This month – and in August and September – the Read Christie challenge is moving on to books published in the 1940s and 1950s. I have several unread Christies from those decades to choose from, but I decided to start with N or M?, a Tommy and Tuppence novel from 1941. I enjoyed the first two T&T books, The Secret Adversary and Partners in Crime, and this is the third in the series.
I think this is a series best read in order as, unlike Poirot and Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence age almost in real time; they were in their early twenties in 1922’s The Secret Adversary and when we join them at the beginning of N or M? they are over forty. Their advancing age has become a source of frustration to them now that the world is at war and it seems that they are too old to make any meaningful contribution. Then, Mr Grant, a secret agent, arrives with an intriguing proposition for Tommy. He must travel undercover on behalf of the Secret Service to a boarding house on the south coast of England in search of two German spies, one male and one female, known only by the initials N and M. The mission must be kept secret from everyone, including Tuppence, who is told that Tommy is being sent to Scotland to take up a boring office job. However, Tuppence is already one step ahead and determined not to miss out on the excitement!
N or M? is more of a thriller/espionage novel rather than a traditional detective novel, which made a nice change from my last two Read Christie selections, which have both been Poirot mysteries. One of the good things about diving into Christie’s books more or less at random as I have been doing over the last few years is that there’s enough variety within her body of work that you never really get bored. However, there’s still a mystery to be solved here – the mystery of the true identities of N and M – and plenty of clues to look out for. I found it very easy to identify one of the spies (and was frustrated that Tommy and Tuppence didn’t work it out as quickly as I did), but I didn’t guess the other one so there were still some surprises in store for me.
With most of the novel being set in and around the Sans Souci boarding house, this means all of the suspects are together in one place, giving Tommy and Tuppence plenty of opportunities to observe them. The most obvious is Carl von Deinim, a German refugee and research chemist, but is he too obvious? The other guests include a larger than life Irishwoman, a retired Major, an invalid and his wife, and a young mother with her two-year-old daughter. Literally anybody could be a spy and Christie does a great job of capturing the sense of danger, mistrust and paranoia. I was quite worried for Tommy and Tuppence at times, even though I knew they must survive as there are more books in the series!
I’ve found that the other Christie novels I’ve read that were published during this same time period barely mention the war, if at all, so it was unusual to find one in which the war is such a central part of the plot and affects the lives of the characters in so many ways. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next Tommy and Tuppence book, By the Pricking of My Thumbs – although not just yet, as it’s published in 1968 and we’ll be staying in the 40s and 50s for the next two months.
This is book 11/20 of my 20 Books of Summer 2024.
She Reads Novels 
I always loved They Came To Baghdad but didn’t really recognise that Christie wrote other espionage-y books–which is good news because they tend to work better for me than her straight mysteries! I’ll keep this one in mind for the next time I need a hit.
They Came to Baghdad is one of my favourites. The Man in the Brown Suit is another espionage book that I really enjoyed – and also Destination Unknown, although I didn’t like that one as much.
I did get those from the lib last month but ran out of time! One day…
You’ve reminded me of why I enjoy this one so much, so it may be time to re-read. I love Tuppence’s ingenuity and refusal to be left behind. This one really does feel of its time, with the war setting.
I loved the wartime setting – quite unusual for Christie, considering how many other books she published during the war that hardly mention it.
They Came to Baghdad and The Man in the Brown Suit are two of my favorites, Elle, and I am also fond of Tommy and Tuppence. In fact, the television series about them really seemed to capture them, as I recall. However, the only thing I remember about this one is the rhyme: “N or M, Sing Song Suzie!” Did I get it right?
Yes, almost – the phrase is “N or M, Song Susie”, which leads them to the Sans Souci boarding house! They Came to Baghdad and The Man in the Brown Suit are two of my favourites as well. I love Christie’s detective novels, but the thrillers are usually good fun.
Sadly I was put off reading the Tommy and Tuppence series by having watched a bit of the first episode of the TV adaptation with David Walliams as Tommy – I do find his persona, whatever character he plays, exceedingly creepy.
On a more positive note: we’ve been bingeing on the last dozen or more David Suchet ‘Poirot’ episodes, which we’d recorded late on in their being made available again on ITV. How well Suchet inhabited that role – his final case was extraordinarily moving.
I’m not a David Walliams fan either and wasn’t interested in watching the Tommy and Tuppence TV series for that reason. I do love the books, though! And yes, David Suchet was perfect as Poirot. Nobody else has really come close in that role, in my opinion.
This one does sound interesting, I love a boarding house setting and you’ve reminded me to read something from the 40’s, thank you!
I love books set in boarding houses too and am coincidentally reading another one now!
I have ‘Secret Adversary’ (unread obviously). I’ll get around to reading it at some point. Funnily I thought that ‘Why Didn’t they Ask Evans?’ was part of this couple/series. Nope – completely different couple!
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? has a very similar feel and could easily have been a Tommy and Tuppence book!
Tommy and Tuppence are fun, although in general the plots of those books are the silliest.
Yes they are, although I don’t mind a silly plot sometimes as long as it’s entertaining.
I agree.
I’ve read only one Tommy and Tuppence book and wasn’t that impressed. My mistake was probably chosing By the Pricking of My Thumbs which was one of the last to feature that duo – if I’d started at the beginning I would probably have appreciated the character development more.
I think the earlier Christie novels in general tend to be stronger than the ones written later in her life. I would recommend trying The Secret Adversary and if you’re still not impressed maybe the Tommy and Tuppence books just aren’t for you!
I have read this title and I thought I liked it. Went back to my review and yes, it was a good Christie.
I’m glad you liked it, Silvia. It’s definitely a good one!
I’m also reading all the T&T books in order. Well, rereading them, but I’ve found I don’t remember as much as I thought.
Yes, I remember you reviewed this one recently too. These are all first-time reads for me.
I’ve only read the first Tommy and Tuppence mystery which I thought was a fun read. Someday I’ll get around to reading this one. I’m s-l-o-w-l-y working my way through Christie’s books.
All three of the Tommy and Tuppence books I’ve read have been fun reads, so I hope you enjoy the others when you get around to them.