the last Tommy and Tuppence novel and this one, there's an adorable toddler staying with her mother at the hotel and she manages to charm both the Beresfords and the reader. She's just one more reason to love this book.
World War II is currently popular as a setting for historical mysteries, and many of the recently written books bear strong similarities to this Christie adventure. However, today's novelists have an advantage that Christie didn't have. They know how the war ended, and they know about operations that were secret during the war years. N or M? was published in 1941, long before the war ended. It's interesting that one of the characters in the novel is a Major Bletchley. I wonder if this caused a stir in intelligence circles when the novel was published? It's common knowledge now that Bletchley Park was the British headquarters for cryptographers during World War II, but it wasn't public knowledge at the time Christie wrote this novel.
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LibraryThing member themulhern
Michael Innes did wartime propaganda so much better. Christie is so schmalzy. The identity of the fifth columnists was apparent early on so our heroes seemed a little dense.
The fifth columnists seemed to accomplish so very little except to undermine all their own plans. It would be so much more
The fifth columnists seemed to accomplish so very little except to undermine all their own plans. It would be so much more
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impressive if their efforts had achieved something before they were discovered. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mrsbaty
Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are two of my favorite characters created by Agatha Christie. Compared to Poirot or Miss Marple, they are somehow more relatable, maybe because they are a married couple with children and so deal with more day-to-day realities of life. And they are hugely entertaining!
In N or M? they are in the middle of World War II and they are told that they are just too old to be of any real help in the war effort despite their successes in the last war. Their son is a RAF pilot and their daughter works in one of the administration offices so T&T feel like they are the only ones sitting home uselessly. I'm moving into the stage of life where I sometimes feel like I'm running out of time and maybe that is why this book resonates so well with me. When a representative from one of the spy agencies shows up and offers Tommy a job filing papers at a secret compound in Scotland, Tuppence doesn't believe it. And she's right. He's actually being sent to a holiday boarding house on the coast to look for a German spy masterminding an imminent invasion. Imagine his shock when he arrives and Tuppence is already living there, under a false name!
As they sort through the occupants of the guest house, Sans Souci, they encounter a German immigrant, a bluff British ex-military man, a mother with her child, and various other characters, all of whom seem to be exactly who they are and yet all of whom seem suspicious. I really did not know who to suspect until AC revealed it but as always, the clues are there is you can see them. They, of course, successfully stop the spymaster in ways that I find quite clever.
Tommy and Tuppence are not universally loved by AC readers but I find them pure entertainment and that's what I read fiction for. They love each other and their children deeply. They, especially Tuppence, are sharp and clever. I highly recommend Tommy and Tuppence!
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In N or M? they are in the middle of World War II and they are told that they are just too old to be of any real help in the war effort despite their successes in the last war. Their son is a RAF pilot and their daughter works in one of the administration offices so T&T feel like they are the only ones sitting home uselessly. I'm moving into the stage of life where I sometimes feel like I'm running out of time and maybe that is why this book resonates so well with me. When a representative from one of the spy agencies shows up and offers Tommy a job filing papers at a secret compound in Scotland, Tuppence doesn't believe it. And she's right. He's actually being sent to a holiday boarding house on the coast to look for a German spy masterminding an imminent invasion. Imagine his shock when he arrives and Tuppence is already living there, under a false name!
As they sort through the occupants of the guest house, Sans Souci, they encounter a German immigrant, a bluff British ex-military man, a mother with her child, and various other characters, all of whom seem to be exactly who they are and yet all of whom seem suspicious. I really did not know who to suspect until AC revealed it but as always, the clues are there is you can see them. They, of course, successfully stop the spymaster in ways that I find quite clever.
Tommy and Tuppence are not universally loved by AC readers but I find them pure entertainment and that's what I read fiction for. They love each other and their children deeply. They, especially Tuppence, are sharp and clever. I highly recommend Tommy and Tuppence!
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LibraryThing member .Monkey.
This was my first foray into Tommy and Tuppence, and I have to say, they're quite fun. I think I enjoyed quirky Miss Marple just a touch more, but the Beresfords are quite a pair! Leave it to the Queen of Crime to create an entire house full of convincing suspects and nary a solid clue as to just
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who the real culprit(s) may be! Definitely an enjoyable read. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsnightskyre
Most of the Agatha Christie I've read in the past has Hercule Poirot as the detective. This looks to be from a different series, because our heroes are Tommy and Prudence ("Tuppence") Beresford, and it's set during World War II. It's more of a spy novel than a true murder mystery. Sure, someone
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dies at the beginning, but they were a spy (for England), and the goal is not really to find out who killed them, but who is the spy for the Germans. The man's dying words are the title of the book - our heroes know they are looking for German spies codenamed N and M, one male and one female. But they don't know which one is actually present in the small seaside resort town. Pretty typical Agatha Christie, lots of twists and turns and misdirection, all coming to a point very quickly at the end. It was highly enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
Though not as much fun as the first Tommy and Tuppence (Partners in CRime) with its parodies of other fictional detectives, this still has the enjoyable main characters, and is a sort of cosy spy nove l if there can be such a thing. A dying British agent's cryptic last words (Nor M song Susie)
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indicate an important German agent is in a certain seaside village in Britain and Tommy and Tuppence settle in to an apparently conventional boardinghouse to find the agent. Show Less
LibraryThing member mstrust
Tommy and Tuppence have been out of the sleuthing trade for several years. Retired, with grown children, WWII has broken out and they both want to be useful to their country, but they've been rejected due to their age. It's a great surprise when Tommy is sought out and sent to a lodging house in a
This is a different Christie. We haven't seen the Beresfords in a few years, and the plot turns on the war and secret agents rather than a wealthy family or money.
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small seaside village to root out double agents helping the Nazis. And just because she refuses to be left out, Tuppence takes a room in the house posing as a widow.This is a different Christie. We haven't seen the Beresfords in a few years, and the plot turns on the war and secret agents rather than a wealthy family or money.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Audiobook performed by James Warwick
Book # 3 in the Tommy and Tuppence series has our couple bemoaning the fact that they’ve been basically put out to pasture. They recall how very successful they were in ferreting out spies during the Great War (i.e. WW I), and bemoan the fact that their
Tommy and Tuppence are quite the pair, but the books are definitely dated. Still the intrigue is there and I was kept guessing right up to the end. Christie throws in several red herrings, a colorful cast of characters, some near misses and definite danger to keep the plot moving at a fast pace and the reader off balance.
James Warwick does a fine job narrating the audio version.
Book # 3 in the Tommy and Tuppence series has our couple bemoaning the fact that they’ve been basically put out to pasture. They recall how very successful they were in ferreting out spies during the Great War (i.e. WW I), and bemoan the fact that their
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government seems not to want to use them this time around. Ah, but there is a small job that Tommy might help with. There is no role for Tuppence, but you can’t expect her to take THAT lying down!Tommy and Tuppence are quite the pair, but the books are definitely dated. Still the intrigue is there and I was kept guessing right up to the end. Christie throws in several red herrings, a colorful cast of characters, some near misses and definite danger to keep the plot moving at a fast pace and the reader off balance.
James Warwick does a fine job narrating the audio version.
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LibraryThing member passion4reading
It's 1940 and Tommy and Tuppence are frustrated that the government won't allow them to do their bit for the war effort by working in Intelligence again. One day, a Mr Grant appears and makes Tommy an offer he can't refuse: to go undercover in a small town on the South Coast and try to root out
This was an enjoyable romp with a very likeable pair of leads, but maybe not on a par with some of Agatha Christie's better-known novels. Originally published in 1941, the setting and atmosphere feel authentic, even though some of the notions discussed feel very outdated by today's standards (phrenology, really?). Some reviewers have commented on the lack of pace, and while it is true that for the majority of the book Tommy and Tuppence poke their noses into other people's business asking questions, the tension gradually increases very effectively, with a definite sense of underlying menace felt at Sans Souci in the second half of the book.
For a novel written at the height of the Second World War, the author refreshingly displays a very enlightened attitude to Germans as a nation, when often Germany is portrayed as being a country full of Nazi sympathisers and collaborators. As usually the case with Agatha Christie titles, the fun lies in trying to beat the author to the big revelation at the end, trying to sift the multiple red herrings from the few genuine clues.
Not world literature, admittedly, but a very enjoyable way of passing a few hours and engaging the brain.
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members of the Fifth Column - the enemy within - who have connections to a boarding house called Sans Souci; the only problem is that Tuppence can't go with him. When Tommy finally arrives at Sans Souci after a couple of days spent covering his tracks, he is introduced to the other boarders, one of whom is Tuppence under an assumed identity. Together they set out to uncover the identities of N or M, but spying on others and asking questions is a dangerous business as they soon attract the attention of enemy agents.This was an enjoyable romp with a very likeable pair of leads, but maybe not on a par with some of Agatha Christie's better-known novels. Originally published in 1941, the setting and atmosphere feel authentic, even though some of the notions discussed feel very outdated by today's standards (phrenology, really?). Some reviewers have commented on the lack of pace, and while it is true that for the majority of the book Tommy and Tuppence poke their noses into other people's business asking questions, the tension gradually increases very effectively, with a definite sense of underlying menace felt at Sans Souci in the second half of the book.
For a novel written at the height of the Second World War, the author refreshingly displays a very enlightened attitude to Germans as a nation, when often Germany is portrayed as being a country full of Nazi sympathisers and collaborators. As usually the case with Agatha Christie titles, the fun lies in trying to beat the author to the big revelation at the end, trying to sift the multiple red herrings from the few genuine clues.
Not world literature, admittedly, but a very enjoyable way of passing a few hours and engaging the brain.
Show Less
LibraryThing member passion4reading
It's 1940 and Tommy and Tuppence are frustrated that the government won't allow them to do their bit for the war effort by working in Intelligence again. One day, a Mr Grant appears and makes Tommy an offer he can't refuse: to go undercover in a small town on the South Coast and try to root out
This was an enjoyable romp with a very likeable pair of leads, but maybe not on a par with some of Agatha Christie's better-known novels. Originally published in 1941, the setting and atmosphere feel authentic, even though some of the notions discussed feel very outdated by today's standards (phrenology, really?). Some reviewers have commented on the lack of pace, and while it is true that for the majority of the book Tommy and Tuppence poke their noses into other people's business asking questions, the tension gradually increases very effectively, with a definite sense of underlying menace felt at Sans Souci in the second half of the book.
For a novel written at the height of the Second World War, the author refreshingly displays a very enlightened attitude to Germans as a nation, when often Germany is portrayed as being a country full of Nazi sympathisers and collaborators. As usually the case with Agatha Christie titles, the fun lies in trying to beat the author to the big revelation at the end, trying to sift the multiple red herrings from the few genuine clues.
Not world literature, admittedly, but a very enjoyable way of passing a few hours and engaging the brain.
Show More
members of the Fifth Column - the enemy within - who have connections to a boarding house called Sans Souci; the only problem is that Tuppence can't go with him. When Tommy finally arrives at Sans Souci after a couple of days spent covering his tracks, he is introduced to the other boarders, one of whom is Tuppence under an assumed identity. Together they set out to uncover the identities of N or M, but spying on others and asking questions is a dangerous business as they soon attract the attention of enemy agents.This was an enjoyable romp with a very likeable pair of leads, but maybe not on a par with some of Agatha Christie's better-known novels. Originally published in 1941, the setting and atmosphere feel authentic, even though some of the notions discussed feel very outdated by today's standards (phrenology, really?). Some reviewers have commented on the lack of pace, and while it is true that for the majority of the book Tommy and Tuppence poke their noses into other people's business asking questions, the tension gradually increases very effectively, with a definite sense of underlying menace felt at Sans Souci in the second half of the book.
For a novel written at the height of the Second World War, the author refreshingly displays a very enlightened attitude to Germans as a nation, when often Germany is portrayed as being a country full of Nazi sympathisers and collaborators. As usually the case with Agatha Christie titles, the fun lies in trying to beat the author to the big revelation at the end, trying to sift the multiple red herrings from the few genuine clues.
Not world literature, admittedly, but a very enjoyable way of passing a few hours and engaging the brain.
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LibraryThing member lahochstetler
During WWII Tommy and Tuppence are frustrated by their inability to help the war effort. Their contacts in intelligence drop an opportunity into their laps. Two of Hitler's agents are believed to be loose in Britain. Tommy and Tuppence travel to a seaside boarding house to try and discover who
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these agents are, known to British intelligence as N and M. The cast at the boarding house is all rather suspicious. This mystery is similar to the earlier Tommy and Tuppence mysteries. At the end things look tight, but we discover we don't know everything about what Tommy and Tuppence know. Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
WW II, Tommy & Tuppence are older & retired.... bored at home, wanting something to work on when a mystery from the home office turns up..... The man in charge wants to exclude Tuppence, so she "conveniently leaves" to visit a friend who has just rang-her-up. In her absence Tommy is asked to help
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decipher a cryptic message that a dying agent passed on to them...... "N or M... Sans Souci". Upon discussion it is surmised that there is a German agent; either the infamous N or M in San Souci and so Tommy is sent to uncover and bring down the spy.In San Souci... Tommy comes to stay in a respectable guest house and makes a fast acquaintance w/ Mrs. Blenkinsop (turns out to be Tuppence) and together they unravel the mystery of N or M.
The clues are there and I must say that I am delighted that more & more often I am able to figure out "who done it", as I have never been able to unravel a Christie until now. Yes there was her blatant bigotry, right at the beginning about "Red Indians; The only good Indian is a.... Indian", but at least she didn't go on & on about that.....
This was easy to read and a bit of a drag...... not much action or murder until towards the end..... Mostly supposition & snooping around....
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LibraryThing member AmphipodGirl
After the dreadful Big Four, it was a pleasure to read a GOOD Christie spy novel. Tommy and Tuppence are sweet together, and I identified with their irritation at being thought too old to be useful. For once I actually guessed one of the plot twists in a Christie book accurately and I'm
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unreasonably pleased with myself. Show Less
LibraryThing member huntersun9
A restless Tommy is thrilled to be asked by old colleague Mr. Carter to play an important role in a mission to uncover the identity of Fifth Column members during WWII. Tuppence figures a way to get in on the action and it's another clever mystery for the intrigue-loving couple. I'm just getting
(First book finished in 2022. Hope this is a better reading year.)
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started with Christie so thank goodness for the generous recap at the end because I find the plots a bit confusing. But still a very satisfying read and I will continue; I just have to pay closer attention to all the clues she drops along the way.(First book finished in 2022. Hope this is a better reading year.)
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LibraryThing member delphimo
What an unusual title for a book, N or M, by Agatha Christie. This is a Tommy and Tuppence book. I am not a fan of this series, but this book fares better than some of the other books in this series. Tommy still seems to be less intelligent than Tuppence. Tommy and Tuppence work undercover to help
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catch German spies in the spring of 1940. Hitler and his Nazis attempt to learn the secrets of the British government and military. The husband and wife team advance to a local hotel in Sans Souci. I enjoy the sense of secrecy and the dangers for Tommy and Tuppence. Probably, the first time I figured the German spies identity. Too many blatant clues. But an enjoyable look at pre WWII England. Show Less
LibraryThing member funstm
I adore Tommy and Tuppence. They're freaking hilarious. Tuppence in particular is a legend.
“You know,” said the young man with enthusiasm, “I think you’re splendid, simply splendid.” “Cut out the compliments,” said Tuppence. “I’m admiring myself a good deal, so there’s no need
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
I love that they're both still happily married and as in love as they ever were. You don't really see many books about happily married couples where their falling in love is the beginning of the story - not the end. Plus they're still full of snark and banter and it was perfection. I also adore that Tuppence hasn't lost her thirst for adventure or her tendency for mischief. Pulling one over Mr Grant had me in hysterics. Succinctly, Tommy narrated what had occurred. He did not dare look at the other. He carefully kept out of his voice the pride that he secretly felt. There was a silence when he brought the story to an end. Then a queer noise escaped from the other. Grant was laughing. He laughed for some minutes. He said: “I take my hat off to the woman! She’s one in a thousand!” “I agree,” said Tommy.
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
And that Tommy is still as supportive of her as ever.“And Mrs. Blenkensop.” More knitting—an untidy dark head which lifted from an absorbed contemplation of a Balaclava helmet. Tommy held his breath, the room spun round. Mrs. Blenkensop! Tuppence! By all that was impossible and unbelievable—Tuppence, calmly knitting in the lounge of Sans Souci. Her eyes met his—polite, uninterested stranger’s eyes. His admiration rose. Tuppence!
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
“How on earth did you get here, Tuppence?” murmured Tommy. “It’s a miracle—an absolute miracle.” “It’s not a miracle at all—just brains.” “Your brains, I suppose?” “You suppose rightly.
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition. They have such a great relationship and I love that give and take between them - they're a real partnership. And Tommy recognises it and endorses it.
That was what his life with Tuppence had been and would always be—a Joint Venture. . . .
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
The mystery was fantastic. I loved the twists and turns and the doubts and the clues. I enjoyed finding out who was N and M and how they went about it. It amused me how they were dismissed for being too old (at forty six) but totally went ahead and foiled a major national security plot. And Albert makes an appearance!
Overall 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
“You know,” said the young man with enthusiasm, “I think you’re splendid, simply splendid.” “Cut out the compliments,” said Tuppence. “I’m admiring myself a good deal, so there’s no need
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for you to chime in.Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
I love that they're both still happily married and as in love as they ever were. You don't really see many books about happily married couples where their falling in love is the beginning of the story - not the end. Plus they're still full of snark and banter and it was perfection. I also adore that Tuppence hasn't lost her thirst for adventure or her tendency for mischief.
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
And that Tommy is still as supportive of her as ever.
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
“How on earth did you get here, Tuppence?” murmured Tommy. “It’s a miracle—an absolute miracle.” “It’s not a miracle at all—just brains.” “Your brains, I suppose?” “You suppose rightly.
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
That was what his life with Tuppence had been and would always be—a Joint Venture. . . .
Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.
The mystery was fantastic. I loved the twists and turns and the doubts and the clues. I enjoyed finding out who was N and M and how they went about it. It amused me how they were dismissed for being too old (at forty six) but totally went ahead and foiled a major national security plot. And Albert makes an appearance!
Overall 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
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LibraryThing member electrascaife
Tommy and Tuppence are now middle-aged and chafing at the idea that no one seems to want to let them help out in this war effort like in the last one. So when an old friend recommends Tommy for a spy gig on home shores, he jumps at the chance, even though they’re both told that it’s men’s
It’s Christie, so of course everyone is a suspect, and the plot is fast-paced and fun. I’m always delightfully shocked by the reveal, and as always, I adore Tommy and Tuppence.
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work only – and finds Tuppence already undercover and waiting for him when he arrives. Their job is to try to uncover a German spy mastermind in a small resort town while posing as boring old ordinary citizens on extended holiday and staying at a boarding house. It’s Christie, so of course everyone is a suspect, and the plot is fast-paced and fun. I’m always delightfully shocked by the reveal, and as always, I adore Tommy and Tuppence.
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1941-11-01
Local notes
Set during World War Two. Tommy and Tuppence - unlikely Intelligence Service spies - decide to help Queen and country by tracking down two ruthless traitors. The only clue to the traitors’ identities is a government agent's dying words that lead them to the Sans Souci boarding house, where it’ll take some extremely subtle detection work to establish which of the guests are the treacherous N and M.
1941, Tommy & Tuppence.
1941, Tommy & Tuppence.