agathachristieclubR3

Slowly, so very slowly, catching up on buddy reads and other books. I finished this one tonight, and maybe the third time is the charm—I appreciated Tommy and Tuppence a bit more with this reading than I did the prior two times. Perhaps I needed an off-the-wall pair of unlikely detectives.

It just goes to show how you can have a different reading experience each time you reread a book. #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

Aims42 100% agree that reading books at different times can have widely different results. There are many books that I know if I would‘ve read them when I was younger, I wouldn‘t appreciate as much as I do now 🥰 7d

Librarybelle @Aims42 Yes! 7d

MariaW Still onto that one 🙈 7d

Librarybelle @MariaW 😁 6d

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MaleficentBookDragon

Murder on the Links | Agatha Christie

The I cannot resist a weird vintage Christie cover. These two are from the 1970s. I picked them up at a used bookstore yesterday.
I like the tagged one (the next #christiescapers buddy read) but the bright red lips on the Taken at the Flood is a little off putting.
#AgathaChristieClubR3

Librarybelle

Librarybelle Yes it is! 2w

thegirlwiththelibrarybag Would love to read the design brief for this era of covers 🤭 (that said, I‘d take a weird cover over a bland one) 2w

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LitsyEvents

The Murder on the Links: A Hercule Poirot Mystery | Agatha Christie

repost for @Librarybelle:

Get ready to use your little grey cells—our next #ChristiesCapers book is the second Hercule Poirot novel.

Discussion will take place on March 30th! Please let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3

Librarybelle Thanks for reposting! 2w

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Librarybelle

The Murder on the Links: A Hercule Poirot Mystery | Agatha Christie

Get ready to use your little grey cells—our next #ChristiesCapers book is the second Hercule Poirot novel.

Discussion will take place on March 30th! Please let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3

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

Librarybelle @LitsyEvents 3w

MaGoose Please add me. I'd like to join in. Thanks ☺️ 3w

Librarybelle Welcome, @MaGoose ! 😁 3w

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dabbe I'm almost done with THE SECOND ADVERSARY! I have no idea how I let myself get behind! 🤩 3w

kelli7990 I would like to join. 2w

Librarybelle @dabbe No worries! I‘m still way behind on Shardlake—not as fast of a read as Christie, but still very enjoyable. I‘m so glad I‘m reading them! 2w

Librarybelle Welcome, @kelli7990 ! 😁 2w

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Librarybelle

The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie

It‘s time for our #ChristiesCapers discussion! I have 6 questions as spoilers posted; you can find these on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.

Next month, we read the second Hercule Poirot novel, Murder on the Links. I‘ll post the official image tomorrow! #AgathaChristieClubR3

Aims42 Putting in my hold at the library 👍 I am loving these discussions!! Thank you again for organizing!! 3w

MallenNC This one was fun! I had read it before and remembered not liking it but decided to read it again anyway. This time I enjoyed it! Thanks for leading us. 😊 3w

Morr_Books Just finished this morning. So close to being on time yet so far away. I'll check out the discussion questions and hopefully will be on rime for the next Christie 2w

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Librarybelle You are welcome, @Aims42 @MallenNC !! 2w

Librarybelle No worries, @Morr_Books ! I think the discussions are great on Litsy, as you can join in whenever you can. No pressure to be on time! 2w

kspenmoll Thanks for the list! 2w

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Librarybelle

The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie

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6. Christie served as a nurse during World War I, and we'll see her interest in poisons (we saw that in Styles last month) and medical situations throughout her canon of works. How does she bring in her knowledge of medicine into this novel?

More info on her work as a nurse (and will help this discussion point): https://hekint.org/2025/01/30/agatha-christie-nurse/

#ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

Aims42 I thought it was funny how having a few sips of brandy was the cure-all 🤣 Overwhelmed? Have some brandy. Just faced a shock? Have some brandy. Almost died? Have some brandy. 3w

willaful There's a rather interesting book on her use of poisons.

A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie

MallenNC @Aims42 Maybe we all need to try the brandy cure! This year I might need it. 3w

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MallenNC @willaful That sounds like such an interesting book. I‘m putting it on my TBR 3w

Aims42 @MallenNC 😂🤣 Very true!! 👍 3w

willaful @MallenNC might be healthier for me than my usual ice cream cure. :-\ 3w

mrp27 I thought the brandy bit was funny too. I guess if we didn‘t have all the over the counter medicines we have today I would be hitting the brandy bottle too. 2w

RainyDayReading The answer to all life‘s ills! Brandy! 🤣 1w

RainyDayReading Though it‘s clear that being a nurse had a rather large impact on her life and not just while she was volunteering. So it makes sense that poisons would make their way into her writing and be a focal point for many of her books. Side note: also interesting how she has a character suffering from pretended memory loss when 4 years later she goes missing herself with memory loss. Prob nothing to it but it‘s interesting 👀 1w

dabbe @MallenNC 🎯🎯🎯! 4d

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Librarybelle

The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie

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5. Did you figure out the identity of Mr. Brown before the big reveal? Were you suspicious as to the motives of some of the characters we meet in the book, thinking specifically of Mr. Carter, Julius, and Lord Edgerton? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

Bookwormjillk I did not. I thought it was Julius. 3w

OutsmartYourShelf I was suspicious of both Julius & Edgerton, especially after the death of Rita with the clue of the balcony only being accessible from that flat. It had to be one of 3 people there & I knew it wasn't Tuppence. 3w

Deblovestoread Christie did a great job of having me waffle between Julius and James. 3w

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Aims42 I was convinced it was Julius 😆 3w

willaful I read it first so long ago I don't remember. She does some nice misdirection, certainly. 3w

MallenNC I had read this before but forgot how it ended. I was sure it was Julius! 3w

BarbaraJean I did NOT figure it out. I was convinced it was Julius! I was very suspicious of his motives--he was WAY too invested in saving a cousin he'd never met just because he fell in love with her picture. 🙄 3w

ferskner I'd read this before, and I can't remember how I felt the first time, but she always does a good job of hiding clues! 3w

mrp27 I was very suspicious of all of them! I felt they all had the potential, Julius, Edgerton, Mr. Carter. (edited) 2w

RainyDayReading I didn‘t fully commit to my suspicion, but I leaned more towards Edgerton leading up to the reveal. Especially after the “found Finn she‘s been hit by a car” chapter and the dead man newspaper clipping. I did think about Julius especially after the section about him with the safe in Rita‘s flat but figured it was too obvious and probably a red herring. I think I‘ve read too many mysteries 🤣 1w

dabbe @Deblovestoread Same here! My only inching toward James was that he supposedly was sort of dating her at the beginning. Other than that, I was shocked. 4d

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Librarybelle

The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie

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4. Tommy and Tuppence have separate adventures in this novel, and Tommy especially faces a potentially deadly situation. What are your thoughts on the adventures they face? Why do you think they take the risks they do in order to find Jane Finn? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

Deblovestoread In the beginning it was more a lark but as things got serious I think they continued because the knew the other was counting on them to see it through. 3w

OutsmartYourShelf I thought it was a bit contrived that two people with no relevant experience would be employed in an investigation involving state secrets on the basis of placing a newspaper ad asking about Jane Finn. Yes, they could be easily disavowed by the government but still. One of those “accept it for the plot“ situations. 3w

Aims42 Here for the comments because I‘m on the fence. Part of me was like, “ugh, don‘t split up! That‘s how you get killed!!” But then the other part was like, “I am curious how this ends up” 🤔 3w

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MallenNC What I liked most about them getting split up was that Tuppence got to be a smart character of her own. I always want to see that more than a damsel in distress. Jane was my favorite though, since she really saved herself throughout the book. 3w

BarbaraJean @OutsmartYourShelf My thoughts exactly! That particular contrivance required a LOT of suspension of disbelief for me.
I was frustrated by the risks both of them took! I was impressed by their ingenuity, though--I was kind of willing to go along with some of the more unrealistic aspects, because both Tommy and Tuppence ended up being a lot smarter about their own predicaments than I would have predicted. 3w

ferskner I really like that the book immediately sets up that a) they're broke and b) they've both just survived a war. I think those two facts make them very aware that they have nothing to lose. They've both just seen horrific realities and I imagine that would make them willing to take considerable risks because they're alive to take them. 3w

mrp27 It was totally contrived, ridiculous and they both took extreme chances but that‘s what made the story fun for me. Made me think a bit of Nancy Drew and how things just always seem to fall in place at the right time. 2w

RainyDayReading I thought the adventures were entertaining though I wish we got to see each of them unfold beside each other instead of seeing Tuppence and then when she disappears and Tommy steps in he just recounts his situation. Vs. us seeing it in “real time”. If that makes sense. Plot was convenient and contrived but it was also a book where I could turn off my brain and just go for the ride. Since the premise already required suspending disbelief on my part 1w

dabbe @MallenNC She did, but Tommy (and Julius) still had to rescue her and Jane in the end. I wish she had gotten out on her own like Tommy did. 4d

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Librarybelle

The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie

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3. Let's talk about Tommy and Tuppence! What did you think of them as characters and as sleuths? Why do you think Christie created sleuths who were very different than Poirot? Would you hire Tommy and Tuppence to help you solve a crime? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

Bookwormjillk I thought they were fun! Not sure I‘d hire them but I enjoyed reading about them. 3w

OutsmartYourShelf It would be boring to write main characters that were all a slight variation on the same theme. Differences allow for more writing scope & plot development. That said, I prefer MM & Poirot myself. 3w

Deblovestoread At first I thought “oh no, more vapid bright young things” but as they became more fleshed out I enjoyed them. As to hiring them to solve a crime probably not but to find my lost dog maybe. 3w

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Aims42 @Bookwormjillk Took the words right out of my mouth, I agree 100% 👏😄 I enjoyed being a fly on the wall reading about their adventures. I‘d be exhausted if I was traveling with them lol 3w

MallenNC @Aims42 Agree! They were clever but probably exhausting in real life! I haven‘t read any more of these so I‘m curious how they get their next case. 3w

BarbaraJean My first thought was that they were a terrible choice to investigate such a sensitive international plot!! I liked them as characters, but thought it was pretty unrealistic that they would have the skills necessary to unravel this particular mystery. But I also appreciate Christie branching out in her protagonists. I liked their youthful energy and banter. 3w

ferskner They're just so fun!!!! I don't know that I'd want to hire them if I came across them, but gosh they're quick on their feet and they get the job done. They prove over and over again that they're up to any challenge, but I confess that I love the scrapes they get into the most (particularly in the short stories). 3w

mrp27 I thought they were fun and smart. 2w

RainyDayReading I like them well enough. Certainly entertaining! The characterization of Tuppence annoyed me from time to time though because she was set up to be this independent, headstrong woman and then there are parts later that read like “I‘m just a silly woman how could I ever solve this?” and the characters can have self doubt, but this felt more like making her align with society‘s beliefs around women during the 20s rather than a believable reaction. 1w

dabbe I certainly had to suspend my disbelief when Mr. Carter hired them, but his if-they-die-they-are-expendable attitude made it a bit more believable. Sort of. I loved their advertisement, especially the “pay must be good.“ A definite attitude sometimes for younger folk who think they can start from the top and not have to work their way up. 4d

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Librarybelle

The Secret Adversary | Agatha Christie

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2. Christie sets up the mystery again with references to World War I...makes sense, since this was published in 1922. This time, Christie begins with the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915.

How familiar are you with the Lusitania? Why do you think Christie uses a historical reference point to anchor (pun not intended) her story?

More info on the liner: https://www.pbs.org/lostliners/lusitania.html

#ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

Bookwormjillk It certainly added drama to have it start with a famous boat sinking! 3w

OutsmartYourShelf Last year I read a book set onboard the Lusitania which was quite good & I was vaguely aware of the ship's history before that. Maybe as this was an early book of Christie's, linking it to a fairly recent historical event gave her a good starting point. Her contemporary readers would know instantly the setting & the events. 3w

Deblovestoread I read Lusitania by David Butler years ago (great book) and it pops up frequently in books set in the period. I think it was a good way to insert the political intrigue into the story. 3w

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Aims42 It‘s such a pivotal part of history, I loved this as an opening. Definitely recommend Erik Larson‘s ‘Dead Wake‘ 3w

willaful The intro to my copy talked about Christie hearing the name Jane Fish and deciding to incorporate it, which is way she often worked. (If you know both Christie and D.E. Stevenson, you can see a lot of Christie's inspirations!) The sinking might have worked in a similar way. 3w

MallenNC I was only a little aware of the Lusitania and now I want to read more about it. I think starting with a real life event was a clever way to open this novel, especially as her readers would‘ve known so much about it when the book was first released. 3w

BarbaraJean I'm not at all familiar with the Lusitania, other than the general timeframe! It made sense to me that she wanted to orient it in relation to those international events, so the setting and scope of the story were clear. It was a very different backdrop than the other Christie novels I've read! 3w

ferskner I only know a bit about it as it pertains to bringing the US into the war, but I think it's a smart way for her to create a punch of a beginning! 3w

mrp27 I‘m familiar with Lusitania from school history and over the years it has served as a plot line in some books I‘ve read. 2w

RainyDayReading I‘m pretty familiar with the Lusitania from other books/documentaries I‘ve read & watched. It explains why there‘s a ship on the cover of the version I read 🤣 Didn‘t think about that till now. I think having that aspect helps ground the story especially for those that read it back when it was originally published. They didn‘t have to imagine what it was like when it sank, they remember what it was like since it happened only a few years earlier. 1w

dabbe @Aims42 Now on the stack! 🩵💙🩵 4d

dabbe The inclusion of THE LUSITANIA definitely added to the international intrigue of the story as well as WWI. 4d

Aims42 @dabbe It is so good!! I hope you enjoy it too 😊 4d

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