Destination Unknown

First Published: 1954
Setting: The Unit, Somewhere in the North African Desert

Starring: Hilary Craven, Tom Betterton, Mr. Jessop, Andrew Peters

Important Other People: Monsieur Leblanc, Mr. Aristides, the Director

What I like about all of Agatha's espionage books is that they are written from a woman's perspective, and thus a bit softer than Ian Fleming or The Bourne Identity or whatever. Also, there's always a little bit of Agatha-styled romance in them! It's not as intense as other spy thrillers, and everything works out in the end with a minimum of deaths. Which is funny considering how many people die in her other books. 


The whole book revolves around defection to the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It touches on the themes of communism, nuclear fission and atom bombs, and witch hunts such as were happening in the US at the time. It is interesting the different people that were persuaded to join The Unit, leaving their lives behind for the cause of science. But apparently that happened in real life at the time! (see below) From what I gather, the whole essence of defection behind the Iron Curtain (I love when they say that in the book) is because they all want to pool their scientific knowledge. That's a nice thought, but obviously, countries don't always act in the best interest of humanity.


Aristides is said to have yellow hands. Again, we get this theme of yellow = money. Indeed it does, since he funds the entire Unit. 


One last thing, and this is according to Wikipedia (Matthew Bunson let me down this time) is that the book mirrors Agatha's own marriage breakdown after she had a daughter. Her husband, just like Hilary's, left her for a younger woman. Unlike Hilary, her daughter did not die. I also like how Mr. Jessop talked Hilary out of suicide and into espionage. Perhaps that's what Agatha wished had happened to her!

Interesting facts: This is the only book that does not revolve around a murder, or have murders in it. The person who was killed was killed before the time period in the book, and we don't know that the case is being investigated until the end of the book. The book is similar in style to a James Bond book by Ian Fleming, but less intense (and sexual). According to Wikipedia, the scientific defections in the book are reminiscent of two cases during the 1950s: Bruno Pontecorvo and Klaus Fuchs, two scientists who both defected to the Soviet Union. Crazy!

Favorite? Of all of the espionage books, not my favorite. I like it better than a lot of the espionage books without recurring characters, but it's all Cold War stuff. 

Death by: Poison: No deaths during the book, but that has happened before and I've still counted it.

Body Count: 1; Cumulative: 125

The Count: Poirot-24, Miss. Marple-6, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-4, Goby-2, No Recurring Character- 6, Mrs. Oliver-2, Albert- 2, Superintendent Spence-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Labels are not always correct. One could bear things so long as there was a reason to bear them. There's always a way. Once you get into the state of mind where the taking of human lives no longer counts, the fact that six other people will die is not even considered. When you cage a bird, if you give it all that it needs, it forgets in the end that it was ever free. One can be absolutely sure of nothing in this world. The old like to remember. 

Up Next: Hickory Dickory Death