The Secret Adversary

November 30, 2015
Reader Larkin is an excellent choice to narrate this delightful classic from mystery maven Christie. It is 1919, the Great War is over, and the roaring ’20s are just on the horizon in London. Tommy Breseford and Prudence “Tuppence” Cowley are young and optimistic, but they are also broke and out of work—which is a problem for the lifestyles they wish to live. On a lark they form a company, the Young Adventurers Ltd., hoping to earn money from odd jobs, anything that will pay. Little do they know that their entrepreneurial romp will lead them down a dangerous, twisted path of secrets, kidnappings, and murder. Christie, through her protagonists, perfectly conveys the buoyant, frivolous times of the early 1920s. Larkin’s performance captures that sense of carefree enthusiasm for life before the crash. Her reading is champagne bubbly and engaging throughout the book, especially in the cheeky back-and-forth banter between Tommy and Tuppence. This is a jaunty, jolly good listen.

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with POSTERN OF FATE.]--When we first meet detectives Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley, it's just after WWI, and they're hiring themselves out as "young adventurers." Their first case, finding the mysterious Jane Finn, is classic Christie with its twists, turns, and a final surprise. In POSTERN OF FATE, we meet Tommy and Tuppence much later (they're now married) as they uncover an old mystery in the home they've selected for their retirement. Samatha Bond, whose voice will be familiar to those who enjoy British television mysteries featuring Inspector Morse and Hercule Poirot, does a top-notch job with these stories. Her pacing is perfect, and her ability to switch from American to British to Russian-inflected accents astonishing. Bond's enthusiastic reading allows listeners to suspend their disbelief over Christie's more amazing plot twists and enjoy her stories for what they are: the foundation of the modern mystery. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine


In this audio version of Agatha Christie's second novel, listeners are transported to London directly after the Great War. Tommy Beresford and Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley have set themselves up as the Young Adventurers Ltd. Alison Larkin's crisp, clear narration, with her precise English accent, sets the scene and helps to conjure up the feeling of a bygone era when the class system was at the core of British society. Larkin's portrayals help bring the characters alive. She voices Tuppence with girlish tones, highlighting her impulsive and flighty nature, while Tommy's subdued tones emphasize his steadier character. Larkin's range of accents--Cockney, upper-class English, and American--demonstrates convincing authenticity. The result is an easy listen of a classic tale of detection. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine