THE SECRET ADVERSARY

[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. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]