The Secret of Chimneys (1925)
Anthony Cade, a quick-witted rogue spending some time working as a tour guide in Zimbabwe, meets a friend who hands him a manuscript with instructions to deliver it to its publishers in London. Cade agrees, and quickly discovers that the manuscript is desperately sought after by high-level dignitaries—and revolutionaries—of the country of Herzoslovakia. As he does his best to complete his task in bustling London, he soon finds himself a guest of one Lord Caterham for a weekend party at his country estate, Chimneys. Chimneys, legendary for its long history of esteemed guests ranging from politicians to business magnates to royalty, is an ideal location for a murder mystery: it’s palatial, filled with secret rooms, and surrounded by rolling country. Sure enough, without delay one of the guests is murdered, kicking off a series of fast-paced intrigues as local and international police, led by Superintendent Battle, try to snag the killer—all while a famed French jewel thief seems to be lurking among them. The Secret of Chimneys was a well-received entry in Agatha Christie’s canon, and is often considered among her best early thrillers. Events unfold quickly, the plot is thick with…
- Published
- 1925
