The Secret Adversary

Name: The Secret Adversary
Author: Agatha Christie

The novel follows the adventures of Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley, two young people who form a partnership as "The Young Adventurers Ltd." in search of exciting and profitable work. When they are approached by a mysterious Mr. Whittington, they are hired to find a missing man named Julius Hersheimmer, the American heir to a large fortune. Tommy and Tuppence soon find themselves embroiled in a dangerous international conspiracy involving a secret society, a stolen treaty, and a ruthless criminal mastermind known only as "Mr. Brown." With the help of a Scotland Yard detective, they must race against time to uncover the truth and save the day. Along the way, they must outwit their adversaries and survive a series of thrilling escapades.

By Agatha Christie · First published 1922 · Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Adventure · 29 chapters · 76,989 words

First lines

IT was 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7, 1915. The _Lusitania_ had been struck by two torpedoes in succession and was sinking rapidly, while the boats were being launched with all possible speed. The women and children were being lined up awaiting their turn. Some still clung desperately to husbands and fathers; others clutched their children closely to their breasts. One girl stood alone, slightly apart from the rest. She was quite young, not more than eighteen. She did not seem afraid, and her grave, steadfast eyes looked straight ahead.

What this Textopian page supports

The Secret Adversary is listed on Textopian as a novel by Agatha Christie, dated 1922 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Agatha Christie
Date: 1922 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Adventure, Crime
Length: 76,989 words
Structure: 29 chapters, 2,555 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Secret Adversary?
How does this novel by Agatha Christie fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — The Secret Adversary is a classic mystery novel by Agatha Christie, featuring two protagonists, Tommy and Tuppence, who are hired to solve a mystery and uncover a secret adversary.
Thriller — The Secret Adversary is a thrilling novel with suspenseful plot twists and turns, as Tommy and Tuppence attempt to uncover the identity of their secret adversary.
Adventure — The Secret Adversary is an adventurous novel, as Tommy and Tuppence travel around the world in search of clues and attempt to solve the mystery.
Crime — The Secret Adversary is a crime novel, as Tommy and Tuppence investigate a criminal organization and attempt to bring them to justice.