The Secret of Chimneys

By: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Hugh Fraser

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Little did Anthony Cade suspect that an errand for a friend would place him at the center of a deadly conspiracy. Drawn into a web of intrigue, he begins to realize that the simple favor has placed him in serious danger.

As events unfold, the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Sûreté gradually converge on Chimneys, the great country estate that hides an amazing secret....

©1925 Agatha Christie Limited (P)2003 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Starring Hugh Fraser

Hugh Fraser's remarkable narration is definitely the star of this audiobook. The story is a fun and convoluted adventure but it is the clearly defined characters and gentle emphasis of Fraser's performance that really bring it to life. Atypically, his characters' voices are far superior to the those I had in my head when I read this book years ago. This interpretation makes the book far more enjoyable than my initial read. And isn't that the magic of a good audiobook?

I just wish he had done the 7 Dials mystery, a book with many of the same characters and setting. Unfortunately the narrator for that book shows how a bad narrator can ruin a fun book.

A Switch!

A shaggy-dog story with romance and a fun twist at the end! King Victor? A maguffim!

A wonderful listen

This was a new Agatha Christie story for me. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Couldn’t Catch Her...

This story was awesome! I try to catch authors dropping clues but not A.C. She’s one of the greats for a reason!

A Good Break from Poirot series

I greatly enjoy Hugh Fraser's narration and enjoyed this mystery after listening to the 1st 9 Poirot books in order.

her stories are always interesting!

it was nice to listen about different countries and the intrigue kept me listening because I had to know what was going to happen next.

The Most Amazing Story I Ever Heard

Actually, there’s more than one secret at Chimneys, the historic country seat of Lord Caterham and the place of choice whenever George Lomax (of the Foreign Office) wants a rural setting in which to trade state secrets. To be exact, there’s a treasure hunt, two kidnappings, and two and a half murders.

In a plot that crowded, it’s little wonder that my title comes from an expostulation by Mr. Lomax himself, after hearing perhaps the most bizarre of the revelations that festoon this mystery. Though the least likable character in the book, his feelings echo mine; for all the far-fetched twists and turns, I enjoyed myself immensely.

That’s probably because Christie knew what H. G. Wells knew: to make an implausible tale plausible, you have to make all the plausible parts perfectly plausible. Her characters, dialogue and details ring true to life; I was perfectly willing to swallow (with relish) everything else.

And beyond all that, there’s Hugh Frasier, who played the earnest Captain Hastings to David Suchet’s impeccable Poirot in the long-running TV series. He gives his usual masterful performance here, though somewhat handicapped by a slight sibilance in the recording. It was his presence behind the microphone that prompted me to grab this one during the last 2-for-1 sale.

Great Fun

Agatha is always a blast, but this would not rank among her best mysteries. I figured it out well before the end, which usually doesn't happen for me with Christie. Still, the story is great fun and the reader's performance is excellent.

Way to Go

I like her novels. They keep you guessing right to the end. I like reading and listening to them.

Terrific treat.

Don’t know how I missed this one but it’s a gem.
All Christie fans and classic mystery fans should listen and enjoy.