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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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Here‘s my review for this book I just finished reading. This is June‘s short story for the #christiescapers buddy read.

Librarybelle So glad you enjoyed it! 3w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

I made more progress in this book tonight. I have 2 hours and 39 minutes left. This is June‘s story.

#christiescapers

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

I‘m not finished with this book yet for the #christiescapers buddy read so I‘ll be finishing it in July. I have 4 hours and 19 minutes left.

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suvata

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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Reading on #Litsy with Christie‘s Capers (Reading Agatha Christie's books in publication order) Hosted by @Librarybelle
#AgathaChristieClubR3

4 Stars • The Secret of Chimneys (1925) by Agatha Christie introduces Superintendent Battle. Anthony Cade, an adventurer, is tasked with delivering a Herzoslovakian count‘s memoirs and returning compromising letters to Virginia Revel. ⬇️

suvata At Chimneys, a grand estate, Cade uncovers a political conspiracy involving a stolen diamond and the Herzoslovakian monarchy. When Prince Michael is murdered, Cade and Battle navigate secret passages, a master thief, and political intrigue to solve the crime. With clever twists and a lighthearted tone, the mystery unravels, blending romance and deception.

#TheSecretOfChimneys #SuperintendentBattle #AgathaChristie
4w

Librarybelle I do like this one, I think for the lighthearted tone 4w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

The #ChristiesCapers discussion for this month is posted! You can find the 5 questions either on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtags.

Next month we revisit Poirot and dive into one of Christie‘s best novels and ranked as one of the best mysteries of all time: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Official post tomorrow! #AgathaChristieClubR3

janeycanuck, suvata, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Teresereading, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill

Deblovestoread I‘m about halfway I think. Will pop in when I‘m done. 4w

mrp27 I didn‘t get to this one this month. 😕 4w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

This post contains spoilers

Librarybelle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Balkans#20th_cen... 4w

5. Though Herzoslovakia is fictional, the 1925 publication of this novel, and the placement of the country in Eastern Europe, alludes to the unrest in the Balkan region of Europe. Christie also introduces some of her experiences during the Grand Tour in Africa in this novel--think, for instance, the novel's opening in Africa.

Wikipedia article on the Balkans' history below. How aware were you of this? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC I had limited knowledge of the Balkans, with a little more knowledge about how World War I started and then the war in the 1990s. I assume the readers at the time of publication would have had more of that knowledge in mind than I did reading it now. 4w

BarbaraJean So interesting! The “Black Hand“! I had very little knowledge of this historical backdrop for the story. 4w

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dabbe I also have very little knowledge of this region and its history. The article definitely helped; thank you! 🤩 4w

Larkken That is all very interesting, thanks! 4w

suvata I that it definitely draws on the 1925 political climate and Christie‘s personal experiences to enrich its setting and themes. The fictional Herzoslovakia, placed in Eastern Europe, mirrors the Balkan region‘s real-world unrest during the interwar period, with its volatile mix of monarchist and revolutionary tensions. 3w

MariaW Thanks for the article. I think Christie did do well to use the current state of affairs (e.g. both World Wars, Balkan Wars) in her novels. It made them more referable to the readers (even though they might not have been well informed) and at the same time more believable fiction. 1w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

This post contains spoilers

4. We'd be very remiss to talk about Herzoslovakia, Christie's fictional Eastern European country that will later appear in two Poirot stories. In prior discussions, we discussed the casual racism found in the books; this one is no exception. Christie barely discusses the country itself, but we the reader get a sense that the people from Herzoslovakia are suspect, to say the least. Any comments? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristeClubR3

More ⬇ ⬇ ⬇

Librarybelle Here is a link to an article found in the Journal of Literature, Culture and Literary Translation that discusses all of the nuances of Herzoslovakia, including Christie's take on the place and the people: https://www.sic-journal.org/Article/Index/406 4w

MallenNC I think this came out the most in the way Boris, the servant, was described like an animal. Thanks for sharing the article. 4w

willaful The racism and politics are so bad in this one I had to just not think about them. 4w

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BarbaraJean Like @willaful, I had to set aside the problematic racism/politics & not think about it. It was easier here than with Man in the Brown Suit, maybe because it's a fictional country! Thanks for sharing that article. The idea that Christie uses Herzoslovakia “not...as an Other to illustrate British virtue, but as a mirror to British vice“ is super interesting. The British characters are shown to also be complicit, so there was a BIT more nuance here. 4w

dabbe @Librarybelle @MallenNC @willaful @BarbaraJean Christie‘s Herzoslovakia is a vague, unstable monarchy filled with “swarthy“ conspirators, bomb-throwing anarchists, and exaggerated accents; it seems that she depicts the Balkans as a hotbed of intrigue and violence. Herzoslovakians are uniformly portrayed as untrustworthy (Prince Michael) or buffoons (the Baron). Even Cade is a British-educated outsider, implying superiority. Thanks for the article! 4w

Larkken I think I had just read the Poirot story with the “chinamen” cringe bits so I was braced to do like the rest of you and set them off to the side while reading. It‘s a bummer since they limit her books‘ rereadability- I have to be in the mood to consciously not think about things 4w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

This post contains spoilers

3. Speaking of main characters, Anthony Cade is the true main character in this novel and presents a less-than-serious approach to the story. While some reviewers call this a thriller (see question 1), reviewers also comment on the levity in the book, considering this more humorous than Christie's previous five books. Do you agree/disagree? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC I liked Cade as a character and some parts were funny but that didn‘t really stick out to me as I read. I admit I was confused/surprised by the twists his character was involved in 4w

BarbaraJean I‘d agree—Cade and Virginia and Bundle especially are much more lighthearted characters. There‘s quite a bit of banter, which adds to the humor. Secret Adversary also had both those things but the overall tone/situations there felt more serious. 4w

willaful I guess I was in just the right mood because I really enjoyed the Silly Asses and Bright Young Things in this. It wasn't a favorite of mine growing up -- I preferred The Clocks, which is sort of a sequel , and I'll be interested to see if I still do when we get to it. 4w

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dabbe @Librarybelle @MallenNC @BarbaraJean @willaful I definitely agree. I snorted out loud quite a few times reading this. The novel is packed with witty banter, absurd situations (e.g., sneezing during a stakeout), and caricatured characters (e.g., Baron Lollipop's Yoda-like syntax). To me, it is markedly lighter than Christie‘s first five novels. 4w

Deblovestoread I enjoyed the lighter tone and Anthony very much. 4w

suvata I agree The Secret of Chimneys is more humorous than Christie‘s prior five books, driven by Anthony Cade‘s witty, carefree attitude. His playful charm and the tangled, almost farcical plot create a lighter tone than the serious mysteries of *Styles* or *Links*. (edited) 3w

MariaW This one is definitely funnier than the last ones, but then again Anthony jolly behaviour somehow is like a red herring. It seems like he is on the case because it‘s fun (and there might be money in it was well), but in the end we realize it was a far more serious matter for him all along (edited) 1w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

This post contains spoilers

2. Christie moves away from Poirot again to introduce Inspector or Superintendent Battle, who will appear in four other works. What do you think of Battle? Why do you think Christie chose to introduce another non-Poirot main character? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC I was wondering that myself as I read, why didn‘t she just make this a Poirot mystery. I wonder if she didn‘t want to get stuck in only one series or if she just wanted to present the solution without her really clever Poirot involved 4w

BarbaraJean Because this feels less like a traditional murder mystery, it made sense to me that she introduced a new main character. Although it felt a little like with Colonel Race, where he wasn‘t exactly the main character! 4w

willaful I think she wanted her romantic couple at the forefront but an intelligent member of the force was useful. Poirot would have wrong for the tone of this. In a similar way (though very different tone) she used Battle again in Towards Zero and though she did use Poirot in The Hollow she regretted it and removed him from the play adaptation IIRC. 4w

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dabbe @Librarybelle @MallenNC @BarbaraJean @willaful Since these were Christie's early years, maybe she was still experimenting and finding which detectives worked and which didn't. Poirot would have never worked here. Battle is an understated, methodical Scotland Yard detective with no flashy quirks—no foreign accent, no theatricality, just steady competence. Christie describes him as one “who listens more than he speaks“, making him a foil to Poirot. 4w

Larkken I liked Battle ! As @dabbe says, the lack of theatricality was refreshing after Poirot lol. If it was me, I‘d also be sick of writing Hastings if I was Christie and they seem like a bit of a set 4w

dabbe @Larkken 🎯🩵🎯 4w

Deblovestoread I liked Battle, too, although the twinkle in his eye might have been mentioned a time or two too many. I agree with @dabbe Agatha had lots of ideas and she trying out what works best. 4w

dabbe @Deblovestoread 🩵🎯🩵 4w

suvata Superintendent Battle is a solid, understated detective—calm and sharp, fitting the thriller vibe of The Secret of Chimneys. Christie likely introduced him to diversify her detective roster and suit the novel‘s action-driven plot, moving away from Poirot‘s cerebral style to appeal to adventure fans. 3w

MariaW I agree with all that was mentioned earlier. And his way of handling the case is a good contrast to Anthony‘s unpedictable and unusal behavior. He is the serious one next to the jolly character who wants to solve the case more for fun than reason. Only in the end we find out, that this was just a mascarade as well. 1w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

This post contains spoilers

1. The Secret of Chimneys has been categorized by reviewers as another work that is more thriller than traditional mystery (think Poirot). Overall, what did you think of the book? Would you agree/disagree that this is more thriller than traditional? This is the sixth book we have read...how did it measure up to the past five books? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC It definitely read more like a thriller than a mystery for me. There were a lot of secret identities! I always miss Poirot in these books without him (unless it‘s Miss Marple). 4w

BarbaraJean I wouldn‘t have called it a thriller, just because the tone was more lighthearted (though maybe I didn‘t get thriller vibes because thrillers today have a quite different tone!). But it does feel more thriller than traditional if compared to Poirot. It‘s not really a spy story, either, but maybe intrigue would be a better word? 4w

willaful I'm not sure it's thrilling enough to be considered a thriller. 😂 I'd call it a mystery adventure I guess. 4w

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dabbe @Librarybelle @MallenNC @BarbaraJean @willaful Agree with all of you! I think I'd call it a witty thriller of intrigue. You've got a fast-paced, high-stakes plot, multiple crimes occurring, and action over deduction where Cade engages in daring acts over methodical detective work (talking to you, Sherlock). And interesting that Cade was more of the detective than Battle (IMHO). 4w

Larkken I always feel like a romantic subplot with danger to one of the MCs gives off more thriller than mystery vibes. But there sure were a bunch of red herrings in mystery-like fashion! 4w

Deblovestoread Thriller didn‘t occur to me…maybe meatier mystery or mystery adventure like @willaful said 4w

suvata I agree it‘s more thriller than traditional mystery, with its focus on international intrigue, hidden identities, and adventure rather than Poirot-style deduction. 3w

MariaW Definitely too much politics and too many secret identities in for me. For sure it was more fast-paced than the last ones. 1w

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

I just started this week‘s short story for the #christiescapers buddy read. I like it so far. I won‘t be finished in time for the discussion on Sunday but I hope to finish this story before the end of the month.

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Deblovestoread

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

#ChristiesCapers

This kindle edition of the tagged book is weird. On page 36 there was an author pic of Agatha and I thought ‘sloppy editing‘. Now there are different pics on pages 79 and 114, does that mean it‘s intentional? Is so, I don‘t think I like it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Librarybelle

Librarybelle That is so bizarre! I would not like that either. 1mo

Bookwormjillk I had a copy of the Bell Jar that was funky like that once and Amazon took it away and refunded my money because they said it was unauthorized! 1mo

Deblovestoread @Bookwormjillk Interesting! 1mo

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kspenmoll That is weird & so distracting!!!!! 1mo

RaeLovesToRead Agatha: oh hello, are you enjoying the book so far? 1mo

quietjenn So odd! 1mo

Pruzy @RaeLovesToRead love this! 1mo

AnnCrystal 🧐 That's odd?? 1mo

Bookwomble I was just reading about the first publication of the Sherlock Holmes stories in book form following their original serial publication in the Strand magazine, which said that because the formatting was changed from double to single column, the publisher had to move the illustrations around and they ended up not being on the same page as the passage they depicted. Maybe something similar here? 🤔 1mo

tpixie @Bookwomble interesting 🤔 5d

tpixie @Bookwormjillk interesting 🧐 5d

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

We‘re a week away from our next #ChristiesCapers discussion! I‘ve seen some good reviews posted so far; this one does get mixed reviews by Christie lovers. I like this one and plan to reread it this week to have it fresh in my mind for next Sunday.

Discussion questions will be posted by 12pm US East Coast time on the 29th! #AgathaChristieClubR3

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majkia

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

Who is who and what the heck is what? All deception and twists.

#Bookspin @TheAromaofBooks
#ChristieCapers @LibraryBelle

Librarybelle I‘m looking forward to rereading this one with the group! 1mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! This is a fun one!! 1mo

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kspenmoll

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

Friday morning book & coffee before work. Our last day with students! #ChristieCapers

Librarybelle Yay!! 1mo

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dabbe

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

#readyourkindle #readyourbooks
@CBee

How is it June 5th already? 😱

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LitsyEvents

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

repost for @Librarybelle:

June‘s #ChristiesCapers is the first that features Superintendent Battle, who appears in a a few other books/stories. Discussion on June 29th!

All are welcome to join. Please let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3

Librarybelle Thanks for reposting! 2mo

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Manhattan Transfer: A Novel

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

June‘s #ChristiesCapers is the first that features Superintendent Battle, who appears in a a few other books/stories. Discussion on June 29th!

All are welcome to join. Please let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3

Librarybelle @LitsyEvents 2mo

dabbe I had no idea she had so many different detectives! Color me clueless! 🤣 2mo

mrp27 @dabbe Same! I had no clue…. 2mo

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BookishBelle

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

so-so

Catch-up post the last: 🎧 This was my first Christie without Poirot or Marple. Honestly, it dragged quite a bit from middle to end. I think perhaps, it was because I was listening to it. I‘m listening to another now with the same problem. Could just be me.

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KathyWheeler

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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The plot was completely improbable but the characters, especially Virginia & Anthony, were likable and fun. Bundle, who shows up more fully in The Seven Dials Mystery, is introduced. Again, the casual xenophobia and antisemitism is shocking. My library hold for The Light We Carry came in, so I switched to it for my walking book since I have the Agatha Christie bio on ScribD. #audiowalk

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Jeg

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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I decided I might like to read my way through Agatha‘s books. Decided I‘d need another lifetime. 😊. So I‘m reading her short series featuring Superintendent Battle. 4 or 5 books I think. All except 1 in local library. I enjoyed this one . Very convoluted ending . Could never have worked out. Enjoyable read.

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BriannaT

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

so-so

I‘m in Canada to visit family and this is one of the books I brought. Not my favorite standalone novel, and one of the “twists” at the end felt too convenient rather than being well-written.

8 likes

MelindaOtt

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

pan

Not my favorite…currently my least favorite.

9 likes

catsuit_mango

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

Still very rainy here so tea and Lady Agatha are perfect.

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MeJeMiller

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

so-so

I wanted something easy to listen/read at the end of the year. Agatha Christie isn‘t usually my go to but I know she‘s an author I can expect to somewhat enjoy. And I did somewhat enjoy this.

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Preciouz29

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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While not one of her best, I enjoy this; it‘s as close to screwball as she gets.

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ImperfectCJ

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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I might be getting the hang of Agatha Christie's novels. This one has characters I quite like and a solution that I found not entirely unpredictable, which is how I tend to like mysteries. I don't want the reveal to come out of left field, but I also don't want it to be obvious from the start. This novel struck that balance for me. Enjoyed despite the hoity-toity "England's the best and everyone else is a barbarian" overtones.

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ImperfectCJ

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

I would prefer if he sat closer to me, but I can't blame him for wanting to sit in the sunshine. #catsoflitsy

BookishMarginalia Awwww! 4y

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ImperfectCJ

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

Up to now, I've only listened to audiobooks of Agatha Christie's works. This time, however, I'm using a combination of audio and the print version, which revealed that the audio version omits several instances in the print book of an offensive term for someone of Italian or Spanish descent. I approve of this edit but it makes me wonder how many other offensive terms Christie used that I hadn't noticed because they'd been culled from the audiobook.

nanuska_153 I don't really approve of this kind of edits (and I'm Spanish).I don't need my sensibility to be spared, I want to read a book as it was written, as the author wanted me to read it.If the author was racist, I want to know it, and I'll decide for myself if I still appreciate the rest of the work. I rather appreciate how far we have come than to find myself adoring and defending an author that turns out to be heavily edited to not sound like a bigot 4y

ImperfectCJ @nanuska_153 I can see your point about wanting to see an author warts and all, so to speak. I do find myself less enthusiastic about my goal of reading all of Christie's novels now that I know about this side of her writing (combined with the anti-semitism, which I already knew about). I'm becoming more selective about which authors' heads I want to be inside for hours at a time. 4y

ImperfectCJ @nanuska_153 And like you suggest, an author is still a bigot even if she's been edited not to sound like one. Perhaps it's better to know the whole story. 4y

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nanuska_153 @ImperfectCJ I know what you mean, reading racist comments on the background does feel like constant micro aggressions and can really mess up with your mood and you need a break from that underlying violence. 4y

nanuska_153 @ImperfectCJ It happens to me also with movies, I really like Coppola, but I can't watch two of his movies one after the other, with that constant attitude towards women and normalised domestic violence... I just need to pace myself when consuming the products of certain artists, to be able to appreciate the rest of their work 4y

ImperfectCJ @nanuska_153 I know what you mean. I often feel it even more with movies than with books. Not sure why. Maybe reading has more wiggle room for interpretation of tone and nuance that a movie delivers more directly and explicitly through the actors, music, cinematography. Or maybe it's just that most of the movies I see are 1950s or later and I have less tolerance for this stuff in contemporary works than I do for things written pre-WWII. 4y

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BookNerdMama

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

so-so

Ok, I adore a good British manor house mystery. And Christie is the queen of them.
But. The casual racism and antisemitism is jarring. You are having a great time all snug in the story and then BLAM! And you read and reread the passage like, 'Did she really just say that?' Yes. Yes, she did.
Yes, I know it was a different time, etc. But plenty of people had functioning consciences then, too. Just not her.

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writerlibrarian

Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

First #goodthing of 2021. Today, January 1 is Public Domain Day. A really good day for librarian, reader, writers...
Here are some of the books of 2021. You can read more at https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2021/

I've already read a few of these. I'm putting the Agatha Christie on my 2021 list.

alisiakae There are some great books entering the public domain this year! 5y

writerlibrarian Yes! One of them is on my top 5 books. I might reread Woolf this year too.

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RamsFan1963

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description or reason for wanting to read the book. Some are old and some will be new. Don't judge me - I have a lot of books.
Day 187

#tbrmountain #bookbuyingdiet

Leniverse No judgement here. I could probably do that for every day of the year next year. 😅 5y

TheLibrarian Same with no judgment here. I could do this every day for about 5 years and that‘s not including what I would have purchased during those years 🤦🏼‍♀️ 5y

erzascarletbookgasm So do I! And that hasn‘t stopped me from buying more 😂. Have a good Christmas break. 5y

RamsFan1963 @Leniverse @TheLibrarian @ezrascarletbookgasm Like all diets, my book buying diet is suspended during the holidays. Come January 1st, I'll go back on a diet, cutting back on my buying to try to cut down my ever growing TBR shelves. 5y

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Hana321

Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

pan

Can‘t say I‘m an Agatha Christie fan, but I love mysteries, so I‘m willing to give anything a go. I struggled to get onto this novel. I found the storyline to be very jumpy, and the characters under developed. I loved certain characters and wish there was more time spent on them. I had a hard time following the storyline. There were some areas of promise that didn‘t end up living up to my expectations.

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Linsy

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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A fun romp where mystery abounds and the characters go bumbling around hilariously. I'll admit I miss Christie's more classic mysteries, but I enjoyed how this all came together!

Another Christie for #classicschallenge2020! Took me a while to get to this one, but I'll try to catch up with #agathachristieclubr2 soon. Roger Ackroyd here I come!

I up to about 9 hours now for #24b4Monday. Hoping for a big reading day tomorrow!!

BooksAndTea97 I'm positive you are gonna love Roger Ackroyd it's one of her best! 5y

Andrew65 A good time. 👏👏👏 5y

Buechersuechtling Lovely picture 📸. 5y

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

Finished my first book for #stayhome24in48 #24in48 ...review to come later!

While enjoying breakfast, I continued to read Monogram Murders on my iPad, to keep the clock going.

Starting a reread for me - The Secret of Chimneys

24in48

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janeycanuck

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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This felt a little like a “who‘s on first?” situation but was great fun to read. I‘m really enjoying this more thriller/caper side of Christie that I haven‘t seen before.

35 likes

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

5. Christie made up several elements of European geography, history, and culture for this book, yet used the Koh-i-Noor, a real British crown jewel, for as part of the plot. Why do you think she made these decisions?

#agathachristieclubR2

Laughterhp I had to google the country to see if it was real or not. I would say she probably didn‘t want to offend anyone with her geography because there was some racism in this book but I don‘t know if she was that forward thinking.. 5y

TheAromaofBooks Sometimes I think it's simpler for an author to have some things be from a “not real“ place because then no one can say that you're wrong about X - I'm slowly working my way through Ed McBain's 87th Precinct mysteries & he said originally he was going to set them in NYC but then realized that it would involve a lot more research & stress - so instead they are set in a made-up city very, very similar to NYC! @Laughterhp 5y

Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks Ohh that definitely makes a lot of sense! I totally get that. I know when I read books set in places I‘m familiar with, it pulls me out of the story when details are wrong. 5y

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TheAromaofBooks @Laughterhp - So yes, I have no idea what was going on in Christie's mind at the time, but I can definitely see her saying to her editor, “Well how do YOU know that isn't the way things work in Herzoslovakia?? Have YOU been there?“ LOL 5y

AnneCecilie I think you‘re on to something there @TheAromaofBooks With a made up country, she can more freely do what she wants. But do you think that people at the time new what country she was indirectly writing about? I wonder if anything specific was going on at the time? @Laughterhp 5y

TheAromaofBooks @AnneCecilie - Well, she does classify it as one of the Balkan states, all of which were in a bit of turmoil following World War I. Christie was definitely someone who stayed up on current events - there have been times that I've been studying a period of history & then read one of her books & been surprised at how she cleverly works things into her stories, so there is a definitely chance that we are missing some background info. @Laughterhp 5y

AnneCecilie @TheAromaofBooks I don‘t think it was just the Balkan‘s that was redefined after WWI, but all the countries that had been a part of the Austrian Hungarian domain. Not to forget the Russian Revolution and the lost Princesses. Every one in a while someone comes along and claims to be Anastasia. So I think we are probably missing something that was discussed at the time @Laughterhp 5y

ferskner @AnneCecilie @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks oooooo that's an great point about Anastasia! The Anna Anderson case happened in 1920-22 and she wrote this in 1925, so it seems reasonable that with all the turmoil after the war that such stories would have been on her mind. That makes me wish I liked this book more! I agree that she wants to vaguely point to the Balkan region without specifics, but why the real Koh-i- Noor? 5y

ferskner @AnneCecilie @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks maybe she wanted to use something the British public would recognize, although would the average person know the names of the crown jewels? I don't know! I like to think that maybe it drummed up more local tourism to view them. :) 5y

ferskner Although were they on view back then? I can't remember if they say so in the book. 5y

TheAromaofBooks I do feel like Christie consistently liked to tease about overly-serious government figures (i.e. Lomax in this book), so maybe using a real jewel that the government was in charge of protecting was her way of pointing out how often they are just pretending that they are doing their job?? @AnneCecilie @Laughterhp 5y

54 likes11 comments

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

4. The Secret of Chimneys bears some strong similarities to The Man in the Brown Suit. What similarities did you notice? Which book did you like better? Is it fair for Christie to reuse previous plot points?

#agathachristieclubR2

Laughterhp I definitely liked this book better than the Man in Brown Suit. I guess some of the story was similar but I didn‘t actually make a comparison of the two books while reading. I also think I need to read the physical books more, than the audio. I usually listen to Agatha Christie‘s books on audio. 5y

TheAromaofBooks I do think they are somewhat similar in the whole spy/thriller sense, but don't really feel like they are THAT much alike. The characters & conclusion are different enough for me to find them both entertaining. I think I may like Brown Suit slightly better because I have a huge soft spot for Sir Eustace!! @Laughterhp 5y

ferskner @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks that is so interesting to me! I feel like this is basically the same plot as TMITBS but without as many hijinks and fun. The international spy machinations, the hidden identity of a long-lost dashing young man, the marriage when the young man's identity is revealed. It kind of annoys me that Christie used so many similar plot points in back-to-back books. I really feel like she's phoning it in on this one. 5y

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TheAromaofBooks I can totally see that @ferskner - I guess I'm just used to rolling with the shenanigans of her spy stories haha @Laughterhp

Also, side note, I really appreciate that you used a different cover for each of the questions because it's super easy to see in the notifications which question is being discussed! 5y

Laughterhp @ferskner @TheAromaofBooks Wow you are totally right, they are basically the same plot line... I didn‘t listen to the Man in the Brown Suit very closely apparently. I‘ll have to start reading and stop listening to them on audio and getting distracted! 5y

ferskner @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks I did most on audio too! The All About Agatha podcast really helped me cement them in my head - I listened to each episode as soon as I finished the corresponding book. I have a surprisingly hard time paying attention to Christie audiobooks! There are just so many details. 5y

TheAromaofBooks I don't know how you all do audiobooks!! I can't listen to them at all, my mind wanders away almost immediately, even if I'm interested in the book haha @ferskner @Laughterhp 5y

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

3. Bundle joins a long list of plucky Christie heroines (don't worry, we'll meet more). Did you like her, especially compared to other plucky it girls from previous books?

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Laughterhp Gah, Bundle was the daughter right? Not the girl who gets married at the end right? 😬😬 I just finished this book and I don‘t know why I‘m confusing the 2 women in the book 🤦‍♀️😂 5y

TheAromaofBooks Yes, she was the daughter!! I actually think she comes back in a second book (The Seven Dials maybe??). All the characters were great fun in this book. @Laughterhp 5y

Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks Oh I‘ve read the Seven Dials! It was the first Agatha Christie I ever read! I‘ll have to reread it when it comes into rotation for the book club! In this book, I really liked her. Yes, all the characters were great fun! 5y

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TheAromaofBooks @Laughterhp - I think Seven Dials is technically the second Battle book, so there are some overlapping characters, but it's rather vague in my mind haha I do remember really enjoying it - I just think her spy thrillers are SO funny. 5y

ferskner @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks I like Bundle, but I like her better in Seven Dials, which I like much more than Chimneys for some reason. We'll probably discuss that when we get to that book, so I won't say more here, but one of the things I love the most about Christie is her plucky heroines. I know I wouldn't have been one of I lived during that time (I'm too bookish and I don't drink), but I like to imagine it. Especially the clothes. :) 5y

TheAromaofBooks I do feel like Virginia is a bit more the plucky heroine in this one than Bundle is (Bundle comes to her own in Seven Dials), but I almost always feel like Christie writes women fairly well - for instance, I loved that Virginia was saucy and independent, but also totally willing to go find some muscle to come check out the suspicious noises downstairs!! @Laughterhp 5y

Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks Yes, I definitely think Virginia was more plucky. I think that‘s why I confused the 2 women at first because I didn‘t think Bundle was too prominent in this book. Even though her dad owned Chimneys. @ferskner 5y

ferskner @TheAromaofBooks @Laughterhp you're right, I think I'm probably conflating Bundle and Virginia together! Seven Dials sticks out so much more in my head (probably because the TV adaptation is so close to the book. 5y

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The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

2. This is the first appearance of Inspector Battle. Did you enjoy his detecting? Do you like him better than Poirot?

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AnneCecilie I liked Battle, but Poirot will always be a favorite. There‘s just something about this Belgian 5y

Laughterhp I really liked Battle and look forward to seeing him again. You didn‘t really get a lot of his perspective, but he seemed a great detective. But I‘m with you @AnneCecilie I think Poirot will always be my favorite detective. 5y

TheAromaofBooks I really love Battle a lot (although I did think his eyes twinkled a little too frequently in this one!) & think it's interesting that Christie pretty much never gives us anything from his perspective/thoughts. But I love how he is a character that everyone underestimates but is actually quite intelligent. Of course, I love Poirot, but he & Battle are so different that it's hard to compare them, I think. @Laughterhp @AnneCecilie 5y

ferskner @AnneCecilie @Laughterhp @TheAromaofBooks I do like Battle! I enjoy Poirot's eccentricities more, but there's a solidness to Battle that feels very reassuring to me as a reader. 5y

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The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection: The Secret Adversary, Partners in Crime, N or M?, By the Pricking of My Thumbs, and Postern of Fate

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

It's been a rough few days here in Nashville, so I'm late getting questions posted. But I just got word that my power is back on, so hooray!

As a reminder, please tag everyone who has already commented when you post a response to keep the conversation flowing.

1. Did you like the novel? How does it stack up against the other Christie novels we've read so far?

#agathachristieclubR2 @TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle @AnneCecilie

ferskner @Laughterhp @BookishMe 5y

ferskner @Geenie @hes7 5y

ferskner @Linsy @umbrellagirl 5y

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Laughterhp I really liked this one. It might be one of my favorite reads so far. Especially with it not being a Poirot novel (which are my favorite). @ferskner 5y

AnneCecilie I liked this better than the other non-Poirot book we read. There was more action in this one. @Laughterhp (edited) 5y

hes7 I liked it! Before getting into reading all her books, I really only knew about Christie‘s Poirot and Miss Marple, so it‘s fun to discover more of her characters. 5y

Crazeedi Many prayers for your community 💖 5y

BookishMe @hes7 have you seen this short collection? The first, more of a collection, was most fun.

BookishMe @ferskner I have not read this yet but it's stacked ;D 5y

TheAromaofBooks Hopefully things settle down for you in Nashville!! Can't imagine how stressful that all is. Thank you for taking the time to post the questions! 5y

TheAromaofBooks I really love Christie's spy/thriller/random books a lot. This one is just such a delightful romp. I actually love a bunch of the secondary characters in this one (especially Lord Caterham - the owner of Chimneys) and think that they add a lot of humor and fun to the story. @Laughterhp @AnneCecilie @hes7 5y

ferskner @Crazeedi @TheAromaofBooks thank you so much! This is a great community. @Laughterhp @AnneCecilie @hes7 @BookishMe I have to admit that this is a very "meh" book for me. I don't like the Christie thrillers very much, and I think the plot of this one is a mess. I read this one a while ago but I listened to a synopsis/analysis podcast and I couldn't being myself to care enough to follow along. 5y

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Laughterhp

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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I‘m so glad I switched to the print version of this book. I started on audio and knew there was going to be a lot going on and it made more sense to read. This book was so good! Such a great Agatha Christie mystery. (The book did have a lot of typos I noticed)

I of course didn‘t guess the mystery, the bad guy or the twist. I always enjoy reading Agatha Christie 💚

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AnneCecilie

The Secret of Chimneys | Agatha Christie

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A book that has it all - stolen letters, a murdered diplomat, English, French and American detectives. We meet our hero Anthony Cade and detective Battle. As usual Christie writes a great crime/ thriller.

And the twist at the end caught me by surprise.

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