Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery opens at a country weekend.  Lady Eileen, better known as Bundle, from The Secret of Chimneys, and some other Bright Young Things are staying with Mr and Mrs Coote, current renters of Chimneys. The story begins with what seems like a country-house prank, when the young guests buy several alarm clocks to go off at once and prank a late-sleeping friend.

This is also the fakeout of the book, since I thought I was reading an Agatha Christie country-house mystery, but it turns out to be a spy thriller. Soon we’re into political secrets and an underground secret spy ring known as the Seven Dials. I have to admit I don’t really like Christie’s political/spy thrillers nearly as much as the inheritance mysteries. I noticed this i...

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