Destination Unknown

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Emilia Fox

Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

When a number of leading scientists disappear without a trace, concern grows within the international intelligence community. And the one woman who appears to hold the key to the mystery is dying from injuries sustained in a plane crash.

Meanwhile, in a Casablanca hotel room, Hilary Craven prepares to take her own life. But her suicide attempt is about to be interrupted by a man who will offer her an altogether more thrilling way to die....

This title was previously published as So Many Steps to Death.

©1954 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2004 HarperCollins Publishers

Cross Culture Intrigue

I appreciated the social, cultural, political and economical intrigue Agatha uses in this story. This one sits alongside They Came to Baghdad and Death Comes as the End as diverse and socially relevant.

A Very Good Standalone Novel from The 1950s

This is a well written and perhaps somewhat typical Agatha Christie mystery adventure novel. It is a standalone novel. I tend to enjoy her standalone novels. My personal favorite that I have thus far read is The Pale Horse in the event one is searching for another.

This novel, as is common with this author is fairly clearly written and therefore makes for a particularly good candidate for an audiobook, I read and listened simultaneously and the audiobook is very faithful to the written text. The performance is professional. I am completely satisfied with this audiobook. Thank You…

Unusual for Christie, but great!

Post World War II drama and intrigue are described as part of a scheme to gather scientists from around the globe to be eventually sold to governments around the world.

Very good for what it is

Full of twists and turns, the story is set in the Cold War era but with Christie’s fondness for obscure masterminds behind the scenes. Reliably diverting and satisfying.

Solid all around

This one is good! Performance is good, story us good, social commentary is good! I like the departure from Christie's usual murder-centric style.

Kind of like a "Pinky and the Brain" story

Where does Destination Unknown rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Average.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, because Agatha Christie never fails to deliver. But the story is quite cheesy and predictable at times.

Which character – as performed by Emilia Fox – was your favorite?

Aristides! She could really portrait him as a Marvel villain.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

It's a good book, but not your typical Agatha Christie. The story doesn't hold all that well and the villain is quite cartoonish. Several loose ends. But it must have something to it, because I had read it many years ago and I could still remember parts of it. I think the first time I read it I thought it was better.

Love Emilia Fox!

This was a really good story. Typical Christie twists which is wonderful. I so enjoy Emilia Fox narrating ever since I heard her on They Cane to Baghdad.

Not my favorite

I love Agatha Christie. Here I feel like the plot speeds up and slows down at the wrong moments... Or like she just tried to cram in the ending. Glad I heard it, but won't re-listen the way I do many of her other stories.

Not a murder, but still engaging

Emilia Fox does a fabulous job narrating. I’m a Christie fan, and although this novel was quite different because it’s focus wasn’t a murder, it was still highly engaging. I recommend it.

Unusual for Agatha Christie

This book was not like most other Agatha Christie novels - no Hercule Poirot & no Miss Marple. It is a 1950s version of “The Secret Adversary” (1929). However, instead of facing the Bolsheviks, this protagonist, Hilary Craven, must uncover the evil doings of the Soviets.

I enjoyed the plot and main character’s development. The reader is excellent.