My excuse for signing this book out of the library was to participate in a buddy read with my Agatha Christie reading group. But I ended up with a number of books coming due one after another plus another that had to be finished before my book club meeting, and even some non-book events to attend to. I have not been a decent participatory buddy reader. However, I have been sandwiching Tommy & Tuppence short stories in around all these various requirements and have finished up the lot. Long before the end of the organized reading. Once again, off kilter with my timing.
It's my feeling that Christie was mistress of the novel, but not nearly so skillful at the short story. She was apparently playing with all the well known literary detectives, giving our intrepid duo the opportunity to mimic their methods in each story. I was conversant with Sherlock Holmes of course and was amused that Christie referenced her own creation, Hercule Poirot. The others weren't within my ken, so perhaps I couldn't appreciate them fully.
In truth, the set up for this series of stories is pretty thin—that two young people would be recruited to catch spies through a pretend private investigator firm. But if you are willing to just go with it, Tommy and Tuppence are fun. I wonder why Christie didn't unpack them and write a few more adventures for them than she did.
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