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

The Man in the Brown Suit- Day 5

First Published: 1924

Setting: Kilmorden Castle, South Africa, Rhodesia

Starring: Anne Beddingfield, Colonel Race, Harry Rayburn

Important Other People: Sir Eustace, Suzanne, Guy Pagett, the "Colonel"

The first thing I want to point out about Agatha and her career is that she was not just the elderly lady we see on the back of book covers or on her website. Agatha wrote books for over 50 years, and in that time period, she started out young and got older. I always picture her as an elderly woman writing her books, when in reality, she was young when she got started, and so was young when she wrote The Man in the Brown Suit. This explains the spirit of adventure apparent throughout the novel, as well as her identification with Anne and her passion regarding Harry. She was young, and she knew what it was to love passionately and to yearn for adventure.

One of the major themes of this book is the changing idea of womanhood and the new role that women played in the 1920s. Similar to The Secret Adversary, Agatha explores the new idea of women, modeling her heroine after this new ideal. Colonel Race talks about women as "weak things," which Anne explains is due to society's renderings, because in the beginning, they were equal. She explains how the archaeological record shows that women and men used to work together as equals before modernized society designated separate rolls for them. We see how Anne constantly goes against the idea society has for women as she strikes out on her own and continues to follow her heart and her dreams. We also see Suzanne as a direct opposite from her, cemented by her upper-class life and her trip to Africa as a whim. We also get the idea that marriage is a foolish notion that is used to tie women down and keep them in these preconceived roles. Anne fights that by marrying on her own terms and disregarding what is "best" for her.

Anne Beddingfield is Agatha's emulation of herself. She is young, free, and adventurous, and she loves madly. Agatha saw herself in Anne, but Anne has a greater degree of freedom and thus has more adventures than Agatha. Still, out of all of her characters, I really think she felt she was most like Anne. She even observes that "one always gets what one wants." Agatha wanted adventures, and she was able to get them in her life, but also, and most importantly, she was able to get them through her characterization of Anne. She also readily acknowledges that she is oftentimes foolish and childish in her actions and choices. Agatha is very self-reflective in her depiction of Anne, and we are able to see more of her personality in this book, than, I would venture to say, in any other.

Interesting facts: Agatha wrote this story after going on a world tour with her husband and their friend- who happened to be the inspiration for Sir Eustace (see the dedication!)

Favorite? One of them because I do love Anne, even though her relationship with Harry is a little too intense for my liking...

Death by: Strangulation (Nadina). I will not count the man falling under the train, since it was technically an accident.

Body Count: 1; Cumulative: 4

The Count: Poirot-2, Miss. Marple-0, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-2, Japp-1, Colonel Race-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: (So many in this book!) "Men will not be nice to you if you are not good-looking, and women will not be nice to you if you are." "It is good for one now and again to realize what an idiot one can be." The world is full of starving cats. A true lady is neither shocked nor surprised at anything that might happen. "Nothing a woman enjoys so much as doing all the things she doesn't like for the sake of someone she does like." Don't let your sense of humor carry you away. Rats always leave a sinking ship. And most importantly... Don't settle when you marry.

Up Next: The Secret of Chimneys