From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

They Came to Baghdad

Agatha Christie

Start date: August 1, 2021

Finish date: August 31, 2021

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The next title in our Assorted Christies challenge.
[close] The next title in our Assorted Christies challenge.

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 14 posts · 16 views

last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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last updated Sep 01, 2025 04:16PM

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What Members Thought

Jun 03, 2018 Teri-K rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-golden-age

I really enjoyed this light, fun book about a young, innocent girl who gets caught up in international intrigue. Without holding the heroine up as a paragon of virtue or anything, I found I kind of admired her. She was resourceful, imaginative, and brave. Her experiences when she arrived in Baghdad and as an untrained worker at an archaeological site felt quite real, and since Christie had those experiences herself I'm sure she drew upon them. The story moved quickly and even though I think I'd ...more

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Jul 21, 2021 Susan in NC rated it liked it

Shelves: tbr-with-gr-groups

3.5-4 stars - apparently, mystery writers wanted to get on the international thriller/espionage bandwagon in the Communist-fearing post WWII period, and even Christie joined in. We’ve been there before, with Tommy and Tuppence, and The Man in the Brown Suit; this one is a stand-alone mystery adventure, set in 1950 and starring the likable Victoria Jones.

I noticed unlike in “Brown Suit”, written much earlier in Christie’s career, the female lead here takes part in the action - things happen to he 3.5-4 stars - apparently, mystery writers wanted to get on the international thriller/espionage bandwagon in the Communist-fearing post WWII period, and even Christie joined in. We’ve been there before, with Tommy and Tuppence, and The Man in the Brown Suit; this one is a stand-alone mystery adventure, set in 1950 and starring the likable Victoria Jones.

I noticed unlike in “Brown Suit”, written much earlier in Christie’s career, the female lead here takes part in the action - things happen to her- they may be ridiculous and riddled with coincidences, but she is at the heart of the action. In that earlier book, the female lead was beautiful and passive, swooning after her he-man love interest, but waiting to be rescued.

Victoria takes the lead right from the beginning of the story, when she rather ridiculously decides to follow a handsome young man she just met to Baghdad, despite having no money, no job, and no prospects. She’s a happy-go-lucky young woman, prone to embellishing the truth with her fruitful imagination, able to think on her feet, and generally land on her feet. I was surprised I liked her as much as I did; her propensity to lie at the drop of a hat would generally be a turnoff. I admit, if she was my daughter I’d be pulling my hair out over her lies and impulsiveness, but really, she exhibits the type of bravado and common sense adaptability we usually applaud in male characters. I enjoyed it more when I just let go, and thought of her as more of a female Indiana Jones (without the archeological knowledge)!

There were coincidences galore, like a dying man choosing our heroine’s room to escape into, or Victoria just happening to escape from kidnappers on foot, and walking in the right direction to be found next day and rescued (not really a spoiler, the kidnapping happens when there is too much book left - Victoria has to escape!)

Anyway, there are coincidences, and an intricate, vaguely shady plot about some all-powerful group trying to sow discord in the world, and disrupt an international conference taking place between the U.S. president and the Soviet leader. Sounds improbably like an Austin Powers movie now, but in 1950 I’m sure plenty of readers and viewers were fearful enough of communism specifically, and another worldwide conflict in general, to make Cold War plots like this feasible. It was fun going along with Victoria’s adventures, and satisfying seeing her grow up. Another fun, new-to-me Christie mystery, read with the Reading the Detectives Group as this year’s “Assorted Christies” challenge.

...more

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Aug 01, 2021 Susan in NC rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5-4 stars - apparently, mystery writers wanted to get on the international thriller/espionage bandwagon in the Communist-fearing post WWII period, and even Christie joined in. We’ve been there before, with Tommy and Tuppence, and The Man in the Brown Suit; this one is a stand-alone mystery adventure, set in 1950 and starring the likable Victoria Jones.

I noticed unlike in “Brown Suit”, written much earlier in Christie’s career, the female lead here takes part in the action - things happen to h 3.5-4 stars - apparently, mystery writers wanted to get on the international thriller/espionage bandwagon in the Communist-fearing post WWII period, and even Christie joined in. We’ve been there before, with Tommy and Tuppence, and The Man in the Brown Suit; this one is a stand-alone mystery adventure, set in 1950 and starring the likable Victoria Jones.

I noticed unlike in “Brown Suit”, written much earlier in Christie’s career, the female lead here takes part in the action - things happen to her- they may be ridiculous and riddled with coincidences, but she is at the heart of the action. In that earlier book, the female lead was beautiful and passive, swooning after her he-man love interest, but waiting to be rescued.

Victoria takes the lead right from the beginning of the story, when she rather ridiculously decides to follow a handsome young man she just met to Baghdad, despite having no money, no job, and no prospects. She’s a happy-go-lucky young woman, prone to embellishing the truth with her fruitful imagination, able to think on her feet, and generally land on her feet. I was surprised I liked her as much as I did; her propensity to lie at the drop of a hat would generally be a turnoff. I admit, if she was my daughter I’d be pulling my hair out over her lies and impulsiveness, but really, she exhibits the type of bravado and common sense adaptability we usually applaud in male characters. I enjoyed it more when I just let go, and thought of her as more of a female Indiana Jones (without the archeological knowledge)!

There were coincidences galore, like a dying man choosing our heroine’s room to escape into, or Victoria just happening to escape from kidnappers on foot, and walking in the right direction to be found next day and rescued (not really a spoiler, the kidnapping happens when there is too much book left - Victoria has to escape!)

Anyway, there are coincidences, and an intricate, vaguely shady plot about some all-powerful group trying to sow discord in the world, and disrupt an international conference taking place between the U.S. president and the Soviet leader. Sounds improbably like an Austin Powers movie now, but in 1950 I’m sure plenty of readers and viewers were fearful enough of communism specifically, and another worldwide conflict in general, to make Cold War plots like this feasible. It was fun going along with Victoria’s adventures, and satisfying seeing her grow up. Another fun, new-to-me Christie mystery, read with the Reading the Detectives Group as this year’s “Assorted Christies” challenge. ...more

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Jun 18, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers-espionage, fiction-1950s, british, 2017read, fiction, reviewed

Agatha Christie spy genre book. Spunky Victoria Jones meets Edward by chance in London, but he is leaving to go to Baghdad. Smitten and certain of the chemistry between them, she follows him to Baghdad. She travels as a companion on a one-way ticket to Baghdad, arriving penniless and not knowing how to find Edward. She soon finds herself in the middle of intrigue and danger - and, of course, romance. A cute book with one of Christie's spunky heroines. ...more

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Sep 12, 2017 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: british-golden-age-mysteries, crime-mystery-fiction, spy-novels

I thought this was a really entertaining read, with engaging characters. At times, it reminded me of a cross between a spy novel and a 1930s screwball comedy -- parts were quite funny.

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Aug 18, 2021 Anna Adams rated it it was amazing

I picked it up while a bit depressed from Hamilton's dying at the end of a biography about him. :-) So, I wasn't expecting a lot. I haven't read many of Christie's non-Poirot/non-Marple books. But this is actually one of my favorite Christie's! Need to read more of these!

Enjoyed it just as much the second time! (view spoiler) ...more

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