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N or M? (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries, #3)

Agatha Christie

Start date: March 15, 2025

Finish date: April 7, 2025

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Another in the Tommy & Tuppence series
[close] Another in the Tommy & Tuppence series

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* Willful Behaviour - SPOILER Thread - (Brunetti #11) (Oct/Nov 25)
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What Members Thought

Jan 22, 2019 Christine PNW rated it liked it · review of another edition

That plot summary doesn't even bear a passing resemblance to this book. Whoever wrote it should be fired. Also, the cover of my edition is insane - I get the shoelace, the hammer and the note wound around the rock, but the vaguely racist imagine of a Native American in full headdress holding a shot gun? I can literally remember NO references to either of those.

The book itself wasn't Christie's worst, but it was far from her best. I mean, it wasn't a Passenger to Frankfurt/The Big Four level di ...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, mystery, vintage-mystery, mount-tbr-2022, agatha-christie

World War II Britain. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are feeling rather old and unappreciated. They were in the thick of things in the last war--Tommy in the service and Tuppence as a nurse and driver for a General. After the war was over they had so many thrilling adventures working undercover for "Mr. Carter" of Intelligence. But now...they're told that the war office and intelligence can't use them. Obviously, it's a much younger man's...and woman's...show now.

But then "Mr. Grant" shows up, ost World War II Britain. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are feeling rather old and unappreciated. They were in the thick of things in the last war--Tommy in the service and Tuppence as a nurse and driver for a General. After the war was over they had so many thrilling adventures working undercover for "Mr. Carter" of Intelligence. But now...they're told that the war office and intelligence can't use them. Obviously, it's a much younger man's...and woman's...show now.

But then "Mr. Grant" shows up, ostensibly with a rather dull, but important job shuffling papers in Scotland for Tommy alone. But it's merely a cover for him to go searching for fifth columnists at the Sans Souci, a seaside hotel. One of two top German agents, going by the code name "N" or "M,"is thought to be in the area as well, directing the British traitors. Nothing is known about N and M except that one is a man and one is a woman. Tommy puts up a mild protest--too long out of the game, but Grant tells him that's exactly what is needed. Someone that nobody knows and nobody will suspect is an agent. And he's to be sworn to secrecy-he can't even let Tuppence know what's up.

When Tommy tells Tuppence about the cover job, she is suitably upset that there's nothing in it for her and sees him off at the station on the train like a dutiful wife. Imagine his surprise when he arrives at the southern coastal town of Leahampton (by way of Aberdeen for verisimilitude) to find "Mrs. Blenkensop" well established and peering back at him with Tuppence's eyes. She managed to fake leaving the flat while Mr. Grant was talking with Tommy and overheard the whole plan. And Tuppence was determined to be in on the action. From then on "Mr. Meadowes" and "Mrs. Blenkensop" are hot on the trail of the fifth columnists--but when Tommy disappears and Tuppence is taken captive it looks like the game is up. But as Mr. Grant now knows...you should never underestimate Mrs. Beresford.

It was great fun to see Tommy and Tuppence back in action again. They may be a bit older, but they've still got what it takes to outwit those devious spies--especially Tuppence. She is quick-witted enough to see through a certain person's pose and lays an artful trap which s/he falls right into. It was especially amusing to watch their children think about them as "poor little dears--having such a dull time of it and wanting so much to be where the action is." Little do they know what their parents have been up to.

Dame Agatha gives us plenty of possible Ns or Ms--from the inn's proprietor Mrs. Perenna, who is not as Spanish as she seems to the hearty old warhorses Major Bletchley and Commander Haydock to Carl von Deinim the German refugee to the sharp-eyed Mrs. O'Roarke to Miss Minton who seems to think of nothing but knitting to the distracted Mrs. Sprot who has her hands full with her young daughter to the hypochondriac couple Mr. & Mrs. Cayley. They all seem to be exactly what they are...except maybe just a touch too much so. But surely they can't all be imposters? ★★★ and 1/2 (rounded up here)

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

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Apr 24, 2018 Teri-K rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-golden-age

I really enjoyed this book which gives us Tommy and Tuppence in their 40's during WWII. Of course they want to help their country but it seems people of their age aren't needed. How they get involved with 5th columnist (spies working inside England) makes a quick, fun tale. It's unlikely the reader will figure out all of the twists and turns in this story, bu even when I remembered who did what and why I still thought the story held up well. Their kids are unnecessarily dismissive of our pair, b ...more

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Mar 17, 2025 Jackie rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this re-read. Tommy and Tuppence are likable characters, especially since I read the first 2 books fairly recently and remember how sweetly they fell in love. This one is more serious since Britain is at war, and our heroes are searching for spies at a small boarding house on the coast. Lots of fun characters, many of whom seem suspicious, and our heroes investigate with their usual insouciance. (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 27, 2020 ShanDizzy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

AC has done it again!! I was dead wrong as to the suspects. Like always, I am reminded that the hype & praise accorded Ms. Christie is well deserved.

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Mar 07, 2025 Frances rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

This short series featuring Tommy and Tuppence Beresford is more of a spy thriller than murder mystery series. In this outing, it is the start of the second World War and the Beresford's, now middle aged, feel somewhat left out as no one is interested in using their skills.But then something sinister seems to be happening in a small coastal town...

The setting is a small boarding house with an overworked and cranky landlady and the usual assortment of ex-servicemen, invalids, aging spinsters and ...more

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Nov 12, 2018 Paperbackreader rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: all-collections, read-but-unowned, british, classic, spy, tommy-and-tuppence, wwii, audiobook

Christie's Tommy and Tuppence never measures up to her more famous creations, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. I enjoy their adventures to varying degrees. I would have really liked N or M? but for a very strange scene involving (view spoiler). It is one of the most ludicrous things I have ever read. That scene seems like something an author would write if they could not find any other way of solving the problem at hand. It would have put me off even if a lesser au ...more

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Aug 19, 2024 Katie rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic-mystery, fiction

Very enjoyable! Loved it. The solution felt a little muddled to me, but I’m not going to complain as I can never follow things that happen in espionage stories. I can’t blame Agatha Christie for that.

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