the secret of chimneys book review

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Leaves & Pages

Life in the country. botany and books., review: the secret of chimneys by agatha christie.

October 16, 2013 by leavesandpages

My rating : 6/10

Setting:  Briefly in Africa, with most of the action taking place in the stately English country house, “Chimneys”.

Detection by : SUPERINTENDENT BATTLE of Scotland Yard and various international colleagues; ANTHONY CADE and several aristocratic acquaintances.

Final Body Count: 3 in this narrative; more in the background story.

Method(s) of Death :   SINGLE PISTOL SHOT x 3

100 Word Plot Summary:

Anthony Cade, international adventurer, comes into a double commission to deliver a politically sensitive Herzoslovakian manuscript of memoirs and a bundle of blackmailing letters to England. Both appear to be in high demand and swap hands several times; two men are shot, and the diplomatic and aristocratic guests at stately country home “Chimneys” are embroiled in multiple mysteries. Hidden identities, a violent revolutionary society, an accomplished jewel thief, a fabulous diamond, coded letters, secret passages and misleading clues… Can anyone be trusted? Is anyone really who they appear to be? And who does beautiful young widow Virginia Revel really love?

The dead bodies are a side plot to this thriller, written, one suspects, with tongue firmly in cheek. What with a butler named Tredwell, an Inspector Badgworthy, and a bumbling politician, one George Lomax – not to mention a stay at the posh Blitz Hotel in London – the author appears to have been having a lot of innocent fun with this one. Another thriller versus an out-and-out murder mystery, for though we have a number of violently killed bodies by the end of the saga, the other players view the deceased with cold speculation versus shocked emotion.

What a busy plot it is, too. Political intrigue and revolution in fictional Balkan state Herzoslovakia! A commoner queen brutally massacred by a mob along with her royal spouse; a missing prince (or two?); sensitive political memoirs; an aristocratic Englishwoman’s blackmailing letters; a master jewel thief and a missing diamond of fabulous worth; untold reserves of oil (in Herzoslovakia) just waiting for development; several bullet-riddled corpses of swarthy foreigners; and a stately English country home much used to hosting diplomatic gatherings. Drop in several lovely ladies of impeccable breeding and soothing manner, and a thrillingly handsome young man just off the boat from Africa acting as courier to the papers in question, and stir well.

Moments of truly humorous farcical writing made me smile with delight, but this was tempered by the many jaw-dropping racial slurs. These were aimed at everyone under the sun not a true-blue upper-class Conservative Brit, but were extra heavy regarding those of Jewish heritage, as well as the broadly categorized Balkan/Italian/swarthily foreign “dagos” of various nationalities who do all of the heavy lifting in the background story.

Did I enjoy this story? Well yes, I did, in a general sense. It had its moments. But very much a product of its time. Very vintage.

I’m more than ready to move on from this rather ridiculous romp. What about a cozy village murder mystery? Luckily the next one up is just that, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd .

The cover gallery for The Secret of Chimneys is respectably diverse, and perhaps just a little bit misleading on occasion. Let’s take a look…

This first edition cover features second-string male lead Bill Eversleigh and the lovely Virginia Revel investigating midnight noises in the library at Chimneys. Take note of the traditional weapon for confronting country house burglars – a fireplace poker – and Mrs. Revel’s frothy negligée.

Our possible hero Anthony Cade, one would assume, and his first glimpse of Chimneys. A shot is heard in the night!

Something appears to be bothering the beautiful woman on this cover – is this Virginia? And what could it be?! Perhaps the menacing blood-red hand, calling card of a murderous secret society?? “No comment” on the diamond and the rose.

Ah – here we have a classic cover containing key story elements, and a clue or two. Nice composition.

This French cover is possibly my favourite, in a purely eye-catching sense. But I’m rather confused as to who this ghostly woman is supposed to be. The deceased Queen Varaga, perhaps? And is she holding a rose? Hmmm…

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Posted in 1920s , Christie, Agatha , Read in 2013 | Tagged Christie, Agatha , Mystery-Suspense , The Secret of Chimneys , Vintage Fiction | 3 Comments

3 Responses

Oh good, another AC I have a copy of, and will do for a light reread. My copy is the Harlequin, pictured above. Printed in 1957, a reminder that the Canadian mega-publisher of romance novels started life with more diverse offerings.

Me again. Interesting that the first cover seems to feature Noel Coward.

🙂 Oh yes, I do see what you mean! (About Noel Coward.)

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The Secret of Chimneys - Book Review

Book Review: The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie

❥ Thank you for the free book, Canterbury Classics .

What is The Secret of Chimneys? A young drifter finds out when a favor for a friend pulls him into the heart of a deadly conspiracy in this captivating classic from Agatha Christie. Little did Anthony Cade suspect that an errand for a friend would place him at the center of a deadly conspiracy. Drawn into a web of intrigue, he begins to realize that the simple favor has placed him in serious danger. As events unfold, the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Sûreté gradually converge on Chimneys, the great country estate that hides an amazing secret.

Introduction

I chose The Secret of Chimneys as my classic read for March for a few reasons. First, because Canterbury Classics sent it to me. Second, because I had never read Agatha Christie before (I know, I know). Third, because it’s Women’s History Month. And fourth, because its cover is green, which contributes to this month’s St. Patrick’s Day holiday aesthetic.

I’m not exactly a thriller girl, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think this story, the first in the Superintendent Battle series by Agatha Christie, was an amazing introduction to this author. It was an easy and cheeky read, reminding me of a British Soap opera in many ways. There was no shortage of entertaining characters, mysteries, and intrigue in this book. I will definitely be reading more Agatha Christie in the future.

This gorgeous edition comes from the Word Cloud Classics line by Canterbury Classics.

*This post contains a PR product.

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The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie – Book Review

An early thriller that turned out to be much more enjoyable than I initially expected. It’s a silly romp with a far-fetched plot that requires a healthy suspension of disbelief, but you get a sense that it was written with tongue firmly in cheek.

The Secret of Chimneys is one of the Christies that somehow escaped my teenage obsession with Dame Agatha’s books, and I can’t lie, at first I was disappointed to discover that it was one of her thrillers rather than a murder mystery – a 300-page thriller, no less. I took the novel with me as a holiday read, and the last thing you want on your holiday is a tedious chore of a book.

The premise didn’t really inspire me with confidence. Anthony Cade, an international adventurer currently working as a tour guide in Bulawayo, runs into an old friend who offers him a handsome reward for what seems to be a straightforward double errand. He is to deliver a manuscript of potentially explosive memoirs, written by a recently deceased Count Stylptitch of the fictional Balkan country Herzoslovakia, to the London publishers who are happy to part with a whopping thousand pounds. The other errand is rather more altruistic in nature: returning a bundle of love letters to an Englishwoman who seems to have been a victim of blackmail.

It turns out that both the manuscript and the letters are in high demand by the various parties, and as soon as Anthony is off the boat in England he’s embroiled in a crazy busy plot involving (deep breath):

• A political intrigue and restoration of the monarchy in troubled Herzoslovakia, with the newly discovered oil reserves a battleground between the British and American interests
• Comrades of the Red Hand, a violent anti-monarchy Herzoslovakian organisation populated entirely with foreign stereotypes (the novel is quite heavy on the unflattering foreign stereotypes overall)
• A stolen diamond of fabulous worth
• Police representatives from England, France and the United States
• Secret identities galore
• A French criminal mastermind named King Victor
• An unscrupulous Italian waiter who steals the blackmailing letters only to end up dead in mysterious circumstances
• Virginia Revel, a beautiful young widow of charm and intelligence
• Multiple bullet-ridden corpses

…and finally, Chimneys, a stately English country home and a popular spot for hosting diplomatic gatherings, to the dismay of the current owner Lord Caterham who has no stomach for politics and would just rather sell the damn place to the state. Improbably, all of these messy strands do tie up together in the end – in a pulpy and ridiculous manner that has little to do with real life, maybe, but at that point you just go along with the spirit of the book.

Though initially sceptical, I was quickly won over by the novel’s lightheartedness and humour, which is often reminiscent of P. G. Wodehouse at his sparkling best. Much of the comedy is mined from the interactions between the upper class characters, such as the long-suffering Lord Caterham and his overbearing politician friend George Lomax. There are also cheeky passages such as this:

The car passed in through the park gates of Chimneys. Descriptions of that historic place can be found in any guidebook. It is also No 3 in Historic Homes of England, price 21s. On Thursday, coaches come over from Middlingham and view those portions of it which are open to the public. In view of all these facilities, to describe Chimneys would be superfluous.

At first I wondered if Anthony Cade was going to be the kind of insufferable hero who is just perfect and good at everything, and sure enough, he’s your classic adventurer who is handsome, smart, self-assured, irresistible to the ladies and handy with a snarky one-liner. He is however tempered by the presence of one of Christie’s regulars, Superintendent Battle, who makes his first appearance here and mostly hangs on the edges of the story, quietly observing everything around him and keeping up the best poker face in the world. Cade and Battle are evenly matched and their dynamic is fun to follow, with the two men often circling each other warily despite the instinctive sense of liking and respect.

Quick-witted and savvy Virginia Revel is likewise a match for Cade and their inevitable romance is handled better than in most Christie novels. In fact some of their dialogue wouldn’t be out of place in a classic 1940s screwball comedy.

Apparently the novel was re-invented for the small screen as a Miss Marple mystery, which my brain quickly gave up trying to imagine; some serious butchery must have taken place.

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"The Secret of Chimneys" Summary

By Agatha Christie

mystery | 400 pages | Published in NaN

Estimated read time: 5 min read

One Sentence Summary

A young adventurer uncovers a deadly conspiracy while staying at an English country house.

Table of Contents

Introduction, brief synopsis, main characters, summary of story points, main events, themes and insights, reader's takeaway.

"The Secret of Chimneys" is a captivating detective novel written by the legendary Agatha Christie. First published in 1925, this thrilling book takes readers on a journey filled with mystery, suspense, and unexpected twists. As with many of Christie's works, "The Secret of Chimneys" showcases her masterful storytelling ability and keeps readers guessing until the very end. In this article, we will delve into the book's brief synopsis, explore the main events and characters, analyze the themes and insights, and discuss the reader's takeaway.

Set in England during the 1920s, "The Secret of Chimneys" unfolds in the atmospheric backdrop of Chimneys, a grand country estate. The story begins when Anthony Cade, a charming adventurer, is approached by an old acquaintance, Jimmy McGrath. McGrath asks Cade to deliver a manuscript to a publisher, claiming that it contains sensitive information that could potentially destabilize Europe.

However, things take an unexpected turn when Cade arrives at Chimneys and finds himself caught up in a web of murder, political intrigue, and stolen diamonds. As the bodies start piling up, Cade becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the mysteries surrounding Chimneys.

Here are the main characters in "The Secret of Chimneys":

Chapter 1-5: Introduction and the Mysterious Manuscript

The story begins with Anthony Cade, a traveler and adventurer, being approached by Jimmy McGrath to deliver a manuscript to a publisher. Cade agrees and heads to Chimneys, where he is introduced to the eccentric characters residing there. However, Cade soon realizes that the manuscript holds significant value, and he becomes determined to uncover its secrets.

Chapter 6-10: Intrigue and Murder

As Cade delves further into the mysteries of Chimneys, a murder occurs, adding an intense layer of suspense. The plot thickens as Cade discovers that the manuscript is linked to stolen diamonds and a political conspiracy. With each new revelation, the danger escalates, and Cade finds himself drawn deeper into the web of deceit.

Chapter 11-15: Secrets Unveiled

The truth behind the crimes at Chimneys begins to unravel as Cade uncovers hidden identities, secret passageways, and unexpected alliances. The revelations shed light on the motives of the characters involved and expose the extent of the conspiracy. Cade's determination to solve the mysteries intensifies, leading to a climactic showdown.

• Anthony Cade is asked to deliver a mysterious manuscript.
• Cade arrives at Chimneys and becomes entangled in a web of murder and intrigue.
• The secrets of the manuscript, stolen diamonds, and a political conspiracy are revealed.
• Cade uncovers hidden identities and secret passageways.
• A climactic showdown brings the mysteries to a resolution.
• Deception and manipulation: The book explores the theme of deceit and how it can be used to achieve personal gain or political motives.
• Power and politics: The story delves into the world of politics and highlights the lengths some individuals will go to attain and maintain power.
• Identity and hidden motives: The characters in the book often have hidden identities and ulterior motives, emphasizing the theme of appearances being deceiving.
• The book provides a glimpse into the political landscape of the 1920s, offering insights into the strategies and machinations of those seeking power.
• Christie's keen observation of human behavior shines through, as she delves into the complexities of human nature and the various motivations behind people's actions.

"The Secret of Chimneys" is a captivating and suspenseful novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Christie's masterful storytelling and intricate plot make for an engaging reading experience. The book's exploration of deception, power, and hidden motives provides valuable insights into human behavior and the lengths to which people will go to protect their secrets. Fans of Agatha Christie and lovers of mystery novels will undoubtedly enjoy "The Secret of Chimneys" and its delightful blend of intrigue, suspense, and unexpected twists.

"The Secret of Chimneys" is a classic Agatha Christie novel that showcases her brilliance as a writer and storyteller. With its intriguing plot, memorable characters, and atmospheric setting, this book is a must-read for fans of the mystery genre. As readers delve into the secrets of Chimneys alongside Anthony Cade, they will be enthralled by the twists and turns that Christie skillfully weaves into the narrative. "The Secret of Chimneys" is a true testament to Agatha Christie's enduring legacy as the Queen of Crime.

The Secret of Chimneys FAQ

Who is the author of 'the secret of chimneys'.

The author of 'The Secret of Chimneys' is Agatha Christie.

What genre does 'The Secret of Chimneys' belong to?

'The Secret of Chimneys' belongs to the mystery genre.

When was 'The Secret of Chimneys' first published?

'The Secret of Chimneys' was first published in 1925.

What is the main plot of 'The Secret of Chimneys'?

The main plot of 'The Secret of Chimneys' revolves around a murder mystery and political intrigue.

Where is the setting of 'The Secret of Chimneys'?

The setting of 'The Secret of Chimneys' is primarily in a country house called Chimneys in England.

Who are the main characters in 'The Secret of Chimneys'?

The main characters in 'The Secret of Chimneys' include Anthony Cade, Virginia Revel, and Lord Caterham.

Is 'The Secret of Chimneys' part of a series?

No, 'The Secret of Chimneys' is a standalone novel and not part of any series.

Is 'The Secret of Chimneys' suitable for young readers?

'The Secret of Chimneys' is generally suitable for young adult and adult readers due to its complex plot and themes.

Has 'The Secret of Chimneys' been adapted into a movie or TV show?

Yes, 'The Secret of Chimneys' has been adapted for television in 2010 as a part of the Agatha Christie's Marple series.

What is the overall reception of 'The Secret of Chimneys'?

'The Secret of Chimneys' has generally received positive reviews for its intriguing plot and well-developed characters.

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