The Secret Adversary" by Agatha Christie follows Tommy and Tuppence as they investigate the mystery of Jane Finn and secret documents after the Lusitania sinking
The novel "The Secret Adversary," written by Agatha Christie and published in 1922, is the author's second work and the first appearance of characters Tommy and Tuppence, who become central figures in several later novels. Let’s delve into the story in detail.
During World War I, in 1915, Jane Finn encounters important documents on board the Lusitania, which are considered secret documents. She intends to deliver them to the American embassy located in London, United Kingdom. However, the ship sinks, and everyone discovers that Jane Finn is one of the survivors. Conversely, the American embassy informs her that they have no record of a woman by that name and did not receive any important papers. Here, Mr. Carter appears, who begins a quest to find the woman named Jane Finn and the secret documents she possesses. The search is conducted by Quatsoe Cowley and Thomas Beresford. During their secret investigation, the team discovers someone else is also trying to find this lady, Mr. Brown, but no one knows who he is or what he wants at all.
Key characters in "The Secret Adversary":
- Thomas Beresford: A young Englishman in his early twenties and a fighter in the war.
- Prudence L. Cowley: A woman in her early twenties with black hair, the daughter of a high-ranking deacon.
- Julius P. Hirschheimer: A wealthy young man in his thirties tasked with searching for a missing relative, Jane Finn, whom he has never seen due to family disputes, though he is somewhat reckless.
- Carter: The English investigator and one of the most skilled individuals in the intelligence agency.
- Jane Finn: The story's heroine, 18 years old, who speaks several languages, including fluent French.
- Margaret Vandemere: One of the women aboard the Lusitania, who discovers Mr. Brown's identity but ultimately dies poisoned.
- Albert: A secondary character in the novel, who works as a porter in the Rita Vandemere building.
"The Secret Adversary" is a detective novel with many dimensions; each character has numerous angles. If we explore the idea behind the work, the author invoked the name J. Fish through a phone call that was taking place near her in the café.
