2.5 Why The Secret Adversary is Skippable

Agatha Christie’s The Secret Adversary is one of her early books and introduces Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley, a pair of amateur detectives. The story is about spies, political secrets, and danger. Tommy and Tuppence try to find Jane Finn, a woman with important information that could harm Britain.

The Story
The story has a lot of action—chases, kidnappings, and dangerous situations. But even with so much happening, the book doesn’t feel exciting. There’s no real suspense or thrill. The twists in the story are easy to guess, and the villains are not very memorable.

The Characters
Tommy and Tuppence are the main characters, but they are not very clever or resourceful. Instead of solving problems with intelligence, they mostly survive by luck. They act carelessly and make so many mistakes that it’s hard to believe they can solve anything!

Also, they don’t have strong personalities. Unlike Christie’s famous detectives like Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence are not charming or interesting.

Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a smart mystery or exciting detective story, The Secret Adversary might not be the best choice. The story is light and easy to read but not very deep or memorable.

Recommendation: Read this book only if you have nothing else to read.