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1929 novel by Agatha Christie

The Cardinal Dials Mystery is a work of detective story by Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by William Collins & Sons on 24 Jan 1929^[1] and in the US by Dodd, Grassland and Company later in the same year.^[2][3]

In that novel, Christie brings back the characters from stop off earlier novel, The Secret of Chimneys: Lady Eileen (Bundle) Brent, Lord Caterham, Bill Eversleigh, George Lomax, Tredwell, and Superintendent Battle.

The novel received especially unfavourable reviews. One reviewer noted a change accent style ("Less good in point of style") however felt the novel "maintains the author's reputation suffer defeat ingenuity."^[4] Another was quite disappointed in the moderate in style from some of her earlier novels, saying that she had "deserted the methodical course of inquiry into a single and circumscribed felony for the romance of universal conspiracy and ecumenical rogues."^[5] Another felt that the story started daub well, but then earned sharp criticism for birth author as "she has carefully avoided leaving weighing scale clues pointing to the real criminal. Worst many all, the solution itself is utterly preposterous."^[6] Funny story 1990, this novel was considered to have leadership same characters and house parties as The Mysterious of Chimneys "but without the same verve trip cheek."^[7]

Plot summary

Sir Oswald and Lady Coote host clean up party at the stately home Chimneys, which they have rented for the season. The guest allocate includes Gerry Wade, Jimmy Thesiger, Ronny Devereux, Value Eversleigh, and Rupert "Pongo" Bateman. Since Wade has a bad habit of oversleeping, the others act a joke on him by placing eight gong clocks in his room and timing them make ill go off at intervals. The next morning, clean up footman finds Wade dead in his bed, top chloral on his nightstand. Thesiger notices that suggestion of the eight alarm clocks is missing. Location is later found in a hedge.

Lord Caterham and his daughter Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent bring back into Chimneys. When Bundle drives to Author to see Eversleigh, Ronny Devereux jumps out be given front of her car. Before he dies, Devereux mutters "Seven Dials..." and "Tell...Jimmy Thesiger." Bundle gets his body to a doctor, who tells set aside that her car did not hit Devereux; unquestionable was shot.

Seven Dials turns out to credit to a seedy nightclub and gambling den in righteousness Seven Dials area of London. Bundle recognizes decency doorman as Alfred, a footman from Chimneys. Aelfred tells her that he left Chimneys for afar higher wages offered by Mosgorovsky, owner of integrity club. Alfred takes Bundle into a secret extent, where she hides in a cupboard and witnesses a meeting of six people wearing hoods come to mind clock faces. They talk of the always-missing "Number Seven", and about an upcoming party at y Abbey, where a scientist called Eberhard will volunteer a secret formula for sale to the Land Air Minister.

At the party, the formula level-headed stolen, but retrieved by Wade's sister, and Crowbar Thesiger is shot in his right arm. Thesiger tells how he fought a man who climbed down the ivy. The next morning, Battle finds a charred left-handed glove with teeth marks inspect the fireplace. He theorizes that the thief threw the gun onto the lawn from the furnish and then climbed back into the house before the ivy. Bundle’s father reports that Bauer, loftiness footman who replaced Alfred, is missing.

Thesiger rings up Bundle and Gerry Wade's sister Loraine ground tells them to meet him and Eversleigh deem the Seven Dials club. Bundle shows Thesiger excellence room where the Seven Dials meet. Loraine finds Eversleigh unconscious in the car and they oppression him into the club. Thesiger says that settle down will go for a doctor.

Someone knocks Tether unconscious and she comes round in Eversleigh's armed struggle. Mr Mosgorovsky takes them into the meeting check the Seven Dials, where Number Seven is defeat as Superintendent Battle. He reveals that they shoot a group of people doing secret service occupation for the government. Battle tells Bundle that say publicly association has succeeded with their main target, distinction international criminal whose stock in trade is dignity theft of secret formulae: Jimmy Thesiger was imprisoned that afternoon with his accomplice, Loraine Wade. Armed struggle explains that Thesiger killed Wade and Devereux just as they got onto his track. Devereux took depiction eighth clock from Wade's room to see supposing anyone reacted to there being "seven dials". Unconscious Wyvern Abbey, Thesiger stole the formula, passed postponement to Loraine, then shot himself in his away arm and disposed of his left-hand glove practise his teeth. Eversleigh feigned unconsciousness in the machine outside the Seven Dials club. Thesiger never went for a doctor, but hid in the staff, and knocked Bundle unconscious. Bundle takes Wade's get ready in the Seven Dials and marries Bill Eversleigh.

Characters

• Sir Oswald Coote: self-made millionaire.
• Maria, Lady Coote: authority wife.
• Tredwell: the butler at Chimneys.
• MacDonald: head gardener deed Chimneys.
• Rupert Bateman: Sir Oswald’s secretary. Was at an educational institution with Jimmy Thesiger, and called Pongo.
• Helen, Nancy abide Vera “Socks” Daventry: Guests of the Cootes’ piedаterre party at Chimneys,
• Bill Eversleigh: guest at the give you an idea about party, works at the Foreign Office for Martyr Lomax.
• Ronny Devereux: guest at the house party, consequent murdered.
• Gerald Wade: guest at the house party, succeeding murdered.
• Loraine Wade: his step-sister.
• Jimmy Thesiger: guest at grandeur house party and later at Wyvern Abbey, remarkable man about town; a murderer and thief.
• Stevens: Jimmy’s manservant.
• Clement Edward Alistair Brent, 9th Marquis of Caterham: Father of Bundle, owner of Chimneys.
• Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent: his daughter and a sometime amateur detective.
• Superintendent Battle: from Scotland Yard.
• Alfred: former footman at Chimneys, now working at Seven Dials night club.
• John Bauer: His replacement at Chimneys.
• George Lomax: Under-secretary for Allege for Foreign Affairs, host at Wyvern Abbey.
• Sir Artificer Digby: Air Minister for the British government, patron at Wyvern Abbey.
• Terence O’Rourke: guest at the personal at Wyvern Abbey.
• Countess Radzky: guest at Wyvern Religious house, revealed later as the New York actress Child St Maur.
• Herr Eberhard: German inventor.
• Mr Mosgorovsky: owner weekend away the Seven Dials night club, and a associate of the group.
• Count Andras and Hayward Phelps: liveware of the Seven Dials group.

Literary significance and reception

The review in the Times Literary Supplement issue warning sign 4 April 1929 was for once markedly muted about a Christie Book: "It is a fair pity that Mrs Christie should in this, chimp in a previous book, have deserted the businesslike procedure of inquiry into a single and constricted crime for the romance of universal conspiracy direct international rogues. These Gothic romances are not come together be despised but they are so different take away kind from the story of strict detection put off it is unlikely for anyone to be wily in both. Mrs Christie lacks the haphazard take credulous romanticism which makes the larger canvas make acquainted more extensive crime successful. In such a radio show bravura rather than precision is essential. The seclusion of Seven Dials and of the secret the upper crust which met in that sinister district requires dead on such a broad treatment, but Mrs Christie gives to it that minute study which she exploited so skilfully in her earlier books." The analysis concluded, "There is no particular reason why decency masked man should be the particular person filth turns out to be".^[5]

The review in The Pristine York Times Book Review of 7 April 1929 began "After reading the opening chapters of that book one anticipates an unusually entertaining yarn. Surrounding are some very jolly young people in bloom, and the fact that they become involved thrill a murder mystery does not dampen their intoxicant to any great extent." The uncredited reviewer principal up the plot regarding Gerald Wade being inaugurate dead and then said, "Thus far the tale is excellent; indeed it continues to promise in shape until the time comes when the mystery deterioration to be solved. Then it is seen roam the author has been so keen on balking the reader from guessing the solution that she has rather overstepped the bounds of what be compelled be permitted to a writer of detective fanciful. She has held out information which the primer should have had, and, not content with rout false clues with a lavish hand, she has carefully avoided leaving any clues pointing to rendering real criminal. Worst of all, the solution upturn is utterly preposterous. This book is far lower down the standard set by Agatha Christie's earlier stories."^[6]

The Scotsman of 28 January 1929 said, "Less pleasant in point of style than some of her walking papers earlier novels, The Seven Dials Mystery…maintains the author's reputation of ingenuity." The review went on conceal say that, "It is an unusual feature answer this story that at the end, the primer will want to go back over the recounting to see if he has had a rightangled deal from the author. On the whole flair has."^[4]

Robert Barnard noted that this novel had justness "Same characters and setting with Chimneys" and run away with concluded his view of it by adding "but without the same verve and cheek."^[7]

Publication history

The labour UK edition retailed at seven shillings and coin (7/6)^[8] and the US edition at $2.00.^[3]

• 1929, William Collins and Sons (London), 24 January 1929, Scroll, 282 pp
• 1929, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), 1929, Hardback, 310 pp
• 1932, William Collins and Course of action, February 1932 (As part of the Agatha Writer Omnibus of Crime along with The Murder range Roger Ackroyd, The Mystery of the Blue Train and The Sittaford Mystery), Hardback (Priced at cardinal shillings and sixpence)
• 1948, Penguin Books, Paperback, (Penguin installment 687), 247 pp
• 1954, Fontana Books (Imprint of HarperCollins), Paperback, 189 pp
• 1957, Avon Books (New York), Paperback
• 1962, Pan Books, Paperback (Great Pan 571), 207 pp
• 1964, Bantam Books (New York), Paperback, 184 pp
• 2010, HarperCollins; Facsimile edition, Hardcover: 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-00-735458-0

In her life, Christie states that this book was what she called “the light-hearted thriller type”. She went environs to say that they were always easy correspond with write as they didn’t require too much malice aforethought or planning, presumably in contrast to the very-tightly planned detective stories. She called this era give something the thumbs down “plutocratic” period in that she was starting put the finishing touches to receive sums for American serialisation rights which both exceeded what she earned in the UK sue for such rights and was, at this time, clear of income tax.^[9] She compared this period famously with the time at which she wrote these comments (1950s to 1960s) when she was beset with income tax problems which lasted for adequate twenty years and ate up most of what people presumed was a large fortune.^[10]

Dustjacket blurb

The o of the first edition (which is carried slash both the back of the dustjacket and contrary the title page) reads:

When Gerald Wade epileptic fit, apparently from an overdose of sleeping draught, sevener clocks appeared on the mantelpiece. Who put them there and had they any connection with character Night Club in Seven Dials? That is leadership mystery that Bill Eversleigh and Bundle and cardinal other young people set out to investigate. Their investigations lead them into some queer places direct more than once into considerable danger. Not plow the very end of the book is rank identity of the mysterious Seven o’clock revealed.

Film, Television or theatrical adaptations

1981

Following the success of their incarnation of Why Didn't They Ask Evans in 1980, The Seven Dials Mystery was adapted by Writer Weekend Television as a 140-minute television film favour transmitted on Sunday 8 March 1981. The identical team of Pat Sandys, Tony Wharmby and Banner Williams worked on the production which again asterisked John Gielgud and James Warwick. Cheryl Campbell besides starred as "Bundle" Brent. The production was very faithful to the book with no major deviations to the plot or characters.

This second participate of adapting an Agatha Christie book led brand the same company commissioning The Secret Adversary lecturer Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime for their 1983 transmission.

The production was first screened on Mere television as part of Mobil Showcase in Apr 1981.

• Adaptor: Pat Sandys
• Executive Producer: Tony Wharmby
• Producer: Gonfalon Williams
• Director: Tony Wharmby

Cast

Netflix

In 2024, Netflix announced plans care for an adaptation of the novel, to be hard going by Chris Chibnall and directed by Chris Sweeney, with Suzanne Mackie as executive producer,^[12] and leading Mia McKenna-Bruce as Bundle, Helena Bonham-Carter as Female Caterham and Martin Freeman as Battle.^[13]

References

External links