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The Secret of Chimneys (Superintendent Battle, #1)

Agatha Christie

Start date: June 1, 2021

Finish date: June 30, 2021

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: Next in our Assorted Christies challenge.
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* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
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last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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What Members Thought

May 27, 2021 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

First published in 1925, this is the first Christie novel to feature Superintendent Battle (he appeared in a further four novels: The Seven Dials Mystery, Cards on the Table, Murder Is Easy and Towards Zero.

The novel is in many ways a typical country house farce, involving many aliases, royalty, blackmail, secret assignations, jewel thieves, murder and general confusion. The story begins when Anthony Cade is given a manuscript to deliver to London by his old friend Jimmy McGrath, along with som ...more

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Apr 19, 2020 Christine PNW rated it liked it

This is maybe the fourth time I've read The Secret of Chimneys. It's not a top tier Christie - first of all, it really isn't a puzzle mystery. It straddles the line between straight mystery and thriller. The clues are obscure, sometimes to the point of impenetrability, Christie hasn't mastered either pacing or character in this early offering, and there are a lot of cliches here.

The thing about Chimneys, though, is that it is solid gold British comfort read for me. As a mystery it is lacking, bu ...more

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Jun 07, 2019 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mount-tbr-2019, bought-2018, british-mystery, mystery, vintage-mystery, agatha-christie, thriller, adventure, country-house

The Secret of Chimneys (1925) by Agatha Christie is her third mystery/adventure in her first five years as a detective novelist. It introduces Superintendent Battle who shares a great deal of the spotlight with our mysterious adventurer, Anthony Cade. It has just about everything imaginable--country house party with murder, various characters in disguise (sometimes in more than one disguise), secret passages, missing jewels and a master jewel thief, a secret code, blackmail, secret societies, an The Secret of Chimneys (1925) by Agatha Christie is her third mystery/adventure in her first five years as a detective novelist. It introduces Superintendent Battle who shares a great deal of the spotlight with our mysterious adventurer, Anthony Cade. It has just about everything imaginable--country house party with murder, various characters in disguise (sometimes in more than one disguise), secret passages, missing jewels and a master jewel thief, a secret code, blackmail, secret societies, and the missing memoirs of a recently deceased high-ranking Balkan official.

So...about that story: It opens in Africa where our hero, Anthony Cade, is conducting tours for middle-age ladies and couples. He'd rather be doing something more exciting--preferably in South American, but you take what you can get, right? His old pal, Jimmy McGrath, arrives on the scene and offers him the chance for a change of scenery. It's not nearly as exciting as a revolution in South America, but at least he won't be flirting with middle-aged women any more. For a share of a thousand pounds, Anthony will need to deliver Count Stylptich's memoirs about the Balkan state of Herzoslovakia to a certain publisher in London. In addition, there is a stack of letters used for blackmail (not by Jimmy) that Jimmy would like to see delivered into the hands of the lady who wrote the indiscreet missives. The lady in question is one Virginia Revel. More of her later.

Meanwhile, back in England George Lomax talks his friend Lord Caterham to host a very special house party at his country estate Chimneys. In addition to any innocuous guests--including his own cousin Virginia (you guessed it--Revel), Lomax wants to slip in some principals in fantastic plot to restore the monarchy in Herzoslavakia and, incidentally, securing oil rights for a British concern. Caterham, unlike his recently deceased brother, has no head for politics and resents his place being used as a combination hotel and embassy--but he doesn't have the stamina to forestall Lomax when the man is in a politically conniving mood.

Once Anthony arrives in England, the fun begins. He is visited by Herzoslavakian dignitaries and members of the Red Hand (political secret society) who are interested in obtaining the memoirs. The blackmail letters are stolen and he heads out to find Virginia Revel anyway. The waiter who stole the letters visits Virginia, tries to blackmail her and apparently succeeds(even though we find out the signature on the letters is not hers), and then winds up dead in her drawing room. Anthony shows up and immediately is ready to hide dead bodies for the lady. He does so and both he and Virginia head (separately) to Chimneys. Where another dead body is found--this time a member of Lomax's political plot. Superintendent Battle is called in when it's discovered that the murdered man is Prince Michael of Herzoslavakia in disguise and a famous French member of the Sûreté arrives in search of the jewel thief, King Victor, who is rumored to be in search of the Koh-i-Noor diamond which had been stolen some years earlier. Chimneys is one place where it may be hidden, though many searches have not found it.

Of course, the diamond is found, King Victor is captured, the murderer is discovered, all mysteries are resolved, and a new heir to the throne appears to settle the Herzoslavakian question once and for all. Lots of excitement all round. Anthony certainly traded up in adventures when he abandoned the middle-aged ladies to act as courier boy for Jimmy McGrath. This is pure fun and fantasy--certainly not a down-to-earth murder mystery and definitely not fair play detection. All intrigue and adventure, it makes for a great escape read. ★★★ and a half. [rounded to four here]

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

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May 23, 2020 Karen M rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, ebooks, own-ebook, bookclubgirls

This was my introduction to Superintendent Battle, although he really isn’t featured in this story he is definitely present and Agatha Christie did write four more books in which he is included.

This is one of my favorite formats ala Christie, big country house, odd assortment of characters and of course a murder or two. This is a mystery with secret identities, stolen items, missing people and lots of suspects who just all happen to be in the same place at the same time!

My timing for reading thi ...more

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Mar 15, 2015 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-as-an-audiobook

Well, that got weird. I don't think that political intrigue books are my favorite Christie books. Then again mint chocolate chip isn't my favorite ice cream and if you gave me a tub of it right now I'd eat it all happily. Interpolate that same idea with regards to literature and you'll have a good idea of how I was able to enjoy this book so much. ...more

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May 22, 2019 ShanDizzy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I am so happy that I stuck with this story! It started slowly (like the Richard Hannay stories) but it got truly interesting as it progressed. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

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Jun 06, 2021 Frances rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

Another Christie thriller mystery, the first to feature Supt. Battle. This one features lost jewels, a missing heir to a minor Balkan country (Herzoslovakia), a globe-trotting adventurer, a couple of tidy murders, a glamorous widow, and a cranky and put-upon stately home-owner. Good Christie fun, if not her most brilliant.

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