The Secret of Chimneys (1925), Christie's third novel, comes from the period when romance was almost as important to her as crime. Each of the guests at Chimneys, a country estate, is suspected of the murder of a foreign nobleman. Two of the accused, a young widowed aristocrat and a young man of seemingly dubious background, find themselves falling in love as they join forces to solve the case. Blackmail, a politician's memoirs, and a notorious thief, are mixed expertly into the highly entertaining plot. A French detective and a no-nonsense English cop seem to be prototypes for Hercule Poirot and Inspector Japp, who look into the puzzling death of Hercule's dentist in One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, from 1940. Hercule must solve the crime while preventing further deaths, with prominent financier Alistair Blunt a much-threatened target. As wonderful as Hugh Fraser is as Captain Hastings in the television adaptations of the Poirot tales, he is even better as the reader of both novels. Highly recommended for popular collections.-Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Agatha Christie was a revolutionary writer, one of the first to make the detective story accessible, with clean, easy prose.

Will keep the reader guessing until the very end.

Hugh Fraser, known to aficionados of PBS's "Mystery" as Poirot's sidekick, Captain Hastings, is the narrator of this delightful story in which the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Surete can do no better than run in circles--until the final murder at Chimneys. Readers might think they’ve picked up a multivoiced performance when they meet Anthony Cade, the witty, and chivalrous hero who never loses his cool in sticky situations; the zealous politician George Lomax, hilarious in his pomposity; Herzoslovakian Baron Lolopretjzyl ,who does strange and amusing things to English word order; Prince Michael's gothic valet; the intelligent and sensible Superintendent Battle; Lady Eileen ("Bundle") Brent, who uncovers the "secret" of the title; and Virginia, who sounds so delicate but actually enjoys being blackmailed for the sake of the experience. Listen to this audiobook once for the mystery and parody and again for the wealth of Fraser’s smooth, cultured character presentations. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Hugh Fraser, known to aficionados of PBS's "Mystery" as Poirot's sidekick, Captain Hastings, is the narrator of this delightful story in which the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Surete can do no better than run in circles--until the final murder at Chimneys. Readers might think they’ve picked up a multivoiced performance when they meet Anthony Cade, the witty, and chivalrous hero who never loses his cool in sticky situations; the zealous politician George Lomax, hilarious in his pomposity; Herzoslovakian Baron Lolopretjzyl ,who does strange and amusing things to English word order; Prince Michael's gothic valet; the intelligent and sensible Superintendent Battle; Lady Eileen ("Bundle") Brent, who uncovers the "secret" of the title; and Virginia, who sounds so delicate but actually enjoys being blackmailed for the sake of the experience. Listen to this audiobook once for the mystery and parody and again for the wealth of Fraser’s smooth, cultured character presentations. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine