All of Agatha: Partners in Crime

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

This month I read only one work in my quest to read all of Agatha Christie's ouvre in UK-published order. That work was Partners in Crime, a collection of Tommy & Tuppence stories where they run a detective agency. I also rented the TV series from the 1980's but I only watched one [I watched another with the Shedunnit book club, which was an entirely different, and pleasurable, experience] when I decided I just couldn't take the perky, campy nature of it. It's not it, it's me. I think I am just to sober and in a, as Bertie Wooster would say, though not disgruntled, far from gruntled, mood to appreciate them.

In the stories, Tommy and Tuppence take clients and try to use the techniques and styles of fictional detectives to solve the crime/problem. The problem is that most of the detectives I'd never heard of. I'd heard of four: Holmes, Poirot, Thorndyke, and Roger Sherringham. That was it. But I've never read any Thorndyke so I might do that. Written by R. Austin Freeman, Dr. Thorndyke is known for the use of science (forensic science and medicine) elements.

It was a bit of a slog to get through. I think it's just too light and campy for me at the moment, and it's difficult to un-hear Francesca Annis' voice ringing in your ears.

Next up: more short stories The Mysterious Mr. Quin.

Comments

[smallhobbit]

I've never been a fan of Tommy and Tuppence.

I keep getting R Austin Freeman's Dr Thorndyke muddled up with Russell Thorndyke's Dr Syn, who was a totally different character.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

It's just too breezy. I think in the right mood, I'd appreciate it. I don't know if that mood is achievable in a post-pandemic world, however.

Yes, I can see that. And I get R. Austin Freeman confused with Freeman Wills Croft, who wrote Inspector French. All a muddle.

[luthienberen]

I am only familiar with Tommy and Tuppence through the Francesca Annis series, which was fun, but not to my taste. I do prefer Poirot :-)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Yes, she's fine in small doses!

[debriswoman]

Interesting, I have never read the books featuring these two...I can see why they might not appeal.