By the Pricking of My Thumbs

I read my first Tommy and Tuppence thriller. 'The Secret Adversary' in 2020. Published in 1922, it was Christie's second novel. I was pleased to find it was a thriller with a young couple who put an advert in the paper saying:

"Two young adventurers for hire. Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good. No unreasonable offer refused."

And found themselves hired by the British Secret Service to commit acts of derring-do to bring down the bad guys.

I've watched Tommy and Tuppence grow up, get married and have children as Christie revisited them. The short stories in 'Partners In Crime' (1929) showed me Tommy and Tuppence, six years into their married life, working seamlessly as a team. 'N or M' (1940) showed me the couple working show more against suspected Nazi fifth columnists in wartime England while their grown-up children served in the armed forces.

I wasn't sure what to expect of 'By The Pricking Of My Thumbs' (1968), my fourth visit with Tommy and Tuppence. In this book, they're forty-six years older than when I first met them and living in a different world, which they can feel changing around them. Still, it was immediately apparent that Tuppence's need to find out what's going on and stop bad guys from triumphing was undiminished. Only the scale of the mystery had changed.

'By The Pricking Of My Thumbs' was a gentle book, as memorable for the comments on what it means to grow old as for the mystery itself. The mystery starts at an old people's home and is partly fueled by the fact that no one believes all the things that old ladies say. They attribute claims of having recognised a criminal or of hearing a child crying in a chimney as delusions and fancies. Except, Tuppence, a decade or two younger than what she thinks of as the 'inmates' of the old people's home, is already starting to resent how women over a certain age are neither fully seen nor heard by the young. She sees how the old people are treated as if they were children whose perceptions are not to be relied upon and whose wishes don't always need to be taken into account.

I liked Tuppence's reflections on what life is like for the old, how they are left with so little going on in the present, at the same time that they are losing their memories of the past. These reflections aren't just empathy; they're Tuppence thinking about where her own life is headed. I think the moment that this really hit home for her was at the funeral of Tommy's Aunt Ada. She said,

"Funerals are so sad aren't they... I mean, funerals like Aunt Ada's that are sad. I mean elderly people and not many flowers."

It seemed to me that the sad things wasn't that the old person had died, but that they'd lived so long that there was almost no one left to mourn them.

Of course, it's not just the old who are disregarded. A constant theme of the Tommy and Tuppence books has been how the male Establishment underestimates and marginalises women. It was true in 1922 and 1940, and it still seems still to be true in 1968. One of the things I enjoyed about the book was that, despite most of the men in the book being dismissive of or threatening towards women, it was the women who drove all of the significant events in the plot.

I think Christie may, with 'By The Pricking Of My Thumbs' have launched a new sub-genre in 1968: the Cosy Thriller. All the thriller elements were ther: disappearances, shady dealings, abductions, closely held secrets, but with no more sense of threat than a ‘Murder She Wrote‘ episode. I enjoyed it because Tommy and Tuppence, especially Tuppence, were engaging. I wanted them to win through. show less

I love Tommy and Tuppence. How could I not? Together, apart, they come off the page. I wasn't sure at first about a series where the main characters significantly age with each book - a series where marriage is the beginning of the story, rather than the end. But it works.

And I mean, the mysteries are great but the relationship between them is truly something special.

“All right, all right,” said Tommy, “be realistic. But if you really want to be noble and come with me—” “I want to come with you,” said Tuppence. “After all, I married you for better or for worse and Aunt Ada is decidedly the worse. So I shall go with you hand in hand.

Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) show more . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.

I love that they're always so supportive of one another and that the love and affection between them is so readily apparent. I love that they're not just husband and wife but best friends too. Plus they're hilarious - the snark, the banter it's perfection. And Tuppence is such a drama queen and I totally rate it.

“All the same—” said Tommy. “I know,” said Tuppence, “I know. All the same you feel it’s your duty and so you’ve got to go.” “Don’t you think I’m right?” “Unfortunately,” said Tuppence, “I do think you’re right. Absolutely right. And I’ll come too,” she added, with a slight note of heroism in her voice. “No,” said Tommy. “Why should you? She’s not your aunt. No, I’ll go.” “Not at all,” said Mrs. Beresford. “I like to suffer too. We’ll suffer together. You won’t enjoy it and I shan’t enjoy it and I don’t think for one moment that Aunt Ada will enjoy it. But I quite see it is one of those things that has got to be done.”

Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.

The only one who cracks me up more than Tuppence is Albert. They really are quite a pair with their mysteries and clues and adventures. Well and their sneaking and snooping.

“And now, I suppose,” said Tommy, “you want to hear everything.” “Matter of fact, sir,” said Albert in a slightly apologetic tone, “I know most of it. You see, seeing as it was a question of the missus and all that, I took the liberty of lifting up the extension in the bedroom. I didn’t think you’d mind, sir, not as it was the missus.”

Christie, Agatha. The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) . William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.

Overall another strong addition to the series. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. show less

This is Tommy and Tuppence Beresford's last "outing". Tommy has worked in "intelligence" all of his life, Tuppence has raised a family, and now they are retired. Tommy still gives lectures and consults in the intelligence field, and is about to go off to a conference for a few days, leaving Tuppence at a loose end.

The story begins when they visit Tommy's Aunt Ada in a geriatric nursing home and Tuppence, rejected by Aunt Ad! Spends her time with a Mrs Lancaster who makes a strange reference to a child in the chimney. Mrs Lancaster subsequently disappears, Aunt Ada dies, and Tuppence is not satisfied with explanations of where Mrs Lancaster has gone. And so the case begins. Tommy returns home from his conference to find that Tuppence has show more gone off sleuthing and has disappeared.

What I find interesting about these later Christie novels is how she has returned to each of her major characters and updated what has happened to them. (Although in the case of both Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot these novels were written well ahead of when they were needed.)

Unlike Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot though, the Beresfords have aged in "real" time. While the Secret Service became Tommy's career, Tuppence has only been allowed "out of the house", so to speak, occasionally, apart from some active service in intelligence in World War II, and here you get a sense of wasted talent. A bit of feminism from Christie?

Another of the quirky things about this novel is that Christie seems to be exploring the nature of senility and dementia. For example some of the residents of Sunny Ridge where Aunt Ada lives are downright cranky at times, and many get their memories muddled up, and some even believe at times they are someone famous. At other times they clearly remember events from decades before, and recognize faces from the past.

What creates a serial killer? You could say that the last few pages of the novel focus on that issue.
An elderly woman believes that she has been chosen, but that at the same time she is suffering retribution.
"What I'd done was murder, wasn't it, and you can only atone for murder with other murders, because the other murders wouldn't really be murders, they would be sacrifices."

At the end of the novel Tommy tells Tuppence "Don't ever do it again." and she agrees. "I'm too old."
This indeed is their swan song.

I've been looking for signs that Christie's own mental powers were diminishing at this stage of her life, and I've come away feeling that she still had a lot to say. True, this is an unlikely tale, an escapist cozy, but I found it impressive. show less

Fun but a little improbable! Additional notes on 2025 re-read: Yes it's a little improbable (the criminal gang subplot confuses the issue somewhat) but it's lovely to reacquaint oneself with Tommy and Tuppence. Unlike Poirot and Marple, the Beresfords are allowed to age in real time, and are now (1968) in their sixties, still with a taste for adventure. They are of the age where there are seriously elderly relatives in aged care and it's on a visit to Tommy's Aunt Ada at Sunny Ridge aged care home that the adventure begins. As I'm now nearer T&T's age myself some of the comments about aging are a little jarring (I'm mindful that Agatha herself was 78 when this was published so some is putting words into the mouths of others) but it's show more still a good read. show less

Tommy and Tuppence Return
A review of the William Morrow Paperbacks eBook (February 10, 2010) of the Dodd, Mead & Co. (US December 1968) and Collins Crime Club (UK November 1968) hardcover originals.

Millstone . . . Millstone . . . Millstone . . . and below—in uneven cutting by an amateur hand: Here lies Lily Waters. Tuppence drew a deep breath—She was conscious of a shadow behind her, but before she could turn her head—something hit her on the back of her head and she fell forwards on to the tombstone into pain and darkness.

[3.5 rounded up]
The characters Tommy and Tuppence Beresford had an early series of adventures which were often related to espionage between the World War I and II eras. Their previous outing had been [book:N or show more M?|102313] (T&T #3, 1941) which time-jumped them twelve years after [book:Partners in Crime|16325] (T&T #2, 1929). This 4th novel makes an even bigger leap forward of 17 years to 1968.

The book starts off in cozy territory with the Beresfords visiting Tommy's Aunt Ada in a seniors' residence. Tuppence overhears talk of poisoned milk and dead children and finds it disturbing. When Aunt Ada passes away a short time later, they return to the residence to sort through her things and discover they have inherited a painting of a house that seems familiar to Tuppence. She resolves to track down the previous owner who has mysteriously disappeared from the residence after gifting the painting to Ada.

While Tommy is off at a conference in London (which seems related to the old espionage days), Tuppence pursues a trail that brings her to the mysterious house which she learns has a dark past. Shortly afterwards she is assaulted and knocked unconscious. Tommy finally tracks her down to a hospital where she is recovering. In the end they confront the horror of the final reveal.

Although this is in the late Christies which have a tendency to ramble somewhat, it was still a pleasure to read a further Tommy and Tuppence adventure where they have realistically aged, but have not lost their inquisitive spirit.

This novel By the Pricking of my Thumbs counts against my Complete Agatha Christie binge read goal, so I now have 15 novels (including 4 remaining Westmacotts), 3 short story collections, 10.5 full-length theatrical plays, 5 shorter radio plays) and 1 autobiography left to go.

Trivia and Links
Although the novel didn't include Miss Marple, it was adapted for the TV series Agatha Christie's Marple (2004-2013) as Season 2's Episode 3 (2006) starring Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple, Anthony Andrews as Tommy Beresford and Greta Scacchi as Tuppence Beresford.

Addendum
This is a reckoning of my remaining Agatha Christie TBR novels. The novels read are stroked through and those yet to be read are counted on the right hand side of the listing. The reckoning does not include the 3 posthumous novelizations of Agatha Christie stage plays made by Australian writer Charles Osborne, although I was initially counting them as I worked through the binge.
Note: The stroke-throughs cannot be seen on all platforms (mobile phones for instance), but the number count on the right hand side of the remaining titles should be clear enough.
1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles
2. The Secret Adversary
3. The Murder on the Links
4. The Man in the Brown Suit
5. The Secret of Chimneys
6. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
7. The Big Four
8. The Mystery of the Blue Train
9. The Seven Dials Mystery
10. The Murder at the Vicarage
11. The Sittaford Mystery
12. Peril at End House
13. Lord Edgware Dies
14. Murder on the Orient Express
15. Why Didn't They Ask Evans? 1
16. Three Act Tragedy
17. Death in the Clouds
18. The A.B.C. Murders
19. Murder in Mesopotamia
20. Cards on the Table
21. Dumb Witness
22. Death on the Nile
23. Appointment with Death
24. Hercule Poirot's Christmas
25. Murder Is Easy 2
26. And Then There Were None 3
27. Sad Cypress
28. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
29. Evil Under the Sun
30. N or M?
31. The Body in the Library
32. Five Little Pigs
33. The Moving Finger
34. Towards Zero
35. Death Comes as the End
36. Sparkling Cyanide 4
37. The Hollow
38. Taken at the Flood
39. Crooked House
40. A Murder Is Announced
41. They Came to Baghdad 5
42. Mrs McGinty's Dead
43. They Do It with Mirrors
44. After the Funeral
45. A Pocket Full of Rye
46. Destination Unknown 6
47. Hickory Dickory Dock
48. Dead Man's Folly
49. 4.50 from Paddington
50. Ordeal by Innocence 7
51. Cat Among the Pigeons
52. The Pale Horse 8
53. The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
54. The Clocks
55. A Caribbean Mystery
56. At Bertram's Hotel
57. Third Girl
58. Endless Night
59. By the Pricking of My Thumbs
60. Hallowe'en Party
61. Passenger to Frankfurt 9
62. Nemesis
63. Elephants Can Remember
64. Postern of Fate 10
65. Curtain 11
66. Sleeping Murder

As Mary Westmacott
66. Giant's Bread 12
67. Unfinished Portrait 13
68. Absent in the Spring 14
69. The Rose and the Yew Tree
70. A Daughter's a Daughter
71. The Burden 15 show less

Tommy and Tuppence (and of course Alfred) are always fun-- their continuity is heavier than Marple or Poirot, so call-backs to their previous adventures and updates about their lives are a lot more rewarding. The plot of the book is nothing special and can feel a bit scattered and lopsided, but there are a couple genuinely creepy moments and we're really here for our lead couple's charming and perennially amateur style of detection, and Christie's character sketches.

By the Pricking of My Thumbs- Christie
Audio performance by Hugh Fraser
4 stars

Tommy and Tuppence in late middle age. (They clearly don’t consider themselves to be elderly.) Tommy goes off for a ‘reunion’ in a secret place with secret service pals. Tuppence pursues an elderly lady who is missing from a nursing home. In her usual scattered manner, Tuppence approaches the problem inefficiently, puts herself in danger, and stumbles across multiple crimes and culprits.

The Christien plot twist might have been a surprise when the book was published, but I’ve encountered more than one similar evil character in more recent books. I may have to compile a list of books with sweet little old ladies who are serial killers.