Partners in Crime.

Bored with peacetime and hungry for excitement, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford accept an unusual assignment: run a detective agency as a front for intelligence work, and catch whatever criminals happen to walk through the door.

What it's about

Partners in Crime reunites Christie's beloved husband-and-wife adventurers as they take charge of the International Detective Agency and work their way through a string of cases, blackmail, disappearances, theft, even murder. The twist is that in each story the pair solve the crime in the manner of a famous fictional detective of the era, playfully adopting the methods of Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown and many others now half-forgotten. Behind the games lurks a genuine espionage plot that ties the collection together.

Themes

The book is at once a set of mysteries and a loving, tongue-in-cheek tribute to the golden age of detective fiction itself. Christie celebrates the conventions of her genre even as she gently teases them, and the running affection between Tommy and Tuppence gives the whole a warmth few pure puzzles possess. Partnership, marriage and the pleasures of shared adventure run throughout, alongside the era's appetite for spies and secret intrigue.

Why it still matters

As both entertainment and literary history, Partners in Crime is unique in Christie's output, a knowing homage to the writers who shaped the detective story, from a novelist at the top of her craft. For fans of Tommy and Tuppence it is essential, and for lovers of the genre it is a delightful guided tour of its early masters. The stories are brisk, clever and funny, and the couple's chemistry has kept the collection in print for generations.

Who it's for

Ideal for Christie enthusiasts, fans of Tommy and Tuppence, and anyone who enjoys golden-age detective fiction and its history. Readers who like their mysteries laced with humor and literary in-jokes will find this collection a particular pleasure.

Sources and references

Verified references for this edition: Open Library, WorldCat, Agatha Christie on Wikipedia.