Book Club

Tommy and Tuppence Stories

Tommy and Tuppence provide a change of pace for Christie readers with their energetic exploits.  Discuss in detail their stories with others in the know - but beware spoilers. 

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Warning: These discussions may contain spoilers!

N or M?

Jemma 07 Sep 09 at 7:43 a.m. GMT

Tommy Beresford is asked by a member of British Intelligence to stay at the Sans Souci guesthouse on the south coast of England to ‘ferret around’ and try to find out who, or what, may be the N or M of an intercepted coded message.  When he gets there he is astonished to find his wife Tuppence already there in the disguise of Mrs Blenkensop.  However, as has been proved before, they work better together than alone and, as ever, there is much danger before they unmask the members of the Fifth Column.

This is arguably one of Christie’s more successful forays into the ‘thriller’ genre. Set during WWII (and published in 1941) it uses two of her characters, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, who fit this story perfectly.  Having already been involved in tracking down enemies of the government in WWI it is exactly what they want to be doing again, except that this time they fear they may be considered too old!  Do the Tommy and Tuppence stories in general work better because the characters age as the books progress?

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21 replies

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GKCfan 31 Jul 11 at 8:36 p.m. GMT

We don't know.  As a special favor to the Beresfords, the spy who played the role of Carl is allowed to identify himself as a good guy, and to have a shot at pursuing the woman he's attracted to, but his actual name is not revealed.

lakambini 31 Jul 11 at 7:52 p.m. GMT

GKCfan

Spoilers ahead................................................................

No, he wasn't.  The "Carl" we met was a good Allied soldier/spy who assumed the identity of the deceased Carl Von Deinem to help fight the Nazis.

So what's the real name of the Carl we met?

GKCfan 30 Jul 11 at 5:46 p.m. GMT

Just another note to block spoilers from appearing in the "Hot Topics" thread.

GKCfan 30 Jul 11 at 5:41 p.m. GMT

Spoilers ahead................................................................

No, he wasn't.  The "Carl" we met was a good Allied soldier/spy who assumed the identity of the deceased Carl Von Deinem to help fight the Nazis.

lakambini 30 Jul 11 at 2:30 p.m. GMT

One thing I'm still confused about - was Carl Von Deinem really Derek Beresford?!?!

lakambini 30 Jul 11 at 2:29 p.m. GMT

Gary_Flores

SPOILERS!

Throughout the whole story I hoped that Mrs. Sprot isn't M(or N). It wasn't a nice surprise finding out that she IS M. I don't know why,I just liked her. I felt sorry for Betty. But,yeah, it was quite unbelievable when she shot Polanska while she was holding Betty.

I had my eye on when I heard Betty speak! Her words are so un-English even for a two year old! But I never thought the Polanska was the mother, though!

lakambini 30 Jul 11 at 2:27 p.m. GMT

ChristieFanBlogger

I found humor that Tommy and Tuppence were retired and complaining about their uselessness at an age today we would think of as still young and vital - late 40's.   

Yay! that was what I thought, too! I was thinking at the beginning of the book that they're already 60ish and when I found out they're only 40 I was like 'Huh?! that's too young!' but then again that was during the war :D

springsparkles 23 Jul 11 at 8:39 a.m. GMT

No the age doesnot make any difference.They are the best. They still are as mush exciting and fun to read as the other young detectives.The plot created and the M and N are those persons whom you would never had suspected. They are among those who does everything before everyone eyes and cannot be seen.

The perfect crime thriller ever.

ErkutSoyer 16 Jul 11 at 4:40 p.m. GMT

Are Beresfords claim Betty?I hope they do it.I'm sorry about Betty.

sahawkfire 16 Jul 11 at 4:34 p.m. GMT

This book is my favourite Tommy and Tuppence one, though the mystery isn't that hard to solve before the end. I was proud of myself for guessing everything except the identity of N by the end of the book. I think the Tommy and Tuppence stories aren't so much mind-boggling mysteries as they are just an enjoyable adventure. A nice change of pace from all the murder mysteries.

ErkutSoyer 14 Jul 11 at 2:43 p.m. GMT

My favorite Tommy and Tuppence book.Actually one Tommy and Tuppence book I read.But I love it.Tuppence is my favorite second female chracter.Crime in II. World War.Beresfords take charge of by Mr. Grant to spying in Sans Souci pension.N and M are German spy.I estimate N but estimate M is very hard.I advise this book everybody

Mr_Battle_Brent 03 May 11 at 12:26 p.m. GMT

SPOILERS!

Throughout the whole story I hoped that Mrs. Sprot isn't M(or N). It wasn't a nice surprise finding out that she IS M. I don't know why,I just liked her. I felt sorry for Betty. But,yeah, it was quite unbelievable when she shot Polanska while she was holding Betty.

ChristieFanBlogger 04 Nov 10 at 1:41 p.m. GMT

I found humor that Tommy and Tuppence were retired and complaining about their uselessness at an age today we would think of as still young and vital - late 40's.   

Pongo 28 Sep 10 at 2:41 a.m. GMT

SPOILERS Also, the previous posters are absolutely spot-on with their comments about the ageing of the couple and Albert, and the feeling of nostalgia, etc. AC gives us some really nice moments of frailty and bittersweet tenderness. For example, I was slightly teary-eyed when Tuppence and Albert are talking, and they recall how they first met (in the Secret Adversary).

Pongo 28 Sep 10 at 2:39 a.m. GMT

 SPOILERS...

That being said, it has an underlying dark tone.  For instance, there are constant references to how bad things are going in France and the war effort, etc.  Also, characters have very psychologically deep-rooted motivations (for example, one character’s motivation is that her son was killed in the last war).  And there are some pretty intense and fascinating discussions in the book about the nature of patriotism and whether it is of value or whether it is a waste.  In that sense, N or M? is almost a historical document that perhaps captures the sentiment regarding jingoism or the human element of patriotism at the time (complete with references to Edith Cavell). 

On a character level, I love how AC balances the sleuthing between Tommy and Tuppence.  In other words, they both equally contribute to the solving of the mystery rather than having one be the intellectual foil of the other.  Specifically, it is Tommy who deduces in his head who “N” is, while it is Tuppence who deduces who “M” is.  This balance gives us a nice portrait of a real working relationship as between these two. 

Also, I love how Tommy and Tuppence are portrayed not necessarily as intellectual giants like Poirot or Marple or even Battle.  They are instead driven by their enthusiasm, and it is their relentless drive that enables them to solve the mystery.  So, they are fallible and they make mistakes, and they are impulsive and oftentimes reckless.  But they are also methodical and careful, and they plan ahead when they most need to (with a little help from Albert).  They are also driven by the need to not feel unwanted or outdated, which is such a wonderfully human character trait.

Pongo 28 Sep 10 at 2:38 a.m. GMT

SPOILERS

N or M? is not by any means an exceptional mystery, but it is a very good war-time thriller (spies, the Fifth Column, sabotage, etc.) with some whodunit elements (the remote location, the limited number of “suspects”, a crucially timed bridge game, intrigue on the links, etc.).  I would say that its “whodunit” tone is more than The Secret Adversary, but less than By the Pricking of my Thumbs.  Also, I would say that the “solution” to the mystery is good, but unexceptional.  In other words, it is not necessarily a “jaw-dropper” resolution, but it is nonetheless satisfying (although I am sure that sharp readers will be able to spot the culprits early).  

Seakay 27 Sep 10 at 12:17 p.m. GMT

I thought that N or M was very successful, and in fact was the first T&T book that I read and it encouraged me to look for the others. Surprisingly (perhaps) I think that Postern of Fate is the least successful in the series. Somehow (it seems to me) AC hasn't really  decided to develop  her characters but just to state that they had aged, perhaps she was bored with them at this point?

Tommy_A_Jones 19 Jun 10 at 1:46 p.m. GMT

I agree, Puffin, If it wasn't for the fact that I am sure Tommy and Tuppenceere Created before her and Max goyt together I would wonder if she based Tommy and Tuppence on her and Max, as she accompanied Max with his work and Tommy and Tuppence worked together and also like you said Puffin, Tommy and Tuppence aged like Agatha and Max would have done.

Puffinjill 30 Oct 09 at 7:48 a.m. GMT

But she always kept the emphasis on the plot and not on their personal lives. Its tantalising having these glimpses into their married life and their relationships with their children but AC restrains herself from concentrating on these details. If she had, the Tommy and Tuppence books (the later ones especially) would have degenerated into family sagas rather than being driven by the plot. Sometimes I find this frustrating as I would love to have had more books featuring them and would like to know more about them all but perhaps I'm just nosey!! For example, they adopt Betty at the close of N or M but then she is barely referred to in the later books. I would quite liked to have seen how AC would have written about her as a young woman. Alas, all my questions are unanswerable now but, at least I still treasure what AC did give us.

Also, I wounder if AC was able to write about Tommy and Tuppence ageing with confidence because she herself was just about their contempary in age. She wrote about both Poirot and Marple as much older people than herself, but I feel she was able to put her own experience of maturing into T and T, especially Tuppence. Her personal insight makes them very real to her readers.

aznm 30 Oct 09 at 2:53 a.m. GMT

I have to agree with you, Puffinjill.  N or M? was very good.  We saw Tommy and Tuppence at their best, and A.C. was very good with her pen and typewriter.  I like the way she aged them, letting the readers in on some of their personal lives as well as their detection lives.