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lisas_library_factory's review
3.0
This reading experience was definitely something different than you classical Christie murder mystery. It is much more a spy thriller with a twist. This made it quite hard for me to get through, asd I am not a big fan of reading spy novels. Some of the aspects of the novels seemed a bit over the top for me. However, strong female characters are one of Christie's strong suits and here, with Hilary Craven, Christie created another one of these interesting female main characters. It made the reading experience much more pleasant for me to be able to follow her around and see what will happen. The ending then saved a lot for me - it felt like your typical Christie again and it also turned out positive for Hilary.
mj5291's review
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
book_concierge's review against another edition
2.0
Book on CD read by Emilia Fox
A brilliant young scientist has disappeared from Paris. The international community is concerned, as he is only one of several scientists who have recently dropped from sight. His wife, Olive Betterton, may know more than she is willing to say, but she lies in a Moroccan hospital bed, dying from injuries sustained in a plane crash. Meanwhile, Hilary Craven is in the grips of depression – her daughter has died, her husband has left her. She has nothing to live for … until British secret agent Jessop offers her a chance to help her country.
This is a cold-war spy thriller that is obviously dated. The characters and plot include the aforementioned brilliant scientists, double agents, an evil genius mastermind, an exotic locale, a secret laboratory, a beautiful heroine, and a strong handsome hero. Christie was a master at writing a suspenseful thriller, and all the hallmarks of her craft are here. But the plot is so dated and the spy / evil genius theme so over-the-top by today’s standards as to be laughable. I wound up thinking Get Smart rather than James Bond.
Emilia Fox does a pretty good job of the “normal” characters. She even has a great brassy American accent for one tourist Hilary encounters. But her evil genius character is just laughable. Makes me wonder if Christie intended this to be a campy take-off of the spy thriller genre.
A brilliant young scientist has disappeared from Paris. The international community is concerned, as he is only one of several scientists who have recently dropped from sight. His wife, Olive Betterton, may know more than she is willing to say, but she lies in a Moroccan hospital bed, dying from injuries sustained in a plane crash. Meanwhile, Hilary Craven is in the grips of depression – her daughter has died, her husband has left her. She has nothing to live for … until British secret agent Jessop offers her a chance to help her country.
This is a cold-war spy thriller that is obviously dated. The characters and plot include the aforementioned brilliant scientists, double agents, an evil genius mastermind, an exotic locale, a secret laboratory, a beautiful heroine, and a strong handsome hero. Christie was a master at writing a suspenseful thriller, and all the hallmarks of her craft are here. But the plot is so dated and the spy / evil genius theme so over-the-top by today’s standards as to be laughable. I wound up thinking Get Smart rather than James Bond.
Emilia Fox does a pretty good job of the “normal” characters. She even has a great brassy American accent for one tourist Hilary encounters. But her evil genius character is just laughable. Makes me wonder if Christie intended this to be a campy take-off of the spy thriller genre.
isaarusilor's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
pinks_paperbacks's review against another edition
3.0
So the excitement of the story started from chapter 9 onwards which is nearly halfway to the book. Even if details are required to form a base of the story it was drab and went on for quite some time. Barring few obvious outlooks there were poor attempts/no attempts made to take us through the main investigating officer's psychological outlook on the whole case. Lastly, the ending was not satisfactory. By that I don't mean that it was unexpected. Unexpected is good even if sometimes it's not happy. In this book though, the end was hurried and a certain remark was made and had no reason or assessment behind it.
I will say this though that you may give reading this book a try because it's always plausible that a different perspective on this book can bring out the best (or worst) of this book.
I will say this though that you may give reading this book a try because it's always plausible that a different perspective on this book can bring out the best (or worst) of this book.
bloomingpear's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
Minor: Infidelity and Child death
starthelostgirl's review
5.0
I thought this was a first-rate thriller. I wasn’t expecting to love it, since the other thrillers I’ve read of hers weren’t excellent and it’s set during the Red Scare (a period of time that just doesn’t really interest me). I completely loved it though!
melissa_who_reads's review
3.0
Listened to it on audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it, preposterous as the story was. Hillary Craven goes to Morocco to escape her dismal life in England - her child has died, her husband has left her - and once she gets to sunny beautiful Morocco, she finds the blues haven't been chased away. Even missing a plane that later crashed didn't cheer her up. So she decides to kill herself. But as she's setting out the pills in her hotel room, her door opens, and Jessop walks in - with a proposition: take on a mission for him that is almost certain suicide instead. She agrees to take the place of a dying woman, and find out where that woman's husband, a famous scientist, disappeared to ...
One of the notable things about Mrs. Christie is that she didn't really approve of the really rich: a fair number of her plots have to do with the rich behaving undemocratically and attempting to rule the world through backdoor and very illegal channels - and often with a front of vague propaganda.
One of the notable things about Mrs. Christie is that she didn't really approve of the really rich: a fair number of her plots have to do with the rich behaving undemocratically and attempting to rule the world through backdoor and very illegal channels - and often with a front of vague propaganda.
auslyn's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
my first agatha christie book! an excellent introduction, a more lighthearted mystery centered on a disappeared scientist. theres a subtle romance, a satisfying twist. not as thrilling as i would imagine most agatha christie's are? lower stakes mystery. overall a really fun read for a pallet cleanser