The Secret Adversary: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery"Two young adventurers for hire. Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good. No reasonable offer refused." With that bold declaration, Thomas "Tommy" Beresford and Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley launch their career as sleuths. The childhood chums, newly reunited in London during the lean years after the Great War, are immediately swept up in a series of thrilling escapades as they search for a secret treaty in the hands of a survivor of the shipwrecked Lusitania. Witty banter highlights their tale of adventure, courage, and suspense, populated by a colorful cast ranging from an American millionaire and a British Intelligence agent to a ring of Bolshevist conspirators headed by a criminal mastermind. Agatha Christie published The Secret Adversary in 1922 after the success of her very first book, TheMysterious Affair at Styles, which introduced Hercule Poirot. With stolid Tommy and lively Tuppence, Christie created a pair of fan favorites to whom she returned throughout her career; the fun-loving duo appear in three other novels and a collection of short stories, and their exploits have been adapted for stage and screen. The beloved characters' debut offers a light-hearted romp that also recaptures the spirit of its age, as postwar England hovered on the brink of monumental change. |
Contents
1 | |
Mr Whittingtons Offer | 9 |
A Set Back | 17 |
Who Is Jane Finn? | 23 |
Mr Julius P Hersheimmer | 32 |
A Plan of Campaign | 38 |
The House in Soho | 45 |
The Adventures of Tommy | 51 |
Further Adventures of Tommy | 122 |
Annette | 130 |
The Telegram | 144 |
Jane Finn | 157 |
Too Late | 166 |
Tommy Makes a Discovery | 172 |
In Downing Street | 177 |
A Race Against Time | 182 |
Tuppence Enters Domestic Service | 60 |
Enter Sir James Peel Edgerton | 69 |
Julius Tells a Story | 76 |
A Friend in Need | 85 |
The Vigil | 100 |
A Consultation | 109 |
Tuppence Receives a Proposal II 5 | 115 |
Julius Takes a Hand | 188 |
Janes Story | 198 |
Mr Brown | 211 |
A Supper Party at the Savoy | 217 |
And After | 226 |
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Common terms and phrases
afraid Albert American Annette anyway asked believe Beresford Boris Bournemouth Brown Carlton House Terrace Carter chance Conrad cried Tuppence Danvers darned dear door Esthonia eyes face fancy feel fool gave German girl glance guess hand heard Holyhead hurry I’ve James Peel Edgerton Jane Finn Julius Hersheimmer Julius's knew Kramenin lawyer Lusitania Métropole mind minute Miss Tuppence morning murmured never night Number o'clock oilskin once papers passed paused Pêche Melba perhaps pocket quietly remember Rita Ritz Russian Scotland Yard SECRET ADVERSARY seemed shook his head Sir James Peel Sir James's smiled Soho house spoke stared suddenly suppose taxi tell There's thought thoughtfully told Tommy and Tuppence Tommy felt Tommy shook Tommy's took Tuppence felt Tuppence's turned Vandemeyer voice waiting What's Whittington woman words Young Adventurers young lady